Introduce Yourself

[Flybeech21]

Will do.....

[andysmith11]

Andy Smith based out of Houston, TX. Flying a 2008 Acclaim S. Looked at the Cessna 400, Bo, and the Mooney and the Mooney won hands down. Fantastic airplane to fly and I have been having loads of fun.

[FAADAR]

Hi All My name is Lloyd Nelson, I purchased a Mooney in Switzerland in Dec 2008 and I now have 170 Hours on my M20J. Since I am an FAA DAR I am always on the move, the Mooney M20J 1979 with then 1950 hours was my new "Time Machine". it was the best choice to gain IFR experience and the time savings. Since I do all my own maintenance as an A&P and IA I can keep the costs low. I actually find that flying from Zurich to the UK for 3 customers actually adds up in expense costs. In any case I would be happy to assist any of you regarding certification questions modifications and questions about the nicest places to fly in Europe.

 

N69LN In Switzerland

[jkb458]

Hey Everyone!

Jeff Bridges here (not the actor...).  Two weeks ago I purchased my first airplane, a 1966 Mooney M20E!!!  I got my private a little over a year ago and decided that I wanted to get my IFR in my own airplane.  I'm beginning my IFR training next week!!!

A friend of mine has a 1978 M20J.  He introduced me to Mooneys and the more I found out about them (speed, efficiency, safety, etc), the more I knew this was the airplane that I wanted.

I manage an IT organization for an HR-outsourcing company.  I live in Cumming, GA USA and my airplane will be based at Jackson Co. Airport (19A).

Thanks so much for this site!!!  I have learned so much already and know that I have so much more to go...

 

Jeff Bridges

N6091Q

1966 M20E

[mooneygirl]

Hello All

My name is Jolie and I am the proud owner of two Mooneys. My Maggie II is a 1965E model, which I just love. I had the N number tranferred from my father's C/D when we lost it in a crash.  It has a new interior, new glass, and a new panel.  It is simple but I just love her!  My second is a 1994 Ovation, N211MJ which is our business machine.  We had it painted at Artcraft in Santa Maria, CA, and think the paint is pristine!

In August, I started the Mooney Ambassadors.  This group has three missions: 1) support the Mooney Airplane Company; 2) promote general aviation; and 3) have someplace wonderful to fly.  For more information, check out: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=132057967005

Look for us soon on Mooney.com

I am working on my IFR and we hope to fly the Ovation to OshKosh in 2010.  We flew Maggie in 2008 and commerically in 2009 [i played in the OshKosh concert band].

Safe skies.

[Jeff_S]

Hello all. Not a Mooney pilot..YET..but am seriously looking at some form of M20J as a step up from my Warrior so I'm going to peruse this forum and probably ask a lot of inane questions while I get familiar with the model.  Cheers!

[Flybeech21]

Welcome Jeff!  I am down at Berry hill in Stockbridge.  If you would like to come down, you are welcome to check out my M20C.

 

[Jeff_S]

Kevin and Jim, thanks for the offers and be careful what you propose...I may take you up on it! I started looking early this year, but held off until I could determine whether or not my wife would ever decide to try out general aviation. Well, I finally got her up in the Warrior and we took a trip to St. Augustine so now she's hooked.  All the more reason to find something that does just a little better on longer x-country trips.

Cheers.

[Mooney13]

I have flown many warriors and they are great stable airplanes....BUT..you will not regret your switch to a Mooney!
150-155kts @ 10GPH.....How's that for a cross country plane   I am still amazed a year later everytime I go on a 200KM or longer trip...I went from a Cherokee 140 to the M20J and there is not a single regret to speak of, nothing at all against the Cherokee (great planes).... I am just sold on the Mooney

Good luck!

[piperpainter]

Plus you can get over just about any terrain you need to with the service ceiling Mooney's have.

[Immelman]

Hi, I'm Jesse.

I flequent the AOPA boards and Mooney mailing list (mooney & mooney-tech).

I own/operate a 1966 M20E based in Watsonville, CA. I've owned my airplane for two years now. No major problems. Indeed, it has been a reliable airplane. Have taken it as far north as Portland, OR and as far south as Cabo San Lucas; I need to expand my horizons a bit more to truly realize the utility of the airplane. Most of my flying is intra California to explore and enjoy life.

I've been flying since 1997. I hold a commercial license & instrument rating and am (slowly) working on my CFI-A certificate. I plan to follow with CFI-I and then multi engine at some point. I work in the HW/SW engineering field now for a semiconductor manufacturer but would love to move into more of a full time aviation role over time.

