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New Mooney to Mooneyspace


FlyingCanuck

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Hi all! Long time reader, occasional question-asker, and now new Mooney owner!

I flew our new-to-us 1976 'F home from Texas to the Washington DC area on Saturday (calling KHEF 'home' for now).

Maxwell did the prebuy and was fantastic. Cannot say enough great things.

Flew to Houston (KIWS) for a night to see friends.

Planned a two-day / one-night trip back east with an overnight stop in Nashville. However..... that nasty cold front on Sunday made me re-evaluate. I ended up doing the trip on Saturday in a single day. KIWS-KMEI-KRDU-KHEF. 1,150 miles. 175 knots ground speed. 9.5 gph. It's true what they say about Mooneys - these planes love to stretch their wings and fly!

Crossing half the country at 11,000 feet will be a memory for a long time to come - absolutely stunning.

I'm already spotting Mooneys on the ramp - at KIWS, they parked me overnight beside another 'F. 

Looking forward to being a regular here - and hoping for the day we can all get back to fly-ins and the annual summit again.

Off to the MSC at Freeway Airport (W00) for the first 25 hour oil change in early December. Also need to replace an inop #2 com (but the nav works) with a GTR225.

Before that, first trip with my wife will be to KJHW for Thanksgiving in Ellicottville (weather permitting!) - an easy 1.5 hour hop. 

PS. If anyone knows of a hangar coming available soon in the DC area, I would be grateful! Right now we're on tie downs - with some nice new ropes and a ratchet strap on the tail, plus new Bruces Custom Covers and fresh seals - but still, a hangar is the end goal as fast as possible.

 

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Photo Nov 14, 2 48 17 PM.jpg

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Photo Nov 14, 6 28 53 PM.jpg

Photo Nov 14, 12 59 31 PM.jpg

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Welcome home FC!


While in the DC area... @Sethis our local MSer in the neighborhood...

 

I like turning the gravity on....

Its the only way I earn the likes....   :)

I really like the Marines jet... looks like something near affordable for private use...

I need to get a few more scratch off cards later....

 

Best regards,

-a-

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Welcome to Mooneyspace and welcome to DC!  Congrats on your M20F - Great airplane.

HEF is going through an odd transition now with the FBO and some other changes - you may end up with a hangar available there. If you want, 

 

I know the guys over at W00 - Freeway - well. It's an odd field to fly into - power lines an an offset 30 degree final on one side swooping over the RT 50 on the way in and trees with a displaced threshold on the other. It's only 2400 feet so make sure you work on your short field landings. I based my former M20F there for two years - learned how to fly Mooney's there. Great maintenance.

In addition, Byron (JetDriven) has opened a boutique maintenance shop out of our homefield at GAI. He'll make the large formal announcement at some point, and he can also take care of your aircraft. He's not an MSC and he knows Mooney's intimately (including his own). 

There's a nice Mooney group up at GAI, and I used to put a monthly Mooney breakfast/lunch group together around the Mid Atlantic. However, COVID along with family responsibility has curtailed me running that for a while now. Once COVID is over maybe I should figure out a way to get that going again. Mike, out of New York, runs a NJ Mooney group and we are close enough that we can meet up with that group for Lunch too.

Hangar wise: DC is in short supply and it's expensive. All the local airports have waiting lists. Get on them. Make a lot of phone calls. Often you can strike a deal at certain airports and get in a group hangar until a single unit becomes available. Do you live closest to HEF?

With HEF being your base, learn the Dulles East Side Transition. From the North to South / South to North, you can use it to fly between the FRZ and Dulles runways to get to HEF. The local controllers know what it is. You have to request it. Get used to the two waypoints "MIXNN and BARIN" they basically fly a downwing North South along the east side of Dulles. It'll shave 15 minutes of your flight a lot. It comes in especially helpful when flying toward a NE destination from HEF or when returning from a NE destination to HEF. Works both IFR and SFRA/VFR with a Bravo clearance. You'll need to sound confident like you know what you are doing on the radio to get it on busy days, and let them know you can go direct "MIXNN" or "BARIN" "at this time if that helps" - amazing when they know you know it's possible. We get it a lot more with ATC traffic being light these days in and out of IAD. That said, I was denied it on Saturday in the afternoon due to a lot of arrivals - which frankly was a really good sign for the economy. 

I'll PM you my contact info. Reach out if you have any questions about the area any time. 

Take care,

-Seth

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28 minutes ago, mike_elliott said:

Welcome! Did you get the free donuts at KIWS and the free hotdogs and icecream at KMEI? When you decide to go the other direction, stop at Pecos, free (donations encouraged) barbacoa burritos!

