Help! My Mooney is stranded on Long Island - advice/recommendations needed

[Robert C.]

My wife and I had a lovely day walking the beach and having lunch in Montauk (KMTP) yesterday. Got back to the airport to find the nose wheel tire flat. There are no services at MTP but some of the locals sprang into action. Reinflated the tire, emptied in a few minutes. Tried that foam stuff, didn’t do it either. Aircraft parked on the grass between runway and taxiway. 

So, we need a mechanic who can go to Montauk to put a new tube and/or tire on. Anyone you recommend from one of the LI airports? My home drome (Danbury, KDXR) mechanic can come out but the logistics are obviously not simple (at least a 3 hr drive; took us over 4hrs to get home on bus and train). The mechanic will need to bring a jack of sorts to get the nose up and a compressor unless Billy is around who may be able to lend his.

thanks in advance for any suggestions and advice.

Robert

[A64Pilot]

See if you can find or borrow a wheel and tire, then do the drive with a jack and piece of pipe and change the tire / wheel.

Or travel with a tube and change it. I don’t know if a pilot is allowed to change a tire or not, I think so, but I was an A&P before a pilot so I never really learned what a pilots limits are.

The fix a flat stuff usually doesn’t work on a tube tire and isn’t likely legal or safe. I’ve landed a C-210 with a flat nose wheel and it scared me as I thought the nose gear had collapsed, but a flat on a Mooney with the reduction in prop clearance would really have me concerned.

Its work but a bicycle pump will work, work well actually as any good one will pump a bike tire to 120 PSI or so, then of course there are those cigarette lighter compressors, assuming your a 12V airplane.

Edited May 30, 2022 by A64Pilot

[KB4]

Tried few A&P, but with holiday traffic no one wants to go out to MTP

1 hour ago, Robert C. said:

My wife and I had a lovely day walking the beach and having lunch in Montauk (KMTP) yesterday. Got back to the airport to find the nose wheel tire flat. There are no services at MTP but some of the locals sprang into action. Reinflated the tire, emptied in a few minutes. Tried that foam stuff, didn’t do it either. Aircraft parked on the grass between runway and taxiway. 

So, we need a mechanic who can go to Montauk to put a new tube and/or tire on. Anyone you recommend from one of the LI airports? My home drome (Danbury, KDXR) mechanic can come out but the logistics are obviously not simple (at least a 3 hr drive; took us over 4hrs to get home on bus and train). The mechanic will need to bring a jack of sorts to get the nose up and a compressor unless Billy is around who may be able to lend his.

thanks in advance for any suggestions and advice.

Robert

 

[ArtVandelay]

This is where you need a mechanic with their own plane and can make the trip and back easily in a day.
When I had this problem at my local airport, my mechanic had an extra wheel that he put on and then towed it to his shop.

[carusoam]

1 hour ago, Robert C. said:

My wife and I had a lovely day walking the beach and having lunch in Montauk (KMTP) yesterday. Got back to the airport to find the nose wheel tire flat. There are no services at MTP but some of the locals sprang into action. Reinflated the tire, emptied in a few minutes. Tried that foam stuff, didn’t do it either. Aircraft parked on the grass between runway and taxiway. 

So, we need a mechanic who can go to Montauk to put a new tube and/or tire on. Anyone you recommend from one of the LI airports? My home drome (Danbury, KDXR) mechanic can come out but the logistics are obviously not simple (at least a 3 hr drive; took us over 4hrs to get home on bus and train). The mechanic will need to bring a jack of sorts to get the nose up and a compressor unless Billy is around who may be able to lend his.

thanks in advance for any suggestions and advice.

Robert

Tough situation….

If it’s only the schraeder valve, that would be an easy fix….

For LI MSers… @StevenL757 may know a few, and some mechanics…

A good flying mechanic in NJ, not too far away…. @Alan Fox (let us know if you need a phone number, his PM usually works…)

Good luck with the next steps…

Best regards,

-a-

[PT20J]

If you can buy or borrow a few tools it's not hard to remove the nosewheel and take it to a mechanic that can repair it. You can use an auto floor jack and the tow bar to raise the nosewheel. You'll need pliers to remove the cotter pin and a large adjustable wrench to remove the nut. Then lower the axle onto blocks of wood. Don't forget to get a new cotter pin for the reinstallation.

