Hello, Mooninites...
Just some background, and a couple quick questions from an aspiring pilot.
I've always wanted to fly but it wasn't something I was willing to financially entertain when I was younger. Instead, I went with motorcycle roadracing (club level), which was fun, and helpful in learning to calculate probabilities at high velocity... Basically high speed chess with razorblades. It also gave me a great opportunity to learn the mechanics behind everything, since I needed to work on my own machinery to keep it going, so I can do things like rebuild a top end, replace electrical systems, and am in general a competent mechanic, and am able to visualize how things "work".
I am now 40. I have no flight training yet.
As in motorcycles, I understand the notion that too much power is too much and will slow down the ability to achieve mastery. So I have set my sights "lower".
My eventual goal is that I would like a plane which can travel up and down California , which could also land on a hard packed dirt runway in Baja, and can seat 4/carry surfboards, and cruise around 200 mph. So, with that all that said, I wanted some collective advice from people with experience... what is the most cost-effective way to do it quickly and safely? And would a mid-size Mooney a good fit for this?
Does it make sense to buy a lower powered, fixed gear aircraft to start, and hire a CFI independently and then take about 100 hours of training to be proficient in VFR,IFR,HP and complex?
Or is it smarter to take a traditional flight school, use rentals, and then purchase a plane after 50 hours/PPL? (Learning complex, IFR, etc. in my own plane.)
Finally, for a first plane, assuming I would eventually want to pilot an M20J (I appreciate the efficiency/balance of the design, and cruise speed), would it be reasonable to start with a slower low wing such as a Grumman Tiger, or should one just stick with the tried and true 172 to start? Or would it be reasonable to go to an M20J after 100 hours and 'skip' the intermediary plane?
Thanks in advance,
-Troy
