orangemtl

Quote: DaV8or In which case, they're not reading this forum.

I think the answer is: it depends. In economics, medicine, and just about anything else, you need to determine the underlying factors behind any statistical difference, or lack thereof. Breast cancer was more common in Marin County, California: why? Because affluent older women could afford, and chose hormone replacement therapy: which was the actual cause, not income nor zip code. And, so on. Differences will take some time to identify, if they exist. Cirruses, from what I hear, tend to fall out of the sky more often than other brands. Probably partly due to who buys them. That alone would weigh down any potential glass advantage. In contrast, they may appear safer because the average person that can buy a new or newer glass-equipped plane may be older and more experienced. I disagree with the 'why fix what ain't broken?' school of thought. Recognizing the risk:benefit and liability factor, automobiles made enormous strides in the past fifty years. While we fly aircraft with engines designed before many of us were born. Glass integrates a number of functions and indicators into 1, or 2 pictures. They can be better; they can be worse. It was quite a learning curve for me with the G1000. From what little I can see (never used one), the Aspen is a very nice, compact device that offers a step forward in readibility and net workload. Steam gauges are simpler, and don't require electricity. Neither do covered wagons. Let me know the next time one of you drives the latter to work---unless you're Amish.

Quote: johnggreen Excuse me. "That was my opinion." I'm not sure I even know what an opion is. Jgreen

I recall an estimate somewhere, that 11-12,000 Mooneys have been produced, ever. For 7800 to remain (subtracting the technically existent but out of commission here, compensated by the working international contingent) is, I think quite a feat. It will clearly be a shrinking number until/unless Mooney rejoins the production world. Fascinating to me that at least as many M18s exist, as Acclaims!

Nothing like a bad divorce to prompt the occasional great sale price...

Fascinating how many were/are interested in both sailing and flying. I was bitten by the sailing bug 10-12 years ago. Partly due to time spent in the Caribbean; partly because my wife had 'forbidden' GA flying. I did some sailing in Florida; researched this, that and the other, including ownership vs. rental fleet ownership, etc; got close to shopping for The Boat, until I reminded myself of one, basic obstacle: I don't like being cold and wet in the wind. Which, pretty much scratched the whole sailboat thing. I now have a much better wife, and a pretty darned good plane. Excellent trade!

Dr Desai, I am sorry to hear of your mishap, and pleased to know that your wife escaped with relatively minor injuries. Sad that your Acclaim was destroyed; happy that it gave its life in return for saving yours. I wish you a speedy recovery.

Quote: Bennett First owned airplane: a Mooney 231, soon converted to a Trophy 261/262. This was about 25 years ago. Followed by a Cessna 172, another Cessna 172, a Piper 235, a Piper 180, a Cessna 120, a Dova DV-1, and now back to Mooneys - a 1983 M20J this time. Learned to fly around 1957 (miltary version of a DeHaviland Beaver on wheels), and then no flying until around 1985. SEL,SES, Instrument, Commercial. Couldn't afford to fly in the 1960s and 1970s - too busy with career and family, although in retrospect, I should have found a way. I have several thousand hours now, and I am expecting to make the big decision to "hang up the keys" in three years when I will be 80. Neither of my children have any interest in flying (although I offered to pay their instruction through at least a private certificate), nor are any of my four granddaughters, all between 18 and 22. Although I hate to say it, I believe that GA as we know it is dying. I've flown Young Eagles, and taken many children of friends flying, and adult friends for that matter, but with one notable exception, none of the young folk or friends I have taken flying (to my knowledge) have pursed flying instruction. The one exception is a wonderful young man who now is flying C130s in Afganastan. It was a pleasure to be one of his mentors in aviation.

Quote: Bnicolette (19 year pause) Then, bought the plane. Trying to make up for lost time, before cataracts and dementia hit!

Quote: Hank First flight lesson: 29 years, 11 months Finished PPL: 44 years, 3 months Purchased plane: 44 years, 5 months OK, it was a slow start. But I'm still flying that first plane. Mooney at 62 hours! "Real" certificate still in the mail . . . Been making up for lost time ever since.

Age 48. Mooney Acclaim. Decided to buy my last plane first.

Mine was fine (31-0036). Any idea what the serial was on the index aircraft?

Rent the 172 now; buy the Mooney later. They're fantastic aircraft. They resent inattention and inexperience. The time you spend now in a 172 will spare you more than a few problems later. Returned to the air after many years, in a new Mooney. STEEP learning curve. Don't do what I did.

