Look in your tanks before every departure

[bonal]

Thats what I meant about big picture and details they are separate things. first thing I do when I put up the Hanger doors is take in the over all look of my airplane (damn thats nice) oops sorry does it look right then get into the routine that is my preflight and start dealing with the details.

always check for stains on the floor stick my head in the oil hatch and take a big sniff (any fuel smell) check the belt look for loose wires any thing I have access to I take a look. up and down on the tail correct free movement of the control surfaces, do a fuel drain then double check that the sumps closed and no drips. I also hand prop a couple cycles feeling for compression. my list goes on. pehaps my inexperience makes me double careful. I just wish I could see a little more of the engine through those 2 hatches and the nose. I too have a creased baggage door but it was that way when I bought it still acts as a reminder to check closed and locked the list goes on.

none of us is perfect all we can do is our best hopefully that will always be good enough.

[DS1980]

"I just wish I could see a little more of the engine through those 2 hatches and the nose."

 

What would you consider best practice for opening up the cowl and giving the FWF a good look over? Based on time? Based on flight hours? Every time the oil is changed?

Other opinions?

[Bob_Belville]

I take the cowl off every 5-10 hours. The valve cover screws are always 1/4 turn loose. I snug those and I check everything else for security, leaks, clearance from exhaust manifold, etc.

[cliffy]

There is a small but very nice county airport out in Texas (we stop there once in a while) where the airport manager was appointed by the top county official (the County Judge). They had a spat of gas stealing going on and the Judge had the manager handle it. He went out at night a concealed himself across the runway and when the perps came out again he put a couple of rifle rounds into the dirt right next to them. They took off in a cloud of dust and no gas was ever stolen there again. 

[bonal]

if I ever get a chance to leave them on for an extended period I would have to consider a time frame on the cowl removal.  Seems I'm always needing to get in there for something or other.  any time they come off I look and check every thing i can get to.

[Mooneymite]

...put a couple of rifle rounds into the dirt right next to them. They took off in a cloud of dust and no gas was ever stolen there again. 

 

Too bad he didn't miss the dirt and kill the varmints!

[bonal]

yeah what the heck did the dirt ever do to him.

[pinerunner]

This post gets me mad. I'd almost condone shooting someone stealing gas from a plane if you could get away with it. They used to hang horse thieves cause leaving some guy out in the dessert without his ride could be condeming him to a slow death.  My wife and I once had someone steal our heating oil when we were first married and lived in a little trailer; we woke up freezing and had a bunch of pipes burst. Big mess.

 

I always do a complete preflight at the beginning of the day and check the tanks when refueling. It never occurred to me that someone might siphon off gas, silly me.

 

I'm lucky I think to be at a fairly active GA airport. The hangar is locked and the airport manager/mechanic lives 200 feet from the hangars so not a good place sneak in and do dirty crap.

[bonal]

Before I got into a hangar there were a few times that i know fuel was stolen from my aircraft. lucky that most cars cant run on leaded gas. if they ever come up with a high octane unleaded av gas the thieves will show up in groves.

[rockydoc]

My wife insists that "it is the right thing to do" and I don't argue with her.  Therefore when we sump the tanks we pour the sumped fuel (be it ever so small) back into the tank from which it was taken rather than throw it on the tarmac..  While the cap is off, we dip the tanks.  A quick and easy thing to do in reality, eh?

[rdav]

Actually, yes they do. Norm Smith (aka, "The Mooney Miser" from years ago) made a kit to modify the gas caps. Looks as though his company (Aero-Trim) is still making some of his old products. He unfortunately died in 2008; he was wonderfully nice guy.http://www.aerotriminc.com/id2.htmlhttp://www.aerotriminc.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/aerolockinstructions.pdf

I was considering these at one point when there was a fuel thief at my prior home airport. Several members of the flying club were finding missing fuel during their preflights. It was bad enough that we were even speculating about the local fuel truck driver .. can't tell whether fuel is going in or coming out if the truck pulls up to a plane in middle of the night! The worst of it was .. one pilot that had locking caps actually had them pried off to get access to the fuel! Really makes you wonder!

Our Flying Club wound up installing some security cameras around the airport, and the problem stopped shortly after that.

[FlyDave]

There is a small but very nice county airport out in Texas (we stop there once in a while) where the airport manager was appointed by the top county official (the County Judge). They had a spat of gas stealing going on and the Judge had the manager handle it. He went out at night a concealed himself across the runway and when the perps came out again he put a couple of rifle rounds into the dirt right next to them. They took off in a cloud of dust and no gas was ever stolen there again. 

He should have had better aim

[kmyfm20s]

They have them! Just spoke with Elise (nice lady) and ordered one kit. I noted the STC was shown on the installation PDF.

Can you give us a PIREP after you get them. Thanks!

[cliffy]

He is an excellent rifle marksman!  Very cool guy to talk with. 

[Andy95W]

Can you give us a PIREP after you get them. Thanks!

I installed a set in my last Mooney back in the late 90's. Nice kit, and worked very well. Looks very professional when completed. One additional positive is that locked down the caps seem to seal out water better than not locked.

Figure about 4 hours for the first one, 2 or so for the second. If you pay someone else, try to negotiate the installation price to 2 or 3 hours labor.

My current Mooney is hangared, but after reading this thread I may put them on in spite of that.