How high have you gone?

[MooneyPTG]

12000 in my E. Over Lake Michigan. Two rivers Wisconsin . Manitowoc KMTW to the left

 

 

 

[flight2000]

4 hours ago, carl said:

Wait a minute, Brian.

Did you plane start out as N3248F?..."Mo"

 

Yep, started as 3248F when I bought her and then was changed to 597ND in 2010 after I got her painted in the new colors (still retains the nickname "Mo").  Mine's what, maybe two months older than yours? They probably passed each other in the production line at some point while being put together in Kerrville.... 

Cheers,

Brian

[carl]

1 hour ago, bonal said:

Carl altitude is your friend the higher you are the greater the options should there be a problem. However a fire could mean the opposite is true.

Why did you have to go and mention fire!!!!!

 

MooneyPTG ---- That doesn't look that bad. I will try it. ( I'm going to bring up this forum when I do it.) 

Brian - I am in the slow process of learning to fly mine and hope to improve its condition, but yours like bob Belville's is unmatchable by me.

[flight2000]

Flying at 12K along V6 from Ogden to Reno back in September.  Amazing how spread out the big rocks are with very few trees to be seen anywhere in this area.  Crossing along Donner Pass into California is a different story though.  I'm really starting to like flying out here ... 

Mount Shasta's peak sits at 14,162' (photo taken from 10.5K about 30 miles away).

Cheers,

Brian

[carl]

Beautiful ,

 I love Reno, Carson Valley, Minden. 

And i 've driven I- 80 many times , It would be fun to fly .

[Shadrach]

I've had my F to DAs around 19,000. It was climbing surprisingly well. I don't care for the hose so I typically cruise between 10 and 12.5 winds permitting.

[bonal]

What year was that taken of Shasta? I have not seen that much snow in years. This is 2014 in August from 10'500 the rocks in the foreground are the Castle Crags.

 

[Hector]

11K in my "C" right over Orlando on my way to the Keys. I don't remember the climb rate. I was more concerned with the fact that I did not have oxygen and was feeling sleepy. I get the most speed out of my C between 7500 and 8500.

[AlanA]

17900 ft in  my J.  The last 2000 feet can be slow.   That was with just 1 soul on board.  Much harder with more passengers.  Living at 6000 ft in Utah and commuting to California over or around 14,000 feet mountains, the altitudes between 11,500 and 15,500 are my everyday altitudes. 

Watch your oil temp.  If the oil temp starts to get a little hot then stop climbing for a few minutes and the oil will cool down.  Then when your airspeed comes back up then climb another 2000 feet.  Sometimes I will go up 11,500 and level off for a five minutes or so.  Then jump up to 13, 500 and level off again. Rinse and repeat for 15, 500 and 17,500.

I feel like the sweet spot for Mooneys is 12,500

 

[201er]

13,000ft in my J at gross weight coming out of Phoenix. Had to step climb over 10,000ft and struggle up at 100fpm. It was 100F on the ground. I was on O2 but my parrots got sleepy. Whenever my parrot would try to fly from the cage on the backseat to my shoulder, she would just plummet like a clipped bird. Hasn't gotten the hang of true airspeed...

 

[LANCECASPER]

24,000 & 25000 many times in a 231 and a TLS Bravo with on Board Oxygen, back up oxygen and a pulse oximeter. Climb rates were still 400-500 fpm.

[brad]

I fly from Minden to Las Vegas monthly.  Need to be at 13.5 for radar.  Always fly 14.5 / 15.5.  Been to 17.9.  Slow going after 15k.  Great fuel burn up high.

[DXB]

Though there are sound physical principles behind it, I actually think my normally aspirated plane really enjoys being at 7-10k and rewards me with speed and efficiency. 

[kmyfm20s]

17,900 in my J and my S, 2 people and outdoor gear both times. The J actually surprised me how well it did which I think was around 200 rpm at the end. The S with the 310stc still 500 fpm. My preferred cruising altitude in my S is between 12.5-14.5 and in my J it was 11.5-12.5. It seems like no matter what my S likes doing 173ktas so going higher gives me better economy.13gph LOP down low 10.4 gph at peak up high.  I think it has something to do with the drag from the air conditioning scoops being more pronounced down low.

[flight2000]

4 hours ago, bonal said:

What year was that taken of Shasta? I have not seen that much snow in years. This is 2014 in August from 10'500 the rocks in the foreground are the Castle Crags.

The photo I took of Mt. Shasta was on Thursday, November 12, 2015.....  

Cheers,

Brian

[midlifeflyer]

Limiting it to Mooneys, 12,000 or 13,000 about 20 years in a C model along V611 in New Mexico on an IFR trip.

As high as 16,000 in other piston aircraft. Haven't had a reason to go much higher. 

[Seth]

12,400 in my former 1967 F Model in 2010 heading home to Maryland from the west coast over Montana.  Climb was fine but not sure of the numbers, not enthusiastic, not struggling.