What a beautiful aircraft. Looks like a new Ovation! Well done.

I prefer newer: Hence by default, electric.

Quote: mpponte I fly an Acclaim which is a different body Mooney than my former M20J, a lot more nose heavy and a lot faster. It's a "fly by the numbers airplane" that follows the dictum PITCH +POWER = PERFORMANCE very closely. When entering the pattern, 16-18" MP = 140-130 KIAS which allows for lowering the gear. I usually do this ASA I enter the downwind leg. Then, down to 15", and abeam the N's, flaps are lowered to the T/O position and MP down to 12" with nose up trim for the magic 90 KIAS. Then just manage the 300-500 FPM descent. From this moment onward, it's all visual, address your attention to: the landing threshold and the IAS. Keep it at 90 KIA, through your base and base to final turn, keeping in mind where the wind is coming from. This will determine how far away you need to make your turn. Turns should not be > 30 degrees of bank, because we know what happens to the load factor when the bank increases. Then comes full flaps which generates an aggressive nose down pitch moment; so it's important to use nose up trim to prevent this aggressive nose down movement. You should be around 500-600 AGL at this point, and approximately 1/3 mile from the RWY. if you're above the GS (VASI), keep the landing spot fixed in the windshiel. If you're low, give it power, if you want to loose altitude reduce power, but keep the pitch steady. This Mooney does not like unstable approaches. POH says 75 KIAS over the N's but I like to add a few extra knots, because there's always some wind and because if you chop the power, the a/c settles into the grown very rapidly and you can bounce it. Also, keep in mind, this a/c floats 200 FT for every knot above the recommended IAS, so plan your approach accordingly.

Quote: Shadrach I disagree, I think a large part of the problem is that collectivley we are uncomfortable with the low speed part of our aircraft's envelope. I envision a situation where Joe blow who does a straight in approach 85% of the time, comes into the pattern at a smaller airport, reduces speed, drops the gear, turns base into a tail wind, starts his turn to final and sees the over shoot so rather than steepen beyond the the killer 30degrees, he unconsciously steps on his left rudder to compensate a little...and then more, and more. He ends up slow and uncoordinated, and then sudenly looses it...but at least he never banked more than 30degrees.

Mine's being inspected this week: heard of it through my FBO yesterday. Fingers crossed...

I would VERY much like to attend! I'm in Lake Havasu, so it's a short hop. So long as I can clear the day, I'm there. Thanks for posting this.

When I have the luxury, I do not fly a tight pattern, and I try to have a nice, long final. Poke fun at my "Grandma" turns all you like: but Grandma didn't get old by accident. I've no doubt that experienced pilots exist that can recover from a pattern stall within a few hundred feet of the ground. I'm not that guy, and never plan to become that guy for those last, few fleeting seconds of my life... BTW: for all the berating I attracted with faster-than-average approach speeds, it sure keeps you off the rocks better than marginal speeds, before one is on final. "Too fast" is still appealing, until I'm on a reasonably long final; relatively easy to dump the remaining knots thereafter. OK, it's now open season for all the old hands to tell me what an idiot I am...!

True: but let's toss around terms like 'stupid' a bit more carefully, yes? Ignorance is when you don't know any better: I've been ignorant, along with every person in the world. We all get a pass on ignorance, or more generally inexperience, from time to time. 'Stupid' is when you know better, and go forward anyway. Walt's done the smart thing in asking the opinions of others, and is hardly a novice to aviation. I applaud him for doing so.

Walt, I'm neither a commercial pilot, nor a veteran of multiple plane purchases. I can, however smell a rat at 20 paces. "Lost" logs? Run away. My Dad told me 'never buy the first puppy you see'. This puppy has worms. Welcome to Mooneyspace, and good luck with your aircraft search. Trust the people on this site, in aggregate: they've enormous accumulated experience. Except for me: which is why I pay attention to them, as well.

I would be very interested in formation flying to Oshkosh. If I can schedule the timeslot for training, and then the time for the trip itself, I will do so. Thank you for posting this!

Pushing on the prop when moving aircraft? Brought out the engineers and would-be engineers, like flies on a dead dog.

Think I'll just have to pencil in a flight from AZ to Van Nuys some evening, to do some night takeoff and landing work. Nice and loud. And then: well, come chase me, airport Gestapo! Good luck with that.