Buzzbomb

Thanks everybody for the feedback. I did find the service bulletin requiring a placard on the panel and update in the POH. Presumably that tells us the '77 and later gear is the same, or at least tested to the same stresses. No disagreements regarding the obvious advantages to dropping gear at much lower speeds. I too, am like that driving my cars. I've got a 300,000 mile Honda that still has factory brakes on the rear wheels. There are those times however, in aircraft when we need to slow a bit quicker than preferential. That's when those higher gear speeds are fantastic and a couple cycles at the higher speeds isn't going to hurt a thing.

Need some input. Everything I've read indicates gear speed of the first year (1977) M20J-201 was 120 mph. Then in 1978 it went to 150 mph. Again, this is what I've read in numerous places. My questions. Did the change occur exactly at the beginning of the 1978 production year or perhaps somewhere mid-production cycle in 1977? If so, does anyone know the specific serial #'s affected? What was the limiting factor for the lower (120) gear speed? Gear doors maybe? I see a number of planes with the later additional gear door added to completely cover the wheel. Could that have anything to do with it. Not likely but thought I would ask. Is there any mod or STC to get the early gear speeds up to the 150 allowable from 1978 forward. Curious because of the obvious advantages to the higher gear speed. Thanks for any feedback and Merry Christmas!