What items to bring when I pick up my Mooney?

[scottfromiowa]

Since you like underwear better bring two extra pair because your going to $@#% when you see how fast you are going for your fuel burn...or just wear black ones...

[KLRDMD]

Quote: Skywarrior

I've never flown in a Mooney before, so it'll definitely be a new experience.

[Mcstealth]

Quote: KLRDMD

Never flown in a Mooney before but bought one. Wow !

[TonyPynes]

To continue Chuck's thread a year later.

Chuck, what did you wish you had brought when you picked your plane up?

Any additional suggestions?

I have an IPAD with Foreflight and XWing and many other apps, E6B, etc

Still will bring some charts, AIM, usual clothes (Texas again - so it is hot)

Oil, Plexus, cleaning cloths etc will get there since I am traveling airlines.

I take delivery next Friday and will spend the weekend with a local instructor before heading back to North Carolina on the 29th.

[David Mazer]

A flashlight or two.  A microfiber towel.  Some Plexus window cleaner.  A quart or two of oil and a funnel.  A first aid kit.  Definitely a camera.  I took all kinds of pictures as I flew home and reminice often.

[TonyPynes]

Quote: Mazerbase

A flashlight or two.  A microfiber towel.  Some Plexus window cleaner.  A quart or two of oil and a funnel.  A first aid kit.  Definitely a camera.  I took all kinds of pictures as I flew home and reminice often.

[Becca]

Never flown a Mooney before, not even the one you already bought?  I hope you had someone test fly it before you paid. 

I agree, a handheld radio would be good.  A battery charger.  A handheld GPS.  We all like to think that if you spend enough money and have a good prebuy and the plane is in annual, its going to be turn key.  From experienced airplane owners I've heard it takes three months of ownership or so to get all the major pre-purchased bugs worked out.  Despite the fresh annual and the prebuy, we went through two fuel pumps, an alternator (we didn't learn until later that our "expert" Mooney prebuy mechanic didn't actually turn over the engine and start the plane until AFTER he called us to give us the thumbs up to buy it, when he did get around to starting it after we were the proud owners, he discovered a bad alternator, that, gee, we'd have to replace at his shop), and an alternator repair (turns out he didn't bother to tighten the bolts and it started arcing on the plane's first long cross country requiring repair again) in the first 15 hrs of flying our airplane.

75 hrs in, we're doing pretty good, had a completely uneventful 23 hr cross country trip in July.  I would just be prepared for anything, so any extra equipment you have that can operate standalone from your plane would be useful just in case somethign stops working.  

We carry a small toolbox in our airplane - the basics of what you'd need to remove any of the access panels (e.g. screw drivers), replace a spark plug, change the oil or filter, lightbulds or make other minor fixes that you are allowed to do as a private pilot.

Also if its going to be a long hot cross country back home, some road trip snack food, a cooler with some cold drinks in it, etc. to keep you going.

 

[rob]

Quote: fantom

Talk about a loaded question with lots of opinions.....but yes, stay away from polarized lenses, and amber tint is excellent for flying.

http://www.opticsplanet.net/serengeti-sunglasses.html?gclid=CN_K6PKeraMCFSUXswodP2Z06A'>

[flyboy0681]

Big fat checkbook.

[dcrogers11]

I may have missed it on this thread, but I feel a Mooney "must have item" is a small rechargable screwdriver with an assortment of heads.  I haven't counted how many screws are on a Mooney, but I can promise that there are more than your forearms can handle with a regular screw driver.  You never know when you will have to pull the cowl to check a leak or pull a plug after a bad mag check.  

I commute in my plane and it stays away from its home hanger as much as it sits in it so I try to keep the main items that may keep me grounded.  Those items are, a quart of oil, one of those cheap oil bottle screw on spouts, 1 new spark plug, spark plug socket and wrenches for spark plug wires.  Weight is not an issue with me as I commute only with my co-pilot Max (14 lb Shih Tzu).  You might also want to build you a gas tank dip stick for your plane.  There are a couple of threads on the forum for different models.  

As mentioned in an earlier post, it is extremely hot right now in SAT and flights are best scheduled early as possible in the day.  Light clothes are a must.  Cold water in an insulated container are also in my bag.  

