Advise on buying my first Mooney

[Raptor05121]

I've never seen an F with a throttle quadrant (I haven't seen many). Is that a modification?

[ryoder]

Just my immediate, unfiltered reaction here:

Does it seem like recently we are getting a rash of people asking questions that have been tirelessly answered in the past?

Or has MS always had that condition and I'm just now paying enough attention to notice?

I don't really mean to be so rude, but there is a ton of information here, and it seems like lately no one bothers to read anything and make a well formed detail specific question before they post.

People should search but the point of the forum is to foster discussion so let's cut people some slack instead of saying "use the search". I approach the forum as a public meeting and try to treat people as I would in a public setting. If someone asked me this question I would not respond with "I don't know, Google it".

[Hank]

I've never seen an F with a throttle quadrant (I haven't seen many). Is that a modification?

Fs that I'm familiar with have quadrants, as does my C. Not sure when it started, the early versions of all of them are push-pull. Then the superior quadrants came out.

Don't believe me? Look in King Airs, Boeings, even Air Bus--they all have quadrants, too.

[MyNameIsNobody]

I also like the idea of flying the plane with a commitment to purchase at end of year that is voided with a significant engine surprise before year end. A great opportunity to learn the plane and systems and make an informed decision. I wish I would have had this market and the wise counsel available on this site. You should be able to read all the pro's and con's (old posts) by end of year and be an "expert". Have fun!

[Marauder]

There's some pics of the bird

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I pulled the registration history on the plane. It spent a number of years in Florida, so I definitely make sure to look for any potential corrosion problems. The history also shows a gear up in 1985 not on landing but on take-off.

It looks like a nice 1974, but it looks like your friend has only owned it since 2010. Did he lose interest after the first couple of years of ownership or did it start costing him too much to own and that is why he stop flying it?

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[JKSmith]

He bought a piper Saratoga with a g1000 with auto pilot and air conditioner. He kept the mooney and flew it occasionally. I put the last 6 hours on it over the past few months. He bought it from the original owner. The hours on the motor vs the airframe threw me off because at 4000 hours you'd think it either just had a over haul or needed one soon but when the accident happened it got a over haul and when it was time to over haul again at TBO it got a factory refurbished motor.

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[ryoder]

I am so used to the fingertip precision on a push pull the quadrant would be a transition.

[22 others]

I am so used to the fingertip precision on a push pull the quadrant would be a transition.

 

I like the quadrant. I can raise or lower the flaps with my ring finger while my hand stays on the engine controls.

[JKSmith]

I agree, I think the quadrant is better manageable, the dang fuel injected motor threw me off too. It seems like it's harder to start.

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[Marauder]

He bought a piper Saratoga with a g1000 with auto pilot and air conditioner. He kept the mooney and flew it occasionally. I put the last 6 hours on it over the past few months. He bought it from the original owner. The hours on the motor vs the airframe threw me off because at 4000 hours you'd think it either just had a over haul or needed one soon but when the accident happened it got a over haul and when it was time to over haul again at TBO it got a factory refurbished motor.

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You know your friend better than us. I would still have it checked out completely. Nothing ruins a friendship than a deal gone bad.

It looks like there were at least two owners before your friend. The one your friend bought it from owned it only from 2008 to 2010. There was a corporate name on the account before than from Florida that dates back to 1998. Highly likely that there was at least one owner before that.

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[Hank]

Injected Mooneys are more difficult to hot start than my C, which generally fires right up using the same procedure as for a cold start, just add 2-3 revolutions. Seems like everyone has their own secret formula to hot start their injected Mooney, often incorporating appropriate facial expressions, wind direction, tea leaves and the phase of the moon.

Me, I pump the throttle a couple of times, turn the key and push. Cs are stone simple, and popular for it.

[Bravoman]

25 hours in 3 years isn't good.  may not be bad, but doesn't make me feel as good as buying a plane that has averaged 50+ hours/year over the last several years.  How far are you from Cole Aviation?  He's an MSC in north GA.  There may be one closer to your neck of the woods.  Have someone give it a close inspection, definitely not the same person who has kept it in annual.

Agree with having Joe Cole do the prebuy- he did mine.  He won't miss anything major.  If you can stomach the extra expense (and the strain on your friendship with the seller), have him pull a cylinder and look in the crankcase.   If no significant corrosion or cam/lifter spalling, you can have peace of mind despite the very low  hours in the last 3 years.

Concur on Joe Cole. I'm picking my plane up from the annual tomorrow and can personally attest that he goes over it with a fine tooth comb!

[ryoder]

I like the quadrant. I can raise or lower the flaps with my ring finger while my hand stays on the engine controls.

I have to pump my flaps

[JKSmith]

You know your friend better than us. I would still have it checked out completely. Nothing ruins a friendship than a deal gone bad.

It looks like there were at least two owners before your friend. The one your friend bought it from owned it only from 2008 to 2010. There was a corporate name on the account before than from Florida that dates back to 1998. Highly likely that there was at least one owner before that.

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I didn't realize it had that many owners, he always gave me the impression that he was the 2nd or 3rd owner. I'm glad people are looking into these things for me. It raises a concern for me that's for sure. Thanks a lot for your help!

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[JKSmith]

I have to pump my flaps

I like the mechanical stuff, it makes me feel like I'm doing something

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[aaronk25]

Multi oil owners don't make a plane bad, but non-commuted owners not willing to properly maintain a bird do.

Fly it for 15-25 hours and mail the entire oil filter in to a company that can analyze it...then you will know what u got.

