Flight school trying to talk me out of a Mooney.

[steingar]

Friend pranked his Cardinal, had to wait a year and pay thousands for a new firewall, which is little more than a hunk of sheet metal.  I pranked mine good enough to need a new holder for the Johnson bar.  Took a few weeks and a few hundred to get it from Mooney.  

It is true about the corrosion thing, get it in the wrong place and you get to scrap the airplane.  I've seen that.  But judicious examination in the prebuy and you should be OK.

The one thing that there is a Mooney specific big-ticket item.  All airplanes have big ticket items, paint and engine rebuilds, that can run huge amounts of money and have to be done periodically.  Mooneys also have fuel leakage issues.  Its a solvable issue, it just takes big money.

[Mike s]

If someone is seeing this string and looking at a Mooney to buy in 2021.  As an ex Mooney design engineer I would say comments are still spot on.  Corrosion in the lower fuselage tubes is something to watch out for and fuel tank leaks.  But Mr AL designed a great airplane.  Solid control links to control surfaces not cables.  Mechanics back in the day weren't fond of 20+ small access panels in the bottom of the wing and the 6 structural screws holding each one on.  Just a bit tedious.  

[mike20papa]

When were you there, did you know Bill Wheat?  I own a '59 A model and think no certificated AC does more with 180 hp.  Congrats - being on a winning team.

Yes, I can imagine annualling an early model pre cordless screw driver days!? 

Edited August 22, 2021 by mike20papa
ss