Mite Site News Archive

Attention WAMM attendees.

If you are coming to Lompoc for the October Fly-In, which is only 2 weeks away, Ed Mandibles would like you to RSVP via e-mail, or phone (805) 291-6039

2017-10-01

Some Mites came from the assembly line with electrical systems, but very few had an electrically operated starter. Therefore, firing up the engine on a Mite requires a considerable amount of "elbow grease."

When departing the Lompoc WAMM Fly-in of October, 2014, in his 1952 M-18C, N4096, Scott Lewis gave a textbook demonstration of how to swing the prop.

2017-09-24

WAMM Update:

A message from Ed Mandibles:

"We're ready. The Friday early birds will be treated to a smoked dinner at our house at 424 Mercury Ave. in Vandenberg Village about 7 minutes from the airport. Saturday, we will do some formation flying and a lot of hangar flying in my T hangar, C3. We have a lot of choices for lunch and dinner.
Ed"

A reminder:

It's coming soon. The date of the WAMM Fly-in will be October 13th (Friday) and 14th (Saturday), 2017.

2017-09-18

We have received our first report of hurricane damage affecting our favorite airplanes.

Roger Hughes, N4051, of Corpus Christi, TX has informed us that his Mite was destroyed inside its hangar by Hurricane Harvey.

We have the report and some astonishing photos from Roger to show you. Click here.

2017-09-17

There are over twenty Mites registered in Texas and four in Florida. We are very interested and concerned about the effect that the recent hurricanes, Harvey and Irma, have had on the owners and/or their airplanes. If you are one, we would really like to hear from you. Please email the Mite Site. Your comments will be posted on the Mite Site ONLY with your permission.

2017-09-16

Keith Mackey, N4159, has a solution for owners who need to replace their exhaust systems. See his article here.

2017-08-30

In regard to the question about nose wheel tunnel windows, more survey information (but unfortunately no more photos) has been received. The results have been added to the Article. We reserve the right to waffle on our conclusions!

2017-08-18

Jonathan Lee

Jonathan will be writing a short article for the EAA chapter newsletter about the trip. We are looking forward to his report for the Mite Site as well.

2017-08-18

We're passing along a request from amateur aviation photographer, Andy Zink, of Connecticut. Andy is looking to do an aerial photo shoot of a Mooney Mite. He is able to meet with any Mite owners in the North Eastern states. If you, as a Mite owner, are interested in arranging a photo session with Andy, please contact him at 732-598-0853. or Andrew.john.zink@gmail.com

2017-08-18

A question from Jim Frank, N4181, N1030, asking about which Mites have a nose wheel tunnel window. We have never come across any mention of this in all the material we have collected over the years. So, we went through all the cockpit photos in our collection to see if there is a pattern. Click here to see the results.

2017-08-17

We apologize for the removal of our discussion forum, MiteTalk, from the Mite Site. We did not receive adequate technical support from vBulletin in order to successfully upgrade the software.

2017-07-07

We'd like to welcome new Mite owner, Barton Bycroft of Salina, KS. Barton purchased N496M from John Buenting in May and flew it home from North Carolina. Welcome to the Mooney Mite community, Barton!

2017-06-27

Cliff Tatum sent us this photo of his Mite, N4055, taken last month just off-shore at Long Beach, CA. Cliff plans to be at the WAMM Fly-In next October, family obligations permitting.

Incidentally, Cliff's beautiful M-18LA is for sale. Details are given on our Buy & Sell page.

2017-06-16

Good news for WAMM members — and other Mite owners within flying distance of California — Ed Mandibles is ready, willing, and able to host another WAMM Fly-In at Lompoc, CA.

Everyone welcome! Make a note of this date:

October 13th (Friday) and 14th (Saturday), 2017.

More details can be seen on our Events page.

2017-06-10

60 years after production ended, the M-18 is still flying new frontiers. Do you believe a Mite will go in a schoolbus? To prove it, we have these photos from Paul Carattini, teacher and project manager at the Nenana City School's Mite project in Alaska.

2017-05-05

The Heber Springs Fly-In is CANCELLED

(2017-04-25): E-mail from Woody Gillespie:

"It is a judgment call but the Fly-In is now cancelled! The fronts are building and up to 5" of rain for Friday, Saturday and even Sunday. The Mites don't like that!

We have put a lot of time and effort for this event which will be looked at again in June.

"Thank each of you for saying you would attend. We had people from GA, OK, MS, TN and Canada who had planned on coming. Please don't give up on us. The weather is always a factor!

"Let's look to June for another try!

