Hank

That's what ATL Approach does to me anytime I come near, VFR or IFR anyway . . . so no big change! CLT and CIN are much nicer--they let me inside the Bravo even when only transiting elsewhere [like through CLT-B going to RDU] . . .

It's closer than the thread comparing M20-J to an A-36!

So STC some tip tanks!

I grew up traveling by car. Our longest trip was DC - Atlanta - SF; normal trips were 8-10 hours. Making these trips in my Mooney is so much nicer! So my purposes are the same, aside from driving to work, shopping, etc., in the car and making breakfast runs and proficiency flights in the plane.

If you're gonna compare to a ground vehicle, you gotta use statute miles. So Paul was actually getting 24.47 mpg at 232 mph. That's better than almost everything that Ford makes, while traveling at Formula One speed.

And that mess is coming east. That's why I drove 5 hours, to.not mess with it departing a small mountain field on Sunday . . . .

My C runs 170 mph [145-+48 KTAS depending on altitude and pressure] using 9 gph. The guy who flew his C from Ga -- > Ark used to be here. Drove his Escape once while the plane was down for annual and commented on the identical fuel burn (but not expense!).

I've been told that an M20-C flying ROP uses the same amount of fuel as a V6 Ford Escape on a long XC, and in a third of the time. Anything injected should do much better LOP.

I sit on a 2" wedge cushion, and my vertically-challenged wife sits on two chair cushions. Made my landings a lot better!

Don't feel too bad--i replaced mine [dated 6-69] just a few years ago . . . . .

Yep, me! I rarely even hit D airspace, and ATL tells me to "keep out," plus going to 12,000 msl makes it really hard to go over in my C, especially eastbound. So I will just keep on slogging around without buying equipment required for the always-denied entry. Any estimates of GA fleet size? These numbers also include airliners, how many of them are there [that still don't need to equip by 1 Jan]? I suspect I'll have a lot of non-compliant company in six weeks! So look out your windows and don't run into me as you're leaving B and C space or trundling along between those places I don't need to go.

Sure looks that way, except for different windows and a funny tail. Maybe that's why Clarence likes his'n so much! Well, that plus the extra 200 hp . . . . .

Some of the fancy turbine blades are 3D printed, to facilitate internal cooling and bleed air lines. A $1M printer will do 6-8 blades in no less than 4 hours. They then need additional precision machining (often a combination of EDM [100-150k], Wire EDM [200-300k] and 5-axis milling [300k or more]). So no, turbine blades are not inexpensive! Count how many are in an engine, then add compressor blades. And one stator per rotating blade . . . .

Good read! Interesting, too. Thanks!

They're a mighty long way from Alabama. I have no trouble with the Appalachians, even near Mt. Mitchell, the highest point east of the Mississippi. Gotta know where you are, and what a safe altitude is. It's quite dark leaving CLT Bravo headed north over E. KY coalfields, going home to Furthest WV. All situations, all aircraft and all pilots are not the same, but the requirements for safe flight don't change much.

My C was the only single flying Hurricane Relief ot of RDU last year that listed more than 400 lb payload available. And I flew 3 hours including traffic deviation to land tonget there. With half tanks, I listed 600 lb. available (me, 200; alf fuel, 150; Useful, 970). Being a C, I crammed stuff everywhere but the right front seat and ran out of cube well before pounds. My kinda plane!

I got my license in WV. Not flying VFR after dark would have been very limiting. You just have to know where you are and what a good altitude is. When I did my Student XCs, day and night, the trainer had no GPS.

At least you learned something, AND fixed your plane @Amelia! Nothing wrong with a two-fer.

That's what Norm used to do, with ketchup. Makes it pretty obvious if you look.

Being 2 hours from ATL, my Mooney beats the airlines beyond 500 nm. My level cruise speed envelope at travel altitudes so far is 68-186 knots ground speed, 145-ish KTAS. So it varies . . . .

Cessna's trademarked forehead diamonds! Gotta duck under those wings . . . .

That's what I do. After moremthan a dozen years, I'm thinking about changing from Flight Training to Pilot.

Amazing story, Richard! Glad to see that he made it back. I spent several years under the C141 low level practice routes out of Bragg, where the Knights performed often.

That's not a bad price for custom embroidery on anything. But @larryb's idea will work for much less, especially if there is a laminator in your office . . . .