17000+ to avoid some icing in my current 1983 Mooney Missile in 2013 heading home again from the west coast, this time over Wyoming.  I had O2 this time.  Climb was fine - not sure on the actual numbers but not struggling, but not like she climbs from sea level (1500+ FPM).

Before 2020 I'll take the Missile into Class A airspace at least once.

I normally cruise between 3,000 to 11,000 feet depending on weather and distance.  Best mix of performance and efficiency for the Missile is the safe as the F, 7,000 to 11,000.

-Seth

[aviatoreb]

22 minutes ago, Seth said:

12,400 in my former 1967 F Model in 2010 heading home to Maryland from the west coast over Montana.  Climb was fine but not sure of the numbers, not enthusiastic, not struggling.

17000+ to avoid some icing in my current 1983 Mooney Missile in 2013 heading home again from the west coast, this time over Wyoming.  I had O2 this time.  Climb was fine - not sure on the actual numbers but not struggling, but not like she climbs from sea level (1500+ FPM).

Before 2020 I'll take the Missile into Class A airspace at least once.

I normally cruise between 3,000 to 11,000 feet depending on weather and distance.  Best mix of performance and efficiency for the Missile is the safe as the F, 7,000 to 11,000.

-Seth

I am really curious about the missile at FL17. Hows she climb, what was your cruise TAS and fuel burn?  My guess would be that just like the standard J vs standard K - a missile will out perform a rocket slightly at 6-8k before the rocket starts to slowly pull ahead with increasing altitude until the gap is pretty large by the upper teens and up.

[Seth]

32 minutes ago, aviatoreb said:

I am really curious about the missile at FL17. Hows she climb, what was your cruise TAS and fuel burn?  My guess would be that just like the standard J vs standard K - a missile will out perform a rocket slightly at 6-8k before the rocket starts to slowly pull ahead with increasing altitude until the gap is pretty large by the upper teens and up.

My cruise speed was not typical Missile at FL17, but the fuel burn was AMAZING!!!  My groundspeed was amazing as well as there was a giant Low to my north (that's the weather I was avoiding) and I was getting fantastic tailwinds (40 or 50+) at FL17 so my groundspeeds were still well over 200 knots.  The climb rate was not enthusiastic at all.  It was way below freezing, but that high the percentage power was still pretty low.  Do not quote me but I'd say I still had at least 400-500 FPM climb at FL17, maybe more.  I can pull out my charts POH, but real world, she was climbing.  It was not 1000+ FPM like I'm used to anytime I need it, but also not only 100-200 FPM.

 

I do not plan to operate above FL18 often and since my aircraft is a J, my legal ceiling is still 18,800 feet, so that's why I probably won't put a mode S Transponder in my aircraft as part of my ADSB install.  I don't fly up there often in the Mooney.  I will go up before the 202 deadline however.

 

-Seth

 

 

[M20F]

FL230 but the performance of the control surfaces, cooling, etc. just make it not very worth it.  I keep meaning one day to see what absolute service ceiling is (guessing after RVSM but interested in trying).  I find my sweet spot 190-210 if the winds warrant it.  Without a good wind the additional TAS doesn't really offset the climb time to make it worthwhile.  When you can get those 50+ knot tail winds though it is awesome!

[jrwilson]

22 hours ago, carl said:

6,500 '

It was pretty scary too. I'll try next time to go higher. 

carl

 

20 hours ago, MooneyBob said:

Why was that scary ? 

I think that was sarcasm.  I hope at least...

[cliffy]

KLAS-KABQ summertime, 14000 MEA DA 15900 struggled to maintain with any downdraft.

Did go to 15000 once to see how it was. Haven't been back. Not worth it. 

Most flights 8500-11500 200-300 FPM last 2000 ft. 250 below gross. Max MP, 2550 RPM cruise Peak egt  Up high 130 kts TAS if lucky 

[wishboneash]

I have a short video of a fly-by of Mt Shasta in August this year. I was at 11,500 I think. I have never been above 12,500 ft in any GA aircraft as pilot.

 

[David Mazer]

Flying along at FL210 in my 82 M20K Rocket, ATC asks can I climb to FL230. I say yes. ATC asks,  can you climb to FL 240. I say,  yes.  ATC asks,  can you climb to FL250. I say yes.  ATC says, do that. Climbed without significant effort and enjoyed the flight. 

 

It is particularly memorable now that I'm flying a 74 F that seems to struggle to get to 10,000 ft. Ah, the good old days of 20 gal/hr!

[aviatoreb]

I timed a climb last winter from my home field KPTD - MSL 470ft, I timed the climb to 17,000ft in under 13 minutes.  Can't wait to see what my new prop can do this winter.

I went to 25,000 once and 23 a few times, 21 several times, but generally 19 and below.  Often to 17 though.