Larrynoel

I don't think I would use Mooney and soft field in the same sentence. That is really not a good place to be... Even with our older mooneys, the nose is just too heavy, and gear as sturdy as it may be, a little too fragile to risk on a truely soft field. Combine that with the prop clearance, it is a high risk operation in my book. I don't have a problem with grass, but if it is rough or soft, I would be pretty hessitant. With that disclamer out, If the indigenous folks were after me with their spears,,, I would focus on keeping the speed as fast as reasonably possible and try to balance bringing up the nose wheel. Don't just lift off the wheel like a cessna, try to ease if up into the air. It takes a little practice, it seems to me if you try to pull the nose up too strongly, the plane does not accellerate or fly near as effectively. Personally, I would wait for the field to dry.. craig

Sold, thank you

I went out for one last flight before my annuel was do and on the run up I cycled my prop and the control cable broke in two and pulled right out of my insturment panel. So much for one last flight.. Where can I get another prop control cable? 67 M20c Thanks.

You guys are too funny. lmao:) I think I will install some airbags in my wheel wells just in case I have another hard landing... I wonder if that would really work? It looks like my mooney is ok.

The other day all was well on approach... Then just before my flare I hit wind shear and down I went. Lets say it was not my smoothest landing. I was only feet off the ground when it happened. I checked out the all the gear and supports and did not find any damage to the airplane. I am impressed with the strength of the Mooney landing gear. Just how hard of a landing can they handle before you damage your airplane? I know I'm not the only one out there that fudged a landing...lol

I'll tell you a story about a small thing the could have caused allot of trouble. A pilot carrying the US Mail here at Billings Airport did his normal preflight as he dose every day. He is flying a Beech 99 turbo prop. Every thing checks out good and he heads out onto the runway for takeoff and notices the aileron control feels lighter than normal. He has his copilot verify again that the right aileron was moving. There was no movement at all. It was stuck in the up position. He took the airplane straight to the shop were they found a paperclip that some how made it under the floor boards and lay ed across a large relay battery post and the right down aileron cable. It melted the cable in two. I am happy for the pilot knowing to double check his flight controls even though his had just did it two minutes before.

I trained in an 150 then went to a Mooney M20c. I fly from Billings MT to the Bay Area with it with no trouble at all. I trust my airplane and fly it a pretty direct route. As far as crossing the Sierras I do a pretty straight line from Concord (CCR) to Reno. I make a small jog to the south around Sacramento airport and a straight line from there over Lake Tahoe. That puts me just outside of Reno Class C airspace as I pass by and continue on. I have not had any trouble crossing over going this route and you can make it easy at 11,500' . This may not be the route to take if you do not trust or know your airplane. I must also say watch the weather. It can change quick. Always know where you are and have a way out!

Airplanes must meet what is on their type certificate to be considered airworthy. There is no such thing in the FAA's eyes as better than new, (even if it is). Your airplane was Type Certificated to be airworthy with a particular part number fastener installed in you cowl to secure it your airframe. Any deviation to this would be against your Type certificate. Even if it was replaced with a stronger screw. In the real would this happened's all the time. Like changing an old rusty screw with a shiny stainless steel screw. But change from one type fastener to another type of fastener... That would be a sin in the FAA'S eyes! It would literally take an engineer to prove to them that this modification would be safe. I think it would be easier to keep it as it is. Or go for it and make it an STC (supplemental type certificate). This would give you the right to make the change to your airplane and sell rights to other people that want to do the same thing.

I don't know if it is only My 67C model but I find that my gear extends quite a bit easier the closer I am to 120 MPH. I would never exceed 120 MPH but I do drop them at 120 MPH. In my plane if I drop the gear down at around 100 MPH it takes more force on the handle to put them down. I believe there is a flap extension speed difference on the 67 Mooney of 100 mph VFE and on later Mooneys theVFE was increased to 120 MPH. Do not take my word for it fallow your POH!

I have been landing at 70-72 mph and full flaps. I still seem to float a bit. How slow should I go? Should I use less flaps? You might think that being an A&P I would know more about my airplane. But to tell you the truth I have not worked on an airplane that has pistons in 10 years. I am also a fairly low time pilot. I thank you all for all your insight. I am in the prosses of building a new instrument panel, I would like to share some pictures with you as it comes together.

If the price of fuel goes way up then dose that make the value of our fast fuel efficient machines go up as well?

Fuel cost going up? What is the future for our little birds? Is there anything in the works for the m20 Mooney, like diesel engines that would have enough power our airplanes without sacrificing payload? Maybe a turbo prop conversion, That would be great!!! Anyone heard anything?

I have a McCauley 3 blade prop on my 67C. I got the airplane this way and it seems work fine. Are any advantage to it or dose it just look cool? Or, is there some disadvantages? What do you think. Thanks, Larry

I have been running at 24 and 24 with the mixture fairly lean in my 67C. My cruise average is 132 kts. I have been flying from Billings MT. to the Bay Area in Ca. My fuel burn is 11 gph. I will try a trip at 25 squard and see what I get. Sounds like I have Been running a little slow. I am going to post another post about 3 blade props because I have one and it may make a differance in my cruise speeds for the better or worse I don't know. Thank all of you guys for your replies.