First real annual / inspection post acquisition

[SilentT]

Soooo, I got my first estimate for my plane after picking it up 3 weeks ago. 

A whopping 25k.

To be fair it's priced at full retail not used parts or viable alternatives. It also includes many things the A&P said can definitely wait,  but is a comprehensive list of everything they found. But wowzers. 

She was good if I wanted to Source some of my own parts to help save money. 

Gear pucks quoted at $287/ea, where yall buying yours? 

Tailbeacon quoted $2200 anyone got a used one? 

Other big item, encoding alt needs overhaul (3k), might as well throw it away and get alternative plus separate encoder? 

 

[EricJ]

3 minutes ago, SilentT said:

Soooo, I got my first estimate for my plane after picking it up 3 weeks ago. 

A whopping 25k.

To be fair it's priced at full retail not used parts or viable alternatives. It also includes many things the A&P said can definitely wait,  but is a comprehensive list of everything they found. But wowzers. 

She was good if I wanted to Source some of my own parts to help save money. 

Gear pucks quoted at $287/ea, where yall buying yours? 

Tailbeacon quoted $2200 anyone got a used one? 

Other big item, encoding alt needs overhaul (3k), might as well throw it away and get alternative plus separate encoder? 

 

If it is an option, an ADS-B compliant transponder and something else beneficial with an encoder (e.g., a G5 AI or HSI), might be a more long-term efficient use of the money than a tailbeacon and a separate encoder.   Trig makes a little transponder that has a built-in encoder, maybe somebody else does, too.   Otherwise it may be possible to find a used encoder discarded from somebody else's panel upgrade and a decent ADS-B-out compliant transponder.

[Fly Boomer]

27 minutes ago, SilentT said:

Other big item, encoding alt needs overhaul (3k), might as well throw it away and get alternative plus separate encoder? 

If it's a KEA-130a, used prices are all over the map.  Ranging from $600 to multiple thousands.  BAS has an "as removed" for about $600, but they will stand behind it if it doesn't work.

https://baspartsales.com/066-03064-0005-bendix-king-kea-130a-encoding-altimeter-with-mods-14-28v/

[PT20J]

This is the kind of situation where you should take the discrepancy list, separate out the non-airworthiness items and prioritize and group them because, as pointed out above, there are options and you need a roadmap for upgrades so your decisions work together. It's deceptively easy to piecemeal it and find out that the thing you bought last year won't work with the thing you want to buy this year.

If you are willing to say what year and model airplane you have and publish the discrepancy list, I'm sure you will get lots of advice from the forum. 

Personally, I would ask the maintainer to explain each item and how they determined it needs to be done. For example, gear pucks have a specification in the maintenance manual and may well need to be replaced, but the shop should be able to tell you what they measured compared to the spec.

[Schllc]

Good advice here. 
I’ll tell you that a large annual after acquisition is pretty typical. Be careful with “cheap” solutions like the tail beacon. 
if all you want is compliance then it’s fine,  but if you determine you want traffic later, you maybe spending twice. 
excited for you. I have loved and been excited about every Mooney I have ever had, and I have left them all better than I received them!

[SilentT]

2 hours ago, PT20J said:

IF you are willing to say what year and model airplane you have and publish the discrepancy list, I'm sure you will get lots of advice from the forum. 

Personally, I would ask the maintainer to explain each item and how they determined it needs to be done. For example, gear pucks have a specification in the maintenance manual and may well need to be replaced, but the shop should be able to tell you what they measured compared to the spec.

I'm happy to share the list, should I redact anything for professionalism? 

Its an 85J

They did explain it all but I was walking through airport and didn't get everything jotted. 

Front NGhas some play but tightest they have ever had come in that wasn't worked on. NG pucks has (insert compression) that was just barely out of spec. Mains were very compressed as an eng it was a lot but don't remember the number. Mains had cracks. All were from '93.

