New Member, Very Close to Buying C Model

[Skates97]

1 minute ago, MBDiagMan said:

SQWUAKS!:

Maybe you guys can comment on some of the small sqwauks I have with the plane:

The right side fuel guage stays on full.  Do the senders ever hang up or break?

ASI is very cloudy.  I am thinking that it is just filmed up on the inside of the glass.  Can the glass be removed for cleaning?

The range buttons on the 430 Don't want to work every time.

 

thanks for your comments.  Seems like I am forgetting one.

 

Not sure about your other issues, but my gauges like to stick. If I tap on them with my finger they will "un-stick." I've read that you can clean the connector on the back and it may/may not fix the problem. I honestly don't put much faith in them. I stick the tanks before flying, note the amount and know about how long I can fly on what is in there. I'll note the times I am on each tank and stick them after each flight too noting what was used. It averages out to about 10 GPH so I have a good idea of flight time available and plan for at least 1 hour remaining fuel when I land.

[cnoe]

The downside of all this Mooney training is that while I am enjoying Spring Break in the beach house, a little bit of me will be looking for it to be over so I can go make more sores in the palm of my hand with the Johnson bar.

Where's the beach house? Perhaps I could fly over and waggle my wings at you when I'm warming up my oil and topping the tanks this weekend.

It's only 19 nm (7 minutes Mooney time) from my home base KLBX to San Luis Pass (west Galveston).


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[Hank]

34 minutes ago, MBDiagMan said:

SQWUAKS!:

The range buttons on the 430 Don't want to work every time.

thanks for your comments.  Seems like I am forgetting one.

 

Even when flying regularly, if you go a while without pressing some of the buttons, they get sticky and/or recalcitrant. The cure seems to be pressing them repeatedly, 50-100 times each, sitting on the ground with the engine off. This helps a great deal. The more you fly and use the GPS, the less you will need to do this.

When you remember the other one, we'll be here . . . .  Many of us do not get a spring "break." Me, I'm hoping to get a summer at all . . . . . 

[gsxrpilot]

1 hour ago, MBDiagMan said:

The downside of all this Mooney training is that while I am enjoying Spring Break in the beach house, a little bit of me will be looking for it to be over so I can go make more sores in the palm of my hand with the Johnson bar.

Yeah, at least you've got a spring break.  I'm in Cape Town wishing I was at home flying. But my bird's in the shop with a sick wing, so I guess I might as well be here working. 

[cnoe]

Yeah, at least you've got a spring break.  I'm in Cape Town wishing I was at home flying. But my bird's in the shop with a sick wing, so I guess I might as well be here working. 

We need a "Don't Like " button.


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[ArtVandelay]

Garmin just announced they will supply buttons to Garmin dealers to have them do field repairs so you don't have to send it in to be fixed.

 

[MBDiagMan]

3 hours ago, cnoe said:

 

We need a "Don't Like " button.


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Whoops!  It was not my intention to rub it in.  After fifty years in the workplace, I earned my retirement and I am sure that you guys will enjoy yours too when the time comes.

 

[MBDiagMan]

4 hours ago, cnoe said:

 

Where's the beach house? Perhaps I could fly over and waggle my wings at you when I'm warming up my oil and topping the tanks this weekend.

It's only 19 nm (7 minutes Mooney time) from my home base KLBX to San Luis Pass (west Galveston).


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I thought I had responded to this but it is not showing up.  

The house is at Pirates Cove in West Galveston on the beach side.  We won't be there until Monday morning though. If you are around during the week maybe we can meet for coffee, or maybe I could see your baby.

[cnoe]

I thought I had responded to this but it is not showing up.  
The house is at Pirates Cove in West Galveston on the beach side.  We won't be there until Monday morning though. If you are around during the week maybe we can meet for coffee, or maybe I could see your baby.

I'm prepping for a trip next Thursday and may delay fueling until Tuesday due to weather and other issues. If so I might be able to meet you at KGLS for a quick demo flight in my J if you're interested. Of course you'd be obligated to be my safety pilot for an IFR practice approach or two. We could touch base late Monday if things go that direction. I'd also love to see your new bird sometime.


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[Yetti]

7 hours ago, MBDiagMan said:

SQWUAKS!:

Maybe you guys can comment on some of the small sqwauks I have with the plane:

The right side fuel guage stays on full.  Do the senders ever hang up or break?

ASI is very cloudy.  I am thinking that it is just filmed up on the inside of the glass.  Can the glass be removed for cleaning?

The range buttons on the 430 Don't want to work every time.

 

thanks for your comments.  Seems like I am forgetting one.

