Flying a Mooney at Cessna speeds

[Ned Gravel]

I learned some things today.  

 

Never make the appointment to clear customs after a long flight.  

 

Weather forecast headwinds between 20 and 25 kts.  So the flight was supposed to take 3.5 hours.  Takeoff was set for 10:00 am.  But we took off at 9:40 (just in case).  I was supposed to be landing at KPTK (Pontiac) at 13:30 and by 11:00, Foreflight is telling me we would arrive at 12:55.  This was not good.  Customs doesn't like us showing up early.  So, at 90+ degrees lean of peak and pulling 18" of MP, I slowed the plane to 105-108 kts and we finally arrived at 13:15 (whew!!).  This was not the way to fly a Mooney!!   But 3.5 hours of flying only took 31 gallons of gas - so not too bad.

 

Next time I will fly the long haul to an airport close to the border and, after filing and getting eAPIS response, fly the 15 minutes to the port of entry.

 

Something else I learned.  Never fly into Chicago airspace on a VFR flight plan. Check out http://flightaware.com/live/flight/CFSWR/history/20131002/1829Z/KPTK/KPWK.

 

Now for the good part.  

 

I flew 5 hours and 40 minutes in my Mooney today.  

 

Life is good.

[Shadrach]

Ned you were in Fredneck last week and didn't tell anyone you were coming? I'm always up for an excuse to get hash and eggs at the airways.

[jetdriven]

I flew 6 hours on 39.4 gallons, at 128 knots. It was also the first time I ever flew the 201 at any throttle setting less than wide open.  MP was 23". I really wasn't sure what to do, but after fooling around with it, made it work.

 

That also included a LOP takeoff and climb. Set FF to 11.5 and roll.

 

this was a sheet I took during the flight. It seems that 50-75 LOP is the best efficiency from a NMPG standpoint, but you take a massive speed hit to get it. I theorize that the airframe is more efficient at the lower speed due to drag only, the engine's efficiency is worse below 45-50% power.  Jim R and Testwest have both explained this very well.  But 125 KIAS is a good setting for serious range.

[jlunseth]

I have done the same thing but not for customs.  To let a Tstorm get out of the way before I arrived at my airport of intended landing.

[orionflt]

Ned, 

I would rather have you experience flying cessna speeds over mine...I was flying home from Maine, usually 2.3-2.5 hrs, but a front was coming up from the south. I planned my flight to arrive home about 30 minutes before the rain was suppose to arrive but i forgot about the winds in front of the rain and i didn't leave early enough to beat it. I made it to new york about 10 to 15 minutes slower then my norm but was feeling good because i was only an hour out.....then i hit the winds from the front, two hours later i finally landed at home. i watched my ground speed go from 135 knts down to 70 knts talk about a painful flight.

[rbridges]

 

 

Something else I learned.  Never fly into Chicago airspace on a VFR flight plan. Check out http://flightaware.com/live/flight/CFSWR/history/20131002/1829Z/KPTK/KPWK.

 

 

 

haha.  it looks like you forgot where you were going and had to double back.  

[MARZ]

Not seeing the track....

[yvesg]

I learned some things today.  

 

Never make the appointment to clear customs after a long flight.  

 

Weather forecast headwinds between 20 and 25 kts.  So the flight was supposed to take 3.5 hours.  Takeoff was set for 10:00 am.  But we took off at 9:40 (just in case).  I was supposed to be landing at KPTK (Pontiac) at 13:30 and by 11:00, Foreflight is telling me we would arrive at 12:55.  This was not good.  Customs doesn't like us showing up early.  So, at 90+ degrees lean of peak and pulling 18" of MP, I slowed the plane to 105-108 kts and we finally arrived at 13:15 (whew!!).  This was not the way to fly a Mooney!!   But 3.5 hours of flying only took 31 gallons of gas - so not too bad.

 

Next time I will fly the long haul to an airport close to the border and, after filing and getting eAPIS response, fly the 15 minutes to the port of entry.

 

Something else I learned.  Never fly into Chicago airspace on a VFR flight plan. Check out http://flightaware.com/live/flight/CFSWR/history/20131002/1829Z/KPTK/KPWK.

 

Now for the good part.  

 

I flew 5 hours and 40 minutes in my Mooney today.  

 

Life is good.

Crossing over the lake would have been much shorter... :-)

Yves

[Bob]

Did you request "No Overwater"? 

 

Yes, Chicago is interesting.  My IFR 35 min flight to OSH took an extra hour!  Even IFR, Chicago will vector the heck out of us little guys.

[Ned Gravel]

Ned you were in Fredneck last week and didn't tell anyone you were coming? I'm always up for an excuse to get hash and eggs at the airways.

 

Ross:

 

Yes, I was. If I had known you were interested, I would have let you know.  I spent some time with Tom and his new-to-him Mooney (and gave him a chance to review the installation of his old KR-87 in my Mooney) before we rotated for home.  

 

We got to watch the Ford Tri-Motor do rides and the Navy blimp operate - so it was cool.  Probably the best part of the trip was taking a few of my training participants up for a ride.  I know it was a bucket list item for one of them.  He may take up flying.

 

When I am back, I will let you know beforehand.  It may not be before next January though.  I like "Fredneck."  Nice ILS prior to entering the SFRA.  Their FBO has been good to me.