 

Did someone say free donuts? Never tease a Mooniac like that...My favorite flavor is Lorde...

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Welcome to Mooneys, @FlyingCanuck. I used to be based at KCGS. Your Mooney will open the door to some great adventures. Once Canada will let us back in again, you should try out Toronto's downtown airport (maybe, based on your name, you can already fly there). For now, you can fly your Mooney up the Hudson past New York, or take a quick hop to Tangier Island, or explore Block Island and Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. And if you haven't done it already, consider going through the vetting process to fly into and out of the FRZ. I miss it all just typing this (although there are plenty of good places to fly in California for me these days, too).

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FlyingCanuck Welcome!

I have a 67 M20F based out of KHEF.....I'm also at a tie down with a Bruce's custom cover on N9516M...spot B-17!  I have been on the waiting list for a hangar for 9 months....I signed dup before our PCS out here.  They said it would be about a year, but the list doesn't seem to be moving along very fast.

Flying out of KHEF is pretty easy....good transition out of the DC SFRA and IFR is pretty easy as well.

Sheriff

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I have to ask, being a Canadian and all..... where does the name "FlyingCanuck" come from?  Seeing as how that describes Yves, myself, Chris Shopperly and a bunch of other folks north of the 49th parallel that also "slip the surly bonds of earth."  You know, from that aviator hymn written by an American in a Royal Canadian Airforce uniform?

 

 

 

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7 minutes ago, Ned Gravel said:

I have to ask, being a Canadian and all..... where does the name "FlyingCanuck" come from?  Seeing as how that describes Yves, myself, Chris Shopperly and a bunch of other folks north of the 49th parallel that also "slip the surly bonds of earth."  You know, from that aviator hymn written by an American in a Royal Canadian Airforce uniform?

From way down almost to the 32nd parallel, it just looks like he beat all of ya'll to the cool name . . . . .

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7 minutes ago, Ned Gravel said:

I have to ask, being a Canadian and all..... where does the name "FlyingCanuck" come from?  Seeing as how that describes Yves, myself, Chris Shopperly and a bunch of other folks north of the 49th parallel that also "slip the surly bonds of earth."  You know, from that aviator hymn written by an American in a Royal Canadian Airforce uniform?

 

 

 

Oh that’s awesome! Fellow Canadians on here, thats great! I did my PPL at CZBA, my night at CYTZ, worked on my instrument at CYHM and commercial at CYKZ. When I was stationed out east I flew from CYFD a good amount. My previous plane (some years ago) was C-FGGQ, bought from an owner at CNC3. And I know that poem well - three generations of military (including Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, albeit Australian but he was family and lived in Vancouver), and I spent 14 years in the CF. Glad to have fellow Canadians here. I’m looking forward to the COVID quarantine being removed so I can use the Mooney for a quick dash back to Toronto to see family! Let’s just not discuss hockey.... :)

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12 hours ago, Sheriff23 said:

FlyingCanuck Welcome!

I have a 67 M20F based out of KHEF.....I'm also at a tie down with a Bruce's custom cover on N9516M...spot B-17!  I have been on the waiting list for a hangar for 9 months....I signed dup before our PCS out here.  They said it would be about a year, but the list doesn't seem to be moving along very fast.

Flying out of KHEF is pretty easy....good transition out of the DC SFRA and IFR is pretty easy as well.

Sheriff

We’re neighbors. Moving to spot A19 tomorrow! I’ll take a look for yours’. 

Question: it was really windy this week (gusting to 35 kts). Any concerns on the ramp? Do you have your ailerons secured (I.e. Bruce’s wing covers?). Right now I just have bungee cords on the yokes. This wind this week had me real nervous though. (New airplane owner paranoia?!) 

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On 11/17/2020 at 9:39 PM, Flash said:

Welcome to Mooneys, @FlyingCanuck. I used to be based at KCGS. Your Mooney will open the door to some great adventures. Once Canada will let us back in again, you should try out Toronto's downtown airport (maybe, based on your name, you can already fly there). For now, you can fly your Mooney up the Hudson past New York, or take a quick hop to Tangier Island, or explore Block Island and Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. And if you haven't done it already, consider going through the vetting process to fly into and out of the FRZ. I miss it all just typing this (although there are plenty of good places to fly in California for me these days, too).

Great tips, thanks! I know CYTZ very well. It’s a fun airport and amazing location!

Thanks for the suggestions! What were your favorite places to get lunch or dinners within a “Mooney hour” away? KWWD is nice, same as KLNS, KRDG and KHGR. Any other recommendations?!

