Hank

You'll just have to sing along for them . . .

Phillip, if you can build a cooler like you do cell switches, I'll take one. It must be back seat friendly, leaving room for a person, and actually cool the cabin while taxiing, climbing and (hopefully) shooting an approach. It's nice and cool cruising at 8-10K, but descending back into heat and humidity can be uncomfortable.

The gear should move without binding or catching, and be stiff enough that your right arm grows a couple of sizes this summer. ;-)

Haynes-- My only concern with your story is the very limited checkout/transition training. I bought my C-model with 62 hours, and insurance required 15 hours dual with 5 hours IMC before I flew her solo. A great way to learn your plane is to visit new and different airports, and it sounds like you are well on your way to that. It's a great plane for Instrument training, too, and will easily cross multiple weather systems when traveling [even on single legs]. You're in the Chesapeake that I would prefer to be in, instead of this tiny [~1500 people] "village" on the Ohio River. Eat some fresh flounder for me . . . . .

Put me in the "land with Takeoff flaps" camp. I also notice taxiing in that my trim is usually very close to the Takeoff mark. When the wind is calm, I actually have trouble landing, generally too high, and need full flaps to get down and usually float and land long. My initial CFI beat into me with the Skyhawk, 10º on downwind, 20º on base, adjust as needed on final. My Owner's Manual for the Mooney says to add Takeoff flaps no later than base leg [i use downwind before dropping gear to descend], and adjust flaps as needed on final to maintain glide slope. But I rarely take any out unless I add too much on final. Our flaps are not very effective, so that doesn't happen often. Then watch your speed—80 over the numbers with the throttle not at idle is too fast and too much power for an F, although it may work well for a 231. Good luck and enjoy your new ride!

My C lands beautifully with Takeoff flaps, but the only F I've ever landed did much better with Full flaps. The sight picture is the same, pattern speeds are the same . . . Figure on 75 mph over the numbers at gross, then slow down 5 mph for every 300 lbs below gross you are. Solo and half tanks, shoot for no more than 70 mph over the numbers. I generally pull throttle to idle somewhere on final, once I know I can glide to the runway. Took a Piper pilot to ride recently to see how well his 6'4" body fit into a Mooney, and he commented that pulling the throttle to idle [before I cleared the trees] did nothing to my glide, but in the Cherokees he flies it makes the plane settle so he waits until he's over the runway. When I visit a nearby airport [KDWU, Ashland, KY], the pattern for 28 has base leg extending over the Ohio River and turning final, with the riverbank reappearing on short final; it is not uncommon to pull the throttle while still over the water. Mooneys are great gliders, test it out with some ground clearance sometime. Also, my stall horn squalls on landing, before the wheels squeek. If I can figure out how to post a video using my Droid tablet [that the tablet won't play! Recorded using a Sony digital camera], I have a nice landing video from the base-to-final turn to all three wheels rolling.

They're both pretty good! I love the AccuFlite, flew with it most of the time the first two or three years of Mooneyhood. The AccuTrack does a nice Instrument Approach plan view, and if I work the altitude part then I can land. My CFII wouldn't let me use either one in training . . . Brittain has excellent service, amazing pricing, and they may be able to help source the parts you need.

I highly recommend Plane Cover in Salisbury, MD. This is what mine looks like traveling; it's the first one. Right behind me is another Mooney with a Bruce's cover. Mine is nice and tight, the other one has elastic around the bottom and will flap in the wind. Both companies are reported to have excellent customer service.

Like Bob, I trained in Cessnas but all 172s. Took me 6 weeks to buy my Mooney, though, with 62 hours in my logbook. You will need a good transition CFI, though. I used my Mooney to get complex endorsement and Instrument rating. You won't need High Performance if you buy any model A-J; Ks are 210 hp and it goes up from there. Your club 252 will require it, but will also require transition training; that's the perfect time to get that endorsement, I got my Complex at that time.

Measure with a micrometer, mark with chalk, cut with an axe . . . :-) The nice thing about this tool is that you can make it to fit you, your plane and your storage needs. If your first try isn't optimal, make another one that's a better fit.

It has everything right where it's supposed to be. Unfortunately there's no place to put an installed ADSB screen.

His panel is almost exactly like the one in my C!

Sounds like you're having a good time! Welcome to the club, we know the best Mooney model. Try a little slower on final--I generally aim to cross the numbers at 75 mph at gross, and 5 mph slower for eavery 300 lbs lighter. Gets me into my 3000' home field easily. Less flap whenever the wind is strong, Takeoff position works well too.

