First Annual Inspection

[Carl S]

I am into the first annual inspection on my M20 since buying last February. I am going to need some minor items to get it back into the air.  The first is a rheostat for the glare shield. I can call the factory tomorrow but thought I'd ask for a part number here in the mean time.  Would this work? http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/rheostat.php. 

The second is the gear safety switch, a VEP 656-3. Does anyone know if these can be rebuilt?  Again, I'll be in contact with the factory tomorrow.

The last item is about 32 inches of SCAT tubing for the heater.

It looks like I am coming out pretty good on this one.  (Not counting the time and money I have put into maintenance over the last year.

One interesting thing I found is that the gear doors are not alligned well and do not seem to close. My mechanic and I have been playing with the washers some and with a little touque have goten the right gear door pretty close. Is this fairly common? 

Oh, One other "interesting" item was a cannon plug that seemed to be used as a wire splice. I'll have a pic in my gallery.

Carl

[N6784N]

I guess I don't have to tell you it's best to take the plane to a mooney service center. My first annual was pretty inexpensive somewhere around 3k but last year I took the plane to a service center and they dinged me for around 20k but the plane does fly alot better. I had gear door problems and it was hard to get the gear up due to binding so maybe it is a common thing. I'm still not quite sure why people let aircraft get so out of shape and still fly them much less sell them to another person but I guess thats the world we live in today. Good luck with the annual

[MARZ]

This thread had some coverage on the dimmer. 

[scottfromiowa]

20 amu's for an annual!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just shoot me.  If I received an annual with that amount I'd have to sell the plane.  I live in a different world than a lot of folks flying Mooney's that's for sure.  Unless the aircraft is damaged from an accident or needs a new engine how, may I ask...do you get an annual with this amount?  If you did an interior or paint or windows (cosmetic stuff) that is pricey, but really isn't an "annual".  What airframe and engine resulted in this amount?  THAT is why I won't go to a Mooney Service Center...

[bnicolette]

Whoa!!  20K for an annual?  I just bought my Mooney M20 this February and the annual cost me $2100 at a Mooney Service Center down in Daytona.  I went through the receipts that the previous owner had on the airplane dating back to 1993 and every one of the annuals was done at Daytona Aircraft Services/Daytona Jet Center (Mooney Service Center) and the most expensive annual was $4800.  I too am in a different class than most.  $20K would mean the mechanic would be storing the plane indefinitely!!

I know the service centers have all the tooling to make sure the gear is rigged correctly and I have heard that it is not something a local mechanic or maintenance center can really do correctly without the proper tooling?

In regards to the dimmer I'm not sure about the legality of putting some other part than that specified when the aircraft was certified?  Your mechanic should have the answer to that question.  However, it is just a rheostat, so it would probably work.

[Carl S]

Well, a quick update on the day. No joy on matching up the rheostat to anything I can find on line. The thing has five wires on it and a metal cover (shielding?). Most of the stuff I am seeing in catalogues has three wires. The printing on the side of each is

53-10  20 9321 MEXICO

After a couple of phone calls I found that the VeP 656-3 switch can be rebuilt but the contractor does not like to rebuild anything older than 10 years. Kind of a shame to waste all that finely machined aluminum but what are you going to do? Still no word on price, the guy said he'd call me right back and I have not heard from him since. 

Jeff, Sorry to hear about your expensive annual. This airplane has been to a service center or two when the prior owner had it, including a rather infamous one in Florida. My mechanic has a 201 and services a few other Mooneys on the field and locally. I have worked on and helped build a few airplanes including an experimental that I used to toodle

around in. I may take it to a service center again at some point but am having a blast learning about the systems right now. 

Mike, thanks for the link.  I did read that also found this one. The numbering scheme here does not seem to match or resemble that on the Ohmite part.

scottfromiowa what would you like to be shot with? (I prefer a single malt myself but it's a bit pricey to be shooting.) I fear that it is the same world but that's a different question.

Bnicolette, it's not just a dimmer and I'll keep it legal with the proper signatures. Original parts are not always a requirement but I'll either get close, or break down and see if the factory has a single laying around that they might sell. 