[231Pilot]

Hi, I'm Lew, live in Southaven, MS and work in Memphis.  I fly a 1982 M20J, N36CE out of AWM.  I've owned her since Dec. 2006, and before that I owned N721LP (see post above) from September 2000 until December 2006.  I am instrument rated and cannot owning any aircraft that was not manufactured in Kerrville, TX.

[EGLDRVR]

Hey, Y'all--Great Forum!

By way of introductions...  I'm 5,000hr ATP, A&P.  Owned 14 airplanes....  Maules, Pitts, Luscombes, 172, 150, Aztec...

I've just bought my first Mooney, a 1999 M20S Eagle.  It's amazing.  I'm seeing 182KTAS at 8k @16.5gph!  With under 800hrs, it's practically new.  It's well equipped, for me.  Garmin 430 (non-WAAS), KX-155, Garmin Mode S xpndr, Garmin 696 w/air gizmos panel dock, TIS on the 430 & 696, STEC 30 w/alt, just signed the deal to install an Aspen PFD1000 that will give me GPSS and get rid of the ancient technology in the STEC HSI, remote gyro....yuck!  

Look forward to learning about this airplane on the forums.

--EGLDRVR

[Kwixdraw]

Cliff Morris here. Trying to get my first Mooney back in traveling condition. She's pretty far out of date because she was last flown in '96 (victim of a nasty divorce) and then timed out on the Lycoming oil pump impeller AD.

 N3721H is an '81 J model that really has had kind of a tough life. I bought her with a damage history because I was planning to have her on a leaseback arrangement and didn't want to pay a premium price and put the aircraft where it might get dinged. The damage seemed to be taken care of in fine fashion and the plane flies well but needs new paint and interior work as well as the mechanicals being brought up to date. The interior took a beating while she was on leaseback and the paint has degenerated froom being a ramp queen for so long.  Now I'm retired and have the situation to lavish a bit of TLC on her and get back to flying.

[PilotBob]

Hi everyone, my name is Bob and I just got my mistress painted at Santa Maria. More to come later.

[piperpainter]

Mine is getting done right now! Welcome Bob!

[drpep]

Well, what  a treat! both this site Craig and finding out just a little about who Mooniacs really are. I am a second time Mooney owner. I sold my first  mooney 76 20F in 2002 as I partnered up on a Grumman Tiger while we built a Glasair II. Choosing to buy a second Mooney last year, a 67 20E was driven by withdrawal pangs that never went away. I simply enjoy flying my Mooney alone as it allows me to escape my work world as a Forensic Psychologist in Canada. I have flown across our magnificent country and yours many times and it humbles me to be of this world and wanting to get above it.

I enjoy this site very much as just when I think I know all I need to know (not really) new info surfaces for which I am grateful

Many thanks to you all

Philip Perry Vancouver Island BC CANADA

 

[PilotBob]

Quote: PilotBob

Hi everyone, my name is Bob and I just got my mistress painted at Santa Maria. More to come later.

[RobertL]

Am Robert and have flown since '76 - currently working in Italy and have been flying an Aztec for the last 10 years. Never flown a Mooney but when I do my research on what I might fly/own next the vintage Mooneys keep coming back as great value for money - in particular the Super 21/20E. Do not appear to suffer from the existential angst of Beech vs Mooney, although if Piper parts support were better might be exposed to a bit of Comanche 250/260 vs Mooney debate. Have got time in Arrows, 172RG and 210s but the Gordon Baxter articles must have left a hard wire for the Mooney. One of the benefits of flying in Italy is the occasional time in a SF260 - beautifu, mil spec built and 185 KTAS but with a fiendish fuel system and I suspect an interesting maintenance budget!

[scottfromiowa]