"Woody"

The Heber Springs Fly-In happens this weekend!

For those of you planning to attend Woody's gathering this week—or those who need a bit of a nudge—have a look at Woody's informative emails on our Events page.

2017-04-24

Following up our news item of 2017-02-04 (see below) about the Nenana City School's Mite project, read this article in the most recent AOPA online newsletter by associate editor David Tulis.

2017-04-11

Reminder - The Heber Springs Fly-In

E-mail from Woody Gillespie: (2017-04-08)

"Hello again everyone!

"Time passes so fast when we are having fun! My plane is down with mag trouble so we are looking for more Mites and Antiques to come to the event on the 28th and 29th of April.

"We are doing all we can to make this a good fly in / education weekend for you. Remember, if you don't participate by showing up we won't keep trying to have these events! There is no charge to you except your personal expenses.

"We have two guys coming from Canada and each of you are closer than that!

"The only change since the last contact is there will be no sky diving. These people will come on Saturday and eat with us, but the powers that be decided this year isn't the time to do the jump. We also will have a couple, the Nolans, come to eat and converse with us that are well known in some circles. Mary has had a celebrity experience with the Reno air races and her husband, Dennis has had a great experience with race cars, is a Nam vet, and a successful businessman.

"We are a laid back bunch, have fun and enjoy people, so no stress that week end! There will be a professional photographer there to take photos of the Mite line up and anything else that seems exciting! If you know of other Mites and Antique planes, please contact them for us.

"Please let us know if you intend to attend so we can have enough food and drink for you, as this will be a private lunch.

"We intend to have a fun week end and we sincerely hope that you will join us, share the event, and meet new friends!

"Safe flying, Woody"

The Heber Springs Fly-In is a go

E-mail from Woody Gillespie: (2017-03-27)

"We are moving forward with the fly-in in Heber Springs, AR (HBZ) on the 29th of April. Those that come in on Friday will be invited to get together for a Dutch meal down on the river. We have added a sky diving event to our agenda. (weather permitting). Two of the Arkansas Freedom Fund members will be the jumpers this year.

"There is so much packed together at the airport alone with a giant car show and the Mooney Mite photo shoot as well as a discussion and comparison of things others have done on these little jewels.

"I will be cooking ribs for the Mite owners, antique plane owners, and the sky divers on Saturday the 29th for lunch.

"A hugh craft fair will be down town with a shuttle back and forth every 30 minutes.
The Photo Transfer Shop will be there taking pictures with transfers to T-shirts, mugs, etc. for a day to remember. They will also be doing the Mite line up and photos with each owner for the event.

"This event is free to the public so a lot of people will be in town that day. We will also have a bomb run with cubs etc. Plan on coming for a fun and leisure day of activities at HBZ.

"Please pass this on to others!"

Quality Inn: 501-362-1000; Woody: 501-362-5354; Airport: 501-362-3294

Prompted by a request from Alan Sheppard,N233V for advice on how to hoist a Mite in order to change the tires, we turned to our valued experts, Boyd Maddox, N352A, and Tony Terrigno for help.

Whether you are servicing the tires, rigging the landing gear, or mounting gear doors, this article will come in handy.

2017-02-18

A long-lost Mite has turned up in Alaska. N482M, s/n 236 has been hanging in pieces from hangar rafters in Wasilla, AK for over 30 years. Paul Carattini, a teacher at Nenana City School in Nenana, AK located the Mite and is planning to purchase and restore it as part of the School's aviation program. The previous owner, Tim Veenstra, has done a good job of preserving the Mite, so it looks like a doable project.

While trying to see if the Mite will fit in a school bus for transport to Nenana (260 miles), Paul sent us some preliminary photos. We hope to have more information for you soon.

2017-02-04

Boyd Maddox, N352A continues to work on his Naked Mite project. He has managed to find an engine which is actually just an assemblage of parts. Looks good, though.

2017-02-02

We have received a set of great photos of Mike Sarsfield’sN4189 (which has got to be one of the most photogenic airplanes we know of). They were originally featured in an article by Keith Wilson in the Polish aviation magazine, Przegląd Lotniczy Aviation Revue (www.plar.pl)

Our thanks to Keith for permission to post the photos and Przegląd Lotniczy for kindly providing the PDF of the article and photos.

2017-01-30

We are pleased to tell you that Woody Gillespie, N383A is organizing another Mite fly-in at Heber Springs, Arkansas (KHBZ) for the last weekend of April. At this point he is expecting that five Mites will show up, as well as an IA who will be there to answer questions.

