MOA LINKS

Researching the Net for useful aviation links can be time consuming, frustrating, and filled with lots of dead ends. We web head Mooniacs* at MOA have researched several Net savvy publications (such as John Merry's 200 Best Aviation Sites), AOPA, American Bonanza Society, our MOA Board of Directors www experiences, and reviewed countless suggestions from fellow Web Head Mooniacs.
*The term Mooniac is used with permission from Coy Jacob who coined it in his book "THE BACKWARDS TAILS" and who lays claim to this James Thurberish term for die hard Mooney enthusiasts .

The FAA's "Get Out Of Jail" Free Card....
If you ever "ding" your Mooney, aggravate ATC somehow, or do something you wish the FAA wouldn't ever hear about.....you had better know all about the hard to find, "NASA ARC 227B Incident Reporting Form".
While we hope you will never have to use it, as a MOA Membership benefit we have included it here. Check it out....It is hard to find anyplace else on the net...and when you need it, you will really need it!

What follows is a huge assembly of perhaps the most useful Mooney pilot Net Links located anyplace on the Internet and much of the information contained in most of these sites MOA provides here is highly useful, if not nearly absolutely mandatory in assisting you in the enjoyment, flying, care and feeding of your Mooney. Rather than just offer a dry list, we have taken time to (humorously?) summarize the contents to aid in reducing your Net Frustration Factor (NFF).

The Weather Links we offer here are comprehensive, especially meaningful, timely, and nearly invaluable to most any Mooney owner embarking on his/her aeronautical expeditions. Don't forget about Fly-Guide when checking weather.

Mooney Owners:

Check out our "Who's Who" of Mooney Manufactures, Suppliers, and Service Providers. Our "Hot Link" Index is the most complete index of anyone who has a product or service especially directed toward Mooney aircraft. Many are had to find STC holders and smaller manufactures who just may have goodies you will be drooling over.....

Mooney Pilot Internet Resources, Directories,
And "Official" U.S. Government Internet Sources
(Including "Searchable" Databases and Govt. Directories etc.)

FAA Office of Accident Investigation: This is the specific section (within the FAA's Big Momma Site) where preliminary accident/incident reports which happened within the last 10 days (or so) are reported. Very interesting and broken down into dates and types of aircraft (including M20's.). Worth looking at every week or so. Remember; learn from others mistakes so you do not have to repeat them....

Mooney Aircraft Co.: The birthing place (manufacturer) of our fine line of M20 Magic Carpets. A good site with excellent photos and current M20 model descriptions etc.

NTSB's List of Aviation Accidents/Incidents: NTSB's Accident Synopses of all G/A accidents since 1983. This database is accessible via months and aircraft types. Lean from others mistakes. Interesting reading especially if you learn to "read between the lines".

FAA's Home Page and Directory: Just what it says it is. This is where the FAA lives and breathes everyday on the Net. Their site even has a directory and is fairly user friendly. After all, aren't they are commonly called the; Friendly Aviation Assn......

FCC's Aircraft Radio Station License Section: There used to be a link, but as of 1996 the FCC no longer requires Aircraft Radio Station License for aircraft that remain in US territory. Go to FCC.com for more info.

Federal Govt. "Web Locator": If it concerns the Feds and they have a presence on the Web, you can search for (and find) them here. Virtually every Federal Agency is listed and "How to find them on the Web" stuff is suppose to be here. I even found the Secrete Service and the White House Admin. Who knows who isn't here? The NTSB and FAA certainly are.....

Office of Aviation and Airline Information: Just what it says. These people (the OAI) keep track of "on time", passenger, and freight airline stats as well as compose the "FAA Statistical Handbook of Aviation" etc. Interesting and valuable when determining traffic and marketplace stats etc. For those of you who want to know.....

The FAA's Document Section: Billed on the home page as "What is Hot within the FAA"! This is the special Net nook to locate and print out the FAR's, Advisory Circulars, AD's, NPRN's, Airman Practical Test Standards and nearly every piece of paper a pilot could ever want and need from the FAA. It even is suppose to have the NASA Safety Reporting Form someplace.

