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Long Range M20J


dsking001

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Well, I tested out my bladder this weekend flying from Las Vegas (KVGT) to San Antonio (KCVB) in my '84 M20J (N5759B). My overall route was 945 NM and we made the trip nonstop. One would think that I must have had a great tailwind. However, this never seems to be the case for me. I can fly a 360 degree circle and find a headwind the whole time. So, my secret to success was 11,000 MSL, ~151 KTAS, and 8.6 gph. It was pretty cool to be able to fly the entire trip without a fuel stop. My total flight time 6:14:13. Yep, that is the longest nonstop flight I've ever made in the Mooney.

 

Hope y'all enjoy the few pics.

 

-Dan

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How much fuel did you have on board when landing?  Great job!  Washing climb and decent, that's 53.75 gallons at 8.6 per hour.  So, 5-6 gallons left on board with 60 gallon tanks?  

 

Did you run one tank dry to keep as much in the other as possible for the landing?

 

Just learning technique if I ever am too low on fuel.

 

-Seth

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So here is a little more data on how I set this trip up:

 

I wish I would have taken some pictures of the Aspen Evolution along the way. The winds were mostly 240/30 for most of the trip. My ground speed was around 145 KTS for the first half and 155 KTS for the second. I cruised at 11,000' MSL for most of the flight. The OAT was +1 to +3 deg C. The altimeter setting was averaged around 30.01".

 

My power was set to WOT, 2500 RPM, ~19" MP, and about 20 deg LOP. The EGT was a little difficult to set but my temp gauge read about 1290 deg F. (Keep in mind EGTs are different between airplanes due to multiple factors e.g. where the temp probe is, etc.) If I tried to lean it any more the engine would start to run rough and airspeed would drop off.

 

My M20J has 64 gal usable and I had 9 gal left when I landed. I used the right tank for the climb out and the first 30 minutes of flight. I then burned the left tank until it was empty. FYI, this is not how I usually fuel manage. I typically burn the climb out and first 30 minutes on one tank, burn 60 minutes out of the other, then alternate every 30 minutes there after. This keeps a pretty balanced fuel load. However, for this trip I burned the left tank empty to know exactly what my fuel burn was. My fuel gauges are pretty accurate and the sight gauge on the wings usually match the inside gauge, but I never trust them with my life. Maybe I've spent too much time flying a Cessna cross country. Burning a tank empty can be a topic of debate at times and I'll let y'all debate the pros/cons. This is not a normal practice of mine in the Mooney. I do usually burn the aux tank empty in the Comanche 250. This has never been a problem for me. I simply watch the fuel px gauge like a hawk when I suspect it is about to run dry. Usually it runs dry in the middle of a frequency change with ATC and scares the hell out of me. But this time I caught it perfectly. As soon as the px gauge started to drop I switched tanks and kicked the boost on for a second or two. I now know exactly what my fuel burn is and what I can expect from the other tank. About 8.6 gph. 

 

Hope this answers some questions.

 

Cheers,

Dan

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A couple years ago I did this trip. 780 NM / 39.5 gallons. 6:03 flight time. Flew the whole thing at 2000'-2500'', pulled back to 24"/2450 RPM and 15 LOP. Average FF was 6.8. LOP takeoff the whole thing. I would have preferred to fly faster but we only have a 54 gallon airplane.

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Bob, No doubt about it, that long of a flight does a number on you. Gold Bond is my friend. Lol

Jetdriver, that's a heck of a trip too. I am starting to plan out my trip to the Bahamas. I cannot wait to make another long crosscountry. I have a buddy that's done it twice in his Dakota. I think the Mooney is a little faster.

I love my Mooney.

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