My New 1968 M20C

[StinkBug]

I know I've been talking about it a lot, and asking a lot of questions lately and now that I have it home a lot of people have asked for the details. She's my first plane, and I'm still a bit blown away. I ended up getting so much more than I expected to be able to. Without going into numbers I'll just say that my budget for a plane was definitely on the lower end of the aviation spectrum. I was originally looking at Cherokees and 172s because that's what I did my PPL training in, and my plan was to get my IR, CPL, CFI, etc. in whatever I purchased. When I started looking at what was on the market I discovered Mooney, and found that for the same money the Mooneys on the market were lower time, in better condition and had much better avionics. I guess that's the difference between trainer aircraft and ones that people want to own and love. After a ton of reading on here and researching I decided that an early Mooney was definitely what I wanted. 

 

I ended up buying my plane through All American Aircraft in San Antonio, and just like everyone has posted about before on here they were extremely easy to work with and really helpful. I flew out there about a month ago to take a look at the plane, and go for the shortest demo flight David has ever done. Unfortunately the clouds were telling us we should just go back home, so we did. Regardless I liked the plane and arranged for a pre-buy to be done, and ended up deciding to just do a full annual. It came through very easily with only very minor squawks, which the owner took care of right away. It was actually ready for me to take home over 2 weeks before I was able to go get it. I ended up getting delayed by another week because of weather, and had my CFI get sick at the last minute and unable to make the trip home with me, which you all probably saw in my other posts, but I was able to find another CFI to give me a bit of training last minute and got her home more or less on schedule. 

 

The trip home was really quite smooth and uneventful. I spent a lot of it just pushing buttons and turning knobs playing with all the stuff in the panel. The previous owners had done some really nice upgrades, and this thing has way more in the panel than any of the club planes I'm used to. It has a 430W tied to the brittain autopilot which made the trip home a breeze. Just program the route, trim and relax. It also has a 496 with the XM weather receiver, GMA 340 audio panel, Shadin miniflo fuel meter, engine analyzer, stormscope, carb temp gauge, etc. Everyone who has seen it so far has remarked on how well equipped it is, especially ME! Engine is mid time, but with all new cylinders about 100hours ago. Maintenance and annuals by Don Maxwell the last 5 years or so. The paint isn't in great shape, but the interior is in amazing condition for original equipment. I'm gonna look into freshening up the outside a little bit, but mainly I'm just planning to fly a lot!

 

Here are those pictures you guys asked for!

[orionflt]

Looks great, Fly safe

 

Brian

[carusoam]

Nice update!

Fly on,

-a-

[Hank]

For what we each paid, it's hard to beat a well-equipped C!

Congrats on getting a good one.

[rbridges]

Welcome to the club. C models are the best! Lol

[Mooneymite]

Welcome to the club. C models are the best! Lol

 

Amen!

 

Biggest bang for the buck in aviation.

 

Interestingly, just like you, I started out looking at "lesser aircraft" when I first started shopping, but soon was impressed that at the price of a C-172/Cherokee 180, I could have my own airliner!

 

I hope your airplane treats you as well as mine has treated me.  17 years, still going strong.   

[Seth]

Congrats!  As others have said - unbelievable performance for the price (and certified!).

 

Enjoy flying - go get your Instrument rating so you can REALLY use the C.

 

-Seth

[fantom]

Very nice story! You're doing all the right things. Keep it up!!

[kmyfm20s]

Having met StinkBug in person he is a great addition to the Mooney family! It looks like he found a great plane to have a lot of fun in.

[HRM]

Welcome to the club. C models are the best! Lol

 

Not Super, however 

[Mooneymite]

Not Super, however 

 

But at least they start super easy....hot, or cold.  

[Hank]

My C started this evening on less than two revolutions. My 3-blade is hard to count, and it was dark.

3000 msl, 23"/2300, 148-150 mph indicated. No fuel flow, but I. Or ally run 9 gph at the pump, calculated on block time.

[StinkBug]

I was quite impressed with the fuel burn on the way home. I was flying at 10500' 2300rpm and full throttle, which was about 20.5" and the flow was reading about 8.4gph the whole way. I need to take a look at the actual fuel receipts and do the math though, because I think it was actually even better.