Since this is also the weekend of Heber Spring's 30th Annual Springfest, there will be a craft fair all weekend downtown, with a shuttle service to the Municipal Airport. At the airport, there will be live music, food and a huge car show. Organizers are working on a bomb run and plane rides (not in Mites, of course).

On Saturday afternoon (the 29th), you can plan on having ribs on the grill, cooked especially for you and other antique owners. So come, spend the weekend, get your Mite in the lineup for a photo shoot, and enjoy the company of other Miters beside beautiful Greers Ferry Lake.

Woody says, "We love Mites and their advanced antique design!" He invites you to call him anytime at (501) 362-5354 or (501) 206-2343. Help him make it an enjoyable weekend and a yearly event!

2017-01-12

On the Maintenance Page, we have made available a collection of files and photos donated by Ed Mandibles, N325M related to the renovation of his Mite a few years ago. The documents include such items as Continental engine ADs, specifications, and a large number of hints and tips from bowersflybaby.com. There are also service bulletins and other files related to Slick magnetos. The photos are mainly close-ups of various internal parts of N325M. The documents are availble by email request from the Mite Site.

2017-01-06

Re Lycoming alternators: Woody Gillespie, N383A has found a parts source for and a method of installing an alternator on a Lycoming O-145-B2 Mite engine. Contact him for details.

2016-12-02

Form 337s wanted. I've recently been asked if I have a 337 form related to an alternator/generator installation in a Lycoming Mite (M-18L). I was subsequently told by Boyd Maddox that it was a factory option and a 337 was not required. Actually, I have copies of only a small number of 337s for the Mite. Wouldn't it be good if all 337s issued for Mites over the years were listed here for the benefit of all Mite owners. If you happen to have a 337 (or STC) for your Mite, please consider sharing it. Let me know the details and I will add it to a list. Dave.

2016-11-29

2016-11-09

Here are some photos submitted by Mike Thompson, N491M. They were taken during the Great Mississippi River Balloon Race held earlier this month in Natchez, MI.

Mike thought it would be a good time and place for Mite owners in the southern States to get together.

We are pleased that Bruce Brown, N119C, his wife Nancy and daughters came, and that Mite enthusiasts John Humphreys, N389A and his wife Linda, and Charles Yates also joined Mike.

2016-10-27

Mike Thompson, N491M reports that so far four Mites are committed to attending the fly-in he is organizing at Natchez, MS (October 14 - 16): Woody Gillespie N383A, Bruce Brown N119C, Chuck Lewis N4104, and himself. Needless to say, Mike encourages any other Mite owners in the area to let him know if they think they can make it.

Mike also sent us a photo of Woody Gillespie who had just completed his first cross country to Natchez after a long rebuild (it was quite an adventure, we hear). The other one was taken outside Mike's hangar at Concordia Airport at Vidalia, LA just across the Mississippi from Natchez. (Attendees please note that they will have hangar space at both locations).

2016-10-01

FLY-IN NOTICE:

We are planning on having a Mooney Mite fly-in this October 14-15-16th in Natchez, Mississippi. This is also the time of the Natchez Great Mississippi River Balloon Race and there will be lots of things for everyone to see and do. Bring your camera. If you go on the Natchez Great Mississippi River Balloon Race web site, it will give you a list of activities. If someone wants to attend they need to get a hotel or motel reservation soon, as the rooms fill up this time of year. We will plan Mooney Mite activities as soon as we find out how many are planning to come to Natchez. I would appreciate it if you could let me know if you plan to attend. If you need information, contact me:

Mike Thompson, N491M
115 Woodhaven Dr.
Natchez, MS 39120
mooneymite51@gmail.com
cell 601-334-0317

2016-07-19

Medical Reform Becomes Law. From AOPA: "President Barack Obama on July 15 signed third class medical reforms into law."

2016-07-15

Thanks to Woody Gillespie for sending us a link to news from AOPA about recent developments on the Third Class Medical Reform. You may also read our version of the article here.

2016-07-15

Here are some photos from the Heber Springs, AR gathering of last month. Hopefully, there will be more to come.

2016-05-07

We've received a set of photos and an update from Boyd Maddox about the "Naked Mite." And good news: he may have acquired a Continental engine and Beech Roby prop that he needs for the static display.

2016-04-30

Here's a report from Woody Gillespie, N383A about the recently held fly-in at Heber Springs, AR:

"We had a really nice day for the fly in! We sure needed more Mites but Chuck Lewis (N4104) and J.D. Slack (N4154) showed up even though Chuck did not bring his Mite. J.D. made a real effort to come with his beautiful restored Mite!