[Marauder]

I didn't realize it had that many owners, he always gave me the impression that he was the 2nd or 3rd owner. I'm glad people are looking into these things for me. It raises a concern for me that's for sure. Thanks a lot for your help!

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The logs will be a good indicator. The owner before your friend was also in Kentucky. Then the plane was in the Fort Meyers Florida area until at least 1998. Look at the logs and see if there were different shops and locations before 1998.

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[JKSmith]

Multi oil owners don't make a plane bad, but non-commuted owners not willing to properly maintain a bird do.

Fly it for 15-25 hours and mail the entire oil filter in to a company that can analyze it...then you will know what u got.

Is there a place I can mail the filter to? Or could I request it to be done by my A&P during the pre buy?

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[JKSmith]

The logs will be a good indicator. The owner before your friend was also in Kentucky. Then the plane was in the Fort Meyers Florida area until at least 1998. Look at the logs and see if there were different shops and locations before 1998.

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I actually looked up the other Kentucky owner and it says he lives in bowling green which is pretty close to me. I texted my instructor which also lives in bowling green. Maybe I can contact the previous owner and get some insight from him. Hopefully good insight

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[Guest]

Is there a place I can mail the filter to? Or could I request it to be done by my A&P during the pre buy?

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Yes, you can send the filter to Howard Fenton of Second Oilpinion through Blackstone Labs.

Clarence

[joneluv]

JKSmith - I just moved from Franklin, KY to Portland, TN. Bought most of the light fixtures for my new house from a lighting company in Elkton. Hope to start flight training in two weeks. Eventually would like to have an F model. If you ever want someone to share expenses for one of those $100 hamburger runs, count me in!

[TTaylor]

Highly recommend David Bliss! Great mechanic and great person to work with. He helped me to get my plane out of J. Tune and into his shop for a two week clean-up and annual. My gallery shows my plane in his shop when it was getting ready to fly home. He knows Mooney's well. I would not worry about the low hours per year, at least it has been flying. I have a 75 with the same throttle quadrant, actually nice to fly with once you get used to it.

Tim

[Guest]

JKSmith - I just moved from Franklin, KY to Portland, TN. Bought most of the light fixtures for my new house from a lighting company in Elkton. Hope to start flight training in two weeks. Eventually would like to have an F model. If you ever want someone to share expenses for one of those $100 hamburger runs, count me in!

This is another by product of having one new member ask a question that some of us may know the answer to. Two new members that may get together to share Mooney flying.

Clarence

[mpg]

Ok,,,   Soooo,,  Since piss and corn flakes are on the table,,,   I want to review.

 

post 1,     He has agreed to let me get checked out in it

......seems you already have,,, see post 21

 

 lot of time in cessnas and only a few hours in a Statesman

 

 

post 5,    they'res a test that he done that required using a magnet

......I would be asking someone how this works on an aluminum airplane?

 

 

post 8,   due to the variants of mooneys my F

......manual/electric gear/flaps,,,   manual/vacum/fixed step,,,   but you should know that.

 

 

post 11.   Cruiser tells us more about about the plane than the OP has

 

 

post 12,   The only person in my area that I can talk to about mooney's in general is the owner of this mooney

...... except your friend A&P,  nearby at M91

 

 

post 18,    I'm located at the moment at 5KY4 but the plane is at 4M7 and 4M7 is visible from my back door

......This one perplexes me.

4M7 is next to his back door,,,   but he is "Located" at 5KY4,,,,   what does that mean??!!

 

The mechanic I had in mind is David Bliss at M91

 he'll benefit me because he's closer to home and knows me so he's not really a stranger

......M91 is closer to "HOME"??   which? where?

the OP has this guy to talk Mooney to.

 

Like stated before I've seen a lot of high time airframes in better shape than low time ones

......Lots of guys have said this about lots of different planes lots of times,,,  but

YOU have never said that to us here!

Besides you dont come across as a guy with a lot of in depth airplane experience.

 

 

post 21,   hangered it's entire life as far as I know. I put 5 hours on it a week ago with the current owner just to get it out honestly

......soooo 5 hours in this and your time in a G,,,  see post 1, you should be checked out.

 

 

post 31,   I put the last 6 hours on it over the past few months

......Soooo, 5 hours or 6,  in a week or few months,,,   pretty vague,,,   look in your log book

you started this thread with just some G experience,,,,   well

exept for this 5 or 6 hours....

 

at TBO it got a factory refurbished motor

When did it get the FRM?

 

 

It just seemed to me that the OP signed up yesterday, has 16 posts total ,, in this thread,,  and

his avatar claims this plane as his already,, looking at his questions and claims might be enlightening.

[JKSmith]

I have actual instruction time in a G from a instructor friend, the time put in the F is time me and the owner put on together to basically stretch its wings and check to see if everything ran properly, so no time in my log book since I wasn't PIC.

I'll ask David more about the magnet test.

There maybe variants in airframe, motor setup, or differences unknown by me.

When i say I'm located somewhere that's where I currently fly/rent from. 4M7 is visible from my house and that's where the mooney is. And M91 is closer than the current mechanic to the mooney.

No 182 hours may not be a lot, but you tend to hear a lot of hanger talk. And gain a bit of respect for the mooney G that I've been in that has nearly 8,000 total airframe time, and the cessna that I rent that has around 5,000, both used as trainers, when you see a plane sitting in a hanger getting a rebuild at 1,500 hours you kinda put 2 and 2 together.

The mooney space asked for a mooney and I hope to buy this one so I went ahead and put it in.

If you want some specifics like when I poop or eat my breakfast Just ask I'll help you out.

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