Going It Alone

[Jakes Simmons]

    Good morning,

     I am soon to be a new vintage Mooney owner! 1976 Ranger currently in its annual/pre buy. Although this is not the first aircraft I have owned, it is my first Mooney. I am coming from a ‘46 Swift. My questions have to do with what is going to be really new to me, based at an airport with no maintenance on the field. For many of you that is a fact of life but for me...I got spoiled. For the past six aircraft I have owned, I have always been at the same airport down South with an excellent shop only a two minute walk away. Whenever I had even a minor issue, the shop owner, who is a friend, always set aside time to get me on my way. Service! 

    If the annual goes well, it looks like I will be based at Bolton airfield south side of Columbus Ohio. Super friendly folks, bbq on the airport, but no mx. Especially for you owners in the Columbus area, what has been your experience with local mechanics, anybody willing to travel if the airplane is stuck? Any special advice for a new owner in this situation? I’ve done owner assisted annuals in the past to keep the cost down, but not sure how that would work if having to fly to another shop. Appreciate any info and thank you for all the great posts about keeping Mooney’s going on this site. It has been an ongoing help and pleasure to peruse as I get closer to the big day.

[mooniac15u]

I just relocated from KTZR to KOSU due to lack of a maintenance shop on the field.

Maybe you will be in my old hangar.

[mooniac15u]

@steingar relocated a while back for the same reason.  I think he was able to get someone to come onsite to change a tire but it wasn't easy.  @Davarron is still based at KTZR.  Maybe he can comment on how he manages maintenance.

[FlyChickie]

@autopatch and I were at KSGH and we use Dave Holden @ KMRT - SkyVista Aviation- he’s a Mooney owner and specializes in them. I believe he’s on this board but I am not sure. He was there for us when we needed him! Excellent guy!

[Marauder]

    Good morning,
     I am soon to be a new vintage Mooney owner! 1976 Ranger currently in its annual/pre buy. Although this is not the first aircraft I have owned, it is my first Mooney. I am coming from a ‘46 Swift. My questions have to do with what is going to be really new to me, based at an airport with no maintenance on the field. For many of you that is a fact of life but for me...I got spoiled. For the past six aircraft I have owned, I have always been at the same airport down South with an excellent shop only a two minute walk away. Whenever I had even a minor issue, the shop owner, who is a friend, always set aside time to get me on my way. Service! 
    If the annual goes well, it looks like I will be based at Bolton airfield south side of Columbus Ohio. Super friendly folks, bbq on the airport, but no mx. Especially for you owners in the Columbus area, what has been your experience with local mechanics, anybody willing to travel if the airplane is stuck? Any special advice for a new owner in this situation? I’ve done owner assisted annuals in the past to keep the cost down, but not sure how that would work if having to fly to another shop. Appreciate any info and thank you for all the great posts about keeping Mooney’s going on this site. It has been an ongoing help and pleasure to peruse as I get closer to the big day.

I am based at an airport where I don’t trust the shop to work on my plane. Fortunately there is a Mooney owner/IA who lives close by and will work on my plane in my hangar (he is on this site as well). The downside is that my hangar is equipped like a maintenance shop and I ended up buying a lot of the hardware and tools to allow maintenance to happen in my hangar. Good thing I have friends with jacks, travel boards and gear tools.


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[carusoam]

Welcome aboard, Jakes...

The title of this thread says everything.

It may get quiet overnight and some days are less traveled by... but....

At MS, you are never alone.  

You can research the buying a Mooney process all over here. Work the search function...

Become educated in all things Mooney, then buy with confidence...

When buying 40year old machinery, at least know what a PPI is...

Best regards,

-a-

[Candy man]

I’m at KDLZ and lucky enough to have a partner that’s a mechanic. I also a member of a flying club based at KOSU, I don’t know much but I’ve been less than impressed with the osu maintenance, it’s expensive and leaves a lot to be desired. And that’s on a 172. 

We really should do a an Ohio Mooney lunch/breakfast or meetup. 

 

Lawrence

[Jakes Simmons]

Yup, I travel for a living but will be back up Columbus way at the end of the month. Big Time Central Ohio Mooney Pilot Lunch would be cool with me. Appreciate earlier info posts. I’ll stay lurking on the Vintage threads, especially when I get closer to moving the plane.

[Mcstealth]

On 1/11/2019 at 6:59 AM, Jakes Simmons said:

    Good morning,

     I am soon to be a new vintage Mooney owner! 1976 Ranger currently in its annual/pre buy. Although this is not the first aircraft I have owned, it is my first Mooney. I am coming from a ‘46 Swift. My questions have to do with what is going to be really new to me, based at an airport with no maintenance on the field. For many of you that is a fact of life but for me...I got spoiled. For the past six aircraft I have owned, I have always been at the same airport down South with an excellent shop only a two minute walk away. Whenever I had even a minor issue, the shop owner, who is a friend, always set aside time to get me on my way. Service! 

