Where to Fly in a Mooney Near Orlando, FL

[Aspiring_M20_Pilot]

Hello there,

 

As one can tell by my first post (http://mooneyspace.com/topic/11584-ive-just-got-here-first-of-all-thank-you/page-2), I'm considering a Mooney as my first plane.

 

From the replies you guys gave me, it appears a Mooney may be the plane to go. One significant detail is that I've never been in a Mooney and, being 6´4", I believe the next logical step would be getting some air time in one and experiencing it first hand (with an experienced pilot or instructor).

 

This May, I'll be taking my wife and son to the parks in Orlando and I think it would be a good opportunity to get closer to a Mooney. 

 

Any tips about where/how to accomplish that goal?

 

Thanks in advance

Ary, an Aspiring_M20_Pilot 

[mooniac15u]

I can't help you with Orlando but I can tell you that I'm 6'5" and I flew a short body mooney (1963 M20D) for 8 years. I was pretty much at the limit of the available legroom and the rear passenger had almost nothing. In my current M20J I have legroom to spare and I don't even put the seat all the way back.

[Releew]

I have a 1992 M20J and can tell you the aircraft is a dream to fly. With just over 1000 hours in various aircraft the Mooney stands out as the best built highest performing aircraft I’ve flown. Although the aircraft looks confining it’s really not. Is it more difficult to get in and out than your typical Cessna…..absolutely! But…. Once you have climbed in an out a dozen times or so it will be a no brainer. I’m not so tall but I have a friend who recently flew with me who is 6’9” and had no problem in the right seat with someone sitting behind him. I don’t know if all Mooney aircraft came with articulating seats but I would recommend these as a must have at your height.  

 

Rick

[David Mazer]

I'm based in Orlando at SFB.  If we can work out a time good for both of us I'd be happy to let you sit in mine.  Maybe we can go for a flight if time permits.

[mike_elliott]

A former pro football player and I used to fill up the cockpit of his Ovation 2. He is 6-4 and, well, not gravity challenged. Nor am I. It wasn't a problem at all. Big guys and Mooneys get along ok, its the little guys with bad attitudes that have a hard time flying Mooneys!

[Jeff_S]

From my experience, the people who have trouble with Mooneys are those with bad knees. I'm 6'2" and have no trouble getting in or out and once in I really like the feeling of the sports-car interior. It makes you feel one with the airplane. And yet, there is more room between the seats for two large people than there was in my Piper Warrior; in that plane I would rub shoulders with a larger passenger.

 

As I said above, the only real challenge for some folks is ingress and egress. Climbing up on the wing and then down into the seats, and then lifting yourself out of the seats to get back onto the wing, can be a challenge for the elderly or those with less leg strength, knee strength and flexibility.  The solution I discovered with my 82 year old father (who suffers from all of the above!) is to have him sit on the front of the wing and scoot on his fanny back along the wing walk until he could rotate his feet around and into the door. Then he scoots himself back up the wing walk until he can lift himself over the threshold and into the seat. It looks funny, but it works.