1961 Mooney M20B -- Mods Begin!

[hammdo]

All good! Got my transition trading scheduled with Brian Lloyd for this coming Monday — can’t wait!

-Don

[hammdo]

Rest of the avionics are paid and on their way! Found this deal on the Stratus TSO USB ports (don't have a lighter socket):

https://sarasotaavionics.com/avionics/stratus-power?pvari3053-0-302-3799=9692

Buy one get one... 

Not bad. One for the pilot and co-pilot... 

-Don 

 

[carusoam]

I was looking for the details on the buy one get one...   

Like the rest of the sentence... buy one get one... free?

Thus actually ending up with two units, for the price of one...

I might be thinking too much on this one... 

Get one for the back seaters?

Best regards,

-a-

[hammdo]

Yep, choose the 2 option and it's buy one get one... Or, if you need 4 ;o) 

-Don 

[hammdo]

Well got a surprise today — dead battery cell. Been on the charger too. Luckily , there is a local aviation supply shop in Addison (Falcon Crest Aviation) that had a Concord in stock. I was going to do my Mooney training today but the weather didn’t cooperate— good thing it didn’t.

New battery goes in. My plane was moved due to the storms last Friday (shared hanger) so not sure if the power was off on the charger or something else. Gonna seal up the dog house as there are areas air can escape while I’m in there.

My 2fers USBs came in — nice to have for each side of the panel...

-Don

 

Edited January 13, 2020 by hammdo

[carusoam]

Addison TX?

-a-

[hammdo]

Yes Addison TX. 
Forgot to mention that...

-Don

Edited January 14, 2020 by hammdo

[carusoam]

14 hours ago, hammdo said:

Yes Addison TX. 
Forgot to mention that...

-Don

One of my favorite hangouts while learning to fly...mid 90s or so...

I lived up by where the Cowboys’ practice field was at.

Worked down by RedBird /Dallas exec...
 

Best regards,

-a-

[hammdo]

Yep, and they had the Cowboys Cafe too — with the 1 lbs lineman sandwich — yum!

Boy that was awhile ago...

-Don

 

[hammdo]

Some days it’s not meant to be. Brian came up yesterday after the weather finally cleared. We tried several times and finally schedules and weather worked out. We did a briefing, pre-flight, and when we were all set - intercom and audio panel quit working. I have a flightcom and a Bendix audio panel but when that happened, we scrubbed it. Was a nice day too — windy but nice.

So, I’ll get all the new equipment installed and try again in February. 
 

Ugh, really want to fly this baby ;o)...

BTW, Brian is awesome. We spent time going over the Mooney, speeds, things to look for, etc. Was a great experience - outside of the avionics...

-Don

[hammdo]

Ugh, the PAR200B is delayed — waiting on the radio... ready to upgrade... hoping when annual is due, I can get the down/up lock blocks replace...

the waiting is tough ;op

-Don

[hammdo]

Received word that the PAR is finally shipping! 6 week backlog due to the remote radio.  Also found out my Cardiac MRI  came back > 40% EF — which means I can apply for a third class medical!  Very excited about that. Now, if the rental plane would just stop having squaws, I could get my transition done... Got the intercom fixed in mine and the radio is receiving but, mike-jack is bad. Portable works though. Ah, the little things...

-Don

[hammdo]

Got my complex endorsement and Mooney transition completed! Gonna do a few more hours in the F. 74562 goes next week for avionics and annual!

Finally will get to fly it and get those avionics done...

-Don

[carusoam]

Congrats on the great accomplishments, Don!

Best regards,

-a-

[hammdo]

Thanks! Next week will be a fun time taking a flight in mine!

-Don

[hammdo]

Did my medxpress and finally applied for my 3rd class. AME said 3 to 4 months and I may need to do more ‘tests’ if they need them. Now it’s in the FAA’s hands... did all they asked so fingers crossed.

-Don

[carusoam]

Fantastic!

Once you get one ClassIII... Then the option for basic med and the easier process that goes along with it...

Good luck with the paper chase... insure every document you send using the mail system...

They somehow know how important your docs are to you...

Learn the phone numbers for the FAA medical group... you may have to call them up to find out what desk it is sitting on...

