First Annual Questions

[HRM]

This ongoing discussion is why it is important, especially with vintage Mooneys, for an owner to be deeply involved with the airplane and the IA that inspects it as well. When I did my annual I was totally impressed with the way it was done--and I am not talking about the stuff I did 

There is an incredible amount of leeway in the conduct and scope of the annual inspection--many owners do not realize this and I will proffer that as the source of a lot of post-annual unhappiness. The older your aircraft is, the more you should be involved (IMNSHO), but many others have said that as well. Frankly, some pilots fly around oblivious to the technicalities of their birds beyond what they see and must deal with during the pre-flight. That is all fine and good if you are a commercial pilot, or if your aircraft is near-new, the latter assumes that you are pretty much a high-roller and maintenance is done at the finest, and most expensive, shops.

[Igor_U]

9 hours ago, Jim Peace said:

never seen these words in the same sentence.....

You must be related to my CFII. He would tell me: "you didn't buy and airplane to save money".

 

 

[Guest]

12 hours ago, HRM said:

If they aren't identified on the diagram, you don't need to remove them. I printed the diagram out, colored in the panels to be removed and then laminated it. The diagram also tells you what you are looking for and if you need to lube.

It would be a waste of time looking  in the other panels, nothing ever goes wrong behind the other inspection panels. 

Clarence

[Andy95W]

6 hours ago, PilotCoyote said:

I agree with you that the regulation states that the scope and detail of these two inspections are identical. And as you are an IA, I’m not saying anything below that you don’t already know, but I think for everyone’s benefit it needs to be repeated, at least occasionally, and especially for new Mooney owners, that not all 100 hour and annual inspections are the same. There are those who know where to look in these Mooneys, and there are others who will eventually get to know Mooneys. I fall into the latter category, but am trying to catch up as fast as I can

It would have been more correct for me to say that I have a certain expectation in regards to the thoroughness of an annual inspection, especially a first annual inspection, and that I consider the often-used Mooney 100-hour Inspection access panel diagram to be misleading, because if you limit the removal of panels to only those that are indIcated, you aren’t meeting the inspection requirements specified in Appendix D for an annual inspection, because you cannot see the back of the spar.

43.15(c)(1) states that the mechanic performing these inspections may use any checklist he so desires, obtained from any source (including creating his own), provided the items in Appendix D are included in the inspection.

One might conclude then, that different mechanics performing the same 100 hour or annual inspection will do so with a different scope and detail, and might even have slightly different interpretations of Appendix D. 

I agree with you.  This is one of the problems with folks who think that all MSCs are great and if you take your airplane there, you'll get a great Annual inspection.  

I would put more stock in Alex's Annual inspections ( @Raptor05121) than at a mediocre MSC that works on a lot of  Mooneys.  Alex's IA had him remove all the inspection panels and checked everything- and taught him along the way.  The mediocre MSC uses the Mooney 100 hour checklist and looks at nothing additional- because the shop doesn't get paid until the airplane is pushed out the door.  For a 2008 M20R, that's not a big deal. For a 1964 M20C, that's a huge disservice.

Not all MSCs are created equal.  Some are noted positively regularly- like DMax, LASAR, AGL, SWTA, Dugosh, Top Gun, @M20Doc's shop.  Others- who knows?  You pays your money, you takes your chance.

[Jim Peace]

21 minutes ago, Andy95W said:

Not all MSCs are created equal.  

Best line on MooneySpace !!!!

[Guest]

I'm curious to know if anyone has ever removed the riveted inspection panels on the horizontal stab and had a look inside?

Clarence

[Yetti]

35 minutes ago, M20Doc said:

I'm curious to know if anyone has ever removed the riveted inspection panels on the horizontal stab and had a look inside?

Clarence

I wonder that every time I see those rivets.   I also wonder when I walk around and move it up and down and it gives those creaking noises.

[Ruff Air]

Everything went well. Thanks everyone for the advice!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[carusoam]

17 minutes ago, Ruff Air said:

Everything went well. Thanks everyone for the advice!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Way to go Ruff Air!

Best post to ever follow a first annual!

You earned your first +1 above your post count.

Great report, go MS!

Best regards,

-a-

[HRM]

On 4/6/2019 at 4:58 AM, M20Doc said:

I'm curious to know if anyone has ever removed the riveted inspection panels on the horizontal stab and had a look inside?

Clarence

Jes move along now, ain't nuth'n ta see...

[hmasing]

On 4/4/2019 at 7:46 PM, Yetti said:

If you find duct tape.   Spend a day replacing it with aluminum tape.  Old duct tape will hold water. 

I am in the middle of SB208 on my 68 F.  I've found about 20' of old, wet, fuel and oil soaked duct tape backed with paper that isn't sticking to anything.  In fact, we can't really even tell where much of it came from because it was sort of lying around in the wing wells.

It clearly wasn't stopping anything, and getting new aluminum tape in there will be nearly impossible.  

Any ideas?

[Yetti]

Are we talking at the wing root?   There is tape that goes along the wing and the empanage.  The little screws that have backing nuts that have to be gotten to from the inside.  Since the side panels are off, now is the time to do that area.

[EricJ]

On 4/6/2019 at 2:58 AM, M20Doc said:

I'm curious to know if anyone has ever removed the riveted inspection panels on the horizontal stab and had a look inside?

Clarence

I suspect those were for manufacturing access rather than any post-factory inspection, especially since they're cherry-riveted in.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, EricJ said:

I suspect those were for manufacturing access rather than any post-factory inspection, especially since they're cherry-riveted in.

That may be the case, however in some cases these have not been looked at since manufacture more than 50 years ago.  I think it would be prudent to open them a look inside.  Some of these airframes aren’t aging well.

Clarence

[Andy95W]

On 4/6/2019 at 5:58 AM, M20Doc said:

I'm curious to know if anyone has ever removed the riveted inspection panels on the horizontal stab and had a look inside?

Clarence

On vintage Mooneys they're held in by screws like the inspection panels on the wings.  I take them out and have a look every 3-5 years before spraying in CorrosionX.