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Posted

At annual inspection the Oxygen tank in my Bravo failed the pressure test. My mechanic quoted a price of $13,000 for a factory replacement. Does anyone have any ideas regarding an "after market" alternative which would be less expensive?

Posted

Spoke to the mechanic again and he said that unfortunately in order to comply with regs, that since it is a built in system the tank has to be of precise dimensions, etc. Mountain Air says they do not have this tank.

Since there were only 237 Bravos ever built, there is only one distributor that has this particular tank which goes for the exorbitant price of $13,000.

Any other thoughts would be greatly appreciated

Posted

I think you have a problem with your mechanic.

 

I agree completely. I think your mechanic may sense that your checkbook will support $13,000 for a new tank made of unobtainium. (The same tank is also used on Ovations of the same years that had factory oxygen.)

 

To complete the annual, tell your mechanic you are going to placard the instrument panel with "Oxygen System INOP". Get that annual signed off as quickly a you can and then go to another mechanic. Where are you located?

Posted
On 3/27/2015, 8:35:15, Top Heavy said:

Spoke to the mechanic again and he said that unfortunately in order to comply with regs, that since it is a built in system the tank has to be of precise dimensions, etc. Mountain Air says they do not have this tank.

Since there were only 237 Bravos ever built, there is only one distributor that has this particular tank which goes for the exorbitant price of $13,000.

Any other thoughts would be greatly appreciated

 

There were well over 300 M20M built. It continued in production until at least 2005. Serial numbers 330 and 344 are for sale on Controller right now..

 

It started out as a "TLS", then starting with serial number 209 it was called "TLS Bravo" since it had the wethead conversion (i bought #209 new in 1996). Eventually it was just called "Bravo", then Bravo DX or GX depending on the avionics.

 

Call Aerox and ask for the MAPA (Mooney Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) discount.

http://aerox.com/product-category/built-in-oxygen-systems/

Posted

Spoke to the mechanic again and he said that unfortunately in order to comply with regs, that since it is a built in system the tank has to be of precise dimensions, etc. Mountain Air says they do not have this tank.

Since there were only 237 Bravos ever built, there is only one distributor that has this particular tank which goes for the exorbitant price of $13,000.

Any other thoughts would be greatly appreciated

 

Top Heavy,

 

I have another source. 

 

http://www.hrd-aerosystems.com

 

It will be around $1800, for the same, identical tank. I'll run down to the hangar at lunch and get you a part #

 

That's where I got mine from about 4 years. It's an SCI tank and then Scott/Zodiak Aerospace just slaps another label on it.

 

Like I said before, overhaul your regulator as well. It will be about $800 total with a new boss fitting. 

 

http://www.turbinerotables.com

 

They will turn it around in about 3 days, great guys.

Posted

When the tank on my Rocket hit the 25 year lifespan, I called a MSC to buy one.  The guy was nice enough about it to just tell me where they were buying them, since the distributor was closer to me than him anyway.  The company was out of Minneapolis and I paid about $800.  Let me know if the other option by Andy doesn't work and I will try to find the distributor info for you.

Posted

They must have seen you coming!

 

in 2013 I paid £2075 (about $3100 at today's exchange) for a new cylinder, rubber bands (mine were a bit sorry) and a regulator test/inspection (reseal), all with 8130 and EASA Form 1 - that was with Zodiac Aerospace in the UK

Posted

I have our PMA pn: H21507-04

New in stock with MFG. trace 8130 for $1800ea.
 

thank you,
Tony

 

 

Tony Peters

Direct Line: 661-705-2561
Fax: 661-295-0672
tony@hrd-aerosystems.com

http://www.hrd-aerosystems.com/

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recipient(s) and may contain privileged and/or proprietary information.
Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited.
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Posted

Andy,

I most definitely owe you a free meal and more. Where are you located?

Many thanks to all.

 

Good news is I'm pretty cheap date, some mongolian beef and an egg roll and I'm a happy camper. I'm in Omaha area, but I travel all over the country. Glad I saw your post. I went thru the same thing about 4 years ago. Insane prices from Zodiac and terrible customer service. That's how I found HRD. Aweful_Charlie helped back then with the system diagram with part numbers, so I guess he's invited too. He's in Yurop, so how about Bermuda or Azores? Really no other options closer in the middle.

 

Glad I could help.

 

Cheers,

Andy

 

P.S. Ben, I'll be in Austria between the 15th and 25th of May, but I think I'm going to stick to Vienna mostly, but I'll be in Zurich in Septmeber, so maybe I'll buy you lunch then...

  • Like 1
Posted

Good news is I'm pretty cheap date, some mongolian beef and an egg roll and I'm a happy camper. I'm in Omaha area, but I travel all over the country. Glad I saw your post. I went thru the same thing about 4 years ago. Insane prices from Zodiac and terrible customer service. That's how I found HRD. Aweful_Charlie helped back then with the system diagram with part numbers, so I guess he's invited too. He's in Yurop, so how about Bermuda or Azores? Really no other options closer in the middle.

 

Glad I could help.

 

Cheers,

Andy

 

P.S. Ben, I'll be in Austria between the 15th and 25th of May, but I think I'm going to stick to Vienna mostly, but I'll be in Zurich in Septmeber, so maybe I'll buy you lunch then...

 

Always good to catch up with a fellow Bravo Driver - let me have the dates when you have them and I'll make sure I'm around :D

 

Useful part nos. for Mooney owners:

Cylinder: 895-08015 (complete 115cuFt assembly)

Regulator: 803216-03 (altitude compensated)

Standard masks: 283/383 series (don't go there! You can get Mountain High at less than half the price)

Cylinder bands/Clamps: 803272

Filling port: 26875

Cabin ports: 23599

Connectors for cabin ports: 8570 (standard) 802624 (for adjustable flowmeters)

 

Maybe worth noting the $3000 odd price was for overhaul with new cylinder, the outright price was north of $8000 :o

  • 2 months later...
Posted

I hate to bring this back from the dead and make a first post that's a plug but I was moved to finally join with this discussion found by a customer.  Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) the oxygen system described here is quite advanced and includes a lot of parts that make it expensive to repair or replace.  It's always a tough pill to swallow when one expires.

 

Please don't forget about the condition of the pressure reducing and altitude compensated regulators installed on these cylinders.  So often, we find equipment that is severely out of spec.  Merely replacing the cylinder without addressing the functional test/overhaul of the regulators is a mistake IMO.  The OEM recommends an overhaul every 5 years, in fact. There are also cylinders out there not FAA-approved that will cause problems if your unit is ever sent to a qualified FAA repair station.  The HRD cylinder mentioned here is an example of an approved cylinder, a good option.

 

We offer a cylinder replacement with a new FAA-PMA approved unit, overhaul of the pressure reducing regulator, and functional test of the altitude compensated regulator for not much more than the cost of the cylinder mentioned here.  This will be returned to you assembled, tested, leak checked, and ready to install.

 

In any case, I'm here to help

 

Brian

Compressed Gas Systems, LLC

FAA 2OXR299C

EASA 145.6416

brian@cgs.aero

  • Like 1

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