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Prebuy Wednesday, I Probably Need to Buy Stuff


Derek

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The 1995 J I'm looking at is going to prebuy on Wednesday (C&W at CDW)!

I have a hangar lined up that I should be able to get in come mid to late October. I'm trying to figure out an interim storage situation now.

Assuming the prebuy goes well, I will be a renter turned owner in a week.

Generally once I tie down (after a 2 hour block rental) at the school where I rent, I just walk away and have no idea what the planes are doing when nobody is flying them.

I've never used a towbar, I've never put a plane in or out of a hangar, I've never pumped my own fuel, and I've never stopped at an FBO away from home base. I'm sure there is much more I haven't done or know about.

I've got about 70 hours and there are just a lot of stuff that the training doesn't make time for.

I have to do my transition training to make insurance happy, so I'm sure I can get some help with that stuff. It's a shame this stuff isn't covered in training. Useful pilot stuff...

The plane has a Tanis and a battery minder, so I suppose some power strips to run those and one of those phone boxes so I can call and activate the Tanis since cold weather is on the way.

But, given that I may own a plane next week, what supplies are must haves from day one?

I assume a towbar is a good investment (didn't see one in the plane when I did the demo flight). And I'm sure I'll need some cleaning supplies. Maybe some chocks and the obvious fuel sump cup...

I'm sure you'll all have a lot of shopping list items. :)

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Is there a maintenance shop on your new field? If you're basing where you've been renting I suppose there is. Do they work on Mooneys? You will want to start a relationship with an A&P very early on. 

You'll want to get acquainted with 

            https://www.aircraftspruce.com/ 

            https://www.sportys.com/pilotshop/

What is your relationship with the prior owner? It would be helpful to be able to ask him/her questions for a few months. 

MS members collectively know everything there is to know about M20Js. Any question you ask will receive an almost instant answer here.

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Congratulations and here's to the pre-buy going well!

  1. A credit card for the fuel pump. (Everything else is secondary)
  2. A fuel sump cup.
  3. Roll of paper towels, oil funnel, a quart of oil. (Every flight is preceded by sumping the fuel and checking the oil so these items get used every time)
  4. Headset.

A tow bar is nice, but Mooneys are actually easy to move around the ramp without one. I almost never use mine anymore. Chocks are good to have, but often not needed either depending on the parking. If pulling up to an FBO like Signature or Atlantic, they'll chock the wheels for you with their chocks. Having said that, I finally bought a nice set to keep in the plane.

Now just go fly. That airplane will expand your flying horizons by thousands of miles. Enjoy.

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35 minutes ago, Derek said:

I've got about 70 hours and there are just a lot of stuff that the training doesn't make time for.

But, given that I may own a plane next week, what supplies are must haves...

Good and extensive transition, cross country, and instrument training. 

Otherwise just a fuel cup, chocks, tow bar, and box of gallon hefty zip lock bags.

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Just now, ArtVandelay said:

Tow bar is usually included.
I don’t how you can steer the plane when pushing it into a hangar without a tow bar.

Good point. I use a tug to move push it into the hangar. And my hangar doors open 60 feet, so I don't have to be very accurate :ph34r:

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If you are always going to have a second person, you can steer it from the rudder, but I agree a folding tow bar is good and probably already in the back of the plane.

I keep a stubby screw driver to be able to get the cowl off if needed, a multi tool, rags, oil, and fuel tester in the back of the plane.   Also a flash light.  Chocks for the hangar are good.  Of course, a good CFI and snacks to keep the CFI around.

I did not have my own tie down and chocks in the plane until I went and visited someone at a small airport.  Usually you can find some chocks around the FBO / fuel island even if they aren't open but there were none to be found and they were gone for the day.  Wind made me nervous that night it sat out so now I have a set of lines and portable chocks.  A good quality boat line works for tie downs and I got two sets of air gizmos chocks now too.  Haven't tested them yet though but they seem like they should work well.

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Buy yourself a pair of cowl plugs and a couple moving blankets.  When you've competed your flight in cold weather, plug in the battery minder, put in the plugs and put the blankets over the nose.  Then just turn on the Tanis and leave it on.  It will turn your engine bay into a nice little heated hangar and will be ready whenever you are.

Also, go ahead and buy case of aviation oil from Amazon if you're a prime member and can get the free shipping.  Cheapest way to get oil, and you'll need it.

And don't do the transition training to keep the insurance happy.  Do it to learn how to fly your airplane, and do lots of it.  Moneys don't fly like Skyhawks.