 

 

[Barry]

My last annual was $8000 at an MSC. Way higher than I thought, particuarly since the A/P called a week after having the plane and saying the plane was in excellent shape!! When I took it in, my prop would only spin up to 2600. A/P said a simple fix. He charged me .6 hr @ $75/hr. Prop still spins up @ 2600!! Plane languished in his shop for 6 weeks. He DID patch a leak I had in the left tank ... but I'll be looking for another shop next year.

[piperpainter]

HOLY CRAP! knock on wood...but I do all owner assisted annuals and the most I've had in the last 3 years was around 2AMU's but that was because she was about to go in for a paint job!

[flight2000]

Damn, that's just nuts for an annual and feel the same way about the MSCs as Scott.  Some are good and I trust, others....not so much.  All MSCs are not created equally (same for your local A$P).  Be careful out there, it's a tough economy and some shops are just interested in generating revenue.  My last annual was 1.1 amu's and it was owner assisted.  The receipts from the previous owners annuals at an MSC in Southern Texas averaged $5.5 amu's....yikes!!  

Carl, did you call Stacey Ellis at Mooney to see what he has on the books for the rheostat.

[scottfromiowa]

My ANNUAL is 25-30 hours or 2000-$2550(with parts and tax)...if it's more than that it's because stuff was "broke" (not my choice) or not looking "pretty" (my choice).  I know the squaks on my plane when it goes in.  We have the price agreed upon...When I say "just shoot me" I mean it....because if I go to my wife and let her know that I just paid triple or 10x what I would normally pay I would expect her to shoot me.  I do not live in a world where I can get that kind of a financial "surprise" without major issues.  Some wonder how people can sell planes in the condition they do...because there are people that buy them.  I'm a sipper more than I shooter.  That's why I own a Mooney...they sip gas.

[Parker_Woodruff]

I've seen plenty of Mooneys that have had $20K annuals, and they needed them.

People let these planes go.  They're dirt simple aircraft, but they are different, and people seem to defer a lot of MX.

[scottfromiowa]

Educate me.  HOW do you get to a $20k annual?  What by the numbers would be examples?

[Jerry 5TJ]

I recently completed the annual on my 65C.  I did all the labor; it took about 80 hours, and I bought $5,100 worth of parts and assemblies.   No cosmetic upgrades were included.  I just found a bunch of items ready for replacement. 

I don't want to ignite a firestorm here (again) but heck, if this plane were available new today it would cost around $300K.   I figure I am maintaining a $300K plane, and moreover, a 45-year-old $300K plane.  Seems to me that a couple percent per year for maintenance is a reasonable expectation. 

If you call up one of the good Mooney Service centers around here in California (and I did call two), they will tell you to expect $15K to $20K for the first annual of a typical mid-1960s Mooney.   Yours may be better than the average, but that's what they caution first-timers to expect.

 

[piperpainter]

wow....just wow! I have an experienced Mooney A&P IA. Not he's not a MSC but he does about 10+ Mooneys a year oh...and his own! Very good mechanic and his shop rate is great. I called a MSC shop in CA about something and asked the shop rate... It was $105 an hour...I hung up the phone. I don't think anyone is worth that much, thats rediculous. Maybe thats how ya'll are seeing such expensive annuals.

[M016576]

Quote: scottfromiowa

20 amu's for an annual!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just shoot me.  If I received an annual with that amount I'd have to sell the plane.  I live in a different world than a lot of folks flying Mooney's that's for sure.  Unless the aircraft is damaged from an accident or needs a new engine how, may I ask...do you get an annual with this amount?  If you did an interior or paint or windows (cosmetic stuff) that is pricey, but really isn't an "annual".  What airframe and engine resulted in this amount?  THAT is why I won't go to a Mooney Service Center...

[flight2000]

Quote: piperpainter

wow....just wow! I have an experienced Mooney A&P IA. Not he's not a MSC but he does about 10+ Mooneys a year oh...and his own! Very good mechanic and his shop rate is great. I called a MSC shop in CA about something and asked the shop rate... It was $105 an hour...I hung up the phone. I don't think anyone is worth that much, thats rediculous. Maybe thats how ya'll are seeing such expensive annuals.