Good luck!

Skip

[McMooney]

3 hours ago, Robert C. said:

My wife and I had a lovely day walking the beach and having lunch in Montauk (KMTP) yesterday. Got back to the airport to find the nose wheel tire flat. There are no services at MTP but some of the locals sprang into action. Reinflated the tire, emptied in a few minutes. Tried that foam stuff, didn’t do it either. Aircraft parked on the grass between runway and taxiway. 

So, we need a mechanic who can go to Montauk to put a new tube and/or tire on. Anyone you recommend from one of the LI airports? My home drome (Danbury, KDXR) mechanic can come out but the logistics are obviously not simple (at least a 3 hr drive; took us over 4hrs to get home on bus and train). The mechanic will need to bring a jack of sorts to get the nose up and a compressor unless Billy is around who may be able to lend his.

thanks in advance for any suggestions and advice.

Robert

nose wheel is easy.

buy a tube and tire, find a jack, change it on the ramp.

should be able to find someone to fly you to the plane for hamburger funds.

maybe clean and grease the bearings while you're at it.  

if necc,  get instructions from a mechanic.

oh yeah, you'll need the correct size wrench and a "cotter?" pin.

get the wrench size and correct pin from a mechanic

 

just in case : Answers for Pilots: Preventive Maintenance - AOPA

 

 

Edited May 30, 2022 by McMooney

[Wes]

Here's the other issue.....finding a tube and or tire that's available. Most don't warehouse that kind of stuff, but you might get lucky....hopefully. The last one I changed was back ordered for a while. 

[Niko182]

Its pretty easy to do yourself and as a pilot you can do it yourself.

[A64Pilot]

1 hour ago, Wes said:

Here's the other issue.....finding a tube and or tire that's available. Most don't warehouse that kind of stuff, but you might get lucky....hopefully. The last one I changed was back ordered for a while. 

Yeah that’s the new reality, but I’d be surprised if he needed a tire, but be real sure the tire doesn’t still have whatever caused the hole still in it. A way is to run your hand around inside of the tire, if it comes out bloody, the nail or whatever is still there, another way is to use a rag.

I’d be real tempted to get the tube patched to get home myself, I still can’t believe what tubes cost

[Joshua Blackh4t]

I had a flat main in an isolated area. I patched it with a standard patch, and reused the pin because i didn't have another one.

It got me to the mechanics workshop.

I mean, even if it went flat its not going to kill you. And cotter pins don't fail after 2 uses, i have seen them on farm implements after years of repeated use and still holding on.

So yeah, i'm with the guys saying 'just fix it'. If you can't get a tube, try non-aviation to get you out of trouble. Ultralights use wheelbarrow tubes no problems. You might find a go kart tube, they handle a lot more force than a plane.

Biggest thing: make sure the tyre is deflated before splitting the hub. People have been killed by the force of the tyre pressure.

 

Also, get it fixed properly asap, this is just to get out of trouble.

And (in Australia anyway) pilots are allowed to change a tyre.

[McMooney]

45 minutes ago, A64Pilot said:

Yeah that’s the new reality, but I’d be surprised if he needed a tire, but be real sure the tire doesn’t still have whatever caused the hole still in it. A way is to run your hand around inside of the tire, if it comes out bloody, the nail or whatever is still there, another way is to use a rag.

I’d be real tempted to get the tube patched to get home myself, I still can’t believe what tubes cost

man, totally forgot about patches.  think i'm gonna add a kit to the plane

[Wes]

And a jack...1"pipe...pliers...adjustable wrench...2 ratchets w/extensions and 7/16 sockets...valve core removal tool...bead breaker...tire talc...and a way to air it up.

[Guest]

4 hours ago, Wes said:

And a jack...1"pipe...pliers...adjustable wrench...2 ratchets w/extensions and 7/16 sockets...valve core removal tool...bead breaker...tire talc...and a way to air it up.

And a torque wrench to reassemble the wheel halves.

Clarence

[jetdriven]

9 hours ago, Robert C. said:

My wife and I had a lovely day walking the beach and having lunch in Montauk (KMTP) yesterday. Got back to the airport to find the nose wheel tire flat. There are no services at MTP but some of the locals sprang into action. Reinflated the tire, emptied in a few minutes. Tried that foam stuff, didn’t do it either. Aircraft parked on the grass between runway and taxiway. 

