New mooney owner.

[Jamie]

Thanks to everyone for all your help with beginner questions leading up to the purchase. Not sure how anyone managed to buy a plane before the internet.

 

To anyone looking for a plane, I highly recommend Tim Lundquist at Strategic Aircraft (http://strategicaircraft.com/). Tim was a pleasure to deal with and went the extra 849 miles (KBDH->KHSV) to  make the sale. Amazing service.

 

First flight was today. It handles even better than I'd hoped it would. Reminds me a lot of my corvette, both in terms of seating and handling. It's like the sports car of airplanes. Can't wait to get the insurance hours flown off and start going places.

[DrBill]

Jamie,

That's exactly how I felt except I compared it to my Mustang GT and a Taurus after having  a Beech Sundowner for 7 years.

BILL

[pilotbenjamin]

Does that have the Io-390? How does it run? Speeds? thanks.

 

 

[Jamie]

Does that have the Io-390? How does it run? Speeds? thanks.

 

Yup, it has the 390 upgrade. I wouldn't have paid for it, but it came with it, so... The recent factory overhaul and upgrade was a major factor in the decision to purchase this plane over another. I'm not crazy about the paint, but it had the 390, which even if there was zero performance increase, meant that lots of stuff firewall forward had been upgraded (including the prop).

 

I just flew for 45 minutes this afternoon, so no speed info yet. My CFI is also a Mooney owner, so when we both have more time with the plane I'll definitely report back. I'll just be happy if the internal upgrades mean I actually make TBO with fewer problems.

[mulro767]

I don't know.  Maybe the paint might be chipping or fading? But I for one like the original paint scheme.  I wish somebody would modernize it and still keep that 201 tail.  Has anyone ever done that with new paint?  I'm not a fan of watching a 201 turn into a wannabe Acclaim or Ovation.  Don't get me wrong, those paint jobs are hot!  But would someone with a Cub do that?  Or stick with the standard black on yellow?   

 

Just my opinion.  Congratulations Jamie!  You did good.

[carusoam]

Congrats!

-a-

[pilotbenjamin]

I saw that one on the market and sent it to a friend looking for a Mooney. Glad it went to a good home, that is a nice bird. It was attractive.  the 390 should be that much more than the 360, but not the extra costs of a Missile conversion. Should perform great. I, too, also think the paint scheme is fine. The planes I looked at, had a lot of paint errosion on the leading edges.  

[teethdoc]

Pictures?

[marky_24]

Curious on what you paid for the plane, we offered $100,000 and were turned down.

[Marauder]

I don't know. Maybe the paint might be chipping or fading? But I for one like the original paint scheme. I wish somebody would modernize it and still keep that 201 tail. Has anyone ever done that with new paint? I'm not a fan of watching a 201 turn into a wannabe Acclaim or Ovation. Don't get me wrong, those paint jobs are hot! But would someone with a Cub do that? Or stick with the standard black on yellow? Just my opinion. Congratulations Jamie! You did good.

Like so many other things in life, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I personally think the older schemes look dated on the Mooney. Sort of like my avocado kitchen before I ripped it out. Some people like retro looks, others can't stand them. I think they are appropriate for certain things and not for others -- including aviation. I personally would be disappointed to see a WWII Mustang painted in a modern paint scheme of a GA plane. But I can't wait to dump my 70s vintage paint style on my plane.

[rbridges]

good looking plane.  got any pics of the panel?

[aviatoreb]

Like so many other things in life, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I personally think the older schemes look dated on the Mooney. Sort of like my avocado kitchen before I ripped it out. Some people like retro looks, others can't stand them. I think they are appropriate for certain things and not for others -- including aviation. I personally would be disappointed to see a WWII Mustang painted in a modern paint scheme of a GA plane. But I can't wait to dump my 70s vintage paint style on my plane.

 

Polished Chrome!!!

 

http://www.controller.com/listingsdetail/aircraft-for-sale/NORTH-AMERICAN-P-51-MUSTANG/1945-NORTH-AMERICAN-P-51-MUSTANG/1147803.htm

[Marauder]

Like so many other things in life, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I personally think the older schemes look dated on the Mooney. Sort of like my avocado kitchen before I ripped it out. Some people like retro looks, others can't stand them. I think they are appropriate for certain things and not for others -- including aviation. I personally would be disappointed to see a WWII Mustang painted in a modern paint scheme of a GA plane. But I can't wait to dump my 70s vintage paint style on my plane. Polished Chrome!!! http://www.controller.com/listingsdetail/aircraft-for-sale/NORTH-AMERICAN-P-51-MUSTANG/1945-NORTH-AMERICAN-P-51-MUSTANG/1147803.htm

Beautiful

[Jamie]

Like so many other things in life, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I personally think the older schemes look dated on the Mooney. Sort of like my avocado kitchen before I ripped it out. Some people like retro looks, others can't stand them. I think they are appropriate for certain things and not for others -- including aviation. I personally would be disappointed to see a WWII Mustang painted in a modern paint scheme of a GA plane. But I can't wait to dump my 70s vintage paint style on my plane.

