Hangar Queen Mooneys

kyleb said:
The reality is that the current crop of glass panels is no more expensive than a 6 pack and offers more information and better reliability. I agree that all you really need for a Day VFR airplane is a J-3 panel, but if you're flying lengthy X/C's a few times a year and might do some night work, more capability is advisable.

All that said, I do shake my head at the "arms war" in the RV community around glass panels and electronic doo-dads. I know more than a few timid fliers who only fly daytime and in nice VFR, but who have $20k of glass plus expensive Garmin GPS/Com's in their RV's. Hardly mission necessary, but its their money...
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We call that the (small dick syndrome)....:rolleyes:;)
 
love my 231 so far.
I'd run away from a hangar queen!
2nd mooneyspace, lots of knowledge over there.
 
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steingar said:
As far as the avionics, I think you are stark raving nuts to put that kind of gear in a vfr airplane. You have the best view imaginable. What do you need all that for?
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Until you've flown with synthetic vision and HITS approaches, it's hard to appreciate the value and comfort it adds to every flight. The enhanced safety alone makes it the best thing I've ever done to an airplane.

After a full year with glass, I would say it's the best $12K I've ever spent.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Until you've flown with synthetic vision and HITS approaches, it's hard to appreciate the value and comfort it adds to every flight. The enhanced safety alone makes it the best thing I've ever done to an airplane.

After a full year with glass, I would say it's the best $12K I've ever spent.
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Synthetic vision? For a VFR airplane? Why? You can see out the window!

To those urging me onto Mooneyspace you should know it was the wisdom there that drove me to the aircraft I'm seeking. Just haven't signed up due to my current lack of Mooney.
 
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I don't know what kind of flying you do, but I often find myself on long cross countries at 12000+, above a scattered cloud deck. With parallax, it is often difficult to see landmarks and airports until you're right over them.

To be able to "see" everything on the ground with synthetic vision, as if the clouds aren't there, is simply amazing.

Same with poor visibility, when finding the airport can be a real chore. I always have the runway in sight with SV!

Like I say, until you fly with it, it's hard to appreciate.
 
Jay Honeck said:
I don't know what kind of flying you do, but I often find myself on long cross countries at 12000+, above a scattered cloud deck. With parallax, it is often difficult to see landmarks and airports until you're right over them.

To be able to "see" everything on the ground with synthetic vision, as if the clouds aren't there, is simply amazing.

Same with poor visibility, when finding the airport can be a real chore. I always have the runway in sight with SV!

Like I say, until you fly with it, it's hard to appreciate.
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Truer words were never spoken......;)
 
So sad... :(

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steingar said:
To those urging me onto Mooneyspace you should know it was the wisdom there that drove me to the aircraft I'm seeking. Just haven't signed up due to my current lack of Mooney.
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No need to own a Mooney to be a member of MooneySpace. I joined MooneySpace about 6 month prior to purchasing one. The advice there ensured I found a great Mooney at a great price.

I fly the heck out of it. I fly a lot of IFR. I fly it with my wife, the dog and luggage for all of us for a week. I fly it to Oshkosh. And the best fun is flying formation with the Texas Wing of the Mooney Caravan.

All thanks to a good Mooney.
 
Gsxrpilot said:
No need to own a Mooney to be a member of MooneySpace. I joined MooneySpace about 6 month prior to purchasing one. The advice there ensured I found a great Mooney at a great price.

I fly the heck out of it. I fly a lot of IFR. I fly it with my wife, the dog and luggage for all of us for a week. I fly it to Oshkosh. And the best fun is flying formation with the Texas Wing of the Mooney Caravan.

All thanks to a good Mooney.
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I'll second that, both the part about joining before buying, and the part about flying formation with those crazy Texas boys.
 
StinkBug said:
I'll second that, both the part about joining before buying, and the part about flying formation with those crazy Texas boys.
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That's on my short bucket list. I'll make it happen one of these days.

+3 for the MooneySpace recommendations. Mooney ownership is not a prerequisite... I was on there for about 5 months before buying mine.

You can also visit my site (www.67m20e.com) for more info on mine and also E's in general. Most of the info is true.... :goofy:

Love the manual gear and hydraulic flap set-up... :)

Cheers,
Brian
 
N801BH said:
We call that the (small dick syndrome)....:rolleyes:;)
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Said the guy with a 500+ hp V8 in his plane.