The "NASA Form", (NASA ARC Form 227B):
(The FAA's version of their own Get Out of Jail Free Card)

This where we provide you with vital explanatory information, the FAA AC 0049d Circular, and even printable copies of the famous "NASA Reporting Form". Under curtain circumstances proper use of this form can provide you with immunity from fines and FAA enforcement action in the event of an inadvertent FAA infraction, incident, and even accident. This material seems surprisingly hard to find elsewhere and especially just when you may need it the most, so we provide it here for all of our fellow Mooney owners as a courtesy. If you currently aren't a MOA Member, please consider joining MOA now on-line.
Remember, filing of this form is effective only if done within 10 days of the incident in question and proof of filing rests with you. We strongly advise all Mooney pilots to keep copies of this form and instructions with their flight kit or in their Mooneys at all times.
Note: We wish to thank Coy Jacob's Mod Squad/Mooney Mart Complex who has sponsored the reproduction and explanation of this important form here for MOA Members. If you have a favorite aviation link to add to this section, please email us.

The Fed World File Transfer Protocol Search and Retrieve Service: Just what is says it is. This is the site where you can search the Fed Govt. for just about every file they have on the Net. It includes the FAA's Main Directory and Regulatory information. Even the IRS is here. We include it because it is a hard to find " Net Nook" you probably wouldn't find on your own. Knock yourself out!

The Ninety-Nines: The International Organization of Women Pilots. Founded in 1929 by 99 (you always wanted to know, didn't you?) licensed women pilots for the mutual support and advancement of aviation. This fine (and fun) organization has done wonders for aviation and especially women in aviation.

Mooney Aircraft Pilots Assn.: Just what it says; an association of Mooney pilots and Mooney aircraft owners based in San Antonio, TX. We recommend joining and you can find them on-line via Google or your favorite search engine as we have been asked not to provide a "hot link" to them at this time.
Note: Due to a recent complaint by MAPA on a public chat room, MOA regrets that it can no longer offer a "hot link" to MAPA at this time. Furthermore, in order to protect Mooney enthusiasts from an undesirable or offensive web site being accessible via www.mooneyapa.com (as previously reported), and due to the fact that as of 11 AM EST on 12/20/02, MAPA/AMI had failed to re-establish ownership or control over this, their "old" Domain/URL, as of Friday, December 20, 2002, Magna Marketing Inc. has been given ownership and control of this domain. This transfer was initiated from this site's previous owner, Jason Beddow, dba Internet Synapse of Centreville, VA. who was this sit'es owner since 02/04/02. Previous to the 12/20/02 contact, Mr. Beddow or his company were unknown to MOA or Magna Marketing Inc. and we had no contact with them previously in any way whatsoever. This will be in effect until a determination can be reached as to this Domain's rightful use.

Aircraft Owners And Pilots Assn. (AOPA): A truly great G/A resource site, but (wisely) divided into two sections; "Members" and "Non-members". We recommend joining if you aren't already a member so you can use the whole of the site and reap all the other benefits.

Experimental Aircraft Assn. (EAA): A great Oshkosh, WI. based aviation grass roots organization and comprehensive site. Join EAA if you already aren't a member and peruse it's site. The site also includes a EAA calendar of up-coming events and EAA facts about Experimental aircraft etc.

National Aeronautic Association (NAA): These are the folks who govern the World Aviation Records world wide. When you want to break a record, you do so via their and the FAI's (France) joint blessing. Usually, aviation records are termed "NAA/FAI Records" when they are "Official World Records". The site is interesting as they govern most aviation activities from model building to ballooning and even space records. You also can look up who holds what records in aviation (including the author), and even find out how you can get your name in the record books!

While we encourage MOA Members to utilize our Fly-Guide and especially Fly-Guide Wx, many of these WX sites are interesting in their own right besides being astoundingly amazing in detail with features thought imaginary just a few years ago. Several sites even contain "live" Radar and nifty real time local Weather Cams so you can satisfy your primal "see it with your own eyes" instincts before you even get there! We doubt you will find better Weather Links anywhere on the Web

AccuWeather™ Corp.: This is a great commercial WX site as it includes a great Free section which appears to be very pilot orientated in itself, as well as their (fee) Pilot Weather Section. It is on of those "Enter your local City & we will tell you what it is like there" Sites, but it is most useful to pilots as it contains nearly "real time" animated loops of Nexrad Radars, Precips, and various other nifty WX maps. It also has Satellite Images and a special section on Aviation WX; see their left menu as they have a great Pilots Weather Section which is well worth it's nominal monthly subscription.

