Jimhamilton

I bought my M20K about three years ago. My experience with turbocharged aircraft engines before my purchase was about 1,000 hours in the Cessna 402 and 404 twins. So I knew a little about what I was getting into. I was well aware that bad pilot technique could reduce the life of the power plant and dramatically increase maintenance cost. So this is my point, along with having the aircraft inspected and logs looked over, interview the pilot. Is he/she professional. How well does the pilot know the aircraft, limitations and procedures. What is their experience level and what ratings do they have. You have to be the judge. Its your investment. For example. When I was looking to buy I came across some owners who were very ignorant to basic concepts and procedure. I was amazed at how little they knew about the airplane. Then we looked at the logs and they too showed a disregard to professionalism. For example. A Mooney M20K is at a high cruise altitude for over an hour. The pilot starts the descent late and needs to get down quickly. He pulls the power back abruptly and makes the ear popping descent. I can almost here that crackling sound cylinders make when cooling off quickly. The pilot enters the base leg too high and fast. Turns final. Again, high and fast. He then floats more then half way down a short runway and make the safe decision to go around. However, this pilot is not sharp. He forgot his GUMP check and did not enriched the mixture on approach. (Very bad when pulling 40 inches of manifold on go around) The next thing this pilot has forgotten is the cowl flaps. On descent his engine cooled much to quickly and now on his go around he is heating the cylinders much to quickly and past the red line. He remembers the gear and has numerous radio calls to make. He is startled, but manages to get the Mooney back around for another attempt. However, he never notices the cylinder head temp or for that matter any other engine instrument. For this one flight this pilot has made numerous mistakes that may not show now, but will cost big time in the future. That "big time cost" could be your cost. So please, interview the pilot as well as getting the airplane checked. It can save you big time. One more thing. I love my Mooney 231 (m20k). I am glad I bought it and I think you will be too. It is a great airplane. Be safe.

I just watched the video's and I was very impressed. But, then I got to thinking. It's the man hours involved in building just one ship and David you confirmed my thoughts. One Mooney in three months. Yes, I know it is hard to start up the assembly line again, but all I can see is red ink. Lets say they tripled the output to one Mooney every month and lets say they sell that Mooney for one million dollars. Thats only 12 million cash flow for the year. 12 million to run a factory on? Now I know that they have other sources of income in parts and so on, but I just don't see the viability. The equation is going to have to change. More efficient assembly I am sure is on the list. Automation? Cheaper labor? Units sold. Yes, units sold. They need to spread the costs over more units. The only way to sell more units is to get the price down and that brings me to my conclusion. Management knows this too. It is a sinking ship. They will quietly shift most production to China. I can't see it any other way. Just my opinion.

Four pilots, 14 hour legs. The two captains get first dibs on landings and sometimes they throw you a bone and give you one. Your lucky to get one landing every month. If not, it's off to the simulator.

40 hours in the Mooney with 12 landings. 700 hours in the Boeing 777 and again, only 12 landings. Go figure

I'll take two.

Delta is hiring 100 pilots every month. Go for the gold.

Your limitations are your limitations. Exceed them and you risk safety, violation and insurance revocation. Is that clear.

I often fly polar routes. That's when you have to watches the fuel freeze point. Cold weather can get complicated.

I could have bought a Seminole for the same price as the Mooney. My M20K flys faster and higher with less fuel burn with only one motor to maintain. So expense means a lot to me. However, I do like the idea of another motor just in case. I just can't afford it. Or at least I just don't want to afford a twin.

I can travel fast while I look outside. Nothing wrong with that.

Today, at work, my average leg is over thirteen hours. Flying at 350 and above. The automation flys the plane, navigates the plane and even makes automatic position reports. When I want weather or an ATIS I just send away for it and it magically appears. I even get my clearance that way. If I loose an engine on takeoff the airplane knows it and kicks in the right amount of rudder. I like flying my Mooney because I get to fly my Mooney. I like looking out the window flying at much lower altitudes and seeing all the beauty God made. I am not interested in flying approaches in IMC and I don't want a moving map with a magenta line. I don't need GPS and it's great when the radio is turned off. I have a storm scope and I don't know why. If the weather is that bad I'm landing. I like flying, really flying and I don't need all that glow in the dark stuff to do it. It's too expensive anyway. Anyway, that's my view.