FINALLY!  Thank you to Craig and whomever else is responsible for the creation of what I have been searching for...literally for years.  A Mooney specific website where Mooney drivers, owners and wanna be's can find like minded people that have a passion for the backward tail, speed and safety.  My name is Scott Thompson.  I'm 47 married with two awesome kids.  I am a Wisconsin native and Iowa transplant for over ten years.  Always had a passion for general aviation...really all things aviation and began flying in 2000.  Explained to my wife that we can fly to cottages (in-laws) in northern Wisconsin in less than 1/2 the time...Bought a Consumer Aviation Used guide to airplanes and read...and read...and read until I decided on an M20E...either '66 or '67.  Found a low time 1850 hour bird on line and agreed on a purchase price to be confirmed by an annual in Brunswick GA.  Love at first sight with X-Ray.  Purchased in December of 2003.  I have between 400-500 hours in my Mooney.  Since purchase I have majored the engine at Poplar Grove, IL, installed a 3 blade McCaulley prop, smooth belly, K nose gear doors, Garmin 300xl, updated com 2, panel mount 496 tied in with a PS engineering stereo intercom (to enjoy XM radio/I-pod) Gem engine monitor, EI volt/amp monitor with discharge light as well as numerous airframe replacements (aux fuel pump, voltage regulator, HID landing light, generator, vacuum pump etc....It has been a labor of love culmonating with a new pilot panel that came out fantastic.  As soon as funds allow plan to finish IFR instrumentation (nav heads, annunciator/wiring) and bgin my instrument rating.  I have PC and was thinking about having Brittain install the Accu-Trac tied into Garmin and Nav for GPS tracking.  Has anyone else done this?  If in Cedar Rapids drop me an e-mail and we can talk Mooney over a beverage.  I look forward to posting further enhancements to X-ray on Mooneyspace. 

Scott

[Vref]

Hi,

 

I am Luc from Belgium, just bought a damaged M20J 1978. The aircraft sustained a nose gear collaps attempting take off from a bumpy grass runway! I am upgrading from a Taifun Motorglider as my mission profile Belgium Hungary is 600Nm with a Taifun it takes me 6,6 Hrs flying (105Kts) hope to cut the time in two with no refuel stop with a Mooney. My bird will undergo full restoration in Hungary. I hold FAA and JAR SEP/TMG PPL (600 Hrs) ratings hoping EASA will get there act together in 2012  for an achievable PPL IFR rating. The bird I bought is B-RNAV (GNC430-KX155-DME-ADF) equiped with a KFC150 A/P. Looking forward to fly that awsome aircraft soon. I appreciate the easy and good looking interface of this mooney forum. Very informative btw...

greets from Belgium

[Mcstealth]

Quote: Vref

Hi,

 

I am Luc from Belgium, just bought a damaged M20J 1978. The aircraft sustained a nose gear collaps attempting take off from a bumpy grass runway! I am upgrading from a Taifun Motorglider as my mission profile Belgium Hungary is 600Nm with a Taifun it takes me 6,6 Hrs flying (105Kts) hope to cut the time in two with no refuel stop with a Mooney. My bird will undergo full restoration in Hungary. I hold FAA and JAR SEP/TMG PPL (600 Hrs) ratings hoping EASA will get there act together in 2012  for an achievable PPL IFR rating. The bird I bought is B-RNAV (GNC430-KX155-DME-ADF) equiped with a KFC150 A/P. Looking forward to fly that awsome aircraft soon. I appreciate the easy and good looking interface of this mooney forum. Very informative btw...

greets from Belgium

[Magnum]

Quote: Vref

Hi,

 

I am Luc from Belgium, just bought a damaged M20J 1978. The aircraft sustained a nose gear collaps attempting take off from a bumpy grass runway! I am upgrading from a Taifun Motorglider as my mission profile Belgium Hungary is 600Nm with a Taifun it takes me 6,6 Hrs flying (105Kts) hope to cut the time in two with no refuel stop with a Mooney. My bird will undergo full restoration in Hungary. I hold FAA and JAR SEP/TMG PPL (600 Hrs) ratings hoping EASA will get there act together in 2012  for an achievable PPL IFR rating. The bird I bought is B-RNAV (GNC430-KX155-DME-ADF) equiped with a KFC150 A/P. Looking forward to fly that awsome aircraft soon. I appreciate the easy and good looking interface of this mooney forum. Very informative btw...

greets from Belgium

[ernie252]

Hi,

I posted before my intro, hope no one minds.  I had to add my 2 cents to the discussion about slipping.  

I came to Mooney ownership in January 1998 as a result of a new job that required commuting 570NM one way on a weekly basis.  After some research I decided that the 252 was the best airplane for the job and nothing ever changed my mind.  I did that almost every week for three years, then less often for another couple of years.

If anyone is interested, my best time ever was 2:12 t/o to t/d -- do the math.  It was an east west commute and unless icing was a problem I did the eastbound/homeward leg in the low to mid 20's.

I have now decided that I want a Waco, so the Mooney is f'/s.  I will miss it every time I take my shoes off for a 500nm trip or less.

I am a former AF helicopter and jet transport pilot, so I have had a wealth of great experiences flying over the years.  I consider the Mooney perfect for it's intended mission.  Treated with respect and with attention to airspeeds on final the airplane is very easy to fly in my opinion.

 

[MooneyMitch]

Welcome Ernie to a very fun, friendly and informative Mooney site!