(Just kidding with you! It's a beautiful bird and I'd love to go for a ride some time. That thing's got to be a hoot!)

John
 
So here's a fun one. The bladders in the apple of my eye were installed in 1998. Too old?
 
steingar said:
So here's a fun one. The bladders in the apple of my eye were installed in 1998. Too old?
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Impossible to tell with only that information. From what I've seen bladders age at very different rates based on a number of factors. How much fuel is kept in them, hangared or not, etc. Age isn't the only thing.
 
steingar said:
So here's a fun one. The bladders in the apple of my eye were installed in 1998. Too old?
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They could go 30 years or more. Some airplanes flying with original ones. Or they could leak tomorrow.

When they are due you got 6 to 8 bags to fix. What? $500 each without shipping and labor?
 
steingar said:
Mooneys are just airplanes. They work just like any other airplane. Airplanes have big-ticket maintenance like engines and paint. Mooneys just have an extra big-ticket time, which is tank reseal. Lot of them have been done, lots haven't.
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And other planes usually have bladders, which also have to be replaced, which is also not easy or cheap. Pick your poison.
 
Are the tanks leaking now? If not, be happy you've got leak free tanks and move forward. My 51 year old Mooney's never had bladders. It has had one re-seal job done, but has always been well maintained. The tanks always stay filled, and they've never leaked. I'm partial to bladder free tanks as there is a little more useful load and a little more range.
 
flyingcheesehead said:
And other planes usually have bladders, which also have to be replaced, which is also not easy or cheap. Pick your poison.
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False dichotomy. Some samples of Piper and Cessna come with option #3: integral tank. Much lower incidence of breaching than bladders or sealed wing cavities. Thence, cheaper.
 
hindsight2020 said:
False dichotomy. Some samples of Piper and Cessna come with option #3: integral tank. Much lower incidence of breaching than bladders or sealed wing cavities. Thence, cheaper.
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:confused: You mean separate metal tanks? Probably the best design but still a lack of maintenance will cause other problems. Many high wing cessnas have never had the tank covers off, hiding problems, usually corrosion or deteriorated padding on the mounting bands around the tanks.

Bladders can hide corrosion that isn't detected until the bladders are removed for repair.

Sealed wing cavities = integral tank = wet wing. Lots and lots of airplanes have them. Lots of them leak.

All my opinion: Why Mooneys get a bad rap is their landing gear shocks doing inadequate dampening of landing loads either due to deferred maintenance (pilots are cheap) of worn out/aged shock pucks or the nature of the rubber puck design themselves. Those worn out/aged pucks induced higher peak landing loads into the wings causing more movement of the structure and bam! wing tank leaks.

To support that opinion: The Mooney forums seem to agree that a seal job should last around 20 years. My Cessna 177 wet wings are 47 years old and have yet to leak. The last 177B (39 years old) I had open, the sealant looked to be in good shape, also leak free. Both the 177 & 177B have been wrecked requiring extensive firewall & nose gear repairs. The wings weren't touched. High wing Cessnas with wet wings leak too, but the occurrences seem much much less than mooneys.

I can't say if walking on top of the money wing has much to do with it but of you are standing on the fuel tank I'd say so.

Its not uncommon to have a 15 year old jet come in and find a dozen leaks per wing (tanks are huge). The all seem to get fixed without a mooney type "reseal" job, but rather careful inspection and mapping of leaks and repair of suspected areas of loose sealant.
 
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Hey Michael, Every plane has its pluses and minuses. So let me just say I am very excited for you! I know your going to have a blast, make great use out of the Mooney and fly the snot out of it! It will be a great plane for you and Merida and make some of your trips much easier. Can't want to see Photos!
 
steingar said:
I'll post up if and when I score the thing.
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The only reason I didn't consider Mooney more seriously when I was in the market is that I'd never fit my bike in one without a lot of hassle (i.e. disassembly involving tools). The speed/fuel burn ratio can't be beat in a non-LSA single, and there are many to choose from out there with first-rate IFR panels.