That's a big deal. Congrats for such a big achievement.

Now that is an awesome testimony. WOW!!!

Your mission is to visit every MLB park in one season. MLB parks are mostly located in metropolitan areas with high concentrations of air traffic and sometimes confusing procedures. You will be expected to comply with complex clearances told to you by very fast speaking air traffic controllers. Your mission is to basically fly to all corners of the US will bring challenges of weather, mountainous terrain, night flying (maybe), high density altitude airports and more. Your theater of operations is wide and is filled with potential threats that can affect the safety of flight. Your experience level is beginner. Now that being said you want to make the addition of a complex aircraft into the above equation. This is a lot for any new pilot to handle. Others on the forum have done it with great success. Please take into account your abilities. For example. You want to visit Yankee stadium. You will be flying into some very complex airspace. Teterboro airport would be a possible airport for you to use. Lots of turbojet aircraft operation can be found there. Are you ready to operate in that environment. I will be honest. I was not ready when I had that much time. I would have been overwhelmed flying a 172 there let alone a Mooney. My advice. Get more training. Get your instrument ticket in a complex aircraft. With an instrument ticket you will so much better understand the airspace around you and you will better understand the complex clearances you will receive. I fly for a major airline and I can tell you that the Mooney I fly is magnitudes harder to fly then the big jets I fly with all the bells and whistles. Be smart. Think smart. Get more training. Then decide if you should buy a Mooney. God Bless

Your right, that may be a problem.

As soon as I get ADS-B the FAA will require CPDLC. So I won't do anything until the last six months of the window. Just my two cents.

$85,000 hull, $1,050. Chartis

I know that on my annual two years ago my mechanic found that my emergency gear extension was well past worn (1983 M20K). It took some doing but he found the replacement part. I do not think that if my mechanic did not have 25 years plus working on Mooney's and had been factory trained that he would have found the problem. Just goes to show you that you really do need a Mooney expert working on your plane. The Mooney is not your average plane for just any A&P. Just take a look at the flight control rigging. It is an art and requires special know how and tools to do it right. By the way, whoever did this gear up landing did a great job. Well done.

Hhmmmm......general aviation exists in China? Didn't know that. However, a very nice picture of a beautiful aircraft being expertly flown.

Mike, I think you got me confused with Ed. You quoted my post but responded to another. Anyway, do know the answer to my question. God Bless, Jim

What about Continental turbo engines? Is Camguard approved for turbos now? Maybe I missed it.

Next year is ultimate pi day. 3/14/15. Comes around only once a hundred years. Hmmmm....better start planning!

Thats an amazing result. My spinner is a bit more rough than yours so mine might take nine minutes ; )

As for me, I would rather sit on the ground or divert to my alternate then temp flying into known icing conditions. It seems that some here are pushing their luck. Even with a FIKI certified Mooney I would not feel comfortable. For most of us the Mooney is not certified for any flight into icing conditions. For me this means that if the temps are close to freezing and I have visible moisture or visibility at one mile or less it's a no go. I know some like to get into the soup to test the water so to speak. I believe this to be a very poor practice and will get you into trouble. Just my opinion. God Bless

When ATC gives you a clearance that you are uncomfortable with for ice or any other reason simply say "unable". Do not be put in a bad situation because of intimidation of a controller. You are the PIC not them. Let ATC come up with an alternate plan that suits you. As far as ice is concerned. If you have an "iron clad out" then fly in that envelope for your trip. If you can not than you really do not have an out. The Mooney is not to fly in icing conditions. If you are IMC and the temps are freezing and you are "not" picking up any ice you are still in icing conditions and should not be there. The Mooney is unforgiving in ice. Please, do not plan trips into icing conditions thinking you might get lucky and get home. Eventually the odds will catch up with you. This has been proven time and time again.