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Looking to trade J up for O, O2 or Bravo

rogerl

By rogerl
in Aircraft Classifieds

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FlyDave Veteran

FlyDave

Posted
Posted

Keep the J. It's the greatest production airplane ever built.

 

I traded up from a J to a Bravo in December of last year. The Bravo is an amazing airplane!

The redundancy - 2 alternators, 2 batteries, mechanical and backup electric vacuum  pumps - all provide a level of insurance that makes a failure of one of them a non-issue. But you also have to maintain 2 of everything. Also, the Bravo has lots of power BUT the fuel burn to go with it - You'll find yourself wishing you were flying the J when you get to the fuel pump!

Fuel burn is my only issue with the Bravo - EVERYTHING else is a no-brainer!

 

Dave

  • Like 3
Bravoman Mentor

Bravoman

Posted
Posted

I traded up from a J to a Bravo in December of last year. The Bravo is an amazing airplane!

The redundancy - 2 alternators, 2 batteries, mechanical and backup electric vacuum  pumps - all provide a level of insurance that makes a failure of one of them a non-issue. But you also have to maintain 2 of everything. Also, the Bravo has lots of power BUT the fuel burn to go with it - You'll find yourself wishing you were flying the J when you get to the fuel pump!

Fuel burn is my only issue with the Bravo - EVERYTHING else is a no-brainer!

 

Dave

Agree with Dave and got my Bravo(my first Mooney and the only one I have ever flown) at same time as he got his. Absolutely love it. Actually, because I also fly a fixed gear Toga( we can't always get everything we need to take into Mooney) I don't think fuel burn too bad. At the power setting I typically use fuel burn about same as Toga and perhaps slightly less. However, Mooney gets you down the road a heck of a lot faster!

Regards, Frank

  • Like 1
DS1980 Community Regular

DS1980

Posted
Posted

I was speaking in terms of simplicity and dollar per mile. Plus it has the room and capacity. And some may find it hard to pull the Bravo out of the hangar. And it's exponentially more expensive to maintain 6 cylinders.

 

Pound per pound and mile per mile, the J is better. I'll even put it on Wikipedia, which will make it a fact. ha!

 

The Bravo is Papa Bear and the J is Momma Bear. Guess that just makes the short bodies Baby Bear, which makes sense.

 

The Acclaim Type S is the Big Bad Wolf.

PMcClure Mentor

PMcClure

Posted
Posted

I am sure the J is the more efficient than an Ovation on a $/mile basis. But I sure do like the extra speed and am quite happy with the fuel burn, modern feel and look and comfort of the Ovation. Everyone complains about full fuel load on the later models but I have never left anything behind. Basically, if it will fit in the plane it can go. With 90 gallons fuel capacity and 180-190 knots with 13-15gph LOP, I can leave off some fuel and add some baggage and still travel a long way.

 

I don't agree that it is exponentially more expensive to maintain a 6 banger than a 4 unless it is a turbo. Based on my experience, the real increase in maintenance costs over legacy aircraft is the avionics. But that comes with any model. 

 

If you are only concerned about efficiency, you shouldn't be flying a aircraft anyway. Take the Prius. There are a host of reasons to consider an Ovation over a J. Or the other way around depending on your budget and mission and style. 

  • Like 2
DS1980 Community Regular

DS1980

Posted
Posted

A Mooney at 200MPH is far more efficient than any car at 200MPH. Hendrick engines get about 4 MPG at those speeds. The Mooney is getting around 20MPG. 

aaronk25 Veteran

aaronk25

Posted
Posted

I just have a hard time with the fact that the bravo has a 7.3 to 1 compression ratio, which makes it much less efficient and is the reason the exhaust runs so hot. The J has 8.7 to one compression.....

I get the long body, turbo deal just wish they would have kept high compression pistons and turbo-normalized it. That would have made a hell of a engine with much better fuel efficiency and a exhaust that doesn't glow......

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