Lots of little stuff 

 

[Flyler]

I just bought a 79 J and had a pre-buy done, and the seller paid around $19k and I put in about $8k (which included paying for the pre-buy, the annual, and about $2000 in extra non-airworthy work).  All pucks were replaced.  I think what you have there is about normal.

We have found some other items, including a bit of rework from the original annual. So far, nothing major.  You know what? I still flippin' love this airplane!  I hope you love yours as well.

[OR75]

like it was said above,  separate airworthiness items vs and others .

to get a starting number, a J inspection should be about ~25 hours. At some average shop rate, that's should be about $3,000 

to change the oil/filter, (tough to avoid when doing inspection) adds a few $100. So round it to $3500.

The shop owes you a list of discrepancies (A/W items) that will need to addressed. You can take your plane to another shop to take care of those.

non A/W items , you can decide to take care of or postpone. The gear pucks are likely not A/W items. 

 

[SilentT]

1 hour ago, Flyler said:

I just bought a 79 J and had a pre-buy done, and the seller paid around $19k and I put in about $8k (which included paying for the pre-buy, the annual, and about $2000 in extra non-airworthy work).  All pucks were replaced.  I think what you have there is about normal.

We have found some other items, including a bit of rework from the original annual. So far, nothing major.  You know what? I still flippin' love this airplane!  I hope you love yours as well.

Let's be clear I was expecting damage. 

Was thinking something in the 15k range. But I won't be taking it anywhere else. I love this shop and I'm being treated with respect and from what I can tell fairly. 

I knew what I was getting into. However, I am seeking feedback and getting quality advice on how to mitigate or spread out some damage. 

[takair]

As others suggested, have the list split to airworthy vs unairworthy. Then there is the question of prebuy inspection and what the owner has disclosed?  Did you have any seller guarantees?  Are there things that’s may have been intentionally hidden?  Long story short, depending on your purchase agreement, you might reach out tot he seller for some assistance, although it would be pretty rare for it to be anything big. Sometime sales happen because folks are no longer willing or able to mountain eh aircraft. Your story is all too common with these aging aircraft. 

[PeterRus]

19 hours ago, SilentT said:

Gear pucks quoted at $287/ea, where yall buying yours? 

Tailbeacon quoted $2200 anyone got a used one? 

DIsk shocks: https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/lgpages/lord-m20-mooney.php. While not an "airworthy item", I'd replace all of them while at it. 

Tailbeacon: agree with others and get a proper ADS-B in/out. 

Edited Saturday at 03:20 PM by PeterRus

[Bartman]

Last year I bought supplies for cowl cracks and rebuild. Did the work this year. 
This year bought new main gear pucks and engine driven fuel pump. Will get new fuel hoses before we begin. Will install pucks and pump next annual. 

My big project this year is the new Hartzell Top Prop install. Doing that under supervision of my IA who over the years knows and trusts my work. I installed it yesterday but still need safety wire, IA inspection, log book and STC paperwork. After a thorough inspection I have no problem becoming the test pilot for return to service. 

Every pilot cannot be as involved or have a relationship with an IA who will work with you like this, but I appreciate it and I really enjoy the work. 
 

[Jackk]

I’d 1000% get a second opinion from a smaller and recommended APIA

 

As for me, 3 aircraft owned so far, never happened, but I’ve never owned a plane that didn’t have a major inspection before I bought it.

 

 IMO a proper prebuy exceeds an annual, an annual only needs covers airworthy, a prebuy covers stated condition and shy of an advertised project plane airworthy alone is a low bar and is expected expected.  I also am there elebows deep in aircraft during this as I’m not rich enough or trusting enough to do this any other way.
 

 Worst I had on a first annual was needing new rubber engine bushings, which is just a post Covid quality dive in the parts, they were new but cracked up with under 100hrs, APIA said he’s been seeing this and we were thankfully able to get some NOS ones. 