"There was a good band that everyone enjoyed and made for a lively event. The big thing was a car show with about 75 restored cars there with trophies given out. The AFF plane did not create the funds we wanted but the plane attracted a lot of attention and questions.

"There was a Breezy plane there giving rides and a line waiting for their free ride. Things began slowing down as the band quit playing. There was two food vendors with the best hamburgers I think I ever eaten, then there was a pulled pork place with a line waiting for food all day! Everyone we talked with Said they had a real good time and we had some of the AFF people there also. All in all we had approximately 2 thousand people show up....

"Pictures will come later and yes — I will have another fly in with Mites and antique planes, a band and cooking barbecue at the airport with a laid back setting!!

"Woody."

We were sorry to learn that Mike Thompson, N491M did not attend due to a sudden and unexpected medical situation."

2016-04-24

We're pleased to see a spike in Mite activity in the South. Mike Thompson, N491M, recently arrived back home in Natchez, MS from a visit to Sun 'n Fun in Florida this past week. Here is his report:

"I made it back yesterday afternoon. Put in 11.3 hrs of which 5.4 was going at 5,500 feet, at 2,200 rpm and 22 inches for 122 mph, and 5.9 coming back at 2,300 rpm and 22 inches at 4,500 feet for 112 mph. I made one stop going and three coming back. The headwinds coming back slowed me down a bit. Coming back after about half of the distance I dropped down to about 2,000 and had to make a fuel stop. Attached is a photo taken by Wade Shealy at Sun 'n Fun. Had a good time and met lots of people."

We understand that Mike's newly rebuilt 1951 M-18C will put in an appearance at the Fly-in at Heber Springs, AR on the 23rd of this month. Don't forget to check it out if you're in the neighbourhood.

2016-04-09

Note to WAMM members:

We’ve had word from WAMM president, Ed Mandibles, that he will not be able to host the Fly-in at Lompoc, CA this year.

For that reason, we are calling for WAMM members to suggest when and where a gathering (or gatherings) could be held this year. Since moving to Lompoc, the annual Fly-Ins have been held in October, but other times are certainly available.

If a member or members would volunteer step in to organize and/or host an event, that would be great. The Mite Site is here to help.

2016-04-03

Last summer, Rob Rabideau of Port Orange, FL sent us a photo of N3199K, which we published.

In his email, Rob mentioned that he had a back issue of Trade-A-Plane which featured an aerial photo of Mite #1 that his dad, Bob Rabideau, had submitted to the paper. Well, Rob has located the issue and kindly sent us an image. It can be seen at the bottom of our article on Mite #1.

2016-03-17

For those of you located in the Southeast part of the USA, Woody Gillespie and friends offer you an opportunity to get together and swap stories with other Mite owners, as well as well as enjoy a lot of good eats and activities:

Fly-In on April 23rd at Heber Springs, Arkansas.
4000 ft lighted, hard surface runway.
Live bands, food, airplane games, aerobatic demo, car show and over 100 vendors for a craft fair.
Some hanger space for overnight stay.
We need Mites!

2016-03-13

Here is a photo of Woody Gillespie's N383A ready to go after a major rebuild. It was taken last January at HBZ, Heber Springs, Arkansas where it is based.

Last fall, Woody discovered that the wings and tail were too heavy. The airplane had to be torn down for the second time and two layers of plywood were removed from the wing as well as the tail The plane was rebuilt according to the plans and flies like a new plane with Becker radio and S-mode transponder installed.

Woody has trips planned to Florida and to the Antique Airplane Association fly-in this coming fall.

Referring back to our news item from last July, he'd like to hear from you and can be reached at classic_tours@sbcglobal.net

2016-03-09

Boyd Maddox, N352A, would like some help with an important project.

He is putting together an M18C-55 that has historical significance. It was the last Mite off the assembly line, and was neither sold nor licenced by the Mooney factory. It will be a "Naked" airplane (not covered or painted so you can see how it was made).

Boyd will donate it to Mooney, and it will be hung in the Rotunda (as you enter) of the new Mooney Factory Museum.

Boyd has everything he needs for the project except an engine. He is looking for a non-working Continental C65-12 (or -8). It doesn't need to have a crank or a camshaft.

If anyone can donate an old junk engine, please contact Boyd, or spread the word.

2016-01-04

Hoping that you will have many hours of pleasant flying in this New Year, we ask that you make a donation to help defray the never-ending cost of maintaining the Mite Site. We try to make it as painless as possible.

