How a love story made my plane go 4 knots faster

[N201MKTurbo]

A few weeks ago I loaned my plane to Rene to fly to KSAF to pick up his dad's girlfriend. They are both in their late 70s and both of their spouses have passed away. They were high school sweethearts and now they are hooking up. They should make a movie.

i digress, when he landed in Santa Fe the line guy was pointing at the landing gear. When he got out he found a dove impaled into the faring behind the left landing gear. 

By a  strange coincidence I just happen to have spares of those fairings. A mechanic I used to help out retired and gave me all his misc Mooney parts. Anyway, I drilled out all the rivits and removed the faring. I found two sets of holes so it has been replaced before. That gear door has never closed just right, I put the plane up on jacks and put the gear up. I stuck the faring up and it lined up perfectly with the factory holes (go figure) who ever replaced it went out of their way to put it in the wrong place. I riveted the new one in the original location and for the first time sense I've owned the plane I could get the doors to close properly. 

Now the plane goes four knots faster. Isn't love a wonderful thing!

Edited September 18, 2016 by N201MKTurbo

[Ratherbflying]

This is kind of like "When Harry Met Sally", only with aircraft parts.

 

[StevenL757]

i was sort of hoping to read that along with changing out the fairing, you decided to install a live dove which allowed you to gain your 4 knots.

I enjoyed the first 3 lines as well...   :-)

[Browncbr1]

When I read the thread title, I thought maybe you waxed your plane with KY.