 

You could try lifting and letting the sender by the fuel cap several time to see if it will clean up.  Gently as she goes.

 

Try clicking the button 20 times or so.   We had that issue on a 530W and 430W that the plane sat for several years.   We did lots of clicking and they started working.

[MBDiagMan]

1 hour ago, cnoe said:

 

I'm prepping for a trip next Thursday and may delay fueling until Tuesday due to weather and other issues. If so I might be able to meet you at KGLS for a quick demo flight in my J if you're interested. Of course you'd be obligated to be my safety pilot for an IFR practice approach or two. We could touch base late Monday if things go that direction. I'd also love to see your new bird sometime.


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Sounds great!  I will try to make it work.  If you can PM me ahead of time I will try to make it fit with the family I am at the beach house with.  I fully expect to fly into KGLS several times a year, Spring Break, July 4th and Labor Day as well as a few times yet to be determined.  We will be spending several weeks a year at the beach house, so there should be a chance for you to see the Mooney.

Edited March 11, 2017 by MBDiagMan

[HRM]

11 hours ago, cnoe said:

 

* Note that this doesn't mean "dive the plane". Just a quick little push is all it takes with NO altitude loss. 


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Ahhhhhh...the Mooney Nod. One of my favorite things to do on FR with a young whippersnapper CFI who's never flown in a Mooney 

[MQQNEY]

On 26/01/2017 at 7:29 AM, rbridges said:

Just my 2 cents, but I'd probably still take it to maxwell for a prebuy.  Our planes have been around for a while, and there's lots of stuff that could have happened over the last 40-50+ years.  If you buy it, we'll have to show you the secret handshake known only by us C model pilots.

I have a "Charlie", I need to know the handshake too, lol!

[rbridges]

Just now, MQQNEY said:

I have a "Charlie", I need to know the handshake too, lol!

nice plane!  The secret handshake consists of you putting a $100 USD in the palm of your hand and transferring it to me during a hand shake.  It usually takes several practice runs to get it right.  

[MBDiagMan]

On 3/10/2017 at 6:51 PM, cnoe said:

 

I'm prepping for a trip next Thursday and may delay fueling until Tuesday due to weather and other issues. If so I might be able to meet you at KGLS for a quick demo flight in my J if you're interested. Of course you'd be obligated to be my safety pilot for an IFR practice approach or two. We could touch base late Monday if things go that direction. I'd also love to see your new bird sometime.


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We are in Galv now.  You still need a safety pilot tomorrow?

[cnoe]

PM sent.

[MBDiagMan]

Mooneyspace members ROCK!

While Sandy and I were in Galveston, Chuck (cnoe) flew over to KGLS and gave us an island tour in his BEAUTIFUL J model.

Chuck is a great and gracious guy!  His plane is a superb example.  He is a very good pilot giving us a very enjoyable ride.  It is also good that I know what the airport looks like from the air since we will be coming here several times a year.

Thanks very much Chuck!  I will look for the chance to pay it forward and give someone else a ride.

Sandy is fired up now and ready to Mooney travel.

Thanks a bunch Chuck!

[cnoe]

You're very welcome Larry; it was a pleasure meeting both you and Sandy! I'm glad that you enjoyed the flight, and more importantly I'm glad Sandy did as well. I was certainly impressed with her enthusiasm. You two are going to have some great adventures in your new Mooney very soon!

You're also right about Mooneyspace members. Mooney pilots helping each other is the norm around here rather than the exception. That is what makes our COMMUNITY the best place on the internet to share our love for aviation (and our planes)!

Here's the flight track from today's tour around the island.




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[MBDiagMan]

Okay!  I feel that I am good to go now!

After lots of rough air flying a few weeks ago with the Mooney transition guy, and being the hard headed student that I am I was landing pretty well, but still having trouble with getting the gear up, and generally not as confident as I wanted to be.

I got back from Galveston Sunday and had my local Mooney guy lined up to fly this morning even though it was going to be high gusty wind and probably more rough air.  It was indeed rough air, even worse than I flew in two weeks ago.

I had time to think about it all and read some of the good input here and it all helped greatly.  I lifted off the runway and got after the gear pretty quickly.  It came up perfectly.  It is indeed all about the technique and doing it before the speed builds up.  I then went around and landed and he asked "what is wrong with that?"  After giving me that little confidence boost, he had me landing and taking off with no flaps which worked fine.  Of course we were on a 6,000 feet runway so it was no problem.

I haven't looked at his log book entry, but there were probably about 8 landings and they all went well including batting a thousand getting the gear up.  We went to my hangar field which has a smaller runway and even in the rough air I nailed the landing and take off there.