So, we need a mechanic who can go to Montauk to put a new tube and/or tire on. Anyone you recommend from one of the LI airports? My home drome (Danbury, KDXR) mechanic can come out but the logistics are obviously not simple (at least a 3 hr drive; took us over 4hrs to get home on bus and train). The mechanic will need to bring a jack of sorts to get the nose up and a compressor unless Billy is around who may be able to lend his.

thanks in advance for any suggestions and advice.

Robert

We can put a tube in your tire and roll on.   I have to go to Montogomery NY this week for a prebuy. Maybe we can make this fit.  Byron at flyRpm.com

[Guest]

4 hours ago, Joshua Blackh4t said:

Biggest thing: make sure the tyre is deflated before splitting the hub. People have been killed by the force of the tyre pressure.

 

It’s already flat, so the worry of an explosion is long gone.

Clarence

[A64Pilot]

36 minutes ago, M20Doc said:

It’s already flat, so the worry of an explosion is long gone.

Clarence

Still it doesn’t hurt to establish a procedure if you will, I’ve had a hard time breaking the bead on a flat tire, until I removed the valve core, apparently it wasn’t quite flat. But it was sitting on the rim when I removed it.

At Ft Hood we had a -60 Crew Chief injure herself taking apart a tailwheel that was still pressurized, you would think the bolts never loosening up would have been a clue but I guess not. She thought it was flat, but it obviously wasn’t.

I saw at a motor pool a tire cage that had been destroyed, heavy angle iron, our trucks used split ring wheels that once in a blue moon would I guess undergo rapid disassembly on its own, so they were put in a cage to be aired up the first time.

There is a tremendous power in just a few PSI over a surface area.

Edited May 31, 2022 by A64Pilot

[Robert C.]

Update: all’s well that ends well.

firstly, thanks everyone for the suggestions on where to find help.

Turns out available mechanics are hard to find on/after the Memorial Day weekend. There was real urgency as my aircraft was parked on a grassy strip between the runway and taxiway. Rain, in the forecast for last night and the next few days, would make the area soggy and getting my Mooney out might become a real challenge after a good rainfall.

Steve  @StevenL757to the rescue. He located an available tire/tube for me at his home drome (KISP) and in the afternoon braved the crazy Long Island traffic to drive to Montauk. He then changed the nose wheel tire for me while patiently teaching me the in and outs of the procedure.  I got back to KDXR before the first thunderstorm hit about 2 hrs after I landed

The whole experience was a great example of the camaraderie and helpfulness of the aviation community. Long may it last!

Thanks everyone.

Robert 

 

[GeeBee]

StevenL757, a good man!

 

[Ragsf15e]

1 hour ago, Robert C. said:

Update: all’s well that ends well.

firstly, thanks everyone for the suggestions on where to find help.

Turns out available mechanics are hard to find on/after the Memorial Day weekend. There was real urgency as my aircraft was parked on a grassy strip between the runway and taxiway. Rain, in the forecast for last night and the next few days, would make the area soggy and getting my Mooney out might become a real challenge after a good rainfall.

Steve  @StevenL757to the rescue. He located an available tire/tube for me at his home drome (KISP) and in the afternoon braved the crazy Long Island traffic to drive to Montauk. He then changed the nose wheel tire for me while patiently teaching me the in and outs of the procedure.  I got back to KDXR before the first thunderstorm hit about 2 hrs after I landed

The whole experience was a great example of the camaraderie and helpfulness of the aviation community. Long may it last!

Thanks everyone.

Robert 

 

Good lord I love aviation people!  @StevenL757 has got to win @carusoam ‘s daily award!

[carusoam]

Today’s Awesome MSer Award, Holiday Edition… goes to StevenL!

 

Where would we be if we didn’t get support from the community…?

Steven has a great mentor….  And is a great mentor!

Way to go Steven!

 

Go MS!

Best regards,

-a-

[A64Pilot]

Yeah, you owe him a beer.

That’s twice I think in very recent times that Mooney drivers have helped each other, the other time was a Mag install?

Anyway I can’t remember that happening in the two other aircraft forums I’ve been associated with, this one seems different.