A good C is a bargain. Hangar rent varies by where you live--there have been threads on here documenting from $100 to >$600 per month. Find out what it costs in your area, and get on the list(s) at the airport(s) near you, or where you think you will be next. I find my long term, block fuel burn to be really close to 9 gph. I run anywhere from 85-110 hours/year; call it 100 hours = 9 gallons. Gas prices vary widely, too; it's $5.60 at home, but I just paid ~$160 for 22 gallons on the road [$7.25! OUCH!!], so $6 is easy math for a decent approximation. 100 hours = 900 gallons x $6 = $5400 in fuel. Change the oil every 50 hours [7 quarts x $8 = $56; price a Champion filter, $20?]; by my next change probably in June, I'll have added 4 quarts, call it $150/year. Insurance will run $1000 & up depending on hull value, pilot experience, hangarage, location, etc. I do owner-assisted annuals, parts count varies, call it $1500-$2000 annually. Don't yet have a bill for my recent carb overhaul, but my tank reseal a couple years ago was $6500 cash. Battery every 2-3 years is $250; main tires are $140 each; tubes are >$100 each [yikes!]; nose tire is about to be replaced again, but they're cheaper [i think I put one on in 2008, and may replace it this summer; just replaced my mains for the first time last fall, been flying the plane since '07]. Add it up for a rough cut at operating expenses, just don't give me the total please. A nice thing about the C model is the wing leveler, you really don't need a fancy autopilot. The two Brittain systems are excellent [AccuTrack and AccuFlite]; one is a heading bug to fly in long, straight lines, the other one will fly a route from your Nav source [mine is wired to my G430W, and to Nav2 King VOR], but neither does anything for altitude. Even without them, if your servos are good, you won't need an autopilot, she'll fly straight and level. My servo rebuild at Thanksgiving was $124 plus shipping, you can't touch that on STEC or any others! Engine monitors are nice to have, as are storm scopes, XM weather, fuel totalizers, etc., but they aren't necessary. I get by very well with factory single-point probes, single EGT and an added on Carb Temp gage. Watch for the typical Vintage Mooney lookouts [search for George Perry's excellent thread from 3 or 4 years ago]. Electric gear and flaps became standard in '69; the rudder was lengthened to reach below the horizontal stabilizer in '66 or '67, and you will want the longer one. Get a good pre-purchase inspection! A manual-gear C sold near here last summer [my A&P traveled ~30 Mooney minutes to do the PPI] for mid-$30's, but alas, no GPS. You pays your money and makes your choice. If I recall correctly, the new owner flew the plane home, and not long after flew it to Oshkosh. It's doable, but will take some searching. Keep us posted on your return and your research. We can be pretty good at checking into stuff before you get back. I have no idea when the throttle quadrant started, but I like it.

Cause they're GOOD! :-)

But you and Parker had a good learning experience . . . . :-)

Bob Kromer wrote an article about spinning Mooneys during certification. I'll have to look for the link since I can't attach a Word file. He included recovery instructions, and said to make a 1-turn spin and recover took at least 2000'. He never entered below 6000' agl.

Thanks for the info! Must be nice to have a real POH. All I have for my C is the landing gear location, track width, tire size and pressure. You should see my two-page Emergency Procedures section. "In case of engine fire, turn cabin heater off." Gotta love it! But it does make me wonder why my friend's F turns left better than right? Sounds like John needs to do a taxi test, and if it starts to bind after braking jack it up and look for the source.

Did you tell them to BUZZ OFF?

My home field does not have a parallel taxiway, just a single runway entrance off-center towards the most common end. So I back-taxi for every departure and every landing. I noticed my plane turns right better than left; full right rudder will turn me around using about 60' of runway width [based on pavement seams where it was widened on both sides from 50' to 75' at some point in the past], but full left rudder will put one tire in the grass. A friend's F does better turning left. No, I do not use differential braking unless necessary, just throttle to idle, brake to slow and full rudder. Makes me wonder if it has to do with the hand building process used on our planes instead of more modern manufacturing techniques. BUT if he had the left brake worked on and now has trouble turning right, the first place I would look is the left brake, the left wheel and the left main gear. Something is probably rubbing that shouldn't be.

Bob-- I dunno about VAC, but GAC has a little hut at the gate, same place I bought my admission ticket/armband. They give you a form to fill out and attach to your prop. Sometime when I wasn't watching, the fuel truck came by and topped me off. Put it out the day before; you'll probably see them on other planes. Ya'll have a good time down there for those of us experiencing SNF vicariously this year. Fly Safe!!

Record Bar never gave away toasters . . . maybe that's why they closed? I did get a free dop kit from a bank one time, way back in high school. Used it regularly through college before the vinyl got too torn up.

Austin-- This is so sad, just when you were getting ready for your checkride. I've been cheering you on for a while now. Personally, I follow Marauder's plan above. I always touch the lever twice after lowering [on base and on final], and double-check the floor indicator [on final]. That is also where my Approach Plate book lives if I am or think I will use it; there's enough room to slide it back and see the green. I've also made my wife aware of the floor indicator. My plane was bellied in a couple of years before I bought it. With any luck, you'll just need a prop and a couple of antennas, plus the engine inspection. Is your one-piece belly reusable? I've heard of some that have runners on the bottom to minimize damage in this circumstance, but mine is smooth except for one large antenna near the back. Good luck with this, and don't let it get you down. Especially if there was mechanical damage prior to landing!

You've got a leak, you just can't see it. For proof, you lose more in cold weather when everything contracts and less in warm weather when the sealant and metal parts expand. It's less visible when it evaporates fast in higher temperature, too. Sorry to bear bad tidings. . . .

Jerry is great. He was my PPP instructor when I first bought my C. Very knowledgeable, and will teach what you need to be safe. Proficiency is up to you--practice, practice, practice.