KLRDMD

I just got my renewal. Mine went down $166. I actually chose to increase hull coverage so I'm only paying a little more than $100 less.

My 2019 numbers. The vast majority of my 40 non-Bonanza hours were Mooney hours (doing transition training or other training for Mooney pilots). Total Time 2280 Last 12 months 165 Last 90 days 45 BE35 total 130 BE35 last 12 mo 125 BE35 last 90 days 30

Any* certified four place airplane handles like a truck compared to a Bonanza. I have well over 1,000 hours in Mooneys, have owned four and also have many hundreds of hours in Beech products, have owned three. So I have a reasonable background to compare them. They're different. Yes, the Bonanza is lighter on the controls and a pure joy to fly. But the Mooney is stable and solid. If my last Mooney had another 225 lb or more useful load I would still have it. All airplanes are compromises. Pick the compromises you can live with. * Bellanca Super Viking excepted.

Heavy on the rudder? Most, including mine have aileron-rudder interconnects. I pretty much never even have to use the rudder in turns. A 285HP Bonanza takes more rudder on take off than a 180-210 HP Mooney, of course but a 285 HP Cessna does too.

Paul Kortopates is in that general area.

Update: We moved into the house one year ago today. All is well and I'm loving being at the Airpark.

This!

The Open Pilot Warranty requirements quoted above are not unusual or restrictive, they are perfectly appropriate. If your instructor doesn't have 15 hours in a M20E he should not be instructing you in that airplane. The insurance company is 100% right in this instance.

Plus all of the 210 varieties, plus all of the turbocharged ones, plus any Cessna piston twin plus any Cessna jet . . . Lots of Cessnas go much faster than your Mooney.

I did Shepard Air, then spent a morning with a CFI at American Flyers that had taken the ATP written the week before. I took the exam that afternoon and scored above 90%. This was a number of years ago, before they changed the multi-ATP requirements.

I suggest moving your Before Starting item #2: Seats / Belts / Shoulder Harness ........ Adjust / Secure to after engine start. In a cold start it shouldn't be an issue. In a *normal* hot start it shouldn't be an issue. In a hot start that unintentionally becomes a flooded start or in a flooded start it does become important. These last two instances have a much higher incidence of engine fire during start. It just happened to a friend of mine a month or so ago. He ended up inadvertently flooding it. The resultant start ended with an engine fire. Here's the text exchange: Him: I had an engine fire with a hot start yesterday after flying back from San Diego. I guess I flooded it and some fuel spit out the vent. It backfired and lit. It didn’t do any damage to anything other than paint. One wire got scorched a bit. Having to send the fuel air mixture regulator off for inspection. Thought it was going to total it. Me: That’s why I never intentionally flood an engine if I’m having difficulty with a hot start. Him: I will never do that again. Scarey when I heard a pop. And then about 30 seconds later I see smoke coming from bottom of engine compartment. Me: Also, I don’t buckle my seatbelt until after the engine has started, just in case I need to get out quickly - in a situation just like this, potentially. Him: Yes. That’s a smart idea. I grabbed my extinguisher which did shit. I was right by the fuel pumps and just pictured the entire thing blowing up. Completely missed the extinguisher at the fuel pump as it was on the post on the opposite side. Ran over to hangar and yelled to some guys to grab fire extinguishers and come to the fuel pumps on mean time on phone with 911 to send fire trucks. The poor kid who grabbed one extinguisher had it pointed at his face when he pulled the trigger and sprayed himself. We got it out with extinguishers. It was a cluster. Also called the FBO and said to send line guys with extinguisher because the people in the hangar were having a hard time finding extinguisher. The line guys drive to a fire in the fuel truck. WTF.

I've had four Mooneys and have over 1,000 hours in them. I like them. But they aren't a Bonanza in any fashion.

There's no such thing as a V36 Bonanza. There are various flavors of 36s, A36s and B36s. Then there are the 35 series which are the VTails. Not all 35s are V35s, mine is an S35 and there are other letters depending on year. With well over 1,000 hours in Mooneys and about half that in Beech products, there is no comparison whatsoever in handling characteristics. The crisp, nimble, effortless Bonanza absolutely blows away the truck-like, heavy Mooney. There is no comparison whatsoever. The Bonanza is much more comfortable with tremendously better visibility. But the Mooney is more efficient. All airplanes are trade offs.

Plus an ARNAV MFD, Sandel electronic HSI and an S-Tec 55X autopilot were standard equipment. I used to own a 2001 SR22.

I prefer to burn a little more gas and go a little faster. 170 KTAS (+/- 3 KTAS depending on DA & weight) at 12.5 GPH.