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Interior space in Mooney Ovation


IndyFlyer

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Just now, gsengle said:

182 = I want to do shorter fields, Saratoga = I want a family station wagon, Ovation = Porsche Panamera...

Short fields would def have me considering a 180/182, but I didn't hear that requirement...

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Short fields are not a requirement.  My home field has 4,700' runway and I rarely fly into strips less than 3,500'.  The "Porsche Panamera" is my favorite car...  It speaks highly of the Ovation to compare it to the Panamera as a comparison.  I have a friend that used to own an Ovation (before he traded for a TBM850) and he REALLY liked the Ovation.  Everything he has had to say about the Ovation is that has me interested in it.    

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23 minutes ago, IndyFlyer said:

Short fields are not a requirement.  My home field has 4,700' runway and I rarely fly into strips less than 3,500'.  The "Porsche Panamera" is my favorite car...  It speaks highly of the Ovation to compare it to the Panamera as a comparison.  I have a friend that used to own an Ovation (before he traded for a TBM850) and he REALLY liked the Ovation.  Everything he has had to say about the Ovation is that has me interested in it.    

I was going to ask the shortfield or roughfield ops but that has now been answered.  The question is do you want a stationwagon or a sports sedan.

The 182 is a fantastic all around aircraft, but that's not what you are looking for from what it sounds like.  

How often will you have all four seats filled, and does it make sense to have six seats (so you can actually fly with bags and four people)?

I'm sure someone nearby will take you for a spin or let the family climb inside to see if it fits.  

 

-Seth

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The ovation cabin tapers off. Having in sat in all three I would say the ovation is as wide as a 182 at your hips and a 172 at your shoulders. I've been renting a 2009 T182T its comfortable for sure, but it burns about 14.5 gph at 140kts Tas. If I go higher I can get 150TAS.  You can land it anywhere and it slows down like a parachute. I've have my wife and kids in it, and I can say there only complaint is they would rather it be 40 knots faster and so would I....

 

AB

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As I'm probably the tallest person on here at 6'8", I'd say I can spell the beans the best in the Ovation.  I have flown and teach in Ovations from the 2001's to 2008's.  I fit most comfortable in the Mooney Ovation in such a way that I can't reach the rudder pedals in cruise flight when I unlock the seat and slide it back all the way.  You can't do that while someone is behind you.  I honestly can't stand Saratoga's because you can't adjust the seats enough to get comfortable when you're my size.  Also, to get comfortable, the seat behind you is always flipped forward and unoccupied.  The real question that you need to answer is what are your pilot+passenger weights and range requirements.  A Skylane might have a good enough fit for you and a better fit for people in the back... although my personal preference on these 3 types flying in back is the Ovation because you are still easily seeing everything in all directions.  Ovations have great windows!  Skylanes cut off back seat passengers with front seat passengers with the seats and seat belt crossing in the middle (unless you're talking older Skylane that has the seatbelt feeding from the door side which gives you a little bit more center visibility from the back).

Like most here say, help us help you by providing a little more on your mission with weight and range.  Oh, and if you need known icing, there is only one choice of aircraft that you listed.  That's what initially made me look at the Ovation.  It is the cheapest used FIKI aircraft on the market.

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8 minutes ago, dimondan said:

 Oh, and if you need known icing, there is only one choice of aircraft that you listed.  That's what initially made me look at the Ovation.  It is the cheapest used FIKI aircraft on the market.

Back in 2003-2004 when we were looking at the same aircraft the FIKI was the deciding factor...living in MI it feels like ice is an issue half the year.

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18 minutes ago, dimondan said:

As I'm probably the tallest person on here at 6'8", I'd say I can spell the beans the best in the Ovation.  I have flown and teach in Ovations from the 2001's to 2008's.  I fit most comfortable in the Mooney Ovation in such a way that I can't reach the rudder pedals in cruise flight when I unlock the seat and slide it back all the way.  You can't do that while someone is behind you.  I honestly can't stand Saratoga's because you can't adjust the seats enough to get comfortable when you're my size.  Also, to get comfortable, the seat behind you is always flipped forward and unoccupied.  The real question that you need to answer is what are your pilot+passenger weights and range requirements.  A Skylane might have a good enough fit for you and a better fit for people in the back... although my personal preference on these 3 types flying in back is the Ovation because you are still easily seeing everything in all directions.  Ovations have great windows!  Skylanes cut off back seat passengers with front seat passengers with the seats and seat belt crossing in the middle (unless you're talking older Skylane that has the seatbelt feeding from the door side which gives you a little bit more center visibility from the back).

