Lasar & Mooney

[Hank]

1 hour ago, Ragsf15e said:

Its the one-off parts that aren’t easy to make that worry me.  Intake ducts are a good example.  Mine is for a 252 and it’s a weird shape and different material than the vintage ones which are also difficult to get.  Gear motors (or gears) might be another example.

And Vintage emergency gear extension cable and worm gear . . . .

Fortunately mine worked as advertised last weekend.

[Paul Thomas]

My point is the cost to total ownership won't change that much with the cost increase. Lack of part would be a major issue, one to freak out about.

[IvanP]

2 hours ago, Ragsf15e said:

Its the one-off parts that aren’t easy to make that worry me.  Intake ducts are a good example.  Mine is for a 252 and it’s a weird shape and different material than the vintage ones which are also difficult to get.  Gear motors (or gears) might be another example.

No back spring for gear actuators is another great example or the wing fule gauges, and so on. 

Edited July 16 by IvanP

[1980Mooney]

 

3 hours ago, Ragsf15e said:

Its the one-off parts that aren’t easy to make that worry me.  Intake ducts are a good example.  Mine is for a 252 and it’s a weird shape and different material than the vintage ones which are also difficult to get.  Gear motors (or gears) might be another example.

 

1 hour ago, Paul Thomas said:

My point is the cost to total ownership won't change that much with the cost increase. Lack of part would be a major issue, one to freak out about.

 

3 hours ago, Paul Thomas said:

Let's not freak out... how often are you all ordering from the factory? @201er is it time for a poll?

True, as was pointed out previously most of us don't buy many parts that have to come from the Mooney Factory and when we do, it is usually just a single part or two. "One off parts" with no inventory that are in deteriorating condition on your plane can be troubling, alter how one flies their plane (i.e. "starting to freak out about it") and at worst ground it.

But the problem is when there is an incident, a gear-up landing, corrosion in the wing, etc where your shop needs a lot of factory made Mooney parts all at one time.  These events are few and far between, but if it is your plane and inventory does not exist, then you will be down for a long, long time.  Cost to repair will go up and your insurance company will be more likely to just scrap your plane in order to move on and resolve the situation.

 

 

[Marc_B]

So I got an email from Lasar that they updated phone numbers...I guess they don't proof read as I'm pretty sure its Dan Riesland, not Reisling! 

[Ragsf15e]

14 hours ago, IvanP said:

No back spring for gear actuators is another great example or the wing fule gauges, and so on. 

Nose gear truss/assemblies… they need heat treatment, so not easy to repair until/unless Lasar gets its pma back. No sure i want a salvage one either.

[N201MKTurbo]

3 minutes ago, Ragsf15e said:

Nose gear truss/assemblies… they need heat treatment, so not easy to repair until/unless Lasar gets its pma back. No sure i want a salvage one either.

Back in ‘89 I took my M20F for annual. The mechanic said the nose truss was bent and he repaired it. He cut out the bent tubes and welded in new tubes. He then sent it out for heat treat. He charged me $200 for the repair which included heat treat. The heat treat took two days. He said he called Mooney to get the repair procedure. 
 

I don’t think you need a PMA to repair nose trusses. I think you could do it under 43.13-1B. LASAR is a repair station, they will need to have an approved procedure for doing it.

[PT20J]

32 minutes ago, Ragsf15e said:

Nose gear truss/assemblies… they need heat treatment, so not easy to repair until/unless Lasar gets its pma back. No sure i want a salvage one either.

Don Maxwell told me he purchased an oven and can repair and heat treat them. Don also told me that he has never became a repair station to avoid extra FAA paperwork hassles. 

[Ragsf15e]

1 hour ago, PT20J said:

Don Maxwell told me he purchased an oven and can repair and heat treat them. Don also told me that he has never became a repair station to avoid extra FAA paperwork hassles. 

Well that’s good to hear they can be repaired at multiple places!

[Flyler]

South West Texas Aviation also does them. I ordered a new unit from them, and sent back my dented unit to redeem the core charge.  They were quick to send the part and easy to work with. I wasn't able to get the core back to them for something like 6 weeks, and they were amenable. 

Gear leg looked nice, and had the newer style stops on it.  4 landings later the nose gear was rather forcefully shoved into the gearwell during a collapse (through no fault of the SWTA leg) and it took it like a champ! 

[Matthew P]

On 7/9/2025 at 12:23 AM, DCarlton said:

With the consolidation, maybe LASAR can afford (lower risk) to stock more parts instead of waiting until they have enough orders to support a production run.  

LOL, not if you look at how many items they have out of stock and don't know if they will ever get them again, i.e. wingtips

[Matthew P]

On 7/16/2025 at 10:06 AM, Ragsf15e said:

Nose gear truss/assemblies… they need heat treatment, so not easy to repair until/unless Lasar gets its pma back. No sure i want a salvage one either.

Don Maxwell repaired and heat treated mine, looks brand new and didn't cost an arm and a leg.

 

 

[M20F]

LASAR Becomes Mooney’s Exclusive Product Support Organization

 

[Sixstring2k]

 

[PT20J]

So far, they've emailed me that press release three times.

