flyboy0681

In the morning we go up again and I'll be trying different configurations. On my agenda are half and no flap landings.

One of my partners is well over 6 feet and just towers over me. I'll get the speed down lower as I get more practice, but the statement was meant more to convey that keeping the speed down wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. By the way some people talk, I thought I'd be coming in over the numbers at 95.

Speaking for myself, the insurer only wanted 2 hours dual and one solo. About 1/3 of my total time has been spent in complex, so I'm sure that's their reasoning, although I don't plan to do less than a minimum of 5 with my instructor. Tomorrow is my next flight and my new Halo headset arrived in the mail today. Hopefully it's as quiet as it is comfortable. This has been quite a week and I lucked out with respect to my new partners, both very personable, approachable and smart guys.

The plane does have the pedal extensions but I'm not sure if they are 1.5 or 3.0 inches. I'll have to check the log book.

Roughly 1/3 of my time has been spent in complex (mostly Arrow's) so the insurance company just wants 2 hours with an instructor. I don't think I will feel comfortable on my own until at least 5-8. I must say that it was nice seeing 150 knots in cruise.

Today I joined the ranks as a Mooney owner. Shortly after the signing "ceremony" of N1161Z, I went up with a well qualified Mooney instructor from my new home base at Boca Raton (KBCT). He put me through quite a workout over the practice area. The stalls in landing configuration were a bit scary but I got through it. My landings were slightly better than I thought they would be and the last one of the day was very acceptable. I did not have trouble keeping the speed down and passed over the numbers at 75 knots each time. My primary concern with choosing the Mooney was my being a small person at 5'4". In reality this posed no problem because the left seat height adjustment puts me well above the panel and I can comfortably sit with the pins in the second notch. After the instructor left and I was alone by myself in the hangar, all I could say was "gulp". More to come. Mike

Thanks for all of the replies here, I got the answers I needed and appreciate everyone's candor. I close on the plane this Saturday and have scheduled time with a Mooney instructor later that day. As for the instrument training, it appears that using an instructor with a lot of Mooney time is not all that important. I'll be following up with pictures and a new avatar in a few days.

Excellent point Theo. Excellent point.

I'm hoping to sign the papers on my M20J later this week. Sometime in the next few months I'll be starting my IR training. I have a CFII that I have been using for the past few years (as a renter) that I really like and get along with well, but he doesn't have any Mooney experience. My question is, just how critical is it to use an instructor that doesn't have Mooney time? Please, honest based answers only.

In a few days I'll be closing on my deal for a 1983 M20J, which is based in Boca Raton. I'm seeking recommendations for an instructor with Mooney experience that can check me out per insurance requirements.

I have to admit I never knew about the 400W. The price difference between the two, $1,800, is small enough to go with the 430W and get rid of one of my KX155's. I would have thought the difference would be at least 3 grand. Thanks for the heads up Gary.

One of my wishes would be to offer COM as an option or not at all. I'm sure the integrated radio of the 430 adds a few grand to the price and the M20J already has two reliable radios, so to me it would just be a waste.

While on the subject of the 430/530 family, these units are now about 10 years old. Does anybody know if Garmin is working on follow up products or the next generation?

Does anybody know if it's possible to mount the pilots seat into the right passenger postion on an M20J? I'd like to purchase a left hand seat assembly, put my cushions on it and place it on the passenger side so that the height could be cranked up.

You are both right. I'll "grab" the book for a few hours and take it in to be copied.

That did the trick sellis. I found the manual appropriate for the plane, thanx.

I'm getting ready to join a partnership with a 1983 M20J at the center of it all. One of the partners handed me a CD containing all of the M20J POH's from 1977 through 1990. The early ones are pretty amusing because just about every typewritten page contains a spelling or grammatical mistake, but that's besides the point. My question is, I want to send one of the manuals out to Kinko's for printing and I don't know which one to use. Should I have the one closest to the manufacturing date (January, 1983) printed or the latest one from 1990 with the hopes that it contains the most up to date information on the plane? Here's a list of everything I have: 1977 1982 1982 Rev E 1983 1983 Revisions B & C 1984 Revisions D - G 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990

EHSCOTT, when you had the PPI done in Palm Beach, was it by a Mooney expert?

Thanks for the reply Roundout. Premier would be my first choice but that's the outfit that has been taking care of the plane for years, so I think it's best that I get the PPI done elsewhere.

Gary, I sent you an email message seeking your advice. Please reply to it.

I appreciate the quick responses here but I'm looking for somebody local.

I'm looking for a recommendation of an A&P familiar with the M20J who is in the Fort Lauderdale area that can do a pre-buy inspection for me at the airport where the plane is hangared. With any bit of luck, I'll be joining the Mooney ownership family shortly.