    If the annual goes well, it looks like I will be based at Bolton airfield south side of Columbus Ohio. Super friendly folks, bbq on the airport, but no mx. Especially for you owners in the Columbus area, what has been your experience with local mechanics, anybody willing to travel if the airplane is stuck? Any special advice for a new owner in this situation? I’ve done owner assisted annuals in the past to keep the cost down, but not sure how that would work if having to fly to another shop. Appreciate any info and thank you for all the great posts about keeping Mooney’s going on this site. It has been an ongoing help and pleasure to peruse as I get closer to the big day.

I hope to be in your shoes someday. Welcome to The Forum.

[Hank]

3 hours ago, Mcstealth said:

I hope to be in your shoes someday.

I am in your shoes, @Jakes Simmons. I'm all alone at my home field--the only plane, the only pilot, no maintenance, no fuel, no services at all . . . . Usually someone to talk to, if he's there.

[DMJones]

Just a suggestion, as it's a little different everywhere:  Ask around at your new field and see what everyone else does.  There might be an A&P that keeps an aircraft there who can help in an emergency.  I kept my Mooney at a field with no maintenance, and flew it to an adjacent field for annuals, etc.  I was pretty meticulous about any tiny thing that might even LOOK like it might need attention and I would have it addressed.  Ironically, I was forced to move to the field where my mechanic resides last year, and needed him for unscheduled work for the first time two days ago. 

[carusoam]

11 hours ago, Mcstealth said:

I hope to be in your shoes someday. Welcome to The Forum.

That day is probably getting closer...

The cheeeeeering is going to be awesome!

-a-

[steingar]

OSU just built hangars, so you might check into it. When I was at Bolton I was sidelined for a month or so with a flat tire. My solution was to pay OSU maintenance to travel to Bolton to repair said tire. There was a local mechanic who was interested in setting up shop at Bolton, but the airport folks queered the deal hard.

Says me get to somewhere with a shop or you could be stranded by maintenance problems. OSU, DLZ and MRT have shops with Mooney savvy mechanics.

Locally I’ve heard really good things about Dave Holden at MRT and Shane at DLZ. I take mine for annual to Bobby Norman at 42I. He know Mooney’s really well. 

TZR has some advantages. The hangars are cheaper and larger, and you can get out of Bolton way faster than OSU. JPs is supposed to be really good ( don’t eat meat, so don’t know). But no maintenance is a big squawk. 

Good luck. Welcome to the world of Mooney’s, and welcome to Columbus, if it’s appropriate. Yeah,we do have to do an Ohio meet sometime.

[Mcstealth]

21 hours ago, steingar said:

JPs is supposed to be really good ( don’t eat meat, so don’t know). 

(Shameless plug alert)

 

 

What!!!!! Blasphemy!!!!!

That's okay. Come into the Cowboy Steak House in Kerrville where we have awesome flame grilled veggies.

 

[DonMuncy]

49 minutes ago, Mcstealth said:

(Shameless plug alert)

 

 

What!!!!! Blasphemy!!!!!

That's okay. Come into the Cowboy Steak House in Kerrville where we have awesome flame grilled veggies.

 

Isn't there some Texas law that makes it illegal to go to Cowboy Steakhouse and not eat steak.  

[RobertGary1]

There are an amazing number of independent a&p’s out there without a building but with a truck full of tools. If you ask around I bet you’ll get a contact. 

-Robert 

[RLCarter]

16 hours ago, DonMuncy said:

Isn't there some Texas law that makes it illegal to go to Cowboy Steakhouse and not eat steak.  

there is, and the fines are similar 

[steingar]

17 hours ago, RobertGary1 said:

There are an amazing number of independent a&p’s out there without a building but with a truck full of tools. If you ask around I bet you’ll get a contact. 

-Robert 

We used to do this with my Cherokee, though these guys were full time employees doing the A&P thing for extra ca$h on the weekends.  They were good too.  Of course they don't do that shtick anymore, one move dot Florida and I think the other spends his time ferrying old airplanes from hither and yon.

Haven't seen anyone since.  If I had I wouldn't be doing my annuals at a remote airport.

[animalmover]

On 1/14/2019 at 5:17 PM, DonMuncy said:

Isn't there some Texas law that makes it illegal to go to Cowboy Steakhouse and not eat steak.  

I hope so.