Introduce Yourself

[hokiepilot]

Hi all,

My name is Keith.  I recently moved to Charlotte, NC from Blacksburg, VA.  I have a '69F that is now happily based at Lincolnton (IPJ) - I say happily because 15V now gets to live in a hangar after being stuck on a tie-down line for the past several years.  I'm looking forward to exploring the area, meeting some new folks, and learning from the collective wisdom on the members of this site.

 

Happy flying,

Keith

 

 

[MB_M20F]

Hello all, I suppose I should introduce myself (or at least my Mooney) as well. I've been the proud owner of N9344V, a 1970 M20F, since December 2003. I keep her in a tiny hangar at VNY (which I rent for a not-so-tiny fee). The aicrcraft is in great condition, and I plan on keeping her forever. Thus, I feel I can justify some upgrades from time to time. Her current equipment includes a 430W, S-Tec 30 w/ GPSS, 496 with satellite WX and Strikefinder, among other things in the panel, as well as a few speed mods including the (fantastic, in my opinion) PowerFlow exhaust. I get about 148 KTAS at 11,000 feet on 8.5 gph, which gives me a VFR range of 1,000 NM on the standard 64 gal tanks. Useful load is 968 lbs. Not bad for an old bird.

I've flown 44V to as far-away places as Europe and Belize. And I've participated in the Mooney Caravan a couple of times, where I no doubt have run into some of you at the annual top-secret Scotch tasting event.

Anyways, nice to meet you all. And thanks to the Founders for setting up & maintaining this site.

Morten N9344V 1970 M20F KVNY

[davidfreedman]

Hey All - David Freedman here.  32 years old and a relative newbie at 230 hours since I got my PPL a couple years back.  As soon as I finished my PPL I picked up N1171P, a 1983 M20J.  My first experience with her was the ferry flight from Trenton, NJ to Santa Monica...a beautiful way to start the relationship.  We were based at SMO for a year and a half and recently moved to a tie-down at VNY (Morten, I'm jealous of your hangar).  I'm thankful to this day to Gabriel Schlumberger, her previous owner, for the fantasic panel upgrade (480/MX20, JPI 800, GTX 330, GMA 347, strikefinder, SL30).  I also fly w/ a 696 which fits quite well (I saw some posts that were questioning if it were appropriate for the tight cockpit.)  I put a fresh interior in this past year. 

My primary mission is Los Angeles to San Francisco to see my father and sister, lots of wine country trips (KIZA, KPRB) though I fly occasional medium distance trips...various AZ, NV and NM destinations.  I have yet to take a good flight up the pacific coast.

I've been a long time board lurker of this and mooney.aviating.com.  I have yet to really engage the Mooney community (VMG, etc) so let's call this the start of something new. 

I look forward to crossing paths with you folks!

[MooneyMitch]

Hi David.

Welcome to the Mooney world and to MooneySpace.  You will find tons of friendly information here.  Pacific Coast flight you say?  Fly up to our Oceano Airport Celebration Day [L52], May 8th.  We're in a campaign to help save our beautiful beach airport from destruction by a local developer.   See all the info. on Facebook, search Friends of Oceano Airport. 

Also, please consider another flight up the Coast to SMX for ArtCraft Paint's Mooney Madness, May 22.  Should be a fun day of seminars, food, music and fun.

Happy Mooney flying!

[davidfreedman]

Thank you, Mitch!  L52 on May 8th...I'll be there.  I've been keeping up the the Oceano.  I joined the FB group as you suggested.  I'll be at a wedding on the 22nd so will not be able to make the ArtCraft event.  Enjoy!

[DaV8or]

Hi All!

I'm Dave and I don't own a Mooney but I have always admired them. If all goes well, next month or perhaps the month after, I will be actively shopping for my first plane. It will be a Mooney. I am not new to aviation, I have been renting for the last 12 years and have a PPL with Insturment ticket. The last 5 years or so have been all Arrow, Cutlass and Skylane. Given my budget, I've settled on an M20E (like just about everyone else these days it seems), would consider an F and maybe a C/D. I'll probably be asking the usual questions and opinions on potentials. With any luck, I'll be changing my avatar soon!

[Qwalton]

Hi I've been lurking around here enjoying all the mooney information and I thought I'd introduce myself.

My name is Quinn Walton and I'm 20 years old living in Santa Barbara, CA I got my PPL in september and I have about 150 hours to date, I'm about two weeks away from my ifr rating and I'll be starting work on my CFI/I and Commercial ratings as soon as I have the hours.  My family and I just purchased N5712Q a 1965 M20C for me to finish my instrument rating and build time in (yes I have an amazing family). 