2016-01-02

We have received word from Jaime Colvin that his Mite arrived safely at Santiago, Chile yesterday, December 31st. We understand there were no problems with either shipping or customs clearance. The Mite has received its new Chilean ident, CC-ASM, from the DGAC. We will add Jaime's latest photos to the report we published on December 9th (below). We are looking forward to hearing about Jaime's adventures with his new airplane.

2016-01-01

David Favrholdt has sold Ben Favrholdt's N66MX, a 1950 M-18C, to Jaime Colvin of Santiago, Chile.

During the last week of November, David met Jaime and his son, Phillip, at the hangar in Porterville to dismantle and load the Mite into a container for shipping to South America via Long Beach.

This is a special occasion! If you'd like to see photos of the operation, click on this link.

We're looking forward to hearing from Jaime that the Mite has arrived safely, as well as learning what the new Chilean aircraft ident number will be.

2015-12-09

Thanks to David Favrholdt and Doug Triplat, the report from the WAMM Lompoc Fly-In is now available for viewing.

2015-10-20

Six years ago, Jon Slack of Kingwood, TX, bought N4154 from Frank Noble of Pasadena, CA. Jon just informed us that the Mite is back in the air and has sent photos to prove it.

Jon gives a big thanks to Paul Workman at Bedrock Aero for his work on the spar.

Here's a toast to those like Jon and Paul who are keeping the Mites flying!

2015-10-01

We welcome Chuck Lewis of Newalla, OK to the Mite community. Chuck is now the owner of N4104, an M-18L which was owned for many years by Sam Gagian of Lemon Grove, CA. Chuck says the Mite will be based at Twin Lakes Pvt. (2OK2).

2015-09-26

This is a reminder that the WAMM Fly-In at Lompoc, CA will be happening in less than three weeks (October 9 - 11). If you plan to attend, please send a note to us here at the Mite Site. Hope you can make it!

2015-09-20

If you are looking for a nice item to show your pride as a Mite owner or enthusiast, have a look at the caps that Hugh Rawls, N4070, is offering for sale.

2015-08-11

Yesterday, Gil Gilbert received the first of three notes from his friend, Brian Lee. Brian's son, Jonathan Lee is at Oshkosh with N4121.

"Jonathan put 4121 on the flight line today. It's the only Mooney Mite at OSH. He says there are crowds around it all the time, and everyone wants to talk. He met several people who know you!

"Tomorrow, they're going to move him to the showcase spot right in front of the Vintage building, and want him to participate in the Vintage Review, making it a "headline airplane". Way cool."

See the other reports by Brian by clicking here.

2015-07-22

Woody Gillespie and his Mite, N383A, are taking part in a special project. In order to support wounded war veterans in Arkansas, he is prepared to fly his specially restored airplane to fly-ins and other gatherings in order to raise money for the "Arkansas Freedom Fund", a non-profit, all volunteer organization.

For further details and to invite Woody to attend your event in return for a donation call him at 501-362-5354, or email classic_tours@sbcglobal.net

2015-07-13

Drew Jenkins from the North Cascades Vintage Aircraft Museum has generously provided us with material from his blog about flying a Mite for the first time.

We'll take this opportunity to remind you that the Museum's annual fly-in will be happening on July 24-26. We highly recommend it.

2015-07-01

Stories about Mite No. 1 (N3199K) keep popping up. We've just had an email from Rob Rabideau of Port Orange, Florida who used to clean the bottom of the Mite for pin money back in the '70s. You can see the full anecdote here.

2015-06-06

There are several new Mite owners since last summer. If you are one of them and you haven't touched base with the Mite Site yet, we would sure like to hear from you via email. On the Register, the names in capital letters are owners we have not yet heard from.

2015-05-14

The turnout in Porterville to remember Ben Favrholdt was modest, but we had a good time. It seems like a long time between fly-ins when we only have one a year (October), so it was a pleasure to see our WAMM friends sooner than that.

Here are the fellows that turned up, in alphabetical order: Don Deaton, David Favrholdt, Michael Harms, Scott Lewis, Mike Magnani, Ed Mandibles, Dave Rutherford, and Doug Triplet.

2015-04-26

In case you are still kicking yourself for missing out on the bargains that were for sale from the Ray Allen Collection of '55 Mites and Mite parts a few years ago, you now have a second chance. Mike Gossett, N4181, of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho bought much of the Collection, but is now forced to sell it again due to health issues. See the ad on our Buy & Sell page under Miscellaneous.