 

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On 11/17/2020 at 4:03 PM, mike_elliott said:

Welcome! Did you get the free donuts at KIWS and the free hotdogs and icecream at KMEI? When you decide to go the other direction, stop at Pecos, free (donations encouraged) barbacoa burritos!

 

Oh wow, I missed out! I did the hot dogs but knew nothing about the donuts!

They did give me some snack bars and water in KRDU, when I paid for my $6/gal fuel :( :( (The joys of getting fuel at 9 pm on a Saturday during COVID?) LOL

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Politics always causes a stir...

Football and baseball used to cause a few problems... mostly during the play-offs...

Hockey didn’t get too many mentions...  go Bobby Orr!

 

One thing for sure... Avoid beer drinking and posting... Siri will respell so many words it will become undecipherable ...   :)

Oddly, our euro MSers don’t mention their football very often....

 

PP thoughts only...

Best regards,

-a-

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1 hour ago, FlyingCanuck said:

Thanks for the suggestions! What were your favorite places to get lunch or dinners within a “Mooney hour” away? KWWD is nice, same as KLNS, KRDG and KHGR. Any other recommendations?!

KCGE, Cambridge, Md., has an on-field restaurant with crabcakes, and a $100 crabcake is better than a $100 hamburger any day of the week.

There's a very good (well, it was very good when I went there) grass landing strip right next to a restaurant just outside the Paleo Gate. The airport is Kentmorr (3W3). Restaurant and airport.

You should also visit the Massey Air Museum, which I'm embarrassed to admit I discovered only because of Maryland's Explore Maryland by Air aviation promotion contest where they give you prizes for landing at lots of Maryland airports. You should definitely sign up for Explore Maryland by Air. I got the glasses but moved away before I could get the flight jacket.

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8 hours ago, FlyingCanuck said:

We’re neighbors. Moving to spot A19 tomorrow! I’ll take a look for yours’. 

Question: it was really windy this week (gusting to 35 kts). Any concerns on the ramp? Do you have your ailerons secured (I.e. Bruce’s wing covers?). Right now I just have bungee cords on the yokes. This wind this week had me real nervous though. (New airplane owner paranoia?!) 

Awesome!  Yeah, that is the windiest it’s been since we moved here this summer so I’m not sure if it’s the normal or not. I just make sure it’s tied down tight and a bungee cord on the yokes. 

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On 11/17/2020 at 12:30 AM, FlyingCanuck said:

Hi all! Long time reader, occasional question-asker, and now new Mooney owner!

I flew our new-to-us 1976 'F home from Texas to the Washington DC area on Saturday (calling KHEF 'home' for now).

Maxwell did the prebuy and was fantastic. Cannot say enough great things.

Flew to Houston (KIWS) for a night to see friends.

Planned a two-day / one-night trip back east with an overnight stop in Nashville. However..... that nasty cold front on Sunday made me re-evaluate. I ended up doing the trip on Saturday in a single day. KIWS-KMEI-KRDU-KHEF. 1,150 miles. 175 knots ground speed. 9.5 gph. It's true what they say about Mooneys - these planes love to stretch their wings and fly!

Crossing half the country at 11,000 feet will be a memory for a long time to come - absolutely stunning.

I'm already spotting Mooneys on the ramp - at KIWS, they parked me overnight beside another 'F. 

Looking forward to being a regular here - and hoping for the day we can all get back to fly-ins and the annual summit again.

Off to the MSC at Freeway Airport (W00) for the first 25 hour oil change in early December. Also need to replace an inop #2 com (but the nav works) with a GTR225.

Before that, first trip with my wife will be to KJHW for Thanksgiving in Ellicottville (weather permitting!) - an easy 1.5 hour hop. 

PS. If anyone knows of a hangar coming available soon in the DC area, I would be grateful! Right now we're on tie downs - with some nice new ropes and a ratchet strap on the tail, plus new Bruces Custom Covers and fresh seals - but still, a hangar is the end goal as fast as possible.

 

Photo Nov 14, 1 19 03 PM.jpg

Photo Nov 14, 2 48 17 PM.jpg

Photo Nov 14, 4 54 38 PM.jpg

Photo Nov 14, 5 40 30 PM.jpg

Photo Nov 14, 6 28 53 PM.jpg

Photo Nov 14, 12 59 31 PM.jpg

I'm right behind you. Have signed a purchase contract ... Will report here.

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Welcome to HEF, I am on the West side, City Hangars.

Lot's of good places to fly.  Ocean City, both MD and NJ.  NJ you can walk to the beach and boardwalk.

Redding PA, as well as Hickory NC both have a nice museum and diner.   Lancaster for good Italian.  BQ1 in NC for BBQ.

Luray, VA, close but nice little town.   

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