 

[bonal]

On 7/10/2025 at 3:14 PM, bonal said:

Looking at the LASAR website there is no mention of the new policy for parts.  Also weird is the phone number is still the same as it was when they were still in lake county CA.  Don’t know if Dan is still handling parts locally but the fact he was the true GOAT when it came to knowledge on parts.  I know LASAR went through some tough times when they first moved to rancho down near Sacramento but it looks as though things have improved for them lately.  Know idea who is on their staff hopefully they have some good knowledgeable people.  Paul Loewan and Dan would be hard to match when it comes to Mooney knowledge.  Looks like the factory is pretty much throwing in the towel.  Hopefully this will make things better not worse.  Glad my D has the J bar. 

Looks like LASAR might have seen my post as they have updated the website and changed the phone numbers.  Watched the video and at the very end it shows two Mooneys parked the F with the extra window was a project they were working on back at Lampson it has been parked on the ramp there for a couple years. Last time I went flying I noticed it was gone and wondered where it went.  I suppose they got a ferry permit to fly it to OR. Glad to see it isn’t going to rot away.  I hope this ends up being a positive not a negative.  

[Echo]

I am happy to see this marketing by Lasar.  Let's go baby, get some dukes gears cranked out.  You have at least 60 customers waiting in line.  

[Matthew P]

Don't hold your breath, they haven't been able to manage the parts that they have listed on their website, I've gone to order parts that they show available on-line just to have them call to say they are no longer available OR tgey don't know if/when they will get more...yet they refuse to remove the pictures from their website...sounds good in theory but we will see...they are going through the process of trying to get the gearsets PMA'd so if that happens within 2 years it will be surprising, then they have to find a manufacturer of those gears plus the lead time...Mooney didn't care about the 60+ individuals ready to buy the parts or the 8 planes. That I know of that were AOG as a result of it...so we will see...might be one of those...too little too frigging late...hope I am dead wrong...

[Paul Thomas]

4 hours ago, PT20J said:

So far, they've emailed me that press release three times.

 

I've got two of those but no reply on a quote. Sigh.

[Echo]

16 minutes ago, Matthew P said:

Don't hold your breath, they haven't been able to manage the parts that they have listed on their website, I've gone to order parts that they show available on-line just to have them call to say they are no longer available OR tgey don't know if/when they will get more...yet they refuse to remove the pictures from their website...sounds good in theory but we will see...they are going through the process of trying to get the gearsets PMA'd so if that happens within 2 years it will be surprising, then they have to find a manufacturer of those gears plus the lead time...Mooney didn't care about the 60+ individuals ready to buy the parts or the 8 planes. That I know of that were AOG as a result of it...so we will see...might be one of those...too little too frigging late...hope I am dead wrong...

Well under an hour for the "keepin' it real team" to come in.  Nice.  So on a non-aviation, but similar (automotive) side of life I experienced the opposite on knowledge, customer service, ingenuity and commitment.  I have a 997.2 911.  This was at the end of the model year life and the .2 only lasted four model years with the 991 coming in (same model year as mine) in 2012.  The radio is dated.  Porsche has a "Porsche Classic" that updates their dated tech, but the 997.1 got carplay...but No Love for my later lower production number cars.  I finally got sick of waiting and went to a local shop that does car stereo.  The owner is also a tech.  He suggested an Alpine head unit and I bought the radio and harness that was SUPPOSED to work with my car integrating the fibre optic into the Bose amp/speakers.  IT DIDN'T WORK.    The owner found the right harness, but that unit is unobtanium in U.S.  I searched the web up and down and only U.K. distribution.  NO U.S. Sales.  Uh. Oh.  Owner said "I can modify the harness and get it functioning".  This was this morning.  This afternoon he sent me a video showing the new deck in the car playing music and he shifted into reverse and the new install back-up camera fired up.  Simply said "Made some nice progress today".  Good service IS alive and well, but you have to find it. 

Time will tell if Lasar is going to step up, or if it just Epstein hype...In my case I found The REAL deal that delivers.  Being able to adapt and improvise is awesome to see.  Like Liam Niesem "They have a special set of skills".   Made my day.

[GeeBee]

Here is an idea. In a world of bad choices, maybe we should back someone who is willing to step up. Maybe give them a chance to get their feet on the ground and help them by patronizing them. Maybe buy some "just in case parts'.

[Matthew P]

44 minutes ago, GeeBee said:

Here is an idea. In a world of bad choices, maybe we should back someone who is willing to step up. Maybe give them a chance to get their feet on the ground and help them by patronizing them. Maybe buy some "just in case parts'.

That's what we have been wanting and trying to do but unable to, also trying to buy what they advertise but don't have and unwilling to tell you if/when they will fet more.

[GeeBee]

8 hours ago, Matthew P said:

That's what we have been wanting and trying to do but unable to, also trying to buy what they advertise but don't have and unwilling to tell you if/when they will fet more.

Have you tried a phone call to Heather?

[Matthew P]

1 hour ago, GeeBee said:

Have you tried a phone call to Heather?

absolutely, the people there are GREAT, I just don't understand advertising products that they haven't carried in years and can't tell you if they will ever get them again, example: Wingtip fairings..