The rest you'll catch up to as you go.  You'll want tools, everyone who owns an airplane has lots.  If you can get air from your shop great, otherwise you'll want a little compressor to fill tires.  Probably some shelves to put all the stuff on while you're at it.

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I'd add a good spray bottle and a bunch of microfiber towels from Costco for cleaning the windows.

A few battery powered LED puck lights that you can stick to the ceiling is a good idea. Even if you don't fly at night, they're a lifesaver when you're in the hangar and the light timer suddenly goes off :) 

Do you have GPS database to update?  Make sure you have the computer hardware to do so (and the subscriptions)

That's a shame about the training, my instructors made a point of showing me how to pump fuel and move the plane around.

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After many years of Mooney ownership I have used about every towbar there is out there. If you do need a tow bar, here is the finest available towbar you can get for the Mooney https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pspages/bogibars2.php Its far superior to the Mooney factory towbar, lighter, much more secure in its attachment  making it much easier to steer as you push the plane back. 

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52 minutes ago, 201er said:

Good and extensive transition, cross country, and instrument training. 

Absolutely. My CFI has decent Mooney time but not that recently. I'll be hunting for an expert after initial training.

1 hour ago, Bob_Belville said:

What is your relationship with the prior owner? It would be helpful to be able to ask him/her questions for a few months.

Prior owner is deceased. But the agent representing the aircraft is friendly and surely wouldn't mind questions.

26 minutes ago, steingar said:

don't do the transition training to keep the insurance happy.  Do it to learn how to fly your airplane

Didn't intend to put across that as my intention. Agree completely.

1 hour ago, gsxrpilot said:

A credit card for the fuel pump. (Everything else is secondary)

Better learn how to fuel up...

28 minutes ago, steingar said:

case of aviation oil from Amazon

Great idea. Oil is one of those things as a renter from a flight school that I checked every time but never had to add. And I've never been able to have the plane for more than 4 hours. It was always "magically"full.

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1 hour ago, Derek said:

I've never used a towbar, I've never put a plane in or out of a hangar, I've never pumped my own fuel, and I've never stopped at an FBO away from home base.

Wow, I guess what they say about not all CFI's being equal is true.  With the exception of the FBO, all of this was covered on my first flight and repeated often.  The FBO stop was covered on my first dual cross country, including education about ramp fees, courtesy cars, and complementary cookies (that was a CFI requirement for an FBO stop).

Most of what you need has already been covered, but I find tie down straps much more useful than chocks.  Just about everywhere you go will have some chocks you can borrow, but most places only have tie down anchors.  I recommend the cam-lock type tie down straps instead of ratchet straps as you don't want to cinch the plane down, just keep it snug.  Something like this https://www.harborfreight.com/400-lbs-capacity-6-ft-x-1-in-camouflage-cam-buckle-tie-downs-4-pk-61918.html (camouflage optional).

Also not a bad idea to get a small tool set to keep in the plane emergency use.  Something like this https://www.homedepot.com/p/Apollo-Travel-and-Automotive-Tool-Set-64-Piece-DT0101/204744858

Other things to consider, paint alignment lines in front of your hangar and on the back wall to avoid hangar rash on the ailerons.  Also, have a stop block that you run a wheel into so you know when your in far enough and not too far.

We could go on and on about all the small things, but part of the fun is figuring this stuff out on your own!

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23 minutes ago, skydvrboy said:

Most of what you need has already been covered, but I find tie down straps much more useful than chocks.  Just about everywhere you go will have some chocks you can borrow, but most places only have tie down anchors.  I recommend the cam-lock type tie down straps instead of ratchet straps as you don't want to cinch the plane down, just keep it snug.  Something like this https://www.harborfreight.com/400-lbs-capacity-6-ft-x-1-in-camouflage-cam-buckle-tie-downs-4-pk-61918.html (camouflage optional).

I dunno, I think chocks are useful enough for temporary use.  They're particularly useful when I have to fuel at a local airport that has a sloping ramp where the fuel pump is.  It's no fun to see your plane rolling away as you're walking to the pump! :o

I use these Airgizmos chocks.  They're cheap and take up no space in the back.

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pspages/airgizmoswheelchocks.php

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4 minutes ago, jaylw314 said:

They're particularly useful when I have to fuel at a local airport that has a sloping ramp where the fuel pump is.

