WaynePierce

I too went from a Cherokee (180) to a J model. I too went through AllAmericanAircraft. I too got my transition training from David but Jimmy was my sales guy. Can't compliment them enough. I found my plane from an email that Jimmy sends out to alert interested parties that one is coming in soon. The thing you will notice on the Mooney as opposed to the Piper is landing speed is crucial, you have to hit the numbers. If you're fast and at a shortish field, you will probably be going around. I still haven't nailed down the site picture and start my round out and flare at probably 4 to 6 feet, i wish that were inches I'll also agree with making sure it is ADS-B compliant when you purchase. Mine was not and I purchased end of last year and I'm currently having problems getting a shop to install. I'm in a Class D, under a Class B so I'm starting to be concerned about getting compliant in time.

The seal is on the very bottom of the door, near the center, there is a strip about 8 inches long that pushes outside the door by about a half inch. No latching mechanisms in this area. This door only has a pin near the bottom of the door on the side and the clam shell clamp at the center top.

A lot of good information in this thread, thank you all. I looked at the diagram of the door in the Owners Manual, what a terrible copy that was... copy of a copy of a copy from back in the mid 80's. I went to the airport yesterday and applied some of the above suggestions and no joy. Then I moved to in front of the wing to open the handle and try to push some of the rubber seal that normally stick out of the door when closed on this plane and the door opened. I don't think I had moved the seal so that wasn't it. I got back in the plane and worked the interior door handle and observed the clam shells and they both moved an adequate amount for my untrained eye to think it should work. The pin at the bottom of the door was activating as well so I shut the door (I had opened the storage compartment and left that door open... just in case) latched the door, said a little prayer, then pulled the handle. The door opened just fine. I got out of the plane and the door still worked. Strange series of events but it seems everything is now back to normal. Thank you all for your guidance and suggestions.

Ok, here's a strange one. I went out to the airport this evening to retrieve a power chord from my plane and I can't get in. I unlock it and pull the handle and the lower latch seems to release just fine, but the upper latch won't release. I tried pulling on the handle and tapping around where I believe the upper latch is located and it won't release. There are some stress points around the top left side where it looks like it may have happened to a previous owner but nothing works for me. Any ideas? 1985 M20J SE.

It is.

The transition hours have been signed off 6 months ago. I'll check in to the subrogation coverage when the Insurance representative responds to my inquiry.

So, I've started working on my Instrument Rating. Well at least the Ground School portion of it, and I'm in search of an independent CFI-I, no joy yet but haven't tied real hard. I got to thinking of my insurance policy and the line included for the hours I had to fly with a transition pilot: "Any pilot holding an FAA Private or Commercial Pilot Certificate with FAA Instrument Rating who has logged a minimum of 500 hours as Pilot in Command, at least 100 hours of which have been logged in retractable gear aircraft and at least 10 hours of which have been logged in a(n) Mooney Mark 20 Series Aircraft." I've got a query in with the Insurance Company with the same questions so I'm not just asking a bunch of Mooneyiacs for advice, but rather what have you experienced? I know it's hard to believe but Mooney's aren't real common in these parts and finding a CFI-I with Mooney hours may be difficult, especially if I have to go to a school to look for an instructor that is just trying to get into big iron...(and probably looks like a 14 year old :-)

Thank you all for the guidance and suggestions.

1985 J with pretty much original cloth seats. They look great but after about 2 or 3 hours you realize they are not your recliner... :-) About how much do I need to budget to have the seats re upholstered? Who does them or do you use any aircraft re-upholstering company. My seats are fully reclining and they are height adjustable, this is a SE 201.

I recently purchased the King's "Get it All" kit for IFR. They have updated it in places so Mrs. King goes from middle aged to our age in an edit, kind of funny but the information is still relevant. I'll slug through that for a while and see where I get.

Thank you all for the encouragement and guidance. Sounds like I have my work cut ou even before my work really begins!

Now that I have a plane capable of great IFR work, I'm interested in re-starting my IFR training. Have any of you started your IFR training over 60? How did you accomplish it? I bought the King Course and have done ok with it but I was curious if being older there is a better way... Maybe something like Advanced or another "accelerated" type schools where they come to you. IFR in 10 days or less. Hah! I was working on my IFR 10 years ago and had taken the written and passed with an embarrassing 71, but soldiered on and was ready to take the actual flying portion when diagnosed with Colo-Rectal Cancer. After getting that taken care of my written was no longer valid. I decided I didn't want to fly my Cherokee in that kind of weather so I just dropped it. Now, I'd love to be able to climb through a coastal layer or thin layer to get on top and go... I still don't want to fly in bad weather, I just don't want to be hindered by a thin layer.

Thank you to Neil Cohen for inviting me along! I had a great time as well, I was impressed with the number of planes that showed up, even though I didn't bring mine. I could have... all the squawks have been taken care of I just need to get her in the air. What a great bunch of folks. (that I won't remember their names :-)

I agree with a lot of that, the other real concern in mine is the dual magneto. If one starts throwing teeth it most assuredly with throw them in the direction of the other mag. If I lose one chances are good I lose the other post haste.

I don’t think it was, but why?