FL Panhandle Mooney Maintainence

[BigAirHarper]

In preparation for buying my J I'll need to find a good mechanic somewhere around my home airport of Destin. Anyone have any experience or good people to recommend in these parts? Thanks!

[M20F]

1 minute ago, BigAirHarper said:

In preparation for buying my J I'll need to find a good mechanic somewhere around my home airport of Destin. Anyone have any experience or good people to recommend in these parts? Thanks!

A friend of mine has had work down by guys at 54J on his 320 and been really pleased.  

[Hank]

South Alabama is full of good A&Ps. Look along the line and just above it.

[N601RX]

You may also want to look at basing it just over the Alabama line and not taking it into Fl for the 1st 6 months.  Depending on the purchase price it may save you quite a bit.  Alabama has no sales or use tax on private airplane transactions. 

[PMcClure]

40 minutes ago, N601RX said:

  Alabama has no sales or use tax on private airplane transactions. 

Not necessarily true. Pell City has shown up and asked to prove we paid sales tax. Some locations have a use tax. 

 

[BigAirHarper]

2 hours ago, N601RX said:

You may also want to look at basing it just over the Alabama line and not taking it into Fl for the 1st 6 months.  Depending on the purchase price it may save you quite a bit.  Alabama has no sales or use tax on private airplane transactions. 

But it's my understanding that even after the first few months whenever you bring it to Florida you must pay the tax if you haven't elsewhere. 

[Bravoman]

I have heard good things about the shop at 70j (Cairo Ga.), just north of Tallahassee,  although not Mooney specific.

[dfswing2]

Lee County AL and the State approached me 6 months after purchase.  2.5% to the state and annual use tax for the county....

[N601RX]

8 hours ago, BigAirHarper said:

But it's my understanding that even after the first few months whenever you bring it to Florida you must pay the tax if you haven't elsewhere. 

Unless it has changed in the last few years Alabama exempts the sale of an aircraft from sales tax if the sale occurred between 2 private individuals as a casual sale.  With both the planes I purchased the revenue dept sent me some forms inquiring about the conditions of the sale.  After determining the sale was between 2 private individuals and not an aircraft sales broker or aircraft dealer they said no taxes were due.  In the last year or two most of the counties have began to collect yearly property tax on aircraft which is a few hundred a year.

I know of a few planes that have been based at airports along the line for the 1st 6 months to avoid this.  There are a few tax professions based in Florida who specialize in aviation matters, you might want to talk to one of them to make sure everything is covered.

(2) Purchases Outside Florida.

(a) There shall be a presumption that any aircraft, boat, mobile home, motor vehicle, or other vehicle purchased in another state, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia but titled, registered, or licensed in this state is taxable except as otherwise provided in subsection (26) of this rule. This presumption may be rebutted only by documentary evidence that the person owning the aircraft, boat, mobile home, or motor vehicle purchased the aircraft, boat, mobile home, or motor vehicle in another state, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia six (6) months or more prior to the time it is brought into this state. In order for such property to be presumed exempt as purchased for use outside Florida, the person owning the aircraft, boat, mobile home, motor vehicle, or other vehicle must provide documentary proof that such property was used in other states, territories of the United States, or the District of Columbia for six months or longer under conditions which would lawfully give rise to the taxing jurisdiction of another state, territory, or District of Columbia and any lawfully imposed tax was paid to such state, territory, or District of Columbia before being imported into this state. However, the rental or lease of any aircraft, boat, mobile home, or motor vehicle which is used or stored in this state is taxable without regard to its prior use or tax paid on the purchase outside this state.

 

[kpaul]

13 hours ago, M20F said:

A friend of mine has had work down by guys at 54J on his 320 and been really pleased.  

My M20F is based at 54J.  My plan is to use Monarch Aviation at annual time.  They have a great avionics shop as well.  Many of the A&Ps there used to be based in Destin when there was a MSC there.

That being said I have been in and chatted with the guys there but have never had any work done since I am only 3 months into ownership.

Kurtis Hinson is the A&P I talked to with Mooney experience. Shop phone # 850-951-2111 

[BigAirHarper]

2 hours ago, kpaul said:

My M20F is based at 54J.  My plan is to use Monarch Aviation at annual time.  They have a great avionics shop as well.  Many of the A&Ps there used to be based in Destin when there was a MSC there.

That being said I have been in and chatted with the guys there but have never had any work done since I am only 3 months into ownership.

Kurtis Hinson is the A&P I talked to with Mooney experience. Shop phone # 850-951-2111 

Thanks for the info. Maybe one of these days I can come check out your F model! 

I've heard good things about Kurtis from a Columbia owner then a Piper Cherokee owner had a horrible experience with another mechanic up there. 

[mike_elliott]

17 hours ago, BigAirHarper said:

In preparation for buying my J I'll need to find a good mechanic somewhere around my home airport of Destin. Anyone have any experience or good people to recommend in these parts? Thanks!

Contact Mitchell Hall at Sunset Eagle Air in Blountstown. Mike and Mitchell used to be the DOM for the MSC at Destin. Sunset Eagle Air is also a sponsor of the Mooney Summit. Very knowledgeable and great people.

[BigAirHarper]

Just now, mike_elliott said:

Contact Mitchell Hall at Sunset Eagle Air in Blountstown. Mike and Mitchell used to be the DOM for the MSC at Destin. Sunset Eagle Air is also a sponsor of the Mooney Summit. Very knowledgeable and great people.

Thanks for the info! What is DOM mean? And I had no idea destin used to be a MSC. What a shame it closed....

[mike_elliott]

Director of Maintenance

[PeytonM]

I second Mike's recommendation Sunset Eagle Aviation. Mitchell drove over to Pensacola during Summit III, did an oil & filter change, checked a cylinder compression and changed a couple of plugs for me, all on site. Very reasonable charges (no travel time!) and very honest. Wish I was based in the area so I could use them. 

[BigAirHarper]

Thanks for the tips guys.  Looks like I know where to go when I get my J  thanks

[mike_elliott]

12 hours ago, PeytonM said:

I second Mike's recommendation Sunset Eagle Aviation. Mitchell drove over to Pensacola during Summit III, did an oil & filter change, checked a cylinder compression and changed a couple of plugs for me, all on site. Very reasonable charges (no travel time!) and very honest. Wish I was based in the area so I could use them. 

why not win the annual he gives as a door prize Peyton, stay an extra day or 2 after the Summit and have him do your annual?

 

[PeytonM]

 I'm all over that! Now all I have to be is a little lucky...