So, I flew my plane for the first time today...

[DaV8or]

and it was awsome!! Plane runs great. Got my BFR and my check out and I now plan to fly my new plane home tomorrow as long as the weather Gods smile favorable on me and let the sky clear up. Landing the Mooney? Way too much is talked about this topic. This plane more or less lands like most other low wings. My very first landing was a greaser follwed by six or seven other ones. As luck would have it, my very last landing was crap, but hey, we lived and the plane will fly again, so it's all good. I do see what people say about the stalls though, it snaps and falls right down and in my case, not completely straight either. No spins, but definately dropped a wing a bit. Was it the plane or was it just me?? Anyhow, it pretty much goes just like any other new type check out, familiar, but akward as I learn where the hell everyhting is!! Man that panel is a mess! On that note, because of all the excitement, and this foreign new panel with it's wimpy little master switch (yes, that's right, I'm blaming the tools and not the carpinter) I screwed up and left the master on. I have never done that before, ever. I had to go back to the plane to get some papers and to show my Mom who came down to get me and I discovered my mistake. At that point it had been on about an hour, so we'll see if I need a jump tomorrow or not. Not the end of the world as there is lots of support around. Finally have the actual keys my pocket. Feels good... think I might sleep with them tonight! Here's a picture my buddy took of my first take off!

[231Pilot]

Congratulations!  The wing drop is like with other planes....if the ball isn't centered a wing will drop.  The Mooney is extremely responsive to control input, therefore the wing drop is quickly noticed.  On the same note, you hit the nail on the head in that landing a Mooney is not an issue as long as you control the speed.  No different than other planes...just don't try to force her down if she wants to float....land long if you have the room, or go around.

You are going to have so much fun!

[philipneeper]

congrats !!!

[scottfromiowa]

Have fun!  Here is my close call to watch out for with a New Mooney.  The wings are LONG...compared to the Piper I was flying prior to ownership.  I used to come up the hanger access road and turn a little toward the hanger and swing it around.  Near catastrophe as I realized what was happening...locked up the brakes and missed hanger door with my wingtip by under 12 inches...can you say Oh $@#%! Moment?!  Watch those wings take it slow and gain your comfort level.  You have an awesome plane!  Have fun with making her yours.  Stalls with ball centered are a non-event, but off center and it gets exciting fast.  I did that...ONCE.  Enjoy your flight...I put a big fat red Cessna master when I re-did my panel.  Just call it a battery test :<)

[flight2000]

Congrats on passing your flight review and check out.  I guess the insurance geeks didn't slap you with to hard a penance...  

On the master issue, I learned to leave the rotating beacon on all the time.  I look at it from two angles.  First, it alerts people in the area that I'm getting ready to fire the aircraft up and two, if I'm walking away from the plane and glance back for the final check, I know for sure the master is still on or off (unless you turned off the beacon first)...

Have fun and enjoy the new toy.

Brian

[Parker_Woodruff]

Congrats!

[carusoam]

Time to switch up the Avatar!  You have earned a real mooney....

Good luck with the weather getting her back home.  GUMPS, GUMPS and GUMPS again.......

Best regards,

-a-

[MooneyMitch]

Hi Dave.

Awesome!  Fly, fly, fly!  Maybe see you at LASAR 35th or Movie Night here at L52.  Have fun with your new adventure.

[drpep]

Hello Dave

Well done! Have a safe and enjoyable flight home. 

[HopePilot]

Don't be afraid to come over the fence at 70 knots (heck, I even come over at 65) depending on conditions.  People come in way too fast.  I find that even at 70 knots I might float a bit.  I reckon about 68 knots is perfect, but it's hard to be that accurate.  Flew into LAX the other day doing about that, over the numbers, and rolled it right on.  Had to be the best landing at LAX that day

[Cruiser]

Don't even try to land at 80kts. I really embarrassed myself in front of the MSC staff when landing for my annual inspection yesterday.  

[Qwalton]

Congratulations Dave!  I'm glad you're enjoying the new plane!

[mooneygirl]

Dave

I can just tell you are beaming from ear to ear!  Have a wonderful time getting to know [and love] your new Mooney.  Mitch was right...need to fly that beauty to one of our great Mooney gatherings so we can all meet her or him?  Got a name yet???

[KLRDMD]

Quote: DaV8or

Landing the Mooney? Way too much is talked about this topic. This plane more or less lands like most other low wings.

[trjymr]

I know the feeling!  I just bought a 65 M20E and brought her home yesterday.  Im low time and no retract time, so im still in the process of getting checked out.  I love it though!  It only took me 3 landing to forget GUMPS. I actually had the gear down but not locked.  Thats what instructors are for though right. That wont happen again though.   

