cliffy

YUP that's how they do it

That's true BUT now that it does it is just as speed/alt/fuel efficient as the SR20 so NOW we move to the next efficiency column - $$$$ per MPH! With all that cost to enter the game for the SR20 it losses in the $$$$/MPH contest :-) :-) What is the computed HP output at your cruising setting shown and how does that compare to mine at the same parameters? That would be interesting to know BTW "I" was referring to the D model Mooney for comparison as there has been much speculation over the years a s to just how "fast" a D model really is in the real world. Mine matches his and by default it matches yours (albeit your cost of entry was higher). Granted engineering has now moved fwd to where we can design a stiff gear airplane and only suffer a 2-3 mph degradation in speed. Two different engineering exercises a half century apart As Al Mooney said- "They all fly through the same air" and there are a myriad number of ways to get to the same end point.

Sitting back with popcorn waiting for the fire trucks to arrive! :-)

That is about as close to exactly what my converted D model does as I have ever seen!!!! Absolute twins in performance :-)

Move CG rearward and you gain speed! :-)

3 stories- Twin Beech has main wheels that protrude below the engine cowl so that the airplane will roll to a stop on them. One Twin Beech many years ago did this at KVNY because the pilot had a habit of throwing the gear switch up just prior to throttles fwd so the gear came up as he lifted off, I saw the airplane sitting on its sucked up wheels on 16R with bent props The Culver Cadet early on also had a wig-wag arm that came up and waved in front of the pilot if the power was pulled off and the gear still up. I wonder how many early Bonanzas have gone gear up after landing because a Piper driver was flying it and went to pull the flaps up and reached to the right side of the throttle quadrant and pulled the gear instead? Seems "shape" design might not be the only cockpit design idea that needed to be done.

My hangar faces the runway touchdown zone As I watch landings, almost every Cirrus and Mooney does the same thing Virtually 90% of them I watch as they enter the flare and then PIO down the runway for another 1,000 feet until their speed slows down enough to get the wheels to touch the runway Invariably, always in a level or slightly nose low attitude that leads to a skip or bounce. Virtually never do I see a Cirrus or Mooney touch down on the main wheels only!! I watched a short body Mooney just yesterday do this 3 times in a row doing T&Gs Yet, I watch as a G-4 (based here) here touches down on the mains only and rolls 1,000 feet and then gently lowers the nose wheel to the runway-every time,

I'm just curious- For those who "trim in the flare" what airspeed are you trimmed for on final before the flare ?

Yes SO the moral of the story is? Make sure your pitch trim is set up correctly by someone who knows what he is doing. Quit guessing at settings and do it right.

C model- fwd CG and trimmed on final at about 70 mph to the flare - When taxiing out for T/O it takes about 1/2 turn nose down for T/O trim to be acceptable for me. Many Mooneys have their pitch system rigged incorrectly. It takes jacks to level the airplane and correct tools to rig the pitch system correctly. Especially rigging the spring bungees for the correct elevator up position when the stabilizer is set to the proper LE down angle. Not many shops know how to rig the pitch system on a Mooney. Maybe I'll make a utube on it sometime. Just as a word of warning- IF the pitch trim is set full nose down on takeoff the nose wheel will never leave the ground. There's not enough elevator force at full up to lift the nose in that condition Several Mooneys have suffered this fate and run off the end of a runway at high speed.

What was the N number of the airplane they came off of?

Moving the battery is not that hard using Mooney parts and its only a log book sign off as a minor alteration.

Engines can be fixed- corrosion kills Mooneys! The usual places- Steel tubing inside the side walls under the windows, under the rear seat on the spar (access holes ), in the wheel wells along the spar These are usually the big culprits. One that most miss (and I have found one unairworthy because of) are the rivets in the spar between the main wheels. Ask your A&P to check here for "smoking" rivets. It means they are loose in their holes. If the airplane has had a good detail cleaning you may not see these rivets smoking if they do. Make sure everything operates and works as it should Moe every knob and switch and see every light. Once money changes hands its all on you.

I've related this conversation before here on MS Had a private talk with Bill Wheat many years ago and he related to me that he tried numerous spins in the Mooney (IIRC short bodies) and on one he said it went to five turns and he almost didn't get out of it He swore he'd never do that again. Just a word to the wise from the preeminent Mooney test pilot.

