Maintenance and touring planning thoughts

[Awful_Charlie]

So along with a couple of other pilot/owner friends, we're tentatively planning a pond crossing for Osh 2019. Of course, having done one somewhat risky crossing, we might as well get some extra benefit before doing the return trip. What we're all looking for is some suggested destinations, practical in somewhere around two or three weeks elapsed time (although unlikely to be continuous), but with some time at destinations rather than just fuelling and getting on the move again. General blokey/pilot things (beer, food, anything with an engine etc) are fine, art museums and the like are, ahem, probably near the bottom of the list.

In addition, to me it would also make send to drop the aircraft off for a week or two with a Mooney (long body/Bravo) specialist (not necessarily an MSC)  before the return trip to get a good "check up", but with enough time to have a good shake down before crossing the Atlantic back home. I guess I'm looking for someone who can do a comprehensive gear and rigging check (it all works and flies fine, so I don't think it needs adjustment, but it's good to establish a baseline). Bear in mind whilst whoever is doing this, I'll most likely have to get a return scheduled flight to Europe (although maybe I could use the time to try to get an A&P!) so the travel logistics also come into play.

Still at the very early planning (costing!) stages for the moment, but I'd be grateful for suggestions of destinations and shop recommendations ('25K had a lot of maintenance done at Araphoe before the previous owner imported it, and the owner there was very helpful on the telephone whilst I was doing the pre-purchase due diligence, but as this will be a one off don't have any particular allegiance)

Look forward to hearing the ideas!

Ben

(Off to the Munich Oktoberfest in a few hours - might be a bit slow to respond for a few days!)

[Andy95W]

Fröhliche getrinken!

[carusoam]

The cool part of getting to KOSH...

It is in the middle of the country...

Equidistant to everywhere...

Touring both coasts sounds like a possibility...

With a Bravo, Canada and Mexico could also be in the plan...

Good luck with the planning stage.

Best regards,

-a-

[Danb]

Ben hopefully ill get ti meet another Bravo driver, it's awesome to do that flight, still on my bucket list. I have to do it before time runs out. Good luck

[MIm20c]

You are more than welcome to stop in kzoo, MI (KAZO) on your way to OSH. Relatively cheap fuel, good maintenance (Kalamazoo aircraft), Airzoo museum, lots of microbrews, and a bed if you need it. Mackinac Island just 1.5 hrs north for a unique experience. 

[steingar]

Or South Bass Island in Lake Erie.  3W2 is short but doable in an M, lots to do on the island, though you do have to go across the Bay for fuel.  I know you said museums weren't a priority, but the Air Force Museum might bring that up a notch.  Located in Dayton Ohio, there are lots of runways nearby (can't land there, it's an Air Force base.  I take it back, you can land there, but leaving is quite another story).

[gsxrpilot]

2 or 3 weeks with a Bravo and the entire "lower 48" are in easy range.

• Seattle - get a tour of the Boeing factory
• Yellowstone - fly over the Grand Prismatic
• Grand Tetons - a fly by the Grand Teton is all you need
• Grand Canyon - the four sightseeing corridors are excellent
• Dayton, OH - museums home of the Wright Brothers
• Kerrville, TX - home of Mooney
• Kitty Hawk - KFFA First Flight Airport... just because
• Washington DC - you'll have to land and park somewhere in VA or MD and drive in.... but a couple of days at the Smithsonian Air&Space museum are worth the effort.

 

[1964-M20E]

Well if you make it down south let me know I'll play tour guide for you in new Orleans.

 

So you are going to fly the Mooney here spend some time return home on a commercial flight and the come back to fly it home again?

WOW sounds interesting

 

 

[Awful_Charlie]

Wow - thanks everybody

On 9/26/2018 at 3:13 PM, Andy95W said:

Fröhliche getrinken!

Prosit! No flying for a few days!

On 9/26/2018 at 4:27 PM, Danb said:

Ben hopefully ill get ti meet another Bravo driver, it's awesome to do that flight, still on my bucket list. I have to do it before time runs out. Good luck

Assuming it all goes ahead, I'll try to write up some notes, and always good to meet up with other like-minded people, even better when they're Mooney (and Bravo!) owners

On 9/26/2018 at 5:00 PM, MIm20c said:

You are more than welcome to stop in kzoo, MI (KAZO) on your way to OSH. Relatively cheap fuel, good maintenance (Kalamazoo aircraft), Airzoo museum, lots of microbrews, and a bed if you need it. Mackinac Island just 1.5 hrs north for a unique experience. 

That's really generous - let's see where the plan ends up....

On 9/26/2018 at 5:07 PM, steingar said:

Or South Bass Island in Lake Erie.  3W2 is short but doable in an M, lots to do on the island, though you do have to go across the Bay for fuel.  I know you said museums weren't a priority, but the Air Force Museum might bring that up a notch.  Located in Dayton Ohio, there are lots of runways nearby (can't land there, it's an Air Force base.  I take it back, you can land there, but leaving is quite another story).

Nothing against museums, just the "Art appreciation" gene seems to have missed me out!

On 9/26/2018 at 7:24 PM, gsxrpilot said:

2 or 3 weeks with a Bravo and the entire "lower 48" are in easy range.

• Seattle - get a tour of the Boeing factory
• Yellowstone - fly over the Grand Prismatic
• Grand Tetons - a fly by the Grand Teton is all you need
• Grand Canyon - the four sightseeing corridors are excellent
• Dayton, OH - museums home of the Wright Brothers
• Kerrville, TX - home of Mooney
• Kitty Hawk - KFFA First Flight Airport... just because
• Washington DC - you'll have to land and park somewhere in VA or MD and drive in.... but a couple of days at the Smithsonian Air&Space museum are worth the effort.

 

Great ideas - the Grand Canyon one seems to particularly interest me for some reason. Sure it would be possible to get around the 48, but by doing that I doubt there will be time to appreciate any of it! Likewise, heading south to Texas would be great, but fear it might eat a little too much into the time available?

On 9/26/2018 at 3:26 PM, carusoam said:

The cool part of getting to KOSH...

It is in the middle of the country...

Equidistant to everywhere...

Touring both coasts sounds like a possibility...

With a Bravo, Canada and Mexico could also be in the plan...

Good luck with the planning stage.

Best regards,

-a-

There's going to be a transit of the east side of Canada in any case, but don't really want to spending all day, every day in the air (did that last year, got the Mooney shirt!)

On 9/26/2018 at 7:44 PM, 1964-M20E said:

Well if you make it down south let me know I'll play tour guide for you in new Orleans.

So you are going to fly the Mooney here spend some time return home on a commercial flight and the come back to fly it home again?

WOW sounds interesting

Another great offer - many thanks. Plan is currently something like:
 1 week for France to Osh (if it overruns, then eats into time at Osh)
 1 week in Osh (probably camping in the Northern 40)
 2 weeks touring about, ending with leaving the aircraft at a Mooney-savvy shop
Back to w*rk for a week or three, and then return
 1 week "shakedown" and touring
 1 week return to France (this will be early/mid Sept, so with the prevailing wind, but against the daylight. Hoping the Wx won't be too unkind!)