GTE DUATS Home Page: This is one place where (our) famous DUATS lives and breathes. This site also includes the "How to use DUATS" stuff as well as a "Learn To Fly" section. You can download the new Cirrus Database from here as well as locate over 12,000 Aviation Businesses via their Airbase One's database (your welcome). It is billed as; "GTE's SkyCenteral your Flight Ops Center and Commerce Hub". They even take ads; Mooney has one! Have fun, it is a huge site.

DUAT On the Web by DT Corp.: This is a new web addition web provider to our Free DUAT Access provided by a commercial corp. (Data Transformation Corp.) and is complete with Surface, Doppler Radar, Satellite, and Server Weather, etc. Be prepared for commercials but it offers you the opportunity to file and cancel FAA Flight Plans etc. It needs a DUAT access and ID code, so you need to get registered but it offers a toll free "Help Line" for those of us newbies and/or mouse clumsy Mooniac Web Heads.

The Weather Channel™; Sometimes good aviation weather can be had from the Weather Channel's Site. Its "commercial" and kind of generic, but check it out.

National Weather Service; This is one of the important WX sites which has a healthy aviation grouping, but not necessarily "pretty" weather graphics. You should become familiar with as a Mooney pilot. It has "terminals, & METAR's" etc.

U.S National Weather Service-AWC; (Aviation Weather Center products): This WX site is aviation intensive and comprehensive, professionally presented, and is clearly directed to pilots. All Mooney pilots should become familiar with it as it contains Air/Sig/ Mets as well as Convective SIGMETS, Area Forecasts, Winds, TWEB's, etc. Most importantly, it also has great Satellite "Infra Reds" & "Water Vapors", and GOES 8/10's along with various NWS Radars w/tops " Conv.SIGMETS etc. This is a most useful BIGGIE WX pilot on the go orientated site. Get to know it!

U.S Naval METOC-NMC Forecast Graphics From DIFAX: This site is clearly directed to the professional/military users but also has a "Aviation Significant WX" section. It features 36-58hr SFC/NGM Prog's etc. as well as Extended Range Fcst's. Most useful for pilots.

Aviation Digital Data Service (ADDS): This particular NOAA site is mostly digital (surprise) and contains Air/Sig Mets as well as lots of aviation useful forecasts and hourly observations. At first glance it is sort of like having a FSS teletype machine on your desk.

USA Today™ Aviation Weather: This is quality but a "commercial" site produced by the USA Today News Group. This link however, takes you directly to their Aviation Weather Section. By Clicking on its companion link; "How The Weather Works" Section (admittedly kind of elementary for you weather savvy Mooney pilots), you can learn basic terms on how how weather works and some common WX terminology which helps on all sites and interacting with the FAA/FSS services. Both sections of USA Today™ are worth while for outward bound Mooniac expeditionaries.

Personal Aviation AccuWeather: This is not a free service (except for a 30 day trial), and has an annual fee of $40, but is relatively easy to navigate and has most all the features you would expect from a pay as you go or fee site. Uniquely, it also allows you to "customize" your site to the extent of it having certain region WX functions and/or reports which you would commonly like to see every time you log in. It is one of the best fee or pay for wx sites around and can be most helpful to pilots at (what we consider) a nominal yearly charge.

Intellicast Weather: This is a far above average but "generic" Weather Site (al. la. MS NBC News) for general overview broken down Region by Region or even by City. The excellent graphics, WX almanac, and ski reports will impress your passengers looking over your shoulder, as it is a good starting off point especially if you have been in a cave or submarine for the last few days.

National Center for Atmospheric Research; (NCAR/RAP): This is the Research Applications Program (RAP) of the NCAR which many TV "weather persons" use to formulate their predictions. Now, you can look up the "raw data" as well as professional quality "real time" (or nearly so) excellent pro-quality satellite and radar images commonly used as a basis for TV weather predictions etc. For the most part, this is a professional "insiders or weatheriacs " site but luckily it also has a special "Aviation Section or Aviation Model" area worth your effort and bookmarking.
Beware: This site is as stated however, and slanted for the advanced weather person or meteorological training use.