2015-04-14

Next month there will be a one-day gathering of WAMM members and friends at Porterville, CA to recognize the loss of our good friend Ben Favrholdt. Taking time out of his busy schedule, David Favrholdt will welcome those of you who can drop by Ben's hangar at PTV any time during the day of Wednesday, April 22nd. It would be good to see you there.

2015-03-24

Taking over from Porterville, California, Concrete, Washington now has the largest collection of M-18s based at one location, as far as we know. There are four (well, three and a half) Mites at the North Cascades Vintage Aircraft Museum in Concrete, where Jim Jenkins and friends happen to put on a great little fly-in. This year it'll be on the weekend of July 24th. Hope to see you there.

2015-03-24

WAMM member, David Favrholdt regrets to announce that his uncle, Ben Favrholdt of Porterville, CA passed away on March 1st at the age of 88.

Ben was a dedicated Mite owner, a founding member and past president of WAMM, and a major contributor towards the creation of the Mite Site. He will be sadly missed.

2015-03-07

Good news from Satsuma, FL. Hugh Rawls, who bought N4070 from the estate of Merlin Peay of Albuquerque, NM last summer has the Mite back in the air again after a nine-year hiatus. Congratulations, Hugh!

Hugh says it was a big hit at the recent fly-in at Palatka Municipal Airport where the Mite is based.

2015-02-22

We'd like to welcome another new owner to the Mite Community. AJ Larson of Playa Del Rey, California has recently purchased N4088 from Gerald O'Leary.

The Mite will be based at Santa Monica (KSMO). AJ hopes to have the Mite back in annual by the middle of March. It'll be good to see N4088 back in the air after such a long rest.

Congratulations, AJ, and we hope you'll be able to join Scott Lewis and Bob Katz for the flight up to Lompoc for our next WAMM gathering.

2015-02-12

As promised, Don Winfree of Accurate Original Designs LLC in Cresson, TX is now offering rebuilt Lycoming O-145 engines and is celebrating the event by auctioning a brand new Lycoming engine. He has provided an update to his ad and new photos.

2015-02-01

Another Mite has been passed to a younger generation owner. Jonathan Lee of McGuire AFB, NJ has bought N4121 from Gil Gilbert of Kent, WA.

Jonathan took his inaugural flight at Crest Airpark south of Seattle on December 12th and made the decision to purchase shortly afterwards.

Incidentally, Jonathan is the son of Brian Lee, who partnered with Gil in a Piper Arrow for many years.

N4121 will continue to stay at Crest until Jonathan can fly it home, possibly in the spring.

Welcome to the Mite Community, Jonathan!

2015-01-22

Over a period of five years, Jon Slack has made good progress with the rebuild of N4154, a 1954 M-18C. See our report here. He considers himself fortunate to have had the benefit of technical information from Gil Gilbert, and Paul Workman's woodworking skills in repairing the wing. The Mite is now back in Jon's hangar in Bonfield, Illinois, where he has been doing the painting. It will undergo final assembly when the weather warms up. Jon hopes to have the Mite in the air next summer.

2014-12-12

Our report from the October, 2014WAMM Fly-In at Lompoc, CA is now available for viewing.

2014-10-23

We have learned that N339M has been purchased by partners, Loren Bench and Gil Gagne, and will be based out of KAPV in Apple Valley, California. N339M was one of two Mites owned by long-time WAMM member, Ernie Buenting, who suffered a severe stroke a few years ago. We understand Ernie and his wife Everell are moving to Nevada. Ernie's other Mite, N496M (the green one), will go to his son, John, in North Carolina. The partners are planning some minor repairs to their new Mite and have already joined MiteTalk. Welcome to the Mite Community, Loren and Gil!

2014-10-21

Don Winfree of Accurate Original Designs LLC in Cresson, TX has informed us he will be opening a Lycoming O-145 business after January 1st, 2015. He will be rebuilding and selling these engines as well as purchasing any large quantity of parts (see our ad). As a promotion, he will offer a 1930s vintage, never-been-run O-145 engine for sale. Contact Don if you would like to be notified when this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity becomes available. Spread the word.

2014-10-07

We welcome Hugh Rawls of Satsuma, FL to the Mite Community. Hugh recently purchased N4070 from the estate of Merlin Peay of Albuquerque, NM. Merlin, who passed away last year, had owned the Mite for fifty years! The sale was handled by his friend, Mark Pritchett.

2014-09-25

Glen Brodeur of Putnam, CT has asked for help from the Mite Site and/or any Mite owners who have an M-18L.