[drpep]

I have owned a Mooney with electric gear and flaps and did not have any issues with it. I did once though many years ago in IMC coming into Victoria BC become side tracked with much traffic and very low ceilings resulting in my gear not being down. It was 7:30 am  just returning from Calgary Alberta and I did the unforgivable I did not do gumps!  Fortune was on my side as the blessed air traffic controller noticed my gear was not down on approach and told me so very emphatically! I shivered my way in and went straight up to the tower and did  many bows of appreciation.

Now I own a manual gear and flaps and it is impossible not to put the gear down the way I see it as I simply cannot get down on the glide slope . Also Besides then mechanical simplicity is a thing to behold. 

Regards

drpep

[Mcstealth]

Quote: trjymr

I know the feeling!  I just bought a 65 M20E and brought her home yesterday.  Im low time and no retract time, so im still in the process of getting checked out.  I love it though!  It only took me 3 landing to forget GUMPS. I actually had the gear down but not locked.  Thats what instructors are for though right. That wont happen again though.   

[dmevans]

Quote: Mcstealth

 Well!!! Two new owners in the same WEEK!!!!! Welcome Trjmr. Do you have anything in the photo galary yet? She doesn't count untill we see pictures..........

[flight2000]

Quote: dmevans

Make that 3 this week... I pick my keys up in Atlanta on Saturday!! 67' F... I have a loooooong flight ahead of me... KPDK - KHWD

[FlyingAggie]

Dave, Breadman and dmevans,

Congratulations fellows on your new Mooney's. You have bought yourselves a great airplane and you are about to start a love affair.

I know it is wrong to love a thing, but dang I love my Mooney.  She gets more beautiful everytime I look at her. Those long sleek wings, that well proportioned body with curves in all the right places and that tight little tail. Despite the great looks, she has a great personality that speaks of speed and efficiencies and boy does she like to perform.

I am no Mooney expert, being a low time pilot with about 35 hours in my Mooney, but I would add that in addition to airspeed control on final and flying a stabilized approach, holding the correct attitude at touchdown is another key to making a good landings.  (Don't ask me how I know ). I usually land with full nose up trim, which helps helps on a nose heavy 262.

Life (particularly work) conspired to take me away from my Mooney and I hadn't flown her for eight weeks before last weekend.  I was a little apprehensive about flying and in fact asked my wife's CFI to ride "shot gun" on my first flight.  Turned out to be a non-issue.  I made three of my best landings and never felt behind the plane.   While I was in Australia, I mentally flew my Mooney everyday by rehersing (in my head) the "flows" and checklists. 

Enjoy!

Alan 

 

 

[DaV8or]

So, here's the trip home. The Weather Gods smiled mightily on me and I awoke to sunny skys in Santa Barbara. In fact I think the whole state of California was clear, mild winds, no turbulance and no TFRs. Beautiful flying day. Drain on the battery from yesterday's stupidity? Not an issue. She fired right up. Awsome flight home. Plane flew like a champ. Figured out the autopilot and sat back and watched it go. Played with all kinds of stuff just to see how it worked. Ground speed averaged about 145kts, but that was with a bit of a headwind. Honestly, I was just soaking it up and never did figure out what my TAS was. Airplane goes like a champ as far as I can tell. Only issue with this flight was; how the hell do you slow a Mooney down?? Guess I got it done as I eased it on the runway and made a nice landing just fine, but I do need to work on the strategy and technique.

Had to park at the local FBO, Kaiser Air, while I went down to the beaurocrats at the Port of Oakland to give them all the papers they needed to finally give up the keys to hanger I've been paying for the last month and half. I turned out that I got to park next to the plane that I had been renting for the last few years. I was able to snap a picture as the Arrow pulled out. Sort of out with the old and in with the new!

I had some trouble getting my hanger open. They are kinda run down and one of the latches was so jacked up I need to use my tow bar to pry it open. After that I couldn't get the main door open. You see, I was never chaecked out on this equipment and if it wasn't for the help of a friendly neighboring Cherokee owner, I might not have got her in. He showed me the sort of linebacker, sprinting maneuver to get it raised. Needless to say, a good days work on hanger maintenance is in order. Here are some pictures of a surreal and amazing day!

[DaV8or]

Quote: Mitch

Hi Dave.

Awesome!  Fly, fly, fly!  Maybe see you at LASAR 35th or Movie Night here at L52.  Have fun with your new adventure.

[DaV8or]

Quote: mooneygirl

Dave

I can just tell you are beaming from ear to ear!  Have a wonderful time getting to know [and love] your new Mooney.  Mitch was right...need to fly that beauty to one of our great Mooney gatherings so we can all meet her or him?  Got a name yet???

[Ned Gravel]

Mooneys are airplanes that their owners love to show off to others.  Soo much is soo right about them.  Hard not to extoll their characteristics to others.

But that is just my opinion....

[Qwalton]

Quote: DaV8or

You know, I've never named a vehicle before, but I'll have to give it some thought. Thanks again to you, Mitch, Quinn and the other Ambassadors for showing me your planes and answering my questions back at the Minter fly in. Seems like everybody with a Mooney is just so damn helpful!