These are typical challenges of a pilot going through the Special Issuance program...

Hopefully you can avoid this small pain...

Best regards,

-a-

[hammdo]

My AME is the expert on this. He’s done quite a few. He talks with the FAA cardiologist often so hopefully, since he does these often, they know he’s on top of it ;o)

-Don

 

[hammdo]

Mooney is now at the shop for avionics and annual!

Great day to fly. Man, big differences between the F and B. You wouldn’t think 20 hp would make that much difference but, it does. B is much lighter and I could tell. Suttle differences yet still enough to feel. Overall fun day of ‘rehab’ for me. Was awesome to fly her vs the F.

Cant wait to fly her once everything is finished. Did notice a difference in the Johnson bar vs the F. Need to see how the down block lock looks..

-Don

[carusoam]

Don,

Its an interesting 10% more...

So much HP is used to fly the plane...

It is the excess HP that allows us to really enjoy the plane...

The excess HP allows for shorter T/O runs, and awesome climb rates...

Use caution on really cold days... This gives us excess HP too, except it may also generate very high ICPs as well...

In this case keep an eye on DA and MP when pushing the throttle in...

These are things that can separate the cylinder heads from the cylinder... not common, unless you are unfamiliar...

PP thoughts only, not a CFI...

Best regards,

-a-

[hammdo]

It’s funny, the B is 9% lighter but has 10% less power. You’d think they’d even out a bit.

my B weight/HP ratio is 13.61 lbs to hp (2450/180)

the F is 13.75 lbs to hp (2750/200)

@ max weight ;o)

I’m sure the B is closer to max weight than the F when flying (I believe the F was 300 lbs light so it would be 2450/200 so 12.25 lbs to hp)

may be I need to fly the B more ;o)

-Don

[carusoam]

Really nailed it Don!

It is the excess HP to weight ratio...

You can add HP... or you can just add lightness... to get the same performance...

Best regards,

-a-

[hammdo]

Thanks! To get similar performance of the F, I would need to be around 2200 lbs

2200/180 = 12.22 lbs to hp...

Damn, gotta go on a diet ;o)

-Don

[hammdo]

Panel is Done!  Simple and clean. Co-pilot headphone jacks are right where you want them. The USB charger is left and above the jacks. As you can see, very clean look.

 We added an Avionics master switch and circuit breakers for each new avionics -- you'll see those on the right side:

 

Avionics install by Edge Aviation in Commerce Texas (yes, the do know about Mooneys!):

I'll get a better pic later -- was out of the plane when I took this one.  IFD440 and AV30-C will be upgrades in the future. Looks like I'll have room for the IFD for sure:

Did gear retraction a few times while I was there. Got a good shot of the Down Lock Block -- yeah, it needs to be replaced for sure:

Annual has gone well and is almost done -- needed 2 new main tires -- got those done.   They did find a surprise though:

Rat's nest with a dead rat -- They gave me enough graphic detail so I'm glad no pics.  This plane was in a hanger @ Caddo Mills where the fields were real close.  Its now in the main hanger were they do the unmanned drones so, less likely but, I know how they got in and where to look.  Until I get a hanger where its not out in the boonies, I'll check this very often for sure.  Luckily, no 'damage' from the usual stuff.  Gonna look for a CorrosionX treatment next.  For a plane that is really 60 years old (built in 1960) very clean.

There will be some items we'll address as time goes on (mags when they get near 500 hrs, that kind of thing).  Overall, not bad for this old of a plane.  I should be able to get it next week and do a maintenance flight before getting her back to Caddo.  I have a habit of doing a flight local to the AP shop (pattern work, etc.) just to make sure nothing is amiss before I head out. I usually get a hanger near my AP but, not this time so its going to be a safety flight then, ground check afterwards to make sure before going back.

With all this CorVid 19 going on, wonder if the insurance co's will be able to re-coop $ since 'less' is going on in the Aviation world -- may make a difference in premiums.

-Don

[tmo]

FWIW, for corrosion prevention Dinitrol AV8 is said to be really good - it dries out instead of dripping out.  It's what I'm planning to use.