[xrs135]

I've got a 68' M20C as well! Great bird, you'll enjoy it!!

[ryoder]

Very nice! I love that mid time engine with 100 hour cylinders. That engine will hopefully serve you very well. And the 430 is nice too.

I like my C also. It definitely feels more big league than a Cherokee. Mine isn't as nice as yours but it cost me what a 150 would go for so the C value is real.

[rbridges]

I was quite impressed with the fuel burn on the way home. I was flying at 10500' 2300rpm and full throttle, which was about 20.5" and the flow was reading about 8.4gph the whole way. I need to take a look at the actual fuel receipts and do the math though, because I think it was actually even better.

 

check your prop limitations.  Mine does not allow continuous operation <2350 rpm.  I can't remember if it's the prop or prop/engine combo that sets the limit.

[Hank]

Good point, Rob. I didn't think anything about his post, as my normal low-level flying [burger runs and other short trips] is 3000 msl, 23/2300. My red line is 2000-2250, but I have a Hartzell 3-blade.

 

Anytime I'm above ~7000 or so, I run 2500 and pull the throttle off the stops until the MP needle moves, hoping that the angled throttle body plate will induce turbulence inside the carb and give me better atomization and mixing. Need to repeat my [failed] LOP tests after annual, which starts this weekend.

[Mooneymite]

check your prop limitations.  Mine does not allow continuous operation <2350 rpm.  I can't remember if it's the prop or prop/engine combo that sets the limit.

 

My 74 C with 2-blade Hartzel is redlined (instrument markings and POH) between 2000 and 2250.  2300 ops are okay.

 

I don't know what caused the change.

[rbridges]

My 74 C with 2-blade Hartzel is redlined (instrument markings and POH) between 2000 and 2250.  2300 ops are okay.

 

I don't know what caused the change.

 

I can't remember exactly, but I think I had to look up the prop and cross it with the engine to find the limitations.

[22 others]

Congratulations on your purchase. Welcome to the Mooney club.

[xrs135]

check your prop limitations.  Mine does not allow continuous operation <2350 rpm.  I can't remember if it's the prop or prop/engine combo that sets the limit.

I'm not 100% sure, but that looks a lot like the prop I have, which is the Hartzell Scimitar Top Prop 2-blade. No limitations if that's the case.

[StinkBug]

There is a placard on the panel, and red LED's in the electronic tach that indicate "avoid continuous operation below 15" MP setting between 1650 and 2200 rpm when above 85kias (100mph)" I take that to mean all RPMs are usable if you're over 15", but regardless I keep it in the range where the green LEDs are lit, and not the red ones. That said, the log book indicates that this is the 3rd prop this plane has had in it's lifetime. The original 2 blade, a mccauley 3 blade, and the current Hartzell top prop. Who knows if that placard is for one of the previous props?

[xrs135]

Here is all the info on the Scimitar Top Prop. The only limitations apply to the M20E and M20F.

 

http://hartzellprop.com/products/top-prop/mooney/m20a-g-m20j-2-blade/

[DXB]

Congrats!   I actually also bought a '68C very recently as a first plane after shopping for an Archer for a while.  I'm doing the transition training now with a Mooney Safety Foundation instructor and finding his M20C experience invaluable in getting to know this plane's quirks.  Immensely enjoyable experience. Best of luck!

[StinkBug]

ok so I did some math on my fuel burn and I'm having a hard time believing it. Someone tell me if I'm doing something wrong here. I topped off the tanks before leaving, again in el paso and then when I landed here in San Diego. I have the fuel receipts from El Paso and here which should be the actual amount burned on each leg. I also logged the start and stop times on the Hobbs meter. I flew roughly the first half of the first leg at 8500', then climbed up to 10,500'. The second day I just went straight to 10,500'. At altitude the Shadin Miniflo in the panel was showing around 8.4GPH most of the way, which seemed really good to me, but doing the math on what I put in the tanks tells a different story.

 

5C1 to 5T6, 27.86gallons / 3.7 hours = 7.53GPH

5T6 to CRQ, 35.1 gallons / 5.1 hours = 6.88GPH!

 

Average for the whole trip was 7.15GPH. That's way better than I expected, and over a gallon less than I was seeing on the fuel flow. I don't want that to be incorrect, but it definitely seems too good to be true.