 I work close to SAT and my plane is hangered at PEZ just S of SAT.  There are several Mooney drivers down here on the forum and I'm sure any one in the group would love to help out should you get in a bind.

Good luck with your future "love of your life". 

[triple8s]

I always keep one of those 4-way screw drivers handy incase there are any loose fasteners, Homedepot has orange ones that are popular in my town. GO VOLS!

By the way STOCKMAR-SMALL Airport, I had to make a trip to Villa Rica Ga. last friday and stopped at 20GA where I was very suprised with this little airport. Peggy is very nice and there is a nice pilot lounge. I sure wish there was an airport like that one near my town, and for anyone that is interested, OCTOBER 4TH there is a party at Stockmar, there will be LIVE MUSIC, LOTS OF HARLEYS, FOOD, PRIZES and AIRPLANE RIDES. I hope to be there.

[flyboy0681]

In addition to a checkbook and multi-headed screwdriver, a pair of pliers or adjustable wrench should also be carried on-board.

I recently took a fuel sample and the fuel drain would not close. It seems that some sediment was lodged in the drain and kept it from sealing. It took 15 minutes of shoving the stem of the fuel sampler into the hole at all different angles to finally get it closed. My mechanic later told me that if I had been able to remove the drain I probably could have removed the sediment by blowing into it while another person held their finger in the hole to keep all the fuel from running out. The only way to remove the drain would have been with a wrench or pliers.

Thankfully nobody approached me with a lit match after that ordeal.

 

[TonyPynes]

This is some good stuff. I will make a list this weekend and post it for others future use.

[rbridges]

maybe I missed it, but what kind of mooney did you get?  and congrats.

[TonyPynes]

Quote: rbridges

maybe I missed it, but what kind of mooney did you get?  and congrats.

[TonyPynes]

My list of what to bring when I pick up my Mooney next week

 For the pilot

Paper towels

Moist towelettes

Cold water in an insulated container

Some road trip snack food, a cooler with some cold drinks in it, etc.

Towel

Hat/ballcap to block the sun

 

Usual stuff for a trip

Toothbrush, shaver and clothing appropriate for area visiting and time you will be gone

Credit card, cash, check book

Sunscreen

Sunglasses

Camera

 

Keeping it legal

Drivers license

Pilots License

Medical

Insurance Binder or Certificate

Temporary registration

 

 

In the cockpit

Charts, AFD, POH, FAR/AIM,

Handheld GPS/IPAD if you use one.

Headset

Push To Talk switch if not on plane

Hand held radio

Folding cup holders if applicable

A flashlight or two. 

A first aid kit.

 

For the plane

Fuel cup

A microfiber towel. 

Some Plexus window cleaner. 

A quart or two of oil and a funnel. 

Battery charger

Small toolbox (the basics of what you'd need to remove any of the access panels (e.g. screw drivers), replace a spark plug, change the oil or filter, lightbulbs or make other minor fixes that you are allowed to do as a private pilot.

Small rechargable screwdriver with an assortment of heads.

Oil bottle screw on spouts

Spark plug, spark plug socket and wrenches for spark plug wires

Gas tank dip stick

Pair of pliers or adjustable wrench

 

Of course there is also the planning to which I  am spending a great deal of time on to learn systems, V numbers, and my route back.

[David Mazer]

Remaining useful load after 4 tablespoons of 100LL: 3#, 8 oz.

Actually, I think it is an FAA rule that emergency equipment and supplies have no weight and don't effect the CG of any airplane!  In fact, when you get to a certain weight, the FAA starts increasing the useful load (negative weight).  So pile it on.  The FAA will.

[TonyPynes]

LOL exactly

[jlunseth]

Geez, I can't believe this thread has been going for a year and no one has mentioned the single most important piece of equipment for an aircraft with 5 or 6 hours of endurance and that is loaded to the gills with water bottles. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Little John.  Does wonders to increase average speed and range between, err, fuel stops.

And might I suggest that care needs to be taken in this purchase.  The first one I got from Sporty's had a pinhole leak in the bottom.  Some of them also have caps that screw on but to not seal.  Quality is very important in this item.

And on a serious note, if picking up a plane you have never flown before and has just been worked on by someone.  A small halon fire extinguisher.  The Little John does not put out cockpit fires very well.  Campfires maybe, but electrical no.