Mooney questions and interest

[carusoam]

Look how many are being traded for Long Bodies....

Best regards,

-a-

[jlunseth]

I have a 231.  I fly about 150 hours a year and live in the midwest.  You would think a turbo would be surplusage, but I fly long trips frequently and the speed, still air and lack of traffic in the flight levels is excellent, but I will leave the "turbo or not" question up to you.  One advantage of a turbo which would help you on the coast, is that there is almost never a reason to have to do an entire trip "in the clag."  You simply get up on top, however high that is, and find clear air.

 

If I had it to do over again, and hopefully I will shortly, I would buy an aircraft with more redundancy than is available in the 231 or older, including the J.  I also would want FIKI, we need it here, perhaps it would not be high on your list out on the west coast.  The 231 and older models have one of everything, and typically you can't add a second.  One alternator, one vacuum pump (usually you can add a back up, or an electric AI, but they are $$).  If you fly alot and in IMC, which you will on the west coast, your really need two.  You will have them fail, and if they do you better hope you are not in IMC.  Lose the vacuum and you lose your AI and perhaps some other things depending on what you have in your panel.  Lose your alternator without a backup, which I have had happen twice, and you lose your entire panel in a short period of time.  The gear is electric so you are better of shutting off the Master switch and going completely dark, saving the battery to get the gear down when you need to land.  Of course, being completely dark is not a choice in IMC.

 

I like the 252 suggestion, if not that, and you want a normally aspirated aircraft, then an Ovation, which is one fabulous aircraft, or a Bravo is you want turbo. 

[sbethune]

5 years ago my mission was similar.  I purchased a 252 to help with terrain and weather avoidance, and have been really happy.  Since then, trips to Vegas, Reno, Phoenix, Boise, Seattle, Omaha, San Diego, etc. etc.

 

Needless to say I think there is value in turbocharging.  The threat of added expense is overblown provided you operate and maintain wisely.

 

With much help from Mark and Tom at TopGun, my first aircraft ownership experience has been spectacular.  Jump in, the water is warm.

[smccray]

Seems like lots of folks telling how great the J is as they are trying to sell their J's.  

 

Mama wants air conditioning... and I like that idea too 

[fantom]

My wife wants a toilet with either a privacy curtain or a door. Dragging around a couple of extra cylinders on a Mooney won't pull that trick off.

A PC-12 will, however.

[BigTex]

I'd look at a 252. You say now you don't see yourself going east but you will. And when you do, that turbo will really be nice.

If you still don't want to pony up for a turbo, based on what you said, I'd go for the E model over the J. I know there's a ton of 201 bigots on the forum but If you truly will be doing 90% of your flights solo, you don't need the additional space of the J. You get a plane almost as fast (some say faster) at a much lower price point leaving you tens of thousands of dollars in your pocket you can put into avionics and/or other upgrades.

[Ftlausa]

I'll chime in on this question.  I have a similar mission on the East Coast, and I love my J for that mission.  I fly up and down Florida at 155kts.  I do have to admit that I have some long body envy (mostly because of the air conditioning I don't have, and an extra 25 kts would be nice), but I don't think that you can beat the J on fuel efficiency and that will probably keep me in the J.   

[golfpilot]

I stepped away from this for a while and came back to a plethora of posts! I'm still in limbo about making the dive into buying my own ride. The club I am in has two well equipped 182's and when the availability is open the looking stops. When I can't schedule a plane last minute a few times in one month I start looking again. Thanks for all the feedback!

[KSMooniac]

You can't imagine how nice it is to not worry about a club schedule until you don't have to!  Come on over to the ownership side... it is quite nice.  

[Amelia]

I live in the flattest territory you can imagine, average elevation 12 feet MSL. So having a turbo Mooney is silly, right? Wrong! My 1980 231 easily climbs over southern summer buildups, oppressive heat and haze, over winter drizzly stratus to sunshine on top, What is this Density Altitude of which you speak? Not a problem for me, even on a scorcher of a day. The older M20K models, 1979 and up, are quite reasonably priced, comfortable, often very well equipped, with good avionics, autopilot, and built-in O2. Mine sips 12 gph down low, around 11gph at 10,000, and even less, LOP in the teens. I flight plan 160 - 165 KTAS at 10- to 12,000 feet. Higher, with O2 can yield spectacular ground speeds, with the tailwinds eastbound. I have rejoiced in the options I have, to poke along low and slow on a pretty day, or to cross the nation to leap those tall Rockies and Sierras in a single bound. Don't write off the 231s. They're almost as economical as the smaller, slower birds, and more capable. And, no, mine isn't for sale.

[Bravoman]

Hey, what's all the talk about being fuel phobic? Part of the beauty of beIng American is that we comprise less than 10% of the world population but utilize 80% of the world resources. Fuel is cheap, adjusted for inflation it is not much off 1980s prices. Enjoy yourself! Be American! Get a turbo!