We purchased 12Q two and a half weeks ago and I already have around 30 hours flying her. We spent a lot of time researching planes to buy and looked at every thing from cessna 120's to Bonanazas before we really nailed down exactly what our mission would be, I think that the Mooney has turned out to be an excellent choice.  The fuel efficiency and speed have blown me away, all of my time before purchasing the mooney was in cessnas and it's stunning to be going almost 20 knots faster and burn the same amount of fuel.  So far I'm completely in love with my Mooney and I'm happy to have found this excellent community.  I look forward to getting to know all of you.

Attached is a picture of me with 12Q on the day we flew her home

[jmills]

Hello all. Name is Jason. I'm an attorney from Las Vegas, NV.

Got my private back in '94. Until a few weeks ago, I hadn't flown since '96. I was in college at the time and logged only about 80 hours. After that, I got a bit busy finishing up college and then headed off to law school, then built a law practice and a family, and just fell away from GA.

But seems like the bug may be back. Flew a 172 with a g1000 in it. Enjoyed it. Forgot so much, however, that I repeated a full ground school course with a local flight school/club. Recently, on some other forums boards after inquiring about looking into plane buying, some folks pointed me this way, over to Mooneys. I don't know anything about them, except I've always figured they were out of my league skill-wise, etc.  Nevertheless, I figured I would check it out and learn what I can from folks like yourselves that are in the know.

As I get reacquainted with flying, and log some more hours of flight, my near term goals is to begin instrument training. Then perhaps over the next 12+ months or so, look into purchasing a plane.

 

[airkraft]

Dave, Jason, Quinn, et. al.

I tried a PM but it did not go through.  We are (unfortunately) selling a very well cared for 1966 E model.  See www.mooneypilots.com or call/contact for more detail.  Thanks and welcome!... GK

 

[mooneygirl]

Hi Jason

Welcome to the Mooney Family.  There is a great myth that the Mooney is a difficult plane to fly. I think that is really just a myth.  Just as you do with any aircraft, you need to have solid training and no illusions about your skills.  Most times I think the times that Mooney pilots get into trouble is when they think they can "get away with something." For example, too much speed on final or in the flare.  My 65 E model is the best.  She is very predictable and when I fly her by the numbers I can be seen doing the "Happy Mooney Dance" after a great landing. 

Again welcome!  MooneySpace is awesome.  And so you know, the Mooney Ambassadors is a group we founded to support the Mooney Airplane Company, and promote General Aviation.  http://www.MooneyAmbassadors.com    

All the best!

[skyking]

Hi Jason and Quinn: Welcome to both the mooney family and our little Mooney community here.

Nice to have you here.

[davidfreedman]

Hey Jason,

On Mooneys being difficult to fly...I did my PPL in a 172 and picked up my Mooney right after at around 65 hours.  I did 20 hours of transition training (insurance requirement) and have been flying her for 2 years since.  I occasionally rent my Mooney to a gentleman who had 300 hours in a 172 and he transitioned to my Mooney in about 11 hours.  There's nothing difficult about it...new set of habits/muscle memory, that's it.  Great instrument platform as well...you've got rods rather than cables which make for more precise control inputs.  I'll be in Vegas in June - let me know if you'd like to go for a ride.

[Qwalton]

Thank you for the welcomes everyone!

 

As far as Mooneys being difficult to fly goes.  I had about 150 hours (all of it in 172's and most of it dual) when I bought my Mooney.  I spent about 15 hours with my CFI, 7 of it flying the plane home from where we bought it, and got my complex endorsement.  Since I've had the plane I've put about 40 hours on it and I haven't found it much more difficult to fly than a cessna.  The one thing I've found that requires attention is watching airspeed at lower altitudes and in descents since the yellow arc comes up very quickly in C models.  I'm currently finishing up my instrument training and I've found the mooney to be much easier to fly approaches with than the cessna was. The PC system makes it super, super stable and I've found it allows me to focus much more closely on the approach than I otherwise would be able to.

Jason, I saw your thread over on the red board and I immediately thought a Mooney would be perfect for you given your mission and budget.  I'm glad you've decided to look into Mooneys, they really are amazing planes!  

[Jeff_S]

Hey, I've recently joined the Mooney ranks and I'm a Mooney-lover just like everyone else, but having just transitioned from a Warrior I do think it's fair to point out some of the differences that Jason and others may need to consider when flying these planes. These are my thoughts and experiences after about 25 hours in my new mistress:

1) Controls are quite a bit stiffer than a Warrior/Skyhawk so at first I felt like I was struggling to maneuver the plane more. This shows up especially in the pattern, as it's a different feel turning downwind-base and base-final.

2) Maintaining strict adherence to chosen altitude in any kind of non-smooth air seems to take more focus.  My plane just loves to catch a thermal and soar 200' up in the blink of an eye!