Like most here say, help us help you by providing a little more on your mission with weight and range.  Oh, and if you need known icing, there is only one choice of aircraft that you listed.  That's what initially made me look at the Ovation.  It is the cheapest used FIKI aircraft on the market.

Thanks for the great comments...   I need a good cross country plane that can carry about 675 lbs. of people.  My typical cross country flight would be around 300-350nm with occasional flights of 800-1,000nm. I think the Ovation would fit this mission profile pretty well but would likely need to make most trips without topping the tanks.  

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I almost never take of with more than 60gals. Except those rare trips from the northeast to Florida. But I doubt your passengers can take six hour legs anyway. I once made it from Daytona Beach nonstop to Western MA on 63 gallons of fuel... Lean of Peak, 9500ft and a good tailwind....

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7 hours ago, dlthig said:

I may get shot for this, but have you looked at a Bonanza? 

Yes, but I don't fit in a Bonanza.  I'm very tall in my torso and I can't fit in a Bonanza unless the seat back is reclined uncomfortably.  My heads hits the ceiling.   I do like the Bonanza, but it is not the plane for me. 

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5 hours ago, Yetti said: I am 6' 9" and fit fine in an F.  My wife is 5' 9".   The back seats in the F are quite comfy for me.

6'9"?  You really are a Yetti!!!

 

oh, and someone please shoot dlthig.

We have a Yetti, why don't we just send him to tear dlthig apart?

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I have sat in several Bonanzas and would not be able to fly them.  The seat does not go back far enough and the yoke would get tangled in my leg fur.  I have flown a Baron from the right seat and it seemed to work.  Mooney fits way better.

There is not enough room in any Piper products that I have found.  Cessna 310 did not have room either.   Mustang Jet seemed to fit pretty well.

As far as the suggestion goes, I am from Texas... get a rope

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2 hours ago, Yetti said:

I have sat in several Bonanzas and would not be able to fly them.  The seat does not go back far enough and the yoke would get tangled in my leg fur.  I have flown a Baron from the right seat and it seemed to work.  Mooney fits way better.

There is not enough room in any Piper products that I have found.  Cessna 310 did not have room either.   Mustang Jet seemed to fit pretty well.

As far as the suggestion goes, I am from Texas... get a rope

I was looking at Bonanzas too when I was shopping 6 years ago and went Mooney.  I didn't just have too little leg room, it was actually a safety of flight issue.  The v-bar on the bonanza was impossible to get my legs away from, so I would not be able to get full deflection if cross controlled landing was called for.  But besides that, I was just very cramped.  Perhaps extra holes can be put in the seat rails to fix the situation?  But I didn't go there.

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5 hours ago, Yetti said:

I have sat in several Bonanzas and would not be able to fly them.  The seat does not go back far enough and the yoke would get tangled in my leg fur.  I have flown a Baron from the right seat and it seemed to work.  Mooney fits way better.

There is not enough room in any Piper products that I have found.  Cessna 310 did not have room either.   Mustang Jet seemed to fit pretty well.

As far as the suggestion goes, I am from Texas... get a rope

Noted, I'm from Georgia and fly with a crew.

 

dlthig

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  • 3 years later...
13 hours ago, carusoam said:

The pilot gets the same amount of space as he does in an M20C... but comes with a nicer chair...

Gotta ask, which long body has the super-high panel? It affects visibility out the windshield as well as landings.

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20 minutes ago, Hank said:

Gotta ask, which long body has the super-high panel? It affects visibility out the windshield as well as landings.

The high panel only blocks you from seeing the back portion of the top cowl while taxing. The high panels give you a lot of real estate for avionic options. On the ground the attitude of the long body is significantly more nose high than the mid and short bodies if I recall it’s 4.5 degrees. I’m not sure the years but I believe it’s the models before the GX with the high panels. 

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2 hours ago, Hank said:

Gotta ask, which long body has the super-high panel? It affects visibility out the windshield as well as landings.

O1 and Bravos have the tall panels...  they stand out with the three rows of instruments... more of a nine-pack than a six pