Mooneymax

[DonMuncy]

It was great getting to see so many MS folks at Mooneymax. I'm sorry the weather did not cooperate so more could have come. The program was great.

[Mcstealth]

Okay. I can't help myself. Mr Don, please edit the title. You can "Show Me the Money" at a later date.

[DonMuncy]

Oops

[Marc_B]

Hope everyone got home quickly and safely.  It was fun meeting some of the people still at Mooney and putting faces with many here on MooneySpace. 

Was wondering the lineage of Mooney Aircraft Company Test pilots over the years.  Bill Wheat (50's-60's?), Bill Hurley (60's-70's)...got to meet Bob Kromer (83-91)...Not sure what years Mike Miles was test pilot for Mooney?  I got back home and checked my log book to see who took 8MA on it's maiden voyage.  Is this Mike Miles?

Came across this video about Mike and seemed pretty special.  Had several pictures that now have a lot more context after the factory tour and hits a lot harder to think back of the ghosts of Mooneys past.  We actually saw a door on one of the experimental aircraft sans wings that said "Capt. Mikey" but I didn't realize the significance of this at the time.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liHnuFjv3jk

 

[RoundTwo]

Our second MooneyMax, (rookies I know) and it did not disappoint. It was great seeing those of y’all I had met before and I’m glad I was able to meet a few more of our Mooneyspace royalty. This year I had the distinct pleasure of meeting both @donkaye and @LANCECASPER. Both of these two gentlemen have helped me on multiple occasions and it was great to finally shake their hands and thank them personally.

It was a great event, but the crickets! I mean damn, I’ve never seen so many grasshoppers and crickets in my life; they were everywhere! I grew up in Florida and thought we had bugs down there, but damn. Cricket season is intense in west Texas.

Anyway, another MooneyMax is in the books and we’re glad we were able to attend such a great event.

Chuck, Mahota and Turbo.

[Pinecone]

I will echo that it was great to see people I knew and meet people I knew, but had not met.

Overall a great time.

The organization was not quite as good as last year, but nothing major.  I know how much work goes into doing this, so my hats off to all involved.

It was great seeing 18 (by my count), Mooneys parked on the ramp.  I wish I could have made it 19, but due to personal issues, I declined to fly to the event.  But trip home took almost twice as long going commercial

 

[LANCECASPER]

10 hours ago, Marc_B said:

Hope everyone got home quickly and safely.  It was fun meeting some of the people still at Mooney and putting faces with many here on MooneySpace. 

Was wondering the lineage of Mooney Aircraft Company Test pilots over the years.  Bill Wheat (50's-60's?), Bill Hurley (60's-70's)...got to meet Bob Kromer (83-91)...Not sure what years Mike Miles was test pilot for Mooney?  I got back home and checked my log book to see who took 8MA on it's maiden voyage.  Is this Mike Miles?

Came across this video about Mike and seemed pretty special.  Had several pictures that now have a lot more context after the factory tour and hits a lot harder to think back of the ghosts of Mooneys past.  We actually saw a door on one of the experimental aircraft sans wings that said "Capt. Mikey" but I didn't realize the significance of this at the time.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liHnuFjv3jk

 

Yes that's Mike.

[LANCECASPER]

It was great to see everyone - hope I'm not missing anyone: @Pinecone @RoundTwo @DonMuncy @donkaye @Parker_Woodruff @Pmaxwell @Dmax @Jan Maxwell @MarcJohnson @Marc_B @shawnd @douglaspatete @Bryce E @hubcap @ta2too

 
I have toured the factory a few times but have never had a chance to really look around like I did on Saturday. We came around the corner and saw a Mooney poster of Bob Kromer flying a 252 almost 40 years ago. That was a neat unexpected moment.
 


 
Later that evening Bob and three 252 owners @MarcJohnson, @Marc_B (Encore) and @shawnd got a picture with the father of the 252, Bob Kromer, at the banquet.

[Pinecone]

14 minutes ago, LANCECASPER said:

It was great to see everyone - hope I'm not missing anyone: @Pinecone @RoundTwo @DonMuncy @donkaye @Pmaxwell @Dmax @Jan Maxwell @MarcJohnson @Marc_B @shawnd @douglaspatete @Bryce E @hubcap 

 

I have toured the factory a few times but have never had a chance to really look around like I did on Saturday. We came around the corner and saw a Mooney poster of Bob Kromer flying a 252 almost 40 years ago. That was a neat unexpected moment.
 


 
Later that evening Bob and three 252 owners @MarcJohnson, @Marc_B and @shawnd got a picture with the father of the 252, Bob Kromer, at the banquet.

Should have grabbed me also.

Or announce a 252 group photo of Bob with all the 252s owners present.

 

[LANCECASPER]

1 hour ago, Pinecone said:

Should have grabbed me also.

Or announce a 252 group photo of Bob with all the 252s owners present.

 

Sorry. Actually I tried, we took the picture right by your seat, but you were gone by that point. 

[ta2too]

I agree with everything said.

