RobertGary1 Posted October 24, 2017 Report Posted October 24, 2017 1 hour ago, rbridges said: looks like he let the registration expire in 2013. I guess he's still hoping.... Good for him. Hopefully it brings him some joy. -Robert Quote
DMJones Posted October 24, 2017 Report Posted October 24, 2017 Sorry I don't have any old Mooney photos (at the moment, I'll start looking), but for years I used to fly predominantly to South America. There were always lots of derelicts down there, sitting in the tall grass. I always dreamed of getting one into my back yard and turning it into a tree house... 3 Quote
DaV8or Posted October 24, 2017 Report Posted October 24, 2017 2 hours ago, rbridges said: looks like he let the registration expire in 2013. I guess he's still hoping.... The last time I spoke to him he was well aware that his planes weren't worth much at all. He was not delusional in thinking they were worth a lot of money. He knew his Aztec was only worth it's weight in scrap metal prices and that it would probably cost him to get rid of it. Like I said, he's an old timer with what sounds like plenty of flying in better times. He said he got the Aztec to carry him and his wife with all her luggage to places. When his wife passed away, he got the Mooney for himself. I guess at this point it must be worth it to him to pay the tie down fees just to keep mementos around. I don't know if he would sell if approached or not, but with all the cheap flying Mooneys on the market now, I doubt anyone would want it. Maybe it's best to keep it in storage. I really don't want his planes to go away because there are more tie downs on our field than anybody knows what to do with. As long as he pays his bills, it's good for the airport. Quote
DaV8or Posted October 24, 2017 Report Posted October 24, 2017 29 minutes ago, DMJones said: Sorry I don't have any old Mooney photos (at the moment, I'll start looking), but for years I used to fly predominantly to South America. There were always lots of derelicts down there, sitting in the tall grass. I always dreamed of getting one into my back yard and turning it into a tree house... That would be an awesome treehouse!! What a project! 1 Quote
Igor_U Posted October 25, 2017 Report Posted October 25, 2017 Scenic site is Hodges airpark (GA39) 5NM west of Hunter AAF (KSVN) in Savannah, GA. My friend keeps his RV9 there when in town and according to airpark owner, this ’68 F is here “forever” and not flying probably close to 10 years. Paint looks all original, corroded screws and opaque windows so you can’t really see inside, but someone put air in tires and is paying tie down regularly. According to FAA, registration expired 2013… Someone should adopt this waif… I’m afraid this one might leave only on a back of the truck. Quote
gsxrpilot Posted October 25, 2017 Report Posted October 25, 2017 I've said it before and I'll say it again and all of you can hold me to it... If I'm ever in a situation where I can't fly my airplane for more than a few months, I'll find some young aspiring pilot/CFI/etc who needs hours, get them listed on the insurance and make them a set of keys. And if its a financial situation where I can't afford to maintain the plane, I'll either sell it or bring on a partner or two, even if all they can do is cover maintenance and running costs. But one way or another, it needs to keep flying. Holding onto an airplane and keeping it from flying, just because it's yours and you're not in a position to fly it, until it rots, is selfish and shameful. 11 Quote
Guest Posted October 25, 2017 Report Posted October 25, 2017 2 minutes ago, gsxrpilot said: I've said it before and I'll say it again and all of you can hold me to it... If I'm ever in a situation where I can't fly my airplane for more than a few months, I'll find some young aspiring pilot/CFI/etc who needs hours, get them listed on the insurance and make them a set of keys. And if its a financial situation where I can't afford to maintain the plane, I'll either sell it or bring on a partner or two, even if all they can do is cover maintenance and running costs. But one way or another, it needs to keep flying. Holding onto an airplane and keeping it from flying, just because it's yours and you're not in a position to fly it, until it rots, is selfish and shameful. That all works until one goes senile and can't remember the commitment you made and get angry when others try to remind you. Clarence Quote
DMJones Posted October 25, 2017 Report Posted October 25, 2017 Seriously. Fly it or tree house! Quote
mike_elliott Posted October 25, 2017 Report Posted October 25, 2017 16 hours ago, EricJ said: Sadly, in the Phoenix area a fair percentage of the airplanes tied down outside, i.e., not in a hangar or shelter, appear to be derelict to some degree or other. I noticed that also at Glendale KGEU. What was sad was this was by owner choice, as I also saw a number of hangers "for sale" there. Hangar availability didnt appear to be the problem like it is so many places. Quote
co2bruce Posted October 25, 2017 Report Posted October 25, 2017 This topic makes me sad, sorry. 1 Quote
Andy95W Posted October 25, 2017 Report Posted October 25, 2017 1 hour ago, co2bruce said: This topic makes me sad, sorry. Same as the "Grim Reaper" thread. I don't even want to see those pictures. Quote
Steve W Posted October 25, 2017 Report Posted October 25, 2017 The story, as I've heard it, is that this plane was sold, but before the sale went through, went for maintenance, had an engine failure ended up at Corvallis(KCVO) and has been sitting ever since. It was on the FBO ramp but when the eclipse came through they moved it out to a previous taxiway. Quote
