Good news/Bad news

[driller]

Hi all.  I don't post much on here but I'm certainly an active reader.  Good news.....  I'm contemplating an offer I received to become a partner on a 2006 Ovation.  Bad news....  I would have to put the Encore up for sale in order to do this. 

 

I love the Encore.  Anyone had any similar experiences bumping up they could share?

 

thanks

 

curt

 

[Seth]

What is your mission and why do you want the NA engine over the Turbo? 

 

I chose the NA engine, but I also am on the east coast and don't need to go above 12,000 feet often.  The Ovation will beat the Encore below 10,000 in speed, but you win by far in efficiency up high as well as with an airframe you know and love.

 

Engine times?  Are you due for some major work soon?  Tell us why you're thinking of making the change.  Some people say the Encore is the best Mooney ever made, some say its the J, some say it's the Ovation. 

 

-Seth

[Parker_Woodruff]

Both are capable airframes.  I would make the decision based on how much you are flying per year.  I owned a 252 (converted to an Enore) in Florida and loved the turbo to get to altitude quickly in the summertime.  That said, the Ovation will get you to 10,000 and above those annoying summertime cloud buildups just as quick.  Not so much to FL210 though.

[Joe Zuffoletto]

I flew a 1998 Encore for 11 years and loved it before bumping up to a 2008 Acclaim two and a half years ago. Absolutely no regrets, but my mission changed which is why I made the bump.

 

I was living in the Bay Area, based at Napa, when I purchased the Encore in 2000. My trips were mostly up and down the West Coast, from Vancouver, BC to San Diego, CA, and all points between. Occasionally I would head east to Las Vegas or Denver, but not very often. The Encore was a perfect plane for these trips; it could comfortably fly all the West Coast trips nonstop.

 

In 2006 my wife and I moved to Denver and our primary missions became Denver to Orange County (to visit my parents) and Denver to the Bay Area (to visit her family). The Encore did the job but having to make fuel stops both ways got old after a while. The Acclaim makes both trips nonstop with plenty of fuel to spare, and shaves almost 2 hours off these trips door-to-door in each direction.

 

Don't know what the Ovation's panel is like but the G1000 and GFC700 autopilot in the Acclaim are absolutely fabulous and make long trips much less taxing.

[KSMooniac]

Tough choice... not sure there is a wrong answer either!  

 

Do you use the K enough to justify sole ownership?  How about the potential partner?  I'd run useful load/W&B/performance numbers for your typical trips and see how each plane does...  Does either plane have TKS?

[driller]

Yes, I'm up above 12000 most of the time on my trips back and forth.  Usually between 15-18.  But I'm also probably not using the plane enough to justify sole ownership.  I was approached on the partnership which led me to do some thinking and investigating.  The non turbo was the first question I had.  I'm averaging about 70 hrs per year.

 

No time or motor issues with the Encore.  TT540.  All cylinders strong.  My only real thinking about a change comes from my wife with her elbow in my ribs.   She wants a boat. 

 

curt

[KSMooniac]

Sorry to hear about the boat... good luck with that.  1/2 an M20R might free up budget for the boat, though.

 

You might contact this poster:  http://mooneyspace.com/topic/11683-looking-for-well-equipped-231-252-to-lease-or-buy/  

[carusoam]

There is room for her elbow in the R....

[mike_elliott]

Curt, have we met? I spent many Saturday Mornings at KHFY with Rusty, Roger, DJ et. al. Is the Ovation in Indy and a GX model, belonging to Ken by chance? Just curious.

Mike

[driller]

Not sure if we have met.  I see the others often.  I'm down in Florida for the season right now and no on Ken's Ovation.  Any fly-ins this weekend down here?  Went to Key West a couple days ago.  Great weather down there. 

 

curt

[mike_elliott]

Ill be up at KHFY on 4/22 to work with Bill Gilliland and his Bravo, maybe our paths will cross. Say hi to all for me. I don't know of any fly ins this weekend, other than this thing they call SunNfun over at KLAL

[driller]

Appreciate the help.  I passed on the partnership offer.  Turbo is a priority for me and it's going to be hard to beat the performance of the Encore.  Wife is going to have to wait a while for a boat.    Might have to put the feelers out for a partner and see where it leads me.

 

Last flight down.  4.5 hrs.  http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N413ZM

 

curt