I've been assisting flying aircraft since I was a 4 year old boy holding the tail of a U-Control model as my father would get ready to take her off. I worked with many types of model aircraft until I graduated in 1998 to the real thing.

I started with a local FBO, flying two or three times a week where I managed to get my ticket in six months. I started out in the Cessna 150 and only flew it one more time after I got my ticket. I moved up to the Cessna 172 for a few months but after flying to Prescott with a full load and climbing only 300 feet per minute to 9500 feet that was just to much fun. I then graduated to the first real aircraft, a Cherokee 180. It was a great flying aircraft but paying rent was not for me. I joined a flying club with a Cherokee Arrow 180 and that was the stepping stone to the Mooney. After problems with the flying club of not maintaining the IFR status and work being done by questionable people, I started looking for an aircraft to purchase.

I spent a lot of time researching different types of aircraft as far as cost, maintenance, parts, AD's, and annual costs. It is amazing how much of a difference there is between the models. It just had to be a Mooney. After checking performance data and other resources the 66E or 67E was my choice. A total of a year and half was spent on finding the right Mooney for us. A 66 E model was found on the internet and was located in Austin, Texas. A quick phone call and I was on my way to inspect her, to see if she was everything advertised. She has an updated avionics package to include Garmin 150XL, Trimble digital NAV, COM, transponder, Audio Panel w/ marker beacon, intercom, King ADF, and Narco NAV w/ glideslope. Other than the avionics she is in the original factory condition.

Arriving at the airport where the Mooney was parked, one look at her and I new she was the aircraft for us. I met the local IA and made arrangements to have him do a prebuy inspection and flew back to Tucson. Two days later the owners wanted to be assured that I was going to buy the aircraft, because they had an offer that was eight thousand dollars more than what we had agreed on. A quick phone call to the IA on how the prebuy was going, I assured the owners I was serious and will be there in a few days to close the deal. Upon returning to Texas, Cindy and I met with the IA to talk about the inspection. After checking everything over he believed I was getting a great deal. With that information, I asked if he could do a full annual. The owners were not going to be there for two days to close the deal, so we helped with the annual. When the owners arrived, we closed the deal and they said good bye to the Mooney.

Cindy and I returned home with our new baby. Things went well for the first six months, but then we noticed a fuel smell in the cockpit. After a local mechanic checked out the fuel tanks it was determined the tanks needed to be stripped and resealed. After sealing the tanks, we have not had any other problems.

Plans are in the works to start modifying her. We are going to install the engine cowl closure, wing fairings, gap seal for all flight controls, and update pilot side panel. Long range plans are to install IFR GPS and more mods. We will keep the group updated as things progress.

She is a great flying aircraft and we enjoy flying her all over the place.

John Deptula
April 2004