Louisville, KY based Mooney owners

[skyfarer]

Hi all,

I'm a soon to be Mooney owner, picking her up week after next in Texas, looking to see if there are any other Louisville owners lurking here who don't mind my asking questions from time to time.  My first concern is finding a Mooney shop near Louisville.  I just talked to Muncie Aviation and they are no longer a Mooney Service Center.

[Brandt]

It’s a bit of a haul, but not bad in a Mooney…  I have used Byerly in Peoria and have been very happy.

[LANCECASPER]

31 minutes ago, skyfarer said:

Hi all,

I'm a soon to be Mooney owner, picking her up week after next in Texas, looking to see if there are any other Louisville owners lurking here who don't mind my asking questions from time to time.  My first concern is finding a Mooney shop near Louisville.  I just talked to Muncie Aviation and they are no longer a Mooney Service Center.

Just the fact that they aren’t a Mooney Service Center wouldn’t bother me if they have a mechanic that has years of Mooney experience, especially Bravo experience in your case.

[LANCECASPER]

45 minutes ago, skyfarer said:

Hi all,

I'm a soon to be Mooney owner, picking her up week after next in Texas, looking to see if there are any other Louisville owners lurking here who don't mind my asking questions from time to time.  My first concern is finding a Mooney shop near Louisville.  I just talked to Muncie Aviation and they are no longer a Mooney Service Center.

Are you buying one from All American (GMax)?

[skyfarer]

3 minutes ago, LANCECASPER said:

Are you buying one from All American (GMax)?

Why yes, I am!

[LANCECASPER]

Just now, skyfarer said:

Why yes, I am!

If it happens to be N794RS I owned that one from Nov. 2006 - Jan. 2010.

[skyfarer]

Just now, LANCECASPER said:

If it happens to be N794RS I owned that one from Nov. 2006 - Jan. 2010.

Cool! It is N794RS!

[skyfarer]

So @LANCECASPER, did you ever take it out of the country and the plane "sniffed over" by a customs dog upon re-entry to the US?  Odd question, I know, but I was googling the previous owners, and the owner who had it in the late 90's has the same name as a guy who was involved in running cocaine from Miami to Memphis.  Now, the 90's were a long time ago, maybe he didn't use it as a mule, maybe it's a different guy, and it just had new carpet/seats installed.  But I have to admit, if I take it over to the Bahamas and it gets drug sniffed by customs when I get back, I might be a wee bit nervous while the dog does his job. LOL!

[LANCECASPER]

4 minutes ago, skyfarer said:

So @LANCECASPER, did you ever take it out of the country and the plane "sniffed over" by a customs dog upon re-entry to the US?  Odd question, I know, but I was googling the previous owners, and the owner who had it in the late 90's has the same name as a guy who was involved in running cocaine from Miami to Memphis.  Now, the 90's were a long time ago, maybe he didn't use it as a mule, maybe it's a different guy, and it just had new carpet/seats installed.  But I have to admit, if I take it over to the Bahamas and it gets drug sniffed by customs when I get back, I might be a wee bit nervous while the dog does his job. LOL!

Nope I never did. Now that I hear that, I’m glad I didn’t . . Lol
The blue leather had been put in a couple years before I bought it.

[skyfarer]

I have a cousin who is a cadaver dog handler/trainer, and of course knows all the law enforcement K9 people in his area. He said I should bring it over to him, his buddies would love to have the dogs sniff it over for me as a training exercise. I'm definitely taking him up on it!

[Boilermonkey]

Welcome!   I'm a Bravo driver at Columbus, IN (KBAK) not far from you.   There's a restaurant on the field, so you'll have to come visit.

While Muncie isn't a MSC anymore, they do a great job, but can be pricy.  Anderson Aircraft at KAID, right next door does most of our work and annual.  He works on several Mooneys including my hangar mate's, the owner of my former M20C, and a friend with a M20J.    He's has a well run shop with several A&Ps on staff, not just wench turners with one guy watching.  He's reasonable in pricing too.   If you end up using him, we can probably help shuttle you to/from.

That being said, the Bravo is at Wilmar, MN at Oasis right now getting a reman, upgrades, annual, and shakedown.    Alongside GMax they are one of the most highly regarded MSC shops in the nation.  When it came to a reman I wanted someone who has not only down them before, but someone who has done them on a Bravo.  He did several last year, so it was a no brainer.   ...and it's good from time to time to have another set of eyes go through your airplane.

Let me know when you get your airplane home, we'll have to go flying.

 

[skyfarer]

Hi @Boilermonkey! Thank you for the warm welcome. I've been to BAK, but only to kiss the runway on instrument training flights. I'm happy to learn there's an on-field restaurant, I'm bummed the one at Muncie closed.  I will definitely head over there to meet you for a $100 hamburger!  I also really appreciate the shuttle offer! 

My new Mooney will be due for it's first annual in July, so I'm hoping I can have it in the shop while I go to Oshkosh (I'll be in Camp Scholler with my trailer at OSH). I'm going to call up Anderson, thank you very much for the recommendation.

Cheers,

Jeremy

[Boilermonkey]

23 minutes ago, skyfarer said:

Hi @Boilermonkey! Thank you for the warm welcome. I've been to BAK, but only to kiss the runway on instrument training flights. I'm happy to learn there's an on-field restaurant, I'm bummed the one at Muncie closed.  I will definitely head over there to meet you for a $100 hamburger!  I also really appreciate the shuttle offer! 

My new Mooney will be due for it's first annual in July, so I'm hoping I can have it in the shop while I go to Oshkosh (I'll be in Camp Scholler with my trailer at OSH). I'm going to call up Anderson, thank you very much for the recommendation.

Cheers,

Jeremy

Awesome.  Hangar 5, the restaurant, not the actual hangar (which actually happens to be ours) is a great , better than Muncie :-P

 

Be advised that most of the shops I go to close for OSH...they go up too!  ...which is the way it should be if they love aviation as much as we do.

 

Let me know when you have the airplane and want to meet up.

[201Steve]

Since we are on topic of Louisville, I am coming up for the derby. First time. Any tips?

will probably fly my airplane into kjvy

wx permitting and such. 

[skyfarer]

@201Steve parking might  be a problem, I'd call ahead to ASI and Honaker at JVY and see what they recommend.  I haven't seen JVY during derby, but SDF and LOU are parking light jets on every inch of pavement they can spare on derby weekend. It's absolutely insane! JVY is uncontrolled, and at an ATC forum a SDF controller told me he's begging the FAA for a temporary tower at JVY just for Derby weekend! 

Let me know what you find out and if I can help at all while your here. I can definitely recommend my favorite local restaurants and the fun bourbon distillery tours in town.