Good luck, sounds like an exciting time for you!
 
azure said:
The only reason I didn't consider Mooney more seriously when I was in the market is that I'd never fit my bike in one without a lot of hassle (i.e. disassembly involving tools). The speed/fuel burn ratio can't be beat in a non-LSA single, and there are many to choose from out there with first-rate IFR panels.

Good luck, sounds like an exciting time for you!
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I didn't think the cramped quarters would bother me, they're starting to a little bit.
Then I go fly and put hardly any gas in it and I feel much better :D
 
azure said:
The only reason I didn't consider Mooney more seriously when I was in the market is that I'd never fit my bike in one without a lot of hassle (i.e. disassembly involving tools). The speed/fuel burn ratio can't be beat in a non-LSA single, and there are many to choose from out there with first-rate IFR panels.

Good luck, sounds like an exciting time for you!
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I've never taken a bicycle with me, though I can imagine it a good idea. Still, it is a ways down my priority list, since my priorities are 1) speed, 2) not using so much gas and 3) something in which my diminutive form fits. That's why I've settled on a Mooney.
 
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I know a few guys on Mooneyspace had bikes that were designed for compact spaces. I know they could load one, maybe a second in the backseat. They didn't sound like they were too time consuming to unload and ride.
 
rbridges said:
I know a few guys on Mooneyspace had bikes that were designed for compact spaces. I know they could load one, maybe a second in the backseat. They didn't sound like they were too time consuming to unload and ride.
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Yes, I believe you could get one or maybe two folding bikes in a Mooney, especially one with tiny wheels. I'm just not interested in that kind of bike. I have a Trek road bike that I take with me on some day trips. It's only a 20 inch frame since I'm not exactly large, but I'd have to take off both wheels to fit it inside a Mooney. Too much work. :yes:
 
azure said:
Yes, I believe you could get one or maybe two folding bikes in a Mooney, especially one with tiny wheels. I'm just not interested in that kind of bike. I have a Trek road bike that I take with me on some day trips. It's only a 20 inch frame since I'm not exactly large, but I'd have to take off both wheels to fit it inside a Mooney. Too much work. :yes:
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There are a couple of die-hard bikers on MooneySpace who travel with either two road or two mountain bikes. If memory is correct, they only remove the front wheel, and put it all in a grill cover to keep chain grease off of the interior.

A quick visit and some skillful searching will bring these threads up. Guaranteed they are mixed in with threads about the tiny-wheeled folders, and may even be referenced in the folding bike threads. Ask questions there, though, and you'll get answers. Personally, I like my road bike, but have neither the need nor desire to travel with it. Takes up too much of my wife's luggage space . . . . But I've got a short-body Mooney [so called for a reason :D ].
 
You guys are really trying to give me buyer's remorse, aren't you? :lol:

Seriously, I'd have to see that to believe it. I'll bet they remove the rear wheel too. Actually I could do that too without tools (quick release), but the chain grease would leave such a mess I just wouldn't want to bother with it.
 
Once any plane sits for any length of time, they start an increasingly progressive decline. Mooneys are expensive and, from what I have seen, their drivers tend to be older professionals that start flying less and less, but can't part with them, so they sit, and too often, rot. Planes are like pets. Maybe circumstances dictate that you can't keep them anymore, but don't kill them. Actively seek to find them a new home.
 
SbestCFII said:
Once any plane sits for any length of time, they start an increasingly progressive decline. Mooneys are expensive and, from what I have seen, their drivers tend to be older professionals that start flying less and less, but can't part with them, so they sit, and too often, rot. Planes are like pets. Maybe circumstances dictate that you can't keep them anymore, but don't kill them. Actively seek to find them a new home.
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Just curious, what business is it of yours or anyone else's what someone wishes to do with their privately owned property? Under what pretense is someone who owns an airplane required to "find it a new home" if they don't plan on flying it? :dunno: :rolleyes:
 
RotorAndWing said:
Just curious, what business is it of yours or anyone else's what someone wishes to do with their privately owned property? Under what pretense is someone who owns an airplane required to "find it a new home" if they don't plan on flying it? :dunno: :rolleyes:
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He doesn't have a "right" to dictate what a person does. However, given that there are a finite amount of GA aircraft, and I bet more piston AC rot away every year than come off the assembly line, it would be better for everyone if people did not let planes rot to a point they'll never fly again.
 
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