Something I wasn't taught during primary training living in the flat lands of KS.  I can see that being an issue, but you have a parking brake, so you have another option if you're caught in that situation.  If you're at an airport with a mid-west T-storm rolling in and no tie down straps, now what?

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38 minutes ago, jaylw314 said:

I dunno, I think chocks are useful enough for temporary use.  They're particularly useful when I have to fuel at a local airport that has a sloping ramp where the fuel pump is.  It's no fun to see your plane rolling away as you're walking to the pump! :o

I use these Airgizmos chocks.  They're cheap and take up no space in the back.

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pspages/airgizmoswheelchocks.php

My travel chocks are simply pieces of 2" x 2" aluminum angle I fished out of the machine shop trash can at work and bandsawed to the same length at home. A little file work to clean up the ends, drill holes for ropes that I haven't attached yet, and they both fit together in a Crown Royal bag back on the hatshelf. My tie down ropes are there, too--two pieces of 1/2 rope, with an eye splice on one and a simple end splice to reduce unraveling on the other end. simple, lightweight, works anywhere, took about a half hour to cut a 50' rope in three pieces, but I still haven't finished the tail tie down rope . . . Durn interruptions!

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1 hour ago, kortopates said:

If you do need a tow bar, here is the finest available towbar you can get for the Mooney https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pspages/bogibars2.php Its far superior to the Mooney factory towbar

Had to go look, noticed that 4-17/23B fits the KingAir, takes a big boy to drag a KingAir around by hand 

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in your transition training you should make it a point to go somewhere you've never been, get self serve fuel, and check out the FBO.  you said you never pumped your own fuel or visited an FBO, so having an instructor with you will make it easy the first time (not that it isn't already easy, but it's not something everyone does in primary training).  then go fly the sh@$ out of your new plane!

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As I recall when I picked up my plane I packed my tie down straps and a (newly purchased)tow bar, bought a few quarts of oil locally. I ended up walking to WalMart at my first overnight for a funnel, paper towels and some microfiber towels.

The one thing for me that I wish I had was my Oxygen tank, but that was because my route home was over New Mexico with a layer right between 10-12k which would have been nice to be above. Obviously the logistics of carrying it on an air carrier would have been a problem(empty tank, remove valve and then re-fill at destination)

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1 hour ago, Hank said:

My travel chocks are simply pieces of 2" x 2" aluminum angle I fished out of the machine shop trash can at work and bandsawed to the same length at home. A little file work to clean up the ends, drill holes for ropes that I haven't attached yet, and they both fit together in a Crown Royal bag back on the hatshelf. My tie down ropes are there, too--two pieces of 1/2 rope, with an eye splice on one and a simple end splice to reduce unraveling on the other end. simple, lightweight, works anywhere, took about a half hour to cut a 50' rope in three pieces, but I still haven't finished the tail tie down rope . . . Durn interruptions!

Weeeelllllll, if I charge myself shop time at $85/hour, the Airgizmos chocks were worth about 10 minutes of shop time, so I think I win the CB award ;) 

 

1 hour ago, skydvrboy said:

Something I wasn't taught during primary training living in the flat lands of KS.  I can see that being an issue, but you have a parking brake, so you have another option if you're caught in that situation.  If you're at an airport with a mid-west T-storm rolling in and no tie down straps, now what?

I do keep tie downs in the plane as well, the chocks are just meant to be used if I'm not staying overnight or in weather.  I have to set the parking brake anyway when I chock the wheels at that fuel pump, but I don't put my trust in the parking brake lest I end up like Anton Yelchin :(

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Verify a few things are in the plane already... and a 95 Mooney came with some things...

1) POH that is S/N specific....

2) handbooks for all the nav equipment...

3) tow bar 

4) fuel cup

5) airframe, engine, and prop logs...

6) Having a cover is a great idea... now and while traveling...

7) Insurance...

8) Mooney specific Ownership Training...

9) Transition Training

10) IR Training...

You didn’t mention your budget... ? is it tight like a CB, flexible as in you have done this before, or you have plenty to do things the right way...

PP thoughts only, not a CFI or mechanic...

Best regards,

-a-

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4 hours ago, gsxrpilot said:

Good point. I use a tug to move push it into the hangar. And my hangar doors open 60 feet, so I don't have to be very accurate :ph34r:

Snicker.  I wasn’t going to ask.  Knew there was an explanation.  Suffice to say that MOST mortals highly value a tow bar and one absolutely SHOULD come with your plane at purchase.  Make sure it’s included.

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