The gusty wind and rough air was good training. One landing I ended up ballooning up in a gust and dealt with it much easier than I would have in my little taildragger.

Once we got out we had flown an hour and a half.  After filling out my logbook he handed it back and said "you're good to go."  He also said that he thought it would be a good idea for me to fly more than 5 hours before carrying my sweetheart.  He said I should just fly and get comfortable with all the added things to think about.  I will do that, plus get in lots of study for the 430.  I plan on weaning myself from Foreflight dependence and use it for flight planning rather than GPS navigation.  I will leave that to the 430.

I am extremely grateful for all the support and welcome that I have had here.  You guys offer lots of good advice, contacts and even a demonstration flight!  Many things you guys did and said were helpful.  Probably the final suggestion that helped me get to the point of starting solo time was the suggestion for gear up before the end of usable runway.

i look very much forward to discussion on this forum and meeting some more of you in person.  You guys are great!

[Hank]

Glad to hear things went well. 

Sign me a content C owner.

[MBDiagMan]

I went to take her to my hangar field and fly my first solo flight yesterday morning at Sunrise.  Air was silk smooth.  First time I have flown her in anything other than rough air.  With no flaps and the same take off trim setting I was using with half flaps, she flew off the runway on her own like a Cessna (such blasphemy.). The gear came right up after a little bit of struggle operating the thumb  button.  

I was taking her to my hangar in Hugo to see if I could get both her and my Cessna 140 in the hangar.  I had a headache to a point that I almost postponed the flight, but I did a few maneuvers in the smooth air and fell deeply in love.  The precision and crisp responsiveness of the controls in the smooth air made it so enjoyable to fly.  I managed to do a few things with the 430 which helped me get comfortable.  Just flying and manipulating the 430 and the panel helps me get comfortable and confident.

It was only a 20 mile flight, but she didn't seem to want to go very fast.  Flying 25 squared and trimmed for cruise she never made it to the yellow arc on the air speed indicator.  When I flew the same flight with the instructor aboard she reached the yellow.  The ferry pilot had said she flew 137 Knots air speed bringing her from Kerrville,. I hope she is faster than this.

After my maneuvers, I did a no flap landing and it was my best yet.  If I had felt better and hadn't needed to move the planes around, I would have flown for awhile before putting her away.  I think I might get some flying weather late this afternoon.

Both planes did not fit in the hangar so the 140 is now tied down outside.  I am trying to find somewhere to get her out of the weather very soon.

I can't wait to do some airport hopping and get comfortable with her.  I have to do my taxes, so once that is no longer hanging over my head, I plan on burning lots of 100LL

Saga will continue.....

[Hank]

Glad to hear that the fun is starting! Welcome to the joy of Mooney flight whenever you feel like it.

For short, low level flights like that in my C, I generally run 23/2300 and lean to 50°ROP for ~140-145 mph indicated. 25/2500 is not a power setting I would use; start with what's in your Owners Manual, or get a more recent one from the Downloads section here.

I've checked it out full rich at 1000' agl (1300 msl) and hit 165 mph pretty quickly. That's a quick check you can make on your next flight. Real speed comes 7000-10,000 msl, and one of the back pages on the 430 says I get 148 KTAS there at just under full throttle / 2500.

Keep having fun!

[Danb]

MBD get flying send your tax info and file to me, don't waste time on trivial stuff,  wheels ups!

[MBDiagMan]

Got in some flying today.  Two short flights.  After the first one my thoughts were that I need to get my brain to catch up with the airplane.  I waggled quite a lot on the first gear retraction and then the bar got in my headset cable on the second one.  All ended up good with the retractions, and I won't let the cable be there again.  The second flight started building some confidence.  Even though the gear tangled in the headset cord, everything else went better.  Much of it is simply due to being in a strange plane, getting used to location of instruments and controls.  Learning and using the 430 is part of this familiarization as well.

The net result at the end of the day was, increasing love for my Mooney!

[gsxrpilot]

When I owned and flew a C, I would set up the gear retraction before pulling onto the runway.  I'm a little larger than FAA standard and so a little extra attention is due when swinging that J-bar. Last thing before pulling onto the runway was always to ensure nothing is on the floor, cables are out of the way, seat belts are adjusted, and both me and the copilot are moved towards the outboard side of our respective seats.  I'll explain to the right-seater that this is only until the gear is up, just a few seconds after lift off. But get everything organized first, then pull on to the runway, full power, break ground and immediately stow the gear. Then settle in for climb, get the flaps, etc.