finally in service

[Vref]

After a year of patience I finally can call myself proud owner of operational M20J which has had a major airframe overhaul/repair and new interior and exterior. It took three days of test flying to get to the level of acceptance....to make the 600 Nm jump..

The main troubleshooting stuff:

clogged injector = EGT way to hi on one cylinder easily repaired thanks to a installed JPI800

LDG gear failed to retract on the first flight = switch adjust behind the airspeed failed to function  (this gave me some stress...)

some smaller avionics issues...the HSI is not slaving correctly (still to be fixed)

small aileron rigging to make it fly straight hands off..

etc...

So,yesterday we (my safety pilot and me) flew the 201 from Hungary over the Austrian Alps to Belgium that's about 620 Nm we did it in shot in about 4hr50 we had headwind most of the time. The weather was terrible at some point we had to fly through a cold front with CB's all over the place...we flew in heavy rain that I felt like sitting in carwash..with the WX11 storm scope dotted green everywhere ....

Winds on landing was 25-30 Kts gusting..15 degress cross.., half flaps only landing...

I think this was a full performance flight and the aircraft underwent it excellently its an amazing travelling machine, even ATC gives you a more jet like treatment in communication.........I am very very happy...

I will post some pictures soon..

Luc

 

[Steve Dawson]

Congratulations Luc !

[scottfromiowa]

Outstanding!  Enjoy your bird.  That was a wild first flight.  Enjoy.  Photo's please...

[Vref]

Thanks all, here some first pictures

[fantom]

Looks very sweet....

[skyking]

Very nice....

[Magnum]

Congratulations!

Are you coming to the Aero Expo in Bitburg next weekend?

[jelswick]

Congratulations Vref!  A Beautiful Mooney and hope she brings you many years of enjoyment!

[Vref]

Thanks guys for kind words. There are still some squawks to resolve.which is normal I think after such a major makeover.....

There are some smaller things that couldn't be fixed locally, mainly to the lack of parts and avionics test equipment

I will have the time now to go myself in the details of things and give it the final touch...

But that's why we have this fantastic forum ..;-)

To: Magnus..I would love to go to Bitburg but I have a full agenda next weekend and week..We surely have to meet as Saarbruecken is not that far.;-)..

 

[231BB]

Vref,

It's great to hear about Mooney's flying in Europe. I would enjoy reading your comments on flying in Europe, +/-'s, typical expenses, and how the public perceives General Aviation.

Congratulations on getting your J flying!

 

1982 M20K

KCCR

[Vref]

Quote: 231BB

Vref,

It's great to hear about Mooney's flying in Europe. I would enjoy reading your comments on flying in Europe, +/-'s, typical expenses, and how the public perceives General Aviation.

Congratulations on getting your J flying!

 

1982 M20K

KCCR

[jlunseth]

I was in Italy last summer, near Lucca.  Woke up in the morning to an airplane flying overhead.  Lord, it was a Mooney!!  It would be great to fly over in Europe some day.

[Magnum]

Quote: 231BB

Vref,

It's great to hear about Mooney's flying in Europe. I would enjoy reading your comments on flying in Europe, +/-'s, typical expenses, and how the public perceives General Aviation.

Congratulations on getting your J flying!

 

1982 M20K

KCCR

[lahso]

Quote: Vref

For North American Pilots I can only say ...enjoy the freedom and facilities you have, we only can dream about it..

[Vref]

But flying a Mooney is worth all the hassle and money :-)

[Awful_Charlie]

Quote: Magnum

In Germany even at uncontrolled fields someone has to be in the tower. He is not allowed to give you any clearance, he just provides information (wind, other traffic ect.). Every field has opening hours, flying outside these hours is PPR and you have to pay for it. At my field it is approx. 150 Euros per hour after closing. Night flying requires a flight plan and you are controlled by ATC. No air filing for IFR possible. IFR flight plans have to be approved by the "Central Flow Management Unit", a computer which knows which airways can be used. Finding a possible route without a special software is no fun, using such a software costs 2-6 Euros per flight plan. Telephone weather briefing costs 1-2 Euros per minute, access to a online weather site around 60 Euros / year. No XM-weather, no TIS available. But we all have Mode S transponders (mandatory since 2 years) and some countries require 406 Mhz ELTs.

But flying a Mooney is worth all the hassle and money :-)

[flyboy0681]

[N33GG]

Quote: Magnum

But flying a Mooney is worth all the hassle and money :-)

[Magnum]

Quote: N6719N

 How does Germany treat gliders today?  Do they just get to do their thing at remote fields, or are they also closely regulated now?  Just curious.  My first flight training was learning to fly segelflugzeugen in Stade just across the Elbe from Hamburg.

[Magnum]

Quote: Awful_Charlie

For CFMU problem avoidance get Mike Flynns excellent FlightPlan Pro - free!  CFMU routings no longer a problem.  To file, use Travis Hollands brilliant EuroFPL - Free for 10 plans per month, a 100EUR pa sub gets you unlimited plans and other gadgets like SMS notifications.

[flyboy0681]

Based upon what I have read, it sounds like your best options are to do your training over here.

[Vref]

Quote: Magnum

Ben,

Flightplanpro crashes regularily on my MAC and EuroFPL is not always able to find a routing. I am trying Rocketroute.com at the moment, it is 10 Euros / month with 50 filings per year included. It has a 14 days trial. Have you tried it, too? I am just starting with IFR flying here and looking for the best options.

[Awful_Charlie]

Quote: Magnum

Ben,

Flightplanpro crashes regularily on my MAC and EuroFPL is not always able to find a routing. I am trying Rocketroute.com at the moment, it is 10 Euros / month with 50 filings per year included. It has a 14 days trial. Have you tried it, too? I am just starting with IFR flying here and looking for the best options.

[Magnum]

Quote: Vref

Magnus did you try the direct filing through the CFMU...IFPUV..?

https://www.public.cfmu.eurocontrol.int/PUBPORTAL/gateway/spec/index.html

[Magnum]

Quote: flyboy0681

Based upon what I have read, it sounds like your best options are to do your training over here.