golfpilot

If I were to do this flight VFR, I'd fly direct to the mission bay vor then transition montgomery class d for ksee. I would fly 7500 down the state then climb to 11500 across the grape vine and class B then descend as necessary from there. Shouldn't take you a minute over 2:30 startup to shutdown in a M20J

Petaluma has a good little restaurant. Lodi does too but make sure they are open before you fly and watch out for parachuters! My absolute favorite fly-in food spot is at Benton o85 (Redding area). Food is good, cheap, and filling and the people there are really great! Ohhhhhh and how can I forget! Half Moon Bay south transient parking is extremely close to dozens of awesome restaurants right on the water!!

Every time you approach an airport fly an approach and when you leave fly the SID. You need to do everything VFR but it'll be good prep. I also suggest getting a flight simulator. FSX or Xplane is great for practicing approaches. Just set the weather to match what minimums are and fly around!

i could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure an EDM 900 will fit right where the fuel gauges/etc are. You'll need to check all the legal stuff, but I'm pretty sure the can replace, not just supplement, those gauges.

I am getting closer to getting an airplane. The m20k seems to be exactly what I want and my business partner is willing to make it a business purchase making it even more attractive. I'm set on the turbo, I want fast climbs to 11-12k and the ability to go direct (or close to direct) to phoenix and Albuquerque from the bay area a few times a year. Couple of concerns thought maybe a real m20k owner can help with. 1. When I go to Phoenix from the bay area it will usually be with 600 pounds of people and bags, It doesn't look like M20k's can do this with full fuel but the trip, even the long non-oxygen needed way, is only about 600 miles, I think that would mean 60 gallons would be enough and would work. Is it easy to gauge how much fuel is in the tanks? Or is it more of a guess work? 2. older vs newer models. Is there any big difference between a 1981 model and a 1988 model? Are the maintenance costs way different? For me I want a WAAS capable, autopilot equipped plane. I am very good with engine management and making a steady 500fpm descent in the 182RG I fly now, I don't feel like I would be bothered by the 231's added engine management issues. Some of the 231's look really good. Will I likely save in maintenance by getting a newer year than an older year enough to make up the acquisition cost? 3. TKS- How much in costs does this add to maintenance and annuals? SInce it isn't FIKI, i don't feel like much extra cost is really worth it. I often find myself floating around 0c in the NA 182RG if fly now. I'm pretty sure if I could get better speeds up higher I would flirt closer to the freezing temps more. Have 0 interest in cruising in freezing clouds. Opinions on this? Thanks

I stepped away from this for a while and came back to a plethora of posts! I'm still in limbo about making the dive into buying my own ride. The club I am in has two well equipped 182's and when the availability is open the looking stops. When I can't schedule a plane last minute a few times in one month I start looking again. Thanks for all the feedback!

I really like the idea of twins, to a passenger they look and feel like a "Real" Airplane. I think the P2006 is genius, just over priced. If someone can make a twin that can carry 4 people on 14gph and 170knots, while being able to maintain altitude with one engine up to about 7k, I think you would have a winner. Using the Rotax engines is genius because they are cheaper and low fuel burn. I just don't like that it only goes 140. Thats 182 speed, too slow for a twin. Mooney, the king of slick, could be the one to put a 14gph 170 knot twin. It needs to have a competitive price too though. Like under 600. There is alot of innovation going on in the GA world right now, the competition should make such a plane a possibility.

I'm over in Concord, I'll make my way over this week and fly the approaches with a 750 and get back to you if I get the same.

If they could put together a pressurized mooney that has the windows and looks of an acclaim and cost 750k, they would have a winner. If they could put the m22 together 50 years ago, they should be able to build an Acclaim looking version of it today. I can't tell you the amount of times I have seen only 1 or 2 people walk out of a Malibu or P210. Pressurized 4 Seaters are wanted!!! I'd personally like to see Mooney come out with short bodies again. Price it somewhere between a 172 and 182 (400-450k) and they'd be selling them faster than they can make them. I'm by no means in the aircraft building business, but it would seem like you would want to sell your planes at the lowest price you can to get people in the door then sell them parts for the life of the airplane

If you wanted to move to Northern California, I'd partner with you 50/50

Thanks Cliffy. I'm known by my friends as a cheapa**. Thats my budget right now but when I get to it, I'll probably get something cheaper like a c/e/. Both seem to fit my profile really well. I'm making LA trips in a 182RG or a straight leg 182 right now and the 150-160knot speed is pleasing. An extra 20 knots wont save a whole lot of time on that trip. Your right about getting one equipped the way you want, and low/time not flown much not being a good thing..Along with everything else, great advice. If I end up deciding Mooney, which unless I decide suddenly I really don't like them , I think I'd go up to Lampson field. Apparently that is where the LASAR mods creater is or something. I take my club's planes up there every so often and they've got a ton of Mooneys. I'm sure I'll be looking around for a while to find the perfect one. Bob. Thanks for the cost breakdown. I was running it in my head awefully close to that. I was thinking $850 +$90per hour goes into the account each month. Its encouraging to know my numbers are reasonably close.

Beautiful Plane

I step away from the computer for a couple hours and I get a large amount of replies! Even the criticism! Thanks Never have been an aircraft owner I like hearing my budget doesn't sound impossible. As far as the Prius comment goes... I Plug my Car in every night and call Prius drivers "Gas Guzzlers", no Prius party for me. I don't think I would fly over the mountains east often, I dream about flying to Vegas Phoenix and Albuquerque in my own plane but I think that a little out of my league right now and it really wouldn't save time over a southwest flight. Bay area to LA would be the longest and most demanding flight. Requires a climb to 11k. Me and sometimes one other person. the third person falls in that last 10%. Sounds like I need to start looking at planes and grow a pair when the right one comes around

I am currently in a club and am finding myself taking southwest or driving because I can't get the scheduling/ flexibility I need. I am slowly starting to come to the conclusion I need to quit being cheap and get my own plane. I'm not a fan of burning gas for some weird describable reason and I prefer to fly places because it is faster. The Mooney seems to fit on paper. I'm here to get opinions from actual Mooney pilots. I don't want to let go of more than 150k cash upfront and don't want to go over 3-4k a month. A hangar will run me 500 a month. And I project I'll be flying 150 hours a year with my own ride. Majority of my flights are from the bay area to Fresno, Bakersfield, or LA I'd really like a turbo but a bug inside me says don't. Am I out to lunch with these numbers or am I in the ballpark? I have rented bonanzas in the past and really liked them but I fly 95% of my flights with 1 or less passengers and like I said I'm not a huge fan of burning gas. Any opinions remarks or criticism for me? thanks