A new airplane

[larrynimmo]

That is what I was looking for when I bought my 1981 Mooney M20J….and what I bought was a lower hour airframe always hanger kept…with a wore out engine.

my task was started…installed new engine, prop rebuilt, new govenor, new engine monitor, new starter, new alternator, new voltage regulator, all new state of the art avionics, new battery, new tires and brakes, redid the interior, all new LED lights including strobes, sent out my landing gear box to have the no back spring, plus serviced, tanks resealed.

on Wednesday when my plane wouldn’t start due to a coil shunt on my starter solenoid I came to the realization that no mater what I do, it’s now a 42 year old airplane.

[wombat]

12 minutes ago, larrynimmo said:

That is what I was looking for when I bought my 1981 Mooney M20J….and what I bought was a lower hour airframe always hanger kept…with a wore out engine.

my task was started…installed new engine, prop rebuilt, new govenor, new engine monitor, new starter, new alternator, new voltage regulator, all new state of the art avionics, new battery, new tires and brakes, redid the interior, all new LED lights including strobes, sent out my landing gear box to have the no back spring, plus serviced, tanks resealed.

on Wednesday when my plane wouldn’t start due to a coil shunt on my starter solenoid I came to the realization that no mater what I do, it’s now a 42 year old airplane.

Despite the money I pour into my 1958 182 every year, there are always more and more parts that I find out can wear out over time.   Nothing lasts forever.    

[Mufflerbearing]

Isn't it great that we can keep these planes flying?!  As long as these planes last, we are just care takers of these flying pieces of art in their long life spans.  Some owners are better care takers than others. 

[hubcap]

Yes, Myrtle is 41 years old, and there isn’t a new plane being manufactured that can do what she does. I can fly in the flight levels at +170 kts TAS on 10 GPH. 
 

Yes, maintenance is important, which is why I stay ahead of everything as much as possible.

As @carusoam says “Go Mooney !!”

[0TreeLemur]

3 hours ago, Mufflerbearing said:

Isn't it great that we can keep these planes flying?!  As long as these planes last, we are just care takers of these flying pieces of art in their long life spans.  Some owners are better care takers than others. 

You nailed it- we are care takers of our airplanes.  If we do our job, they don't kill us, take us and our family places, and they retain their value.   After we are done with them someone else can use and care for them.

My wife and I have an understanding when it comes to our airplane "there's always something".

[DCarlton]

7 hours ago, larrynimmo said:

That is what I was looking for when I bought my 1981 Mooney M20J….and what I bought was a lower hour airframe always hanger kept…with a wore out engine.

my task was started…installed new engine, prop rebuilt, new govenor, new engine monitor, new starter, new alternator, new voltage regulator, all new state of the art avionics, new battery, new tires and brakes, redid the interior, all new LED lights including strobes, sent out my landing gear box to have the no back spring, plus serviced, tanks resealed.

on Wednesday when my plane wouldn’t start due to a coil shunt on my starter solenoid I came to the realization that no mater what I do, it’s now a 42 year old airplane.

I was at Lake Havasu AZ a couple of years ago launching my boat.  Some mega rich guy from Las Vegas showed up with a gorgeous turbine powered speed boat with his own color matched truck and chase helicopter.  Can't imagine what it cost to convert the boat to turbine power.  We enjoyed watching his team (in color matched t-shirts) launch and spool up the boat.  It was really windy that day so we returned to the pier a little early to trailer our boat; it's never easy in strong winds.  The team from Las Vegas had returned to the pier to trailer their boat too. They were struggling to get it from the personnel transfer pier to the trailer in the wind.  The owner (in a color matched t-shirt) had wedged himself between the concrete launch ramp side wall and was trying to keep the $$M boat off the concrete (I admired his effort).  Everyone nearby offered to help.  The rest of their team was tugging on lines trying to get the boat on the trailer.  Their boat had a dead battery and they couldn't get it restarted.  

[Fly Boomer]

12 hours ago, 0TreeLemur said:

You nailed it- we are care takers of our airplanes.  If we do our job, they don't kill us, take us and our family places, and they retain their value.   After we are done with them someone else can use and care for them.

My wife and I have an understanding when it comes to our airplane "there's always something".

Channeling Roseanne Roseannadanna?