He would like to know if either one of these two Lycoming exhaust systems is from a Mooney Mite. He thinks the other one may be from a Piper aircraft.

If you have any comments or think you can help, please contact him atmidniteflyer52@aol.com

2014-08-31

Dan Shumaker, N4142, reports:

"I finally got my Mite back in the air last month. It had been patiently waiting in the hangar for years. I had forgotten how much fun it is.

"Last April while I was out flying the PA-12, Google Earth took a photo of my Mite just outside of my hangar."

2014-08-14

Following up our News item of 2014-05-06, here's a link to Woody Gillespie's website showing the progress of the rebuild of N383A. The job is well underway.

2014-05-19

We've received a nice letter and photos from Richard Irish of Edmond, OK about his experience with N612C way back in the 1950's

2014-05-18

Woody Gillespie, N383A, would like to know if anyone is interested in attending a Friday to Sunday Mite fly-in at Searcy in central Arkansas. It would be held either next Fall or in the Spring of 2015.

Woody says they are at about 3000 ft., at the highest point in the Ozark mountains so it's just interesting flying. There is a 6000 ft. runway with plenty of hangers. It has a laid-back, easy living style with a lot of people from California and Chicago. A 40,000-acre lake with four world record fish caught is not far away.

Searcy is well set up with motels and restaurants. There is a hangar for a base. Other aircraft such as Culvers will be invited. A certain minimum of visitors will be required. Woody is familiar with hosting similar gatherings. He envisions flying events, category trophies for visiting aircraft, and a cook-out with an evening of live music. Sounds good to me!

A good show of support is necessary. If you are interested, please contact Woody via classic_tours@sbcglobal.net

2014-05-17

Due to the efforts of Mark Belton, N612C, we can provide pages from the 1952 Goodyear Parts Catalog showing the part numbers of original Mite wheels and brakes.

2014-05-16

After a two thousand mile round trip, the fuselage of Woody Gillespie's N383A is in the shop in Tumbling Shoals, AR.  Next month he’ll go back to Florida get the wing.

Woody reports that he made a new friend of John DeCrescenzo from whom he bought the Mite.  John, who lives next to a 3200 grass strip in Live Oak, FL, had N383A only a short time after buying it last year from Carl Wolff of Fort Myers, FL.

Woody says John was a great host and worked all day getting the trailer ready with new lights. Woody now has a place to stay when he goes down for the wing. It was a long trip but very rewarding and he could not have enjoyed it more!

2014-05-06

Mark Belton of Eugene, Oregon recently purchased N612C from Le Selting of Wilcox, Arizona. Just as Le had done 14 years ago, Mark and his son Henry loaded the Mite on a trailer and towed it home. The trip to Eugene took 33 hours using alternate routes to find better roads and less traffic. They hit some hot weather, snow, rain and hail. However the Mite made it the without any apparent damage.

It was almost a year ago that Mark first contacted a friend of Le's about buying the Mite. During this time, Le’s health was failing. Sadly, Mark learned from Le’s wife that he had passed away the day Mark arrived home.

Mark will now finish the restoration. Le did mostly the wood and covering, so Mark is left with mainly mechanical work, such as wiring, brakes, cables, etc. It’s nice to think that, by bringing N612C back to life, Mark will be honouring Le in a way.

We are looking forward to receiving a complete writeup of the trek from Mark some time in the near future. Welcome to the Mite Community, Mark!

2014-05-04

WAMM member David Favrholdt of Richmond, BC has just returned from a trip to Los Angeles, as well as points east and north of there, including Lake Elsinore, Palm Springs and Porterville.

David reports that WAMM founder Tony Terrigno is in surprisingly good health and keeping active. Now in his 90s and living in Indio, CA, Tony puts in two shifts a week as a volunteer guide at the Air Museum in Palm Springs where he gave David a tour.

David also dropped in to see Dave Mazzola's nice setup in Lake Elsinore, CA. From his back yard, Dave can see the local airport where he keeps his Mite, N380A.

Of course, David spent time with his uncle Ben Favrholdt, N66MX in Porterville. Ben is still his old self, and although he is no longer flying or spending time working in his hangar, he still occasionally gets out to visit friends at PTV.

2014-05-03

We welcome Woody Gillespie of Tumbling Shoals, AR to the Mooney Mite Community. Woody has purchased N383A, a 1949 M-18L. Previously, this airplane was owned but not flown for many years by Carl Wolff of Fort Myers, FL. Woody says the engine runs okay, but plans to give the airplane a thorough annual, replacing the fabric if necessary. He also owns a Culver, another Mooney airplane. You can see his Culver project on his website. We'll be looking to see the Mite there as well some time soon.

