rickseeman

I agree with that but there are 2 problems. #1 Mooney doesn't make new ones and #2 if they did I couldn't afford one.

The thing was never going to takeoff with no wings. Hopefully wifey is ok.

WOW, that's kinda modern looking.

Welcome. You will get a lot of help here. M20C, D, and F are the cheapest, since you have a family. Later models give you a little more room, more speed and more range. But as you suspect, they are more expensive. Some lenders might stretch out the payments to make them reasonable. I've seen decent Mooneys out there for a little over $50,000. Everyone on this site has been in your shoes, is now reading your post, and is thinking about when they were in your shoes a long time ago, and are smiling. It's been a long journey. And a lot of wonderful trips. And a lot of fun. There will be lots of data for you to digest but learning is fun. I've been doing this 40 years and studied all day today.

I agree.

I'll look in the MM and see if it is something I can get to. I didn't know hard stiff it should be. But it feels hard to turn.

The switch is just an electrical switch. It doesn't know. I thought it may have smoked the motor but that is supposed to be protected by the circuit breaker. I was wondering if my jack screw needed lube. I have a list of things to ask Don Maxwell at annual time in a few months. I want a good annual by a Mooney savvy guy because I am not familiar with the shop that has been doing the maintenance.

The title says the electric trim switch failed. If you can't turn it by hand I don't think that little motor would turn it. The switch might be fine. The trim system needs to be checked out. By the way my Ovation trim is pretty stiff also.

I think N/A should be lower than that.

Maybe this will help https://www.planesandboats.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/MooneyMissileConversion.pdf

Sure sounds (and looks) like a wonderful machine. 252 engine and Monroy tanks. My fantasy for years. Now I'm so old I'll probably never take a trip long enough to use that, but still nice. (I do like the old days when the Mooneys and Bonanzas had the curtains in back.)

G5 is very small behind the dash. Almost nothing. GI-275 is very long.

My brother went with this. And he's having fun.

I think I've looked at about every plane out there in the quest for speed and range. There are "brick walls" out there that if you try to go faster, the cost goes up by a ridiculous amount. I usually travel alone and don't mind oxygen so I can fly anything. I used to have an A56 Baron. 760 horsepower, 247kt max cruise, 50 GPH with about the most expensive engines to operate. After my decades of owning/shopping I say the 237kt Mooney Acclaim is the King of speed/range/affordability/reasonable operating costs. An A56 or a modified Aerostar might be 10 knots faster but less range and definitely not worth the hassle to me for 10 kts.

I don't think so.

You want it. Nothing else matters. My brother called me saying he wanted a certain airplane. I said, "Well you're 69 years old...it's either now or never." I said, "You're crazy if you don't buy it." Now he texts me every few days and says, "I love my airplane." Anybody can not buy something they want. Don't be that guy.

I assumed the MT prop would be slower. Am I wrong?

Mooney does publish a list of things to do at annual/100 hr. That might be a good starting point. But I think the buyer would have to modify it depending on how much the buyer wants to spend. Mooneys list https://themooneyflyer.com/pdf/Mooney100HourAnnualGuide.pdf

I had an F. Loved it. Back and forth, Arkansas to Vegas. Wonderful trips. But if you are shopping for an F, then you have an obligation to look at J's since J prices define F prices. A F will bring X% of what a J will. If you end up with an F everything will be fine. If it was me, I would shop financing. I might find some longer term financing and get a J for the same payment as I was planning to pay for an F. Welcome to life as a Mooniac.

At least it has a Lycoming IO-360 which has a walk-on-water reputation for a reason.

WOW, I love turbos but I'm appreciating my Ovation today.

LED's are sexy. I want them and I don't even fly at night.

I always considered it to be one of the best features of the F.

I love that one. But one of the Bonanza ones is good too

I like Bonanzas but the length of your trips is where a Mooney shines. Turbo is good but non-turbo is good also. I would try to find something in good condition with the paint & avionics kinda like you want it because it's such a hassle/expense to change. You came to the right place. Enjoy the trip.