3) There are a few more things to do in every check-list stop, with the obvious one being gear but the less obvious being things like cowl flaps. I've seen even the experienced Mooniacs on this site talking about realizing they'd left the cowl flaps open 20 minutes into cruise flight (guilty as charged!).

4) I've not found landing speeds to be a problem to achieve or maintain, but the plane loves to fly so much I've learned to be much more gentle in the flare. Any sort of headwind gust can cause a balloon so be ready for that.

5) The site picture for touchdown on the mains is quite a bit more nose-up than in the Warrior, so I found myself doing 3-point landings several times before I figured that out.

[SWI_Bob]

Hello, Bob here, just checking out the site for the first time. Was told about this site from a customer of mine. I am not a pilot or Mooney owner, I just work on general aviation aircraft for a living (instruments). I own a small business that my dad started years ago. I have worked on many Mooney's over the years, up close and personal.

[MooneyMitch]

Well Bob........welcome then.  Oh yes, since you have up close and personal knowledge of Mooneys, please tell us everything you know about Mooneys!  This forum is all about sharing all things Mooney, so please begin...............ha!!

Welcome to a fun and helpful place.

[WardHolbrook]

Hello everyone! I've been lurking on this forum, off and on, for quite a while but I'm getting closer to getting back into aircraft ownership and it's time that I formally become involved. I've been flying Mooneys, off and on, for over 40 years - my first Mooney flight was back right after I got my Private license in 1967. I got some dual in a brand-new M20C Ranger. If I remember correctly, it cost me $16/hr to rent. My first Mooney PIC time was back in 1968 in a M20E. Since then, I've logged several hundred hours in M20Cs and Es. I love Mooneys and hope to be able to get my hands on either a J or 252 at some point.

I've been flying for 44 years, I learned in an Aeronca 7AC Champ and I've owned several aircraft including a Luscombe, Cessna 421 and a couple of gliders. I've been a corporate pilot for over 30 years and I currently fly a Falcon 50 and 900 for a company in Santa Barbara. I'm an ATP and a CFI and have just under 15000 hours. I look forward to learning more about these great airplanes from you guys.

[MooneyMitch]

Welcome Ward.  The fact that you have admirable credentials with many hours of flying, and you chose a Mooney for your future aircraft, speaks volumes for Mooney airplanes.  

[WardHolbrook]

Quote: Mitch

Welcome Ward.  The fact that you have admirable credentials with many hours of flying, and you chose a Mooney for your future aircraft, speaks volumes for Mooney airplanes.  

[Buster1]

Welcome, glad you're on board here!

[KSMooniac]

Ward, you are indeed correct!  Welcome too, BTW.  I recognize you from the AOPA board too.

[fantom]

Glad to have you with us, Ward!

[bradp]

Hi All,

 

My name's Brad Podd.   I' m 31 years old, live in Charlottesville, VA, and have just over 150 TT in a 172 and have had an instrument ticket for about 6 months now.  In real life, I'm a newly minted doc, moving up to Boston in a couple of months to start residency training as a pediatrician.  

 

I'm not yet a Mooney owner, but am just about ready to take the plunge in a pre-J model.  Seems like you can't beat a M20 in terms of efficiency, economy and safety (I'll post more about my plane hunting separately ).  

 

Anyway, this board like a fantastic resource and am looking forward to to learning as much as I can about these wonderful airplanes from you very experienced folks.

[Buster1]

Welcome Brad! Be sure to post your learnings of hunting and purchasing!

[testwest]

Norman and Gretchen Howell, Frontier Airpark (WN53) Washington. Gretchen and I have owned or partnered in 4 Mooneys, I was partners in a 1970 F and then a 1978 J, she had a 1963 C and we now have the 1977 J depicted in our avatar. All very good airplanes, I personally think the operating economy of the J and its efficient speed make it one of the best light civil airplanes ever manufactured. All four of these airplanes were purchased when the market values were really low....201JX was purchased very close to the bottom of the market a number of years back.

We also have a 1977 Aerostar 601P, purchased this past summer at the nadir of the light twin market. Before that I was partners in a Long EZ, partially built a Berkut kitplane and did build and fly a single seat Quickie experimental airplane in the 1980s.

Work takes me various places, I am in Australia right now and may be in Wichita (hello to the Scotts) in a few weeks. I have an ATP ME, commercial single and commercial glider, working on CFIx ratings. Gretchen is a PP, instrument rated.

We lived in the high desert of SoCal for many years at the Rosamond Skypark (L00). Knew Carl Stevens on this board then, glad to see another Rosamond alumnus Mooniac being created!

Really enjoy the interplay on Mooneyspace, a great resource for Mooney owners and pilots.