Edited Saturday at 04:15 PM by Jackk

[dkkim73]

On 11/7/2025 at 2:00 PM, PT20J said:

This is the kind of situation where you should take the discrepancy list, separate out the non-airworthiness items and prioritize and group them because, as pointed out above, there are options and you need a roadmap for upgrades so your decisions work together. It's deceptively easy to piecemeal it and find out that the thing you bought last year won't work with the thing you want to buy this year.

So... I bought a 2009 longbody from a pretty solid-seeming seller (didn't know him personally), sold by a knowledgeable broker. Plane well taken care-of but hadn't flown much in the few years before sale. No damage history or hidden landmines. Got lots of advice, paid and unpaid. 

The deal (as advised) had an agreed price, and then airworthy items the responsibility of the seller and non-airworthy of the buyer. There were some gray areas which the seller/broker were very reasonable on (eg. splitting a prop overhaul). We had an annual-as-prebuy done at the Mooney Factory Service Center under Michael Kneese. Very professional and honest eyes, lots of great communication. 

I was surprised by the level of detail you get into quickly. I had a *large* spreadsheet I made to track issues. I was *shocked* by the number of things they brought up; they were honest some things were "full disclosure, doesn't meet type design", some were real small but potential Achilles' heels (a wire issue to the air temp sensor which, if it goes wrong, will punk more of the G1000 than you'd think), some were just wear, rigging, etc. The TKS stuff went deep. They really dove into the Garmin servos and we needed two clutches. Lots of little moving parts. I knew I had some cylinder wear issues going in, negotiated that along with other things. The length of the squawk list made me initially think I'd made a mistake.... this was corrected after working through the list with the lead mechanic and an advisor. It's actually a very clean plane. Planes just have lots of little bits.   It felt like a full-time job for a couple months (disclosure: I'm pretty compulsive but I don't think outside 1 SD around here). 

 

On 11/7/2025 at 2:26 PM, Schllc said:

I’ll tell you that a large annual after acquisition is pretty typical.

This was my experience. But it was very worth it to 1. separate out things that you really feel you need to work out with the seller, vs. decide your own priority on 2. know where you are starting. I have a good intuition for the aircraft, what's tip-top, what's going to need interval eyes, what's known wear, etc. It gives you a lot more info for decision-making down the road, and more confidence for flying decisions (I know TKS is solid, servo clutches are solid, after 2 yrs I know where the engine "is", what the turbo innards look like [borescope] etc). 

There will always be surprises, but this gets you "read in" in detail vs. figuring it out later chasing gremlins. 

Funny note @Schllc generously provided a lot of his time on the phone talking me through some aircraft and cylinder issues, advice on the process, etc. @Brandt and others here also stepped up and offered their expertise on-call. 

 

On 11/7/2025 at 6:46 PM, Flyler said:

We have found some other items, including a bit of rework from the original annual. So far, nothing major.  You know what? I still flippin' love this airplane!  I hope you love yours as well.

Yes, amen, amen. That's something to keep your eye on. It's immensely gratifying to have a plane you fly, and know, and in which you have pride of ownership and maintenance. 

On 11/8/2025 at 9:13 AM, Jackk said:

 IMO a proper prebuy exceeds an annual, an annual only needs covers airworthy, a prebuy covers stated condition and shy of an advertised project plane airworthy alone is a low bar and is expected expected.  I also am there elebows deep in aircraft during this as I’m not rich enough or trusting enough to do this any other way.

Yeah, I think this is a good viewpoint. You're taking over the airplane and you ideally want to know everything. You will definitely care about things that are not technically airworthy-determining items. 

My 2nd annual was also a bit much, but that's a mostly-unrelated story. Beware squawk "wish lists" ;). On the bright side, doing the work up-front at purchase prevented knowable surprises. One insight I think is to factor in interval inspections and lifetimes (alternator coupling, prop governor, etc). 

HTH

DK