Ragsf15e Posted May 11, 2021 Report Share Posted May 11, 2021 3 hours ago, FastTex said: I agree completely. I need to look into the latching mechanism. Has any of you experienced the door opening during take off or flight? It has happened to me because of the stupid pin but I do not know what's the correlation with how strong the latch engages...or should I assume once it latched I'm good to go? I have had it open once, but it was my fault. When you close it, you need to ensure it catches both latches. When it opened on me, I hadn’t pulled the top tight before rotating the handle. Once you takeoff, low pressure pulls that part of the door open where it’s not latched. Physically push on the door top and aft where the latches are after locking the handle forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carusoam Posted May 11, 2021 Report Share Posted May 11, 2021 Unfair question... Everyone has had the door open once... 1) Close 2) latch 3) push the door... elbow bump a couple of times... 4) PIC responsibility, until SIC gets really used to being there... (could be a day, could be 20 years) If not getting smooth operation of the door mechanism... it helps to find out why... The latching mechanism has changed a bit through the years... Older mechanisms didn’t hold the door tight at the top... at least not very well... The interior door panel comes off, but doesn’t reveal very much... Be on the lookout for worn, bent, or broken parts... PP thoughts only, not a mechanic... Bet regards, -a- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raymond J1 Posted May 11, 2021 Report Share Posted May 11, 2021 (edited) This is an old problem, partly solved by the SI M20-039 of 1976. On my 67F, this was applied in March 1996, the well-known flat pallet replaced the original handle after welding a drive square as described in the SI. But at the restoration, this more modern palette upset me. So I took the original handle and made an impression for screw head on the outer side and then a square drive impression, as for the pallet, with respect to the orientation angle. Today, my 1967 handle therefore has the same axial restraint as the pallet used on the" J " for example... And it suits me ! Photo coming soon... SI M20-39 du 02-12-1976.pdf Edited May 11, 2021 by Raymond J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
59Moonster Posted May 12, 2021 Report Share Posted May 12, 2021 On 5/9/2021 at 5:34 PM, carusoam said: All Mooneys are able to open the back door... from inside. So this brings up the question. Are you all locking that back door when in flight or leaving it unlocked? I read somewhere to lock it to help ensure it stays shut. But then it's even trickier to open from the inside. Or does the kit address that? Asking since my 59' doesn't have anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raymond J1 Posted May 12, 2021 Report Share Posted May 12, 2021 The old ones do not have the inner emergency handle, visible, which is quick in case of emergency. But the luggage compartment door trim holds with clips, it is very easy to remove to access the mechanism, so open the door with a simple gesture. Except if we locked it from the outside with the keg key, now it's just impossible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricJ Posted May 12, 2021 Report Share Posted May 12, 2021 3 minutes ago, Raymond J said: The old ones do not have the inner emergency handle, visible, which is quick in case of emergency. But the luggage compartment door trim holds with clips, it is very easy to remove to access the mechanism, so open the door with a simple gesture. Except if we locked it from the outside with the keg key, now it's just impossible. Weird. Mine's held on with screws. It'd take a small screwdriver and a fair amount of time to get it off from the inside, and I'm not sure it's even possible when closed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricJ Posted May 12, 2021 Report Share Posted May 12, 2021 4 hours ago, 59Moonster said: So this brings up the question. Are you all locking that back door when in flight or leaving it unlocked? I read somewhere to lock it to help ensure it stays shut. But then it's even trickier to open from the inside. Or does the kit address that? Asking since my 59' doesn't have anything. There was a long thread about that a while back. Some think it is dangerous to not lock it in order to minimize the likelihood of it opening in flight, some think it is dangerous to lock it since on the older airplanes that precludes being able to get out that way if necessary. Mine can't be opened from inside if locked, so I leave it unlocked during flight. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carusoam Posted May 12, 2021 Report Share Posted May 12, 2021 Technically... The new ones will open, locked or not... An older one can be updated via kit to improve its ability to be opened... I don’t lock mine either way... I want somebody to be able to open the back door from the outside, after my accident... Think positively... Best regards, -a- 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raymond J1 Posted May 12, 2021 Report Share Posted May 12, 2021 When the door seal is in good condition, the pressure it exerts on the locking cremones is sufficient to prevent vibration of the door and therefore the sliding of the cremones in the cleats... The door remains closed. When this gasket is old and has lost its elasticity, there is not much pressure on the cremones, they slide without much effort and the spring system imagined by Mooney is not enough to prevent the release of the bars from their hole. The door vibrates and then, finally, opens. For the old Mooney, there is originally a piece of leather, held by screws, which provides watertightness (photo 1), as for the cabin door (photo 2). This small piece of leather also performs part of the elastic recall preventing the lifting of the opening pallet. Many M20s no longer have this essential piece of leather. These leather parts, screws and U-clips are not referenced in the 10-1966 edition of the spare parts catalog, but are present on airplanes (photo 3 for the cabin door). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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