Marauder Posted October 25, 2017 Report Posted October 25, 2017 I've said it before and I'll say it again and all of you can hold me to it... If I'm ever in a situation where I can't fly my airplane for more than a few months, I'll find some young aspiring pilot/CFI/etc who needs hours, get them listed on the insurance and make them a set of keys. And if its a financial situation where I can't afford to maintain the plane, I'll either sell it or bring on a partner or two, even if all they can do is cover maintenance and running costs. But one way or another, it needs to keep flying. Holding onto an airplane and keeping it from flying, just because it's yours and you're not in a position to fly it, until it rots, is selfish and shameful. I think we all feel the same until Father Time catches up with you and you begin holding onto that mental image of your youth. The same goes for driving a car. My father-in-law reached a point where it was clear he shouldn’t be driving anymore. His wife took the keys away from him and I remember him pleading with me to help him get back into the driver’s seat. The best help I could offer was to convince his wife to let him take a driver’s test at the DMV to prove he still had what it took. I offered to help him practice and after 10 minutes of hitting cones, he turned to me and asked me to take him home. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro 1 2 Quote
gsxrpilot Posted October 25, 2017 Report Posted October 25, 2017 I think we all feel the same until Father Time catches up with you and you begin holding onto that mental image of your youth. The same goes for driving a car. My father-in-law reached a point where it was clear he shouldn’t be driving anymore. His wife took the keys away from him and I remember him pleading with me to help him get back into the driver’s seat. The best help I could offer was to convince his wife to let him take a driver’s test at the DMV to prove he still had what it took. I offered to help him practice and after 10 minutes of hitting cones, he turned to me and asked me to take him home. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro That’s the great thing about an airplane. I can still sit in the left seat long after a medical is no longer a possibility. I just need a CFI riding along in the right seat. Quote
Hank Posted October 25, 2017 Report Posted October 25, 2017 1 minute ago, gsxrpilot said: That’s the great thing about an airplane. I can still sit in the left seat long after a medical is no longer a possibility. I just need a CFI riding along in the right seat. Or a responsible licensed pilot. 1 Quote
bob865 Posted October 25, 2017 Report Posted October 25, 2017 7 hours ago, gsxrpilot said: nd if its a financial situation where I can't afford to maintain the plane, I'll either sell it or bring on a partner or two That is a great thing. That's how I got back to flying. It had become so difficult for me to reserve and get access to rental planes here that I went several years without flying. When I decided I really wanted to get back to it, I found a small partnership to join. It was the same way. The original owner had the plane but didn't want it to sit. He knew it would just rot if it sat, so he took on partners to keep the plane active. Worked out for all of us. We got into a plane very cheaply and he had the plane he wasn't willing to sell continually flying. Got me back into flying enough that I wanted to branch out and now I'm on my Mooney. Wish more people would do that. So many planes wasting away and so many pilots who would like to share the costs with someone and have access to a plane. 2 Quote
Marauder Posted October 25, 2017 Report Posted October 25, 2017 That’s the great thing about an airplane. I can still sit in the left seat long after a medical is no longer a possibility. I just need a CFI riding along in the right seat. Yeah but you wouldn’t be able to get to the airport because your wife would have taken your keys away. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro 1 Quote
rbridges Posted October 25, 2017 Report Posted October 25, 2017 3 hours ago, Steve W said: The story, as I've heard it, is that this plane was sold, but before the sale went through, went for maintenance, had an engine failure ended up at Corvallis(KCVO) and has been sitting ever since. It was on the FBO ramp but when the eclipse came through they moved it out to a previous taxiway. dang, it even has the 201 windshield. I guess it saw better times at one point. 1 Quote
Marauder Posted October 25, 2017 Report Posted October 25, 2017 I need a set of undented ailerons. You think they would miss their ailerons if I made a midnight acquisition? Quote
xcrmckenna Posted October 25, 2017 Report Posted October 25, 2017 Yeah but you wouldn’t be able to get to the airport because your wife would have taken your keys away. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro Paul if I get to ride around in your 252, I'll drive you to the airport...Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 Quote
DaV8or Posted October 25, 2017 Report Posted October 25, 2017 6 hours ago, Steve W said: The story, as I've heard it, is that this plane was sold, but before the sale went through, went for maintenance, had an engine failure ended up at Corvallis(KCVO) and has been sitting ever since. It was on the FBO ramp but when the eclipse came through they moved it out to a previous taxiway. I like the auxiliary fuel tank. Seems like something's missing though... 1 Quote
Steve W Posted October 25, 2017 Report Posted October 25, 2017 5 minutes ago, DaV8or said: I like the auxiliary fuel tank. Seems like something's missing though... What? It's one of the rare Mooney gliders. Quote
Captnmack Posted October 25, 2017 Report Posted October 25, 2017 12 hours ago, Igor_U said: Scenic site is Hodges airpark (GA39) 5NM west of Hunter AAF (KSVN) in Savannah, GA. My friend keeps his RV9 there when in town and according to airpark owner, this ’68 F is here “forever” and not flying probably close to 10 years. Paint looks all original, corroded screws and opaque windows so you can’t really see inside, but someone put air in tires and is paying tie down regularly. According to FAA, registration expired 2013… Someone should adopt this waif… I’m afraid this one might leave only on a back of the truck. I'll take that prop! Quote
DaV8or Posted October 25, 2017 Report Posted October 25, 2017 10 hours ago, DMJones said: Seriously. Fly it or tree house! It is too bad that a bunch of these derelict airplanes (not just Mooneys) couldn't be rounded up and made into a playground area for kids at the airport. I would have loved that as a kid. I suppose liability, lawyers, insurance, etc... 2 Quote
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