It is always nice to get together with other Mooney owners and listen to those with a wealth of Mooney knowledge. Many thanks to the Maxwells, Rich, and Jolie for all their efforts and work to make this year another success! Can't wait until the next one!

Artie Dowd

[hubcap]

2 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

It was great to see everyone - hope I'm not missing anyone: @Pinecone @RoundTwo @DonMuncy @donkaye @Pmaxwell @Dmax @Jan Maxwell @MarcJohnson @Marc_B @shawnd @douglaspatete @Bryce E @hubcap 

 

I have toured the factory a few times but have never had a chance to really look around like I did on Saturday. We came around the corner and saw a Mooney poster of Bob Kromer flying a 252 almost 40 years ago. That was a neat unexpected moment.
 


 
Later that evening Bob and three 252 owners @MarcJohnson, @Marc_B (Encore) and @shawnd got a picture with the father of the 252, Bob Kromer, at the banquet.

ncore

It was a great event. It was great to enjoy lunch with @donkaye & @LANCECASPER after the factory tour!

An amazing experience!

[RoundTwo]

1 hour ago, ta2too said:

I agree with everything said.

It is always nice to get together with other Mooney owners and listen to those with a wealth of Mooney knowledge. Many thanks to the Maxwells, Rich, and Jolie for all their efforts and work to make this year another success! Can't wait until the next one!

Artie Dowd

Good to see a post from you Artie. I thoroughly enjoyed our morning chats at the event. Wish Mae well on her continued recovery.

[shawnd]

It was great to see everyone and put names to faces. It's actually a bit odd typing this and referring to MS aliases instead of just names :-) But hope to see y'all next year! 

Here's another photo of the Bob from the front. Great guy - lots of knowledge on the 252 as you can imagine.

 

[LANCECASPER]

2 hours ago, shawnd said:

It was great to see everyone and put names to faces. It's actually a bit odd typing this and referring to MS aliases instead of just names :-) But hope to see y'all next year! 

Here's another photo of the Bob from the front. Great guy - lots of knowledge on the 252 as you can imagine.
 

PDF of the article: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/6h5ajhhswxuz7izhtmbut/MAPA-ARTICLE-BOB-KROMER-Mooney-252.pdf?rlkey=pmv3aznrkei94mni1ffdxlvdq&dl=0

[ta2too]

1 hour ago, RoundTwo said:

Good to see a post from you Artie. I thoroughly enjoyed our morning chats at the event. Wish Mae well on her continued recovery.

Will Do. Thank-You. We had a great time. I'll let Mae know.

Looking forward to the next one. Tell Turbo hello for me!!

[Marc_B]

9 hours ago, RoundTwo said:

I’ve never seen so many grasshoppers and crickets in my life; they were everywhere!

I had folded up my canopy cover before leaving and it was a little damp with dew so I took it out at home and laid it out to dry...There were crickets!  jeez!

[Pinecone]

8 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

Sorry. Actually I tried, we took the picture right by your seat, but you were gone by that point. 

Yeah, that is your story and you are sticking to it.

 

[LANCECASPER]

17 minutes ago, Pinecone said:

Yeah, that is your story and you are sticking to it.

 

That would have been nice to have the owners of N252KM (number 32), 252VM (number 57) and N252XM (number26) in the same picture, along with an Encore owner N308MA. I understand that the owner of N252YF (number 71) was also there.

[Pinecone]

Maybe next year

Plan ahead for all attending 252/Encore owners with Bob.

[shawnd]

13 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

PDF of the article: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/6h5ajhhswxuz7izhtmbut/MAPA-ARTICLE-BOB-KROMER-Mooney-252.pdf?rlkey=pmv3aznrkei94mni1ffdxlvdq&dl=0

@LANCECASPER Thanks for sharing this - given I have been a ROP guy so far, I am keen to try out the configuration Bob mentions near the end of the article once my plane is back. 

[ta2too]

10 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

That would have been nice to have the owners of N252KM (number 32), 252VM (number 57) and N252XM (number26) in the same picture, along with an Encore owner N308MA. I understand that the owner of N252YF (number 71) was also there.

I was. Would have made a great picture. Unfortunately, I had to fly commercial for this one - Not fun

[Pinecone]

2 hours ago, ta2too said:

Unfortunately, I had to fly commercial for this one - Not fun

You can say that again.  Return trip was 12 hours from hotel to home.  FF said 6+46 for Mooney.

[Texas Mooney]

I see comments about visiting the Factory. But nothing about anyone from Mooney giving any update on the current situation or outlook.  Maybe I missed it. Were the “unobtanium” parts that only Mooney can get discussed? -  the 40:1 Dukes gears topic which new member MathewP was asking the CEO to purchase, the usual No-back spring shortage..  

[Pinecone]

Jonny Pollack video called into the banquet.

He said he thinks there are near a deal with some investors for a large cash infusion.  And that one of the priorities is getting those hard to find, but needed parts from vendors.

He also addressed the pre-paid group order idea and said that the issue was the 4 - 6 month lead time, and they have not had the funding to guarantee that Mooney would be open to receive, inspect and deliver the parts.