2014-04-05

Thanks to Bruce Brown, the current owner of N119C, and Mark Belton, N612C, we are able to make available information about the installation of an electrical system which was designed and installed in an M-18L (N119C) by Garry Gramman in 1993. The Form 337 and supporting documents can be downloaded from our Maintenance page.

2014-04-02

Last year, Mike Thompson of Natchez, MS purchased N491M, a 1951 M-18C, from David Bray. Mike reports that he is currently rebuilding the Mite's cowling andnose bowl, and has learned how to operate an english wheel in the process. Mike also sent in some photos to share.

We are always pleased to receive photos as well as updates on your Mites.

2014-03-20

In regard to the supply of Mite parts, there are some developments to report. Firstly, Paul Workman, N4138, of Zanesville, OH now has three complete sets of Mite gear donuts. They are original type, with new rubber moulded and vulcanized to the original metal base washer. Cost for a set of six is now $855.00 USD plus shipping, or $160.00 each plus shipping if sold in quantity less than six pieces.

Secondly, Paul would like to find a buyer for his full inventory of Mite parts, which he purchased from Mite guru, Fred Schmidt. Paul's contact information is in his ad posted on our Buy & Sell page. Unfortunately, his workload at Bedrock Aero is too heavy to allow him to continue dealing in Mite parts. He hopes that someone will be interested in acquiring these parts and continuing to supply them to the Mite fleet. He has a basic inventory list available if someone is interested.

Thirdly, it looks like it's too late to get a good deal on Ray Allen's three M18-55 projects. We've been told that Ray's inventory, including three zero SMOH A65-12 engines, is headed to a salvage company in Mesa, AZ.

2014-01-31

If you often read the Mite Site on an iPad (iOS7), we suggest you put our icon on your home screen as a convenient short cut. Here's how: while reading this on your iPad's Safari, on the toolbar tap the Send icon (like 1 below) and then choose the Add to Home Screen icon (like 2 below). Edit the caption if you wish, then hit Return, and our Mite icon should appear on your screen.

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2014-01-14

Last week Dan Shumaker, N4142, was in Washington, DC and of went to the NASM, of course.

He sent us this photo of himself with the NASM's Mooney M18C (N3199K) and Piper PA-12, of which he is also an owner.

You too can see Mite Number One when you visit the Udvar-Hazy Centre near the Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, Virginia.

Visit Dan's hangar at www.shu-aero.com

2014-01-11

It's always a pleasure to hear from a new owner enjoying his Mite. Cliff Tatum of Santa Monica sent it this nice photo showing himself in N4159 at Bridgeport, TX last week.

In the same email, Cliff expressed his appreciation at having received much technical assistance from Keith Mackey, N4159.

As we noted earlier, Cliff purchased his airplane, N4055, just last November from Brock Chisum of Texas.

2014-01-10

Tony and Larry Terrigno (father and son) had an association with Mooney Mites going back to the early 1970s, when its owner at the time flew N118C down to Southern California from Idaho for the Terrignos to have a look-see. They fell in love with the Mite, and bought her.

Here's the story about their first Mite, an M-18L, s/n 79, as related by Larry.

2014-01-08

We have received new material about N3199K (Mite #1) for you to look at. Harold Carter of Snellville, GA has provided us with something special: copies of his pilot log pages from late 1969 and early 1970 with entries showing he had the pleasure of flying N3199K at Peachtree-DeKalb Airport in Atlanta when it was owned by Jim King, Jr.

Better yet, Harold has included a journal recounting his first experience with retractable gear and subsequent flights. In an entertaining way, it enlarges upon the necessarily brief entries in his log book. All this is linked at the bottom of this page.

2014-01-07

Time-sensitive news flash: This week, Scott Royall, N4172, will be spending a full day in the NASM archives in Washington, DC. As you may know, the Museum has a lot of original Mite material, including engineering drawings. Scott would be glad to look for material on behalf of any Mite owners who can't go there for themselves.

If you want to take advantage of this opportunity, please submit your request directly to Scott via email at scottwroyall@gmail.comby 8 A.M. eastern time on Wednesday, January 8th.

Sorry for the short notice. Please spread the word.

2014-01-06

David Maitland of Culpeper, VA reports that his Mite, N125C, has just finished its annual and all is good. David also sent us an unusual pair of aerial photos: one of his friend's L-16, taken from his Mite, and one of N125C taken by his buddy from the L-16 on the same flight.

2014-01-05