[N601RX]

Quote: N223MM

I am into the first annual inspection on my M20 since buying last February. I am going to need some minor items to get it back into the air.  The first is a rheostat for the glare shield. I can call the factory tomorrow but thought I'd ask for a part number here in the mean time.  Would this work? http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/rheostat.php. 

The second is the gear safety switch, a VEP 656-3. Does anyone know if these can be rebuilt?  Again, I'll be in contact with the factory tomorrow.

The last item is about 32 inches of SCAT tubing for the heater.

It looks like I am coming out pretty good on this one.  (Not counting the time and money I have put into maintenance over the last year.

One interesting thing I found is that the gear doors are not alligned well and do not seem to close. My mechanic and I have been playing with the washers some and with a little touque have goten the right gear door pretty close. Is this fairly common? 

Oh, One other "interesting" item was a cannon plug that seemed to be used as a wire splice. I'll have a pic in my gallery.

Carl

[danb35]

Quote: jerry-N5911Q

If you call up one of the good Mooney Service centers around here in California (and I did call two), they will tell you to expect $15K to $20K for the first annual of a typical mid-1960s Mooney.

[Parker_Woodruff]

A little more than two years ago I had a pre-buy done at Don Maxwell for an M20K.  To complete the annual it would have been an estimated $18-$21k.

I've watched a poorly cared for M20C go in his shop and end up with a $20K+ annual.  Seller was paying for airworthiness squawks.

Damage repaired improperly can make things like that happen, too.

[Parker_Woodruff]

All that said, 200 hours of flying my first year of Mooney M20J ownership, and my annual was about $4400.  I had two bigger ticket items that made up about half that price.

Unfortunately 80% of airplane owners haven't cared for their birds like most people would on this forum.

[Barry]

Quote: N223MM

Well, a quick update on the day. No joy on matching up the rheostat to anything I can find on line. The thing has five wires on it and a metal cover (shielding?). Most of the stuff I am seeing in catalogues has three wires. The printing on the side of each is

 

Hmmmm ... 5 wires and a dimmer. Well, 3 may be the rheostat and the other 2 an on/off switch ...

[Barry]

Quote: piperpainter

wow....just wow! I have an experienced Mooney A&P IA. Not he's not a MSC but he does about 10+ Mooneys a year oh...and his own! Very good mechanic and his shop rate is great.

[scottfromiowa]

Jerry,

There in lies the problem:  Many Vintage owners bought a plane (C & E) for $35-65AMU's...Our planes are NOT worth $200-$300k...If I had bought new I would NOT expect to have BIG dollar annuals for many years down the road...

Panel upgrades aside I would really like to hear about what air-worthiness items resulted in $20AMU annuals.  That is what I like about my Mooney.  I put new tires and all new gaskets in masters and new flexible brake line's in my plane at annual.  Lines and gaskets were all OEM original and over 40 years old and brakes were NOT functioning well.  That said I am NOT getting to the annual price levels some are realizing.  I would say I am 50-50 to items that I HAD to do...boost pump, vaccum pump, tires to stuff I wanted to make safer: wing tip strobes, shoulder harnesses and stuff to make it prettier/more functional: seats, re-do panel, HID landing light.

I do items besides airworthy must do in small quantities and really don't see these as annual items although I sometimes do time with annual for labor/parts/modifications.

Detail on actual items appreciated as my bird was a hanger queen and had stuff break through first couple of years, but NOT at 10-20AMU level.

[scottfromiowa]

Carl,

Rheostat aside make sure if your mechanic is "playing with washers and linkage" in the gear retract that he knows what he/she is doing.  The Mooney gear has specific loads for over-center and when adjustments are made to include gear doors the whole system is impacted.  Critical to make sure that over center is checked and within tolerances as set with specific gear tools and torque wrench.  Making adjustments can create an inadequte over center tolerance that could result in a gear up while taxing.  Is your gear manual Johnson Bar or electric?  Both are impacted by over center.  Be careful when "experimenting" with the gear.  Might want to check with AOPA online forum for rheostat as there is a lot of EXCELLENT technical expertise to include A&P's with years working on Mooney's at the forum.  Good luck with your bird.

[Parker_Woodruff]

Quote: scottfromiowa

Detail on actual items appreciated as my bird was a hanger queen and had stuff break through first couple of years, but NOT at 10-20AMU level.