As Walter Cronkite used to say (if any of you are old enough to remember him:-) - "And that's the way it is"

Yes but no block time like I had in 1963 10 hours of Cessna 150 time WITH FUEL INCLUDED was $90 USD :-)

Actually I maybe was not clear enough in my answer as it wasn't directly pointed at you because as you say you were doing it for troubleshooting reasons. I was actually pointing (albeit in oblique terms) at the audience in general as there have been times here in the past when this subject came up and flying off after a jump start was contemplated by some here and in other venues. Just like in your car, jump it and go is thought of but with aviation it has other higher priority concerns when done. Sorry if I wasn't as clear as I should have been I'll try to do better the next time :-)

Think about taking off with a dead battery! IF your generator quits you will have nothing to back up electrical power with. Your panel will go dead TU! Really think about it if you are charging off into IFR weather. IFR flight is another reason to do the CAW Capacity Check every annual. Just because it starts the engine (which uses very little capacity) doesn't mean you have enough to get back on the ground with when the generator quits! As a comparison- in the older 737s we "might" have had 30 mins on battery alone. That is why a dual gen failure was a full blown emergency. How long will it take you (if IFR) at cruising altitude to get down and into a near by airport if the generator quits? Just something else to think about. Did you take off IFR with an old battery - that you have no real idea how much is left in it? Inquiring minds want to know :-)

Remember we're talking 1950s designs here. Not really high tech electronics of today. Farmall tractor technology!

What Mooney says and what Lycoming says are 2 different things On the O-360 min oil by Lycoming is about 2 1/2 quarts! The Mooney book is higher :-)

It should also help reduce radiation heating from the exhaust stack Its simple to make and about the same size as the body of the oil cooler. Not really big deal to install Probably can do it as a Minor Alteration (log book sign off only). Do make sure your cowl flaps are opening the correct amount (it varies by model and year) That makes a big difference in cooling as noted above in that it lets out more air and lowers the "below deck" pressure Airspeed on my D model doesn't seem to be too affected by cowl flap opening position. I just leave mine wide open all the time. In actuality the air flow coming in the cooler mounted on the lower cowl is not efficient. Most of it slides by the cooler opening as was demonstrated many years ago by "tufting" the cowl area there. I've always wanted to try a small "scoop" just below the cooler opening to see if more air would be passed into the cooler.

And what do most (vast majority) pilots need? Just that! If you're going to use full CAT I capability all the time then you need something more (say $20,000 more) but if all you do is VFR/IFR with an occasional approach (realize 95% or more of GA IMC approaches are above 200/ 1/2) then $7K might just suit you fine unless its a case of keeping up with the Jones' ( I gotta have it) I too did the CAT III life for a long time but I just don't need to look at low weather in a SE airplane any more. What part of retired don't you understand? :-) :-) :-)

1 PREFACE This document includes instructions that pertain to the installation of the BendixKing Vizion / AeroCruze 100 Autopilot on the specified Mooney M20 models. The modification consists of installing one roll and one pitch servo, an autopilot controller unit, a pitch link sensor, a wiring harness, connections to the airplanes existing pitot/static, electrical systems, mounting brackets/hardware, disconnect switches, and includes several options for the installer. The BendixKing AeroCruze 100 has been previously produced by TruTrak Flight Systems (hereafter referred to as TTFS or TruTrak) as the Vizion Autopilot system. Legacy references to the TruTrak name and Vizion system are synonymous with the AeroCruze 100 installed under this project. The installation was tested to meet the applicable regulations of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 23 for the Mooney M20. 1.1 Reference Documents Table 1: Reference Material Document Title TruTrak Flight Systems TT-195 Master Document List TT-166 Vizion PMA Autopilot Installation Guide TT-186 Approved GPS and Software List for Vizion PMA Autopilot TT-176 Vizion AFMS TT-167 Vizion Operating Manual 1.2 Applicability This document is applicable to the Mooney M20 models identified in Table 2. Table 2: Approved M20 Models Mooney M20 Models M20B M20C M20D M20E M20F M20G M20J M20K M20L M20M M20R M20S It is NOT approved below 700 AGL! Just like most Brittians https://www.bendixking.com/content/dam/bendixking/en/documents/document-lists/downloads-and-manuals/TTFS-305-Mooney-M20-Installation-Instructions-Aerocruze-Autopilot.pdf

Have been to F37 in my D model Didn't leave anything there that I had to go, back for! :-) They did however have cheap fuel when I was there but little else. The "crew car' if it can be called that was a broken down rusty old PU the ran on 6 out of 8 cylinders. Got to fly around the restricted area to get in there.

DID you try puling and resetting each breaker one by one to see when the light goes out?