 

You're the very first person to see it my way. Everyone else I've shown the airplane to loves the current paint scheme. At first, I thought they were just being nice. But then I started hearing second hand how much so and so liked the paint scheme.

 

I don't think of updating the colors and design as wanting to be like the modern moonies. I think of it more like you did... kitchen remodel. If you're going to paint it anyway (and this one needs it), why not go with something a little more stylish than brown, tan, beige and orange?

[Jamie]

good looking plane.  got any pics of the panel?

 

thanks. Nope, but I'll get some this weekend. The interior is in pretty good shape. The entire plane seems to have been well cared for. The records I've been going through (wow, I wasn't ready for all the paperwork that goes with a plane) supports that. Carpet's good, looks like a fairly recent seat recover, etc.

[Jamie]

I saw that one on the market and sent it to a friend looking for a Mooney. Glad it went to a good home, that is a nice bird. It was attractive.  the 390 should be that much more than the 360, but not the extra costs of a Missile conversion. Should perform great. I, too, also think the paint scheme is fine. The planes I looked at, had a lot of paint errosion on the leading edges.  

 

Tim showed me one sitting outside on the ramp while I was waiting for my pre-buy to finish. Looked great from a distance. Up close, it looked like someone took a sandblaster to the leading edges, then heavy grit sandpaper to everything else. Sad.

[Marauder]

Jamie -- just noticed something. What is that dark colored patch on the right wing near the stall strip? Is it a landing light?

[Jamie]

I'm told it's a landing and taxi light.  You can't see the other one, but there's one on each side. There are actually two bulbs in each. Detail attached.

 

I was going through the paperwork that came with the plane and found some pictures (real, old school film prints on photo paper) glued to some form concerning these. Some sort of mod / upgrade done after purchase, I guess.

 

[Jamie]

Jamie,

That's exactly how I felt except I compared it to my Mustang GT and a Taurus after having  a Beech Sundowner for 7 years.

BILL

 

Ok, now I need a shot like that. I sold the 'vette (it was getting very expensive... something was always breaking) and bought an '06 Mustang (coupe, not a GT ) in black/black. It's been a great little car, and makes me not miss the 'vette quite so much.

[Marauder]

I'm told it's a landing and taxi light.  You can't see the other one, but there's one on each side. There are actually two bulbs in each. Detail attached.

 

I was going through the paperwork that came with the plane and found some pictures (real, old school film prints on photo paper) glued to some form concerning these. Some sort of mod / upgrade done after purchase, I guess.

 

landing_light_1.jpglanding_light_2.jpgfront.jpg

Interesting. Others will know for sure, but I'm don't think your Mooney came from the factory this way. It is a cool mod. You should convert them over to LEDs if you can. 

[Jamie]

 You should convert them over to LEDs if you can. 

 

That's a good idea. Next annual I'll ask about it. Might do it incrementally, maybe, as the bulbs go out.

[RJBrown]

I'm told it's a landing and taxi light.  You can't see the other one, but there's one on each side. There are actually two bulbs in each. Detail attached.

 

I was going through the paperwork that came with the plane and found some pictures (real, old school film prints on photo paper) glued to some form concerning these. Some sort of mod / upgrade done after purchase, I guess.

 

landing_light_1.jpglanding_light_2.jpgfront.jpg

The landing lights that you have were stock on my 1990 MSE. They can be retrofitted to any J or K with just a logbook entry by your AP/IA.

I added them to the left wing on my Rocket when I had it painted, one of the best safety upgrades available. I see that the old lights were removed from your cowl also. The vibrations from the cowl just KILL lights. That would be where changing to LEDs would help most. Wing lights last forever, cowl light shake apart.

[Marauder]

I'm told it's a landing and taxi light. You can't see the other one, but there's one on each side. There are actually two bulbs in each. Detail attached. I was going through the paperwork that came with the plane and found some pictures (real, old school film prints on photo paper) glued to some form concerning these. Some sort of mod / upgrade done after purchase, I guess. landing_light_1.jpglanding_light_2.jpgfront.jpg The landing lights that you have were stock on my 1990 MSE. They can be retrofitted to any J or K with just a logbook entry by your AP/IA. I added them to the left wing on my Rocket when I had it painted, one of the best safety upgrades available. I see that the old lights were removed from your cowl also. The vibrations from the cowl just KILL lights. That would be where changing to LEDs would help most. Wing lights last forever, cowl light shake apart.

Those Js must be martini makers. I have the same bulb in my F since 1991. Stirred, not shaken

[yvesg]

JimR, what orientation shold the filament be to make it last longer? For my M20C, the connecting lugs usually go bad before the filament. Yves C-FQKM

[fantom]

Proper filament orientation is apparently important.  I replaced mine years ago just because it looked old and I had it out anyway.  It worked fine, though.  I haven't had any problems with the new one, either.  But, admittedly, I use it very sparingly.

 

http://www.mooney.com/images/pdfs/si-pdf/sim20-104.pdf

 

Service Instruction M20-104

 

Simple kit lets you rotate the bulb filaments from horizontal to vertical.

 

Problem solved.