What was total time when you bought First Mooney?

[scottfromiowa]

I was really 109, but I rounded down  How about you?  What was it like when you first saw your future partner in person?  I tell others NOT to be emotional about it when buying...but my emotion was off the chart.  I REALLY wanted X-Ray from the first photo.

[jax88]

Ooops, it was actually more than 100 for me. (clicked the wrong choice)  It was either purchase or stop flying for me.  I wasn't about to drive 30 minutes to get to a rental.

[mooneygirl]

I was about 150  I think.  The best decision I ever made was the Mooney. I transitioned from a 1/10 ownership of a Warrior to the E model Mooney "Maggie II" that I have today!

[MooneyMitch]

My total time was 250 hours.  Up to that point, the 152 up to my solo, then my first airplane was a Cessna 175 which I used for my cross country training to finish up my private certificate.  Additional times in a 182 and 210.  Then my 1967 F  model for 20 years [great airplane!]. 

[Ned Gravel]

I was at 160 or so.  Had time in 172's, Cherokees and about 10 in a friend's E model.  That was 5 years and 400 hours ago.

[RJBrown]

Rented a 8 month old 201 in July of 93 and fell in love.

It was 13 months and 270 hours after my first flight in a Cessna that I found an almost new M-20J for rent at another airport.

 She was Hot, Red and fast. It took me another year to buy my Mooney.

In that year I logged 140 hours 40 in that Mooney and the rest Wishing I was.

At 410 hours, 2 years and an IFR ticket after my PPL I bought N231NH. In the next 8 1/2 years I put 850 hour on her. First 100 as a stock 231 and the rest as a Rocket.

If I had known about Mooneys I would have started flying them sooner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bob]

61.8 hrs...........uhh..........6 days after my checkride.

Now I am only a few hours short of my 100 Mooney Hour Anniversary.  Nice!

[Stefanovm]

2,000+. I had never even flown in a or been a pilot of a Moooney when I flight tested N5520Q. It seemed that I knew more about Mooney's than the salesman during the flight test.He had worked for a Mooney dealer, so I was surprised.

I had been considering Mooney for way too long. I experienced my second gear failure of my flight carrer on the flight test. It was an experience. The first was in my C310 back in the 80s.

Due to vacuum problem, that is now fixed, I need an IPC, now. My neighbor is not complex endorsed and he was my saftey pilot previously. I am looking for a Georgetown, TX area Mooney savvy volunteer? I have only basic IFR panel, less than my previous C152.

[KLRDMD]

Quote: Stefanovm

 I need an IPC, now. My neighbor is not complex endorsed and he was my saftey pilot previously. 

[M016576]

2300+ hrs.  I had never flown a mooney when I bought my M20J, but I read enough, and talked with enough owners and CFI's over the course of a year to determine that the M20 met my mission profile better than any other aircraft in my price range.  Initially was going to go with all cash for a M20E, but decided to finance a "cheap" M20J instead.  Like I've mentioned before in posts... probably should have gone with the upgraded + regularly flown M20E rather than the bare bones hangar queen (my upgraditis has always been a weakness!!!!)  Purchased the plane without ever flying it (did have a thorough pre-buy done, though, by a big shop in Eugene): the first time I did I was pleasantly surprised: the airplane did what everyone said it would (fast, economical, etc, etc).

[FlyDave]

I had about 250 hours in gliders and 700 in power planes (~15 in an E model).

I knew I wanted a Mooney very early - the way they look, their speed and economy and their especially their flight characterstics in IFR conditions. I had a Cherokee 140 for 650 hours and it in no way compares the the Mooney (and I mean in NO way!!!!!).

[DaV8or]

Almost exactly 800 hours.

[flight2000]

285 hours for me.  I had a lot of breaks in my flying activity between 1997 and 2009 due to family priorities, moves overseas, etc...  I came back to the states last year and finally felt comfortable enough financially to own an aircraft when we bought our 67E (only to be sent back overseas for a year....argghhh).

Brian

[231Pilot]

For me it was 84.6 hours.  I had become frustrated with rental planes.... poor availability, average to mediocre instrumentation, and limited duration of rental.  I had flown with a friend who had (and still has) a very nice 1965 M20C.  I loved the speed, sophistication of design and simplicity of the retraction and flap systems.  I was flying a lot of cross country trips to build time and prepare for instrument training.  When I bought my first Mooney in September of 2000, I entered a "flying club" that I always want to belong to....Mooney owners.  My time building slowd down considerably because I completed my cross country trips in 1/2 to 2/3 the time it took for the same routes in the rental planes.  I cannot imagine owning any plane but a Mooney.

[lahso]

I was close to 650 hrs when I purchased mine. About 20hrs of that was in a J model, which is when I decided to get a Mooney.

[Vref]

250 Gliders 300SEP 120TMG

The current status of my life allows or boring holes in sky for an hour or so to keep up currency,around the local airport.. or do 600 Nm trip in Europe to my second homeplace

The M20J was for me the only bird for this mission cost/effeciency/speed and all the rest....

[Hank]

I had 62.5 hours when I wrote the check, including ~45 minute "test flight" with the owner. I'd been thinking about it since before my checkride, but put it off to concentrate on finishing up.

The difficult part was finding places far enough away to knock out the insurance-required dual. Even my C-model is so much faster than the Skyhawk I trained in. Now I really enjoy the combination of speed and economy. It's the only way to travel!

[Bob]

According to the poll, someone purchased at under 50hrs.  Please share.

[skyking]

 

As usual i guess i was late getting to the party.

I had over 6,000 hours when i bought my first Mooney. The one i own right now by the way.

I knew a lot about them and always drooled when one went by at the airport but never figured i would own one.

I have had partners over the years in 172's and owned a 152 and a 172 outright but when VAA came available i was all over it. Best thing i ever did.

[Bob]

Russ,

Don't worry, you did not miss the party.  You are the kind of guy  people wait for to arrive.

[mooneygirl]

Better late than never Russ. Look forward to meeting you and your beautiful A model in Colorado Springs!

[fantom]

For some reason I can't answer the survey, but put me down for about 2,500 hours. The only other GA planes I was interested in were a Siai Marchetti SF-260D, and a Grob 115 IO-320 Acro with sticks. I made the "most practical" choice.

First Mooney I ever flew was a sales demo, N201M, the first J, but that's a story for another time and several beers.

[MooneyMitch]

"First Mooney I ever flew was a sales demo, N201M, the first J, but that's a story for another time and several beers.". 

 We'll look forward to that!

[joc]

I had about 420 hours when finally I got the opportunity to buy M20E. My first airplane was Piper pA-28-140B Cherokee, year 1969. I bought her about 3 weeks before my check ride. At that time I was already dreaming about one M20F year 1975 but the price was far beyond my possibilities so I decided to buy Piper.   

 

[danb35]

Quote: KLRDMD

Your safety pilot only needs to be 'category and class.' That's airplane, single engine land. He also needs a current flight review and medical (as he is required crew). He doesn't have to have a complex endorsement nor be instrument rated.