Moving Overseas!

[flight2000]

Well, I got my notification that I will be moving to Mainz, Germany in August (95% solution, but it could still change knowing how HRC works).  My wife is happy because she wants to move to Europe again.  I'm happy and sad at the same time.  Moving means I'll be giving up flying our Mooney for a few years, but my brother is ecstatic because he's the beneficiary of a rent free Mooney while I'm gone.  That's the sad part.  The happy part is I will either upgrade the plane when we get back to a twin or I will add a glass panel just before we move back to the states (this is part of my wife's compensation package to me for moving the family to Europe ).

The aircraft will be based out of Chesterfield County Airport just south of Richmond.  Nice airport with nice, cheap hangars.  Anyone know any good Mooney mechanics in the area that they trust?

Anyone know of N Registered airplanes (Mooney's in particular) for rent in the Frankfurt area?  I think the Coleman Aero Club is still operating in Mannheim, GE, but they only have Cessna's...

Seems I just can't win sometimes...thankfully retirement eligibility is just around the corner.  I'll have 17 years as of July and the end of the tour will put me at 20.  Yea!!  Might hang on for an extra couple years, depending on where they send us after this assignment.

Thanks!

[LFOD]

Good PCS move. I was wondering, are you flying your Mooney in Saudi?

[flight2000]

Quote: LFOD

Good PCS move. I was wondering, are you flying your Mooney in Saudi?

[scottfromiowa]

Nice.  Drink a Konig or Haker Pschor (wheat)..or two while there.  Really really want to visit some day.  I dream of picking up my Cayman S at the factory in Stuttgart...

Lucky Bro...Hmmm, don't remember my brother ever doing me a solid like that.

[Mcstealth]

HRC.......Honda Racing Corp?  

[jelswick]

Congratulations on your assignment Brian!  That sounds like a great location!  I wish I lived a little closer to where I could get good Schweinshaxe.  Stuttgart was my birthplace as an army brat Eric, but my parents were not letting me drive much at that age and I was a little young to be in any flight clubs at that point.

[Jeff_S]

Quote: LFOD

Good PCS move. I was wondering, are you flying your Mooney in Saudi?

[flight2000]

Quote: Jeff_S

I have a question tangential to this thread. I've never been in the military so I don't know all the lingo, but I recognized this exact same phrase in an episode of "Army Wives" last night (hey, my wife makes me watch it!).  What is "PCS"?

[flight2000]

Quote: jelswick

Congratulations on your assignment Brian!  That sounds like a great location!  I wish I lived a little closer to where I could get good Schweinshaxe.  Stuttgart was my birthplace as an army brat Eric, but my parents were not letting me drive much at that age and I was a little young to be in any flight clubs at that point.

[flight2000]

Quote: Mcstealth

HRC.......Honda Racing Corp?  

[rbridges]

I didn't realize you were military.  I always thought you were doing some contract work.  that's awesome that you're so close to being eligible for retirement. 

[John Pleisse]

Hey Brian,

Gold luck with your move. There is a fellow (his name escapes me) who either worked for or owned the logstanding and successful Mooney service Center in Lynchburg. How relocated to the Richmond area to work for a single private party for a number of years. He may now be back in Lynchburg at Virginia Aviation. For a while there, he was freelancing on Mooneys in the Richmond area. At one time, he was one of the IA's at Virginia Aviation.

[AlexR]

Congrats on the move.  I would recommend Mid-Atlantic Aviation at Williamsburg (JGG).  The owner, Kevin, previously worked for a MSC and he has all the specialized tools.  Has worked on my Mooney for the past two years and nothing but good things to say about him and his team.  -A

[flight2000]

Thanks for the recommendations on maintenance shops in the area.  The annual isn't due until December, so I'll work through that with my brother when we get to it, but Williamsburg is just down the freeway a little bit. 

If you happen to remember the guys name in Richmond, please let me know.  Dominion Aviation will probably take care of the small stuff since that's where the aircraft will be based.

[DaV8or]

Congratulations on the fun move! You can maybe hook up with some of our Mooneyspace European members. IIRC, we have folks in Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, France and England. As far as the lingo... you did it again. AAEFS??

[flight2000]

Sorry, bad habit....

AAFES = Army & Air Force Exchange Service  

Basically its our department store on post (think Wal-Mart, just not as big). Also known as the PX or BX (Post Exchange/Base Exchange).

I'm only going to be about three hours East of Vref.  I'll have to drop him a PM once I get there.

[LFOD]

Ill be in Leavenworth in May for the next three months or so with my Mooney in tow. If your Mooney is still in Kansas at that time and you need any help with it, let me know. 

[flight2000]

I get back to Leavenworth on July 20th, so our paths may cross towards the end of your time there depending on when you leave.  Are you going to keep your plane at Sherman Airfield?  The FBO owner is a great guy and we have several Mooney's on the airfield, although a few of us are deployed.... Mine should be back in the T-Hanger by then since Cobham finally decided to ship the STEC-30 to my avionics shop, 4 weeks late.

Thanks for the offer.  As soon as I get back, I'll be going back up with my instructor to get current on IFR again before making the cross country trip to Ohio and then down to Richmond.  I think my brother will be coming to KC to help me move the aircraft and also become familiar with everything.

[LFOD]

I will be at FLV for about 3 years so our paths will definitely cross.  I plan on keeping it on post and Im looking forward to having the plane within a few miles of my house.  Let me know when you get back in the states and we'll link up.  

[flight2000]

Just sent you a PM.  Forgive me if you already had all of the info about the airfield...

I'm going to miss being there (when I was there anyway...).  Having the airfield 5 minutes from home is a very good benefit.

[Magnum]

Quote: flight2000

Anyone know of N Registered airplanes (Mooney's in particular) for rent in the Frankfurt area?  I think the Coleman Aero Club is still operating in Mannheim, GE, but they only have Cessna's...