WeatherNet Radar and Satellite Products: This University of Michigan sponsored site contains the latest Nexrad graphics for specific cities and states via a nifty "hot" linked U.S. Map. You can also specify which Satellites view you wish to examine. This kind of real time information available in your home was only a "dream" to pilots a few short years ago.

WeatherNet Live Local Weather Cams: Ever wish Scotty could "beam" you to your destination so you could just have a look prior to actually flying your Mooney there? I have, plenty of times. This (U of Michigan) site is the next best thing in that you can actually call up approx. 700 (nearly) live cameras across the U.S. (or entire world for that matter) and actually look at the sky and local weather conditions. I am still in awe of this technology and use it when I somehow don't believe the WX maps! It also helps homesickness, or so we hear..... Simply amazing.

Live Weather Images: Just what it says, live weather from all around including Doppler state by state, Weather cams, Satellite Imagery, City by City and regional Doppler radar's. It also includes WX movie loops, and various aviation information. If you want current WX images, this is the place to visit. If a locust plague is coming, there is a good chance this site will tell you about it!

Mark Huber's Weather Site: This guy is a undoubtedly a weatheriac as he actually has two mirrored sites; the main one and a Spare Identical Site if the first link doesn't work! He has an outstanding live Radar and Satellite equipped site as he has wired his site to all those TV Weather guys/gals live WX Radars around the country and in most every major and even not so major cities. The result is more Radar than you can swing a dead cat at. It includes (specializes in) Severe Watches and Warnings but overall, it is not specifically directed towards pilots or aviation. This magnificent (generic) site could be absolutely mandatory viewing for any pilot to examine prior to his aeronautical expeditions in anything less than sound VFR conditions.

Aviation Safety Connection: A site and discussion group(s) focusing on improving aeronautical decision making and pilot judgment. Some interesting and valuable stuff on "why we do what we do" when we are in the cockpit. A must for every serious Mooniac.

The Air Affair Aviation Hot list: Nearly the same thing as a book on "Who's Who" and "Where's Who" in G/A on the Web. This is a Directory of Links for aviation organizations, airports, publications, Government and Regulations, Museums, Aircraft Mfg.'s etc. More stuff and folks than we can mention here.

Aviation Digest: This is a web site of flying clubs, air museums and soaring clubs which publish their activities on the WWW free on this site. Interesting and one of the 200 Best Aviation Sites.

The Southern Aviator Mag.: A forward thinking aviation publisher who "went Web" as well as print. Todd also has some nifty features on this site such as the "Great (Circle) Distance Calculator" which tells you the distance between any two US airports and/or cities when calculating your next Mooney Aeronautical Expedition. I just love it and it settles many a hangar discussion over how far away someplace is.....

Dave English's Collection of Aviation Quotes: An intoxicating site with humor injected ever so often. You will like it. It is our own Ann Landers/Jay Leno in pilots garb. Many quotes so true, they are funny; including several "Last Words". Nearly all are interesting and thought provoking to any pilot, including (or especially) a Mooniac. We loved it and even submitted several. The "Bums on Seats" and "Predictions" stuff is worth the visit alone. Have fun, but this site works best when you are in a reflective sort of mood.

General Aviation News & Flyer: This is an on-line supplement to their print magazine/newspaper. Unlike many others, the vast majority of the print features are presented here. GAN has been along for some time and they have a overall good site.

Business & Commercial Aviation (B/CA): A very good site even if many of the articles are directed toward the "JetA" crowd. Many of the alarms issued about the FAA etc. have originated at B/CA.

Aviation Safety Web Pages: While aviation safety can be somber and sometimes even morbid, those who are aware tend not to commit the same "sins" of those who came before. This site appears to be regularly up-dated and contains a wealth of accidents including airliner stats etc. In fact, new airliner accidents are added within a week or so of the occurrences.

Air & Space Home Page: This is the Net version of their Award Winning (print) magazine; Air & Space which is a joy to read and leave laying around on the coffee table for when a future President is visiting. It's quality of aviation journalism is usually well above reproach and it shows....