Advise on buying my first Mooney

[Hank]

Short

-A, B, C, D (only 3 unconcerned left), all O-360; E, IO-360

Mid:

-F (IO), G (O), J (IO), K (TIO)

Long:

-everything else, engines vary. R, S, O-1 are non-turbo; S is derated and 2500 redline. Others are turbo.

P.S.--Ls are almost gone, thanks to Porsche backing out and a hurricane. The few have large Contis and limited payload.

Rocket = turbo-modified J or K, bigger engine

Missile = J with IO-550 engine

A few other variants like Encore (K), Standing Ovation (O), Screaming Eagle (S), 252/261/262 (231 = K?).

It's a lot to keep up with.

[MyNameIsNobody]

Not for a Mooniac me thinks. The initial question unanswered it is.

[Guest]

Here's your homework assignment. What is the difference between a Chaparral and an Executive? This is know your vintage Mooney's 101 stuff....

Not a Mooniac if you don't know OR don't care...

Chaparral: E model

Executive: F model

Clarence

[Ned Gravel]

Folks:

 

I think the E model was called the Chaparral only from 1969 on, according to http://www.mooneyevents.com/chrono.htm.  Before that, it was just called the Super 21.

[MyNameIsNobody]

Ding, Ding. We've got a Mooniac.

[Guest]

Here's your homework assignment. What is the difference between a Chaparral and an Executive? This is know your vintage Mooney's 101 stuff....

Not a Mooniac if you don't know OR don't care...

Which Mooney model is this one?

Clarence

[dcrogers11]

Which Mooney model is this one?

Clarence

 

Looks like a Mooney variant called a Commanche 180 or 250.

Don

[JKSmith]

Which Mooney model is this one?

Clarence

Looks more like a Comanche variant...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Danb]

M20doc. Yikes

[Guest]

Comanche prototype, note the Mooney style gear legs.

Clarence

[dcrogers11]

Comanche prototype, note the Mooney style gear legs.

Clarence

 

At least Piper got the gear doors right.

Don

[Yooper Rocketman]

You guys may love this one. A friend and doctor that owns a Commanchee loves to stir it up with me. One day he primes up a young, just out of high school, a pilot I had mentored, to the point of having his IFR rating before he graduated, into "harassing me about how I talk about my plane. He told this young man, " do you notice how Tom says the name of his airplane? He calls it a Mooney" ( said in a very "fast" tone). " He can't even say the name of his airplane right". Well, the young man comes up and tells me this, feeling all proud of himself for giving me some crap.

I told him " of course I call it a Mooney", against in the very same fast tone. I said " I call it a Mooney like that because it's fast. Do you notice Dennis call his plane a C o m m a n c h e e", in a slow dragged out tone. I said " he calls it a C o m m a n c h e e because it is

S l o w". Needless to say, I got the last laugh out of that one, as everyone on the airport now calls his Commanchee, a "C o m m a n c h e e".

[JKSmith]

You guys may love this one. A friend and doctor that owns a Commanchee loves to stir it up with me. One day he primes up a young, just out of high school, a pilot I had mentored, to the point of having his IFR rating before he graduated, into "harassing me about how I talk about my plane. He told this young man, " do you notice how Tom says the name of his airplane? He calls it a Mooney" ( said in a very "fast" tone). " He can't even say the name of his airplane right". Well, the young man comes up and tells me this, feeling all proud of himself for giving me some crap.

I told him " of course I call it a Mooney", against in the very same fast tone. I said " I call it a Mooney like that because it's fast. Do you notice Dennis call his plane a C o m m a n c h e e", in a slow dragged out tone. I said " he calls it a C o m m a n c h e e because it is

S l o w". Needless to say, I got the last laugh out of that one, as everyone on the airport now calls his Commanchee, a "C o m m a n c h e e".

A little side story id like to add, a church member took me for a ride in his Comanchee which when we took off he explained to me how it was for sale.... He bragged on how it could go long distances and all that garb. Well the other day i seen him at a local hardware store and explained to him that I was in the market for a mooney I said this knowing he had sold the Comanchee so I wouldn't have to stand another sales pitch. He looked at me kindof shocked and replied "well that Comanchee was better than any mooney". I told him I'd take his word for it lol as you can see I'm on a mooney forum and not a Comanchee forum.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mpg]

too much Comanche romance?

you do know that Al Mooney was asked to design it,,,  as Piper Co. was too busy to draw another airplane!!!

do you notice how similar it is to a C or G?

 

Piper PA-24-180 Comanche  performance and specifications

Horsepower: 180 Gross Weight: 2550 lbs Top Speed: 145 kts Empty Weight: 1530 lbs Cruise Speed: 139 kts Fuel Capacity: 60.00 gal Stall Speed (dirty): 53 kts Range: 730 nm   Takeoff Landing Ground Roll: 750 ft Ground Roll 600 ft Over 50 ft obstacle: 2240 ft Over 50 ft obstacle: 1025 ft   Rate Of Climb: 910 fpm   Ceiling: 18500 ft

[Wakeup]

I looked up the Comanche 400 after someone talked about its payload and utility. I have to admit they look pretty nice and they are Fast!! Troy

[gsxrpilot]

The first airplane I remember flying in was my Grandfather's Comanche 250. The actual first flight for me was in a C152, but I was only 6 wks old. I also did my HP/Complex endorsement in a Comanche 250. I really love the plane and considered buying one briefly when I couldn't seem to find the right Mooney.

[Yetti]

did anyone notice that this 74 F was listed with a 180HP engine.   Also what is with the later Fs having a 4 digit Victor N number? N9999V

[Guest]

I looked up the Comanche 400 after someone talked about its payload and utility. I have to admit they look pretty nice and they are Fast!! Troy

Fast indeed, and can be had for loads less than an Ovation, its how I ended up owning one.

Clarence

[Seth]

I remember when I first started looking for a Mooney and found MooneySpace. It was rather confusing. --Well it still is, I still don't know what the differences is between a "Statesman" and a "Super 21" . As best as I can tell, it is was just a label they used that year. A M20K is a 231, 252, a TSE, and an Encore. A Bravo is a M20M. An Eagle is a M20S, which is like a M20R (Ovation), but with lower end avionics . Don't ever buy a M20L, as Porsche doesn't support the engine. And you probably can't find one for sale anyway. --Very confusing.

And it took some time to figure out that Mooneys come in 3 flavors: Short (C,E), Medium (F,J,K), and Long bodies (Newer). The older ones have either a carborated engine (C, G), a fuel injected Lycoming (F, J), or a turbo Continental (K). Newer ones are all long bodies and the engine makes the distinction. And then there is the Rocket, which is a M20K with a bigger engine.

My point is there is lots to absorb when starting out. I have no issues with someone asking questions, even if most of us have seen the same question 50 times.

Don't forget about the Missile - the J with the bigger engine!!

[mike_elliott]

Which Mooney model is this one?

Clarence

 

http://www.comanchepilot.com/Development/development.html

[mpg]

Yea,,, stranger thing happen...

Piper was too busy building planes to design a ,,,,,

Flag Ship New Single to compete with Bonanza........

 

Al Mooney drew a pic for them and Piper changed it a little,

then they HPd it up,,,, then they HPd it up some more,,,,

finally they put 400 horses in the nose,,,

Al Mooney showed them how,,

But Mooney still hasent caught up to what Piper did!!        In the 60s.......

[Yooper Rocketman]

I looked up the Comanche 400 after someone talked about its payload and utility. I have to admit they look pretty nice and they are Fast!! Troy

 

Have you ever seen the award winning Comanche 400 (think it won the highest award for a certified airplane) at Oshkosh.  I saw it a couple years ago with the cowling off, the beautiful engine tricked up, and took pictures for my Doctor friend.  I couldn't help but appreciate the plane, and how nice the owner keeps it looking, even though it's not a Mooney.

[JKSmith]

Well I'm back to square one. The deal fell thru with the mooney. So now I'm back at finding another one

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MyNameIsNobody]

Missile or Commanche. That is a no-brainer...

[MyNameIsNobody]

Commanche or 201....

Also a No-Brainer.