My Brand New (to me) M20E

[bob865]

Hey guys,

You may remember me from a while back asking some questions about a '75 M20E that we found for a really good deal.  We put her through a pre-buy at an MSC and did as much due diligence as we could possibly do and all came back good.  Well, as good as to be expected for a 42 year old airplane that has been sitting for a bit (about 6 months).  For the price asked and the squawks found she was just too good to pass up, so I am now (with a partner) officially a Mooney driver!  She's not perfect.  She will get some upgrades over the next few years, but for what we were looking for she is absolutely perfect!  As soon as we can get the weather and schedules to cooperate, we'll start our transition training and finally get her back in the air.  I'm sure I'll have many more questions as time goes on, and look forward to joining the community. 

I'll go ahead and start with my first question right away

If you look at the last picture, the annunciator panel is missing the cover with the text.  From the POH I can't figure out what it should be.  The only reference in the POH says that the panel has "Aircraft Registration, Landing Lights, Fuel Pressure, High and Low Vacuum, and High and Low Voltage."  Is it really supposed to have a light showing the Tail Number?? The light, other than when testing the annunciator panel, only comes on when the panel lights are turned up and dims with the control.  It makes sense with the list shown in the POH and I also wouldn't expect a caution and warning light to be Blue.  Either way, does anyone know where I can source a replacement?

Oh and I guess I have another questions too, anyone interested in a 1/4 share of a piper cherokee? 

--Adam

 

[Hank]

Welcome, Bob! Hope you love your E as much as we do our C.

Where in G'ville do you keep her? I pop into Landrum from time to time; please learn your plane well before going there.  

Hope to see you around!

[gsxrpilot]

I've never seen that annunciator panel in a Mooney before? Is it stock?

[bob865]

5 minutes ago, Hank said:

Where in G'ville do you keep her?

We are GMU. 

[bob865]

3 minutes ago, gsxrpilot said:

I've never seen that annunciator panel in a Mooney before? Is it stock?

As far as I can tell.  It looks just like it shows in the POH.  I've seen it in some videos on youtube and the like, but since I've been trying to figure out what this light might be I can't find it anywhere.

[Philip]

I have a 75F and it has the same light with the tail number and it lights up with the panel lights or a test.  I don’t know where you can get one.

[RLCarter]

Congrats, always liked that paint scheme. You might be able to order the missing lens for the annunciator through a MSC

[bonal]

Outstanding lots of fun and adventure awaits.

[carusoam]

The tail number is always on the instrument panel near the top somewhere....

I don't see one on your panel anywhere else. So it must have been there....

PP thoughts only, Congrats with the new 2U bird.

Best regards,

-a-

[Marauder]

As far as I can tell.  It looks just like it shows in the POH.  I've seen it in some videos on youtube and the like, but since I've been trying to figure out what this light might be I can't find it anywhere.

 

It’s a little different on my 75F but I think the missing one is RAM AIR. Easy enough to verify, just open the ram air door.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[bob865]

Finally found it.  The blue light is supposed to be the tail number.  @Philip mentioned he had it as the tail number on his F and we finally got in touch with the seller and he confirmed it was the same for our E.  He said the lens fell out a while back and he just never replaced it.  How myself, the partner, the ferry pilot, and the pre-buy inspection all somehow missed it, I'll never know.  Cool feature I think!  Now I just need to find a way to get a replacement lens, it's blinding at night.

Trying to schedule flight instructors in Greenville with Mooney experience is much harder than I expected, but it all worked out and I finally got to fly her.  Boy! she is a rocket ship compared to my little 90kts Cherokee I'm used to flying.  As a side note, if you are not proficient with a complex plane, don't pick night for your first lesson.  It was brutal!  The instructor got back later than expected from his previous flight so we ended up not launching until sunset.  On the bright side, it was nice and smooth.  On the other, trying to focus on procedures in the dark and look for things is a plane you are not 100% familiar with at night is not the best learning environment.  I won't do that again.  Biggest take away was I have to get used to the lighter/tighter controls.  I kept over-controlling (too much flare) on approach.  Either way, it was still fun and can't wait to go again.  Now I'm just waiting out weather.

[Yetti]

On 10/15/2017 at 6:50 PM, bob865 said:

If you look at the last picture, the annunciator panel is missing the cover with the text.  From the POH I can't figure out what it should be.  The only reference in the POH says that the panel has "Aircraft Registration, Landing Lights, Fuel Pressure, High and Low Vacuum, and High and Low Voltage."  Is it really supposed to have a light showing the Tail Number?? The light, other than when testing the annunciator panel, only comes on when the panel lights are turned up and dims with the control.  It makes sense with the list shown in the POH and I also wouldn't expect a caution and warning light to be Blue.  Either way, does anyone know where I can source a replacement?

 

75 F here.  Yes my registration number is in the left most position, but it does not light up.  Could be burned out bulbs or something else.   used the lablel maker to put the registration on the panel.  

To replace you will probably need a vinyl cutter or lablel maker and an exacto knife and a steady hand.   Probably at the end of the week I can get a picture.

Your vac is taking up two positions.   Mine is one with flashing or not to indicate high or low.   Your ram air warning would go in the other.  Do you have ram air?

 

[N201MKTurbo]

Find someone with a photo plotter to make the transparency. Silk screen shops still use photo plotters. It will make a high contrast transparency for the light. If you want to change the color get gels from a theatre supply house.

[bob865]

58 minutes ago, Yetti said:

Your ram air warning would go in the other.  Do you have ram air?

I do have ram air, but there is no warning light for it on my model.  Or not there at least.  There is an amber light directly above the control.