N187CT - Building Our Dream 201

[ArtVandelay]

If you decide to do the side windows, you can get extra dark tint on the back windows, would look good with your paint job.



Tom

[Kyle Koukol]

1 minute ago, ArtVandelay said:

If you decide to do the side windows, you can get extra dark tint on the back windows, would look good with your paint job.



Tom

Tom, 

I am seriously considering it. Did you do the .25"? Also do you notice it being significantly cooler than the non-tint? My side windows are currently in decent shape, but the tint would be nice to have all around. It looks great on your airplane!

Kyle

[ArtVandelay]

Tom, 
I am seriously considering it. Did you do the .25"? Also do you notice it being significantly cooler than the non-tint? My side windows are currently in decent shape, but the tint would be nice to have all around. It looks great on your airplane!
Kyle

Yes, .25” all the way around. Don’t know if cabin is cooler but it makes reading my iPad a little easier because of less glare. I still have to used auto shades on pilot side windows.

[Kyle Koukol]

1 hour ago, ArtVandelay said:

Yes, .25” all the way around. Don’t know if cabin is cooler but it makes reading my iPad a little easier because of less glare. I still have to used auto shades on pilot side windows.

Good to know, thanks Tom. Will advise if I decide to go with them.

[ArtVandelay]

Good to know, thanks Tom. Will advise if I decide to go with them.

I would also recommend using washers under the Dzus fasteners on the battery access door to protect the paint.
And skybolt wide flange fasteners on your upper cowliing instead of camlocs, they will look better and protect your cowling fiberglass.

[Danb]

Sweet puppy, awesome pic over gg bridge

[Hank]

4 hours ago, Kyle Koukol said:

Tom, 

I am seriously considering it. Did you do the .25"? Also do you notice it being significantly cooler than the non-tint? My side windows are currently in decent shape, but the tint would be nice to have all around. It looks great on your airplane!

Kyle

My new-to-me black car with dark factory tinted windows is much cooler inside than my white truck with "normal" windows parked beside it in my driveway at home. I also run the AC less and at lower settings than in the truck. The joys of life in the Sunny South.

I highly recommend tinted windows, and there's no reason to not make the back windows a little darker.

Old memory coming through:  I tinted the (completely clear) windows of my el cheapo college truck with no AC. Really made it much cooler, almost bearable in summer! School was right here, ~40 sm from where I live now. Go window tinting! 

[tmo]

FWIW, some MSers use static tint om their windows. Someone also mentioned this. Might be worth a shot.

[gsxrpilot]

I followed @Skates97 blog on how to tint the windows with static tint. Three years later it still looks great. Some day I'll get around to doing the door window and the pilot side window.

[Skates97]

1 hour ago, gsxrpilot said:

I followed @Skates97 blog on how to tint the windows with static tint. Three years later it still looks great. Some day I'll get around to doing the door window and the pilot side window.

Beautiful plane. 

That post on tinting is still the highest viewed post in a day and overall views. I sent it to Phil and he included it in the August edition of the Mooney Flyer. 

[gsxrpilot]

58 minutes ago, Skates97 said:

I sent it to Phil and he included it in the August edition of the Mooney Flyer.

I saw that and initially thought I'd read it and laugh at some expensive, complicated way to tint plexiglass, but then saw it was your blog post, which is the best solution ever.

[Kyle Koukol]

@gsxrpilot@tmo @Skates97 That tint looks excellent, great blog post too. That is the first I have come across that. I did decide to go with windows all the way around, as these windows have been in the airplane for a long time, it's going back to the paint shop for touch-ups, etc. However, I think I will use this technique to go darker with the rear windows, it really looks amazing. Thanks for the heads up, guys.

[Kyle Koukol]

On 8/10/2020 at 4:52 PM, Hank said:

My new-to-me black car with dark factory tinted windows is much cooler inside than my white truck with "normal" windows parked beside it in my driveway at home. I also run the AC less and at lower settings than in the truck. The joys of life in the Sunny South.

I highly recommend tinted windows, and there's no reason to not make the back windows a little darker.

Old memory coming through:  I tinted the (completely clear) windows of my el cheapo college truck with no AC. Really made it much cooler, almost bearable in summer! School was right here, ~40 sm from where I live now. Go window tinting! 

Hank, great point. I decided to go with the tint. I also tinted my dark grey Subaru with the ceramic tint, and it must keep the temperature in the car down at least 25 degrees in this hot Sacramento summer- so I totally relate to your experience. Thanks for the input.

[Kyle Koukol]

So this photo does not really give a good view, but the new windows are in. I went with the UV grey tint all the way around after reading some of the suggestions from this thread. It does not look too much different the clear glass, but the temperature drop is significant. I would estimate that the airplane is at least 10-15 degrees cooler in the cabin than previously. It was very well worth the investment. In addition, I also bit the bullet and bought a Redline Side Winder tug. It fits my mission perfectly and moves the airplane extremely well. I will say, it is a paint to get in and out of the nose gear though... 

Finally, I am excited to announce that I have joined Latitude Aviation as an aircraft broker. Many of you are familiar with Neal Schwartz at Latitude Aviation as he is well-known and highly respected in the aircraft sales/brokerage world. I have been fortunate to work with Neal in the past in several different capacities, and he recently asked me to join him at Latitude Aviation as his business is rapidly growing.  As an experienced pilot and Mooney owner/operator, I look forward to providing other Mooney owners with the same high level of customer service that Latitude Aviation has been providing to the general aviation community for years. If you are interested in discussing our aircraft brokerage services please feel free to contact me anytime.

[Niko182]

Found your plane on aircraft spruce. did you end up getting a BK autopilot?

[Kyle Koukol]

2 minutes ago, Niko182 said:

Found your plane on aircraft spruce. did you end up getting a BK autopilot?

Interesting! Nope, we still have the S-TEC. Funny enough, I came across this same picture on a bulletin board at Lincoln Airport in California. 

[KSMooniac]

10 minutes ago, Kyle Koukol said:

Interesting! Nope, we still have the S-TEC. Funny enough, I came across this same picture on a bulletin board at Lincoln Airport in California. 

Did they even ask you if they could use your plane in their ad???

[Niko182]

9 minutes ago, KSMooniac said:

Did they even ask you if they could use your plane in their ad???

I'm going to take a wild guess and say probably not.

[ArtVandelay]

Did they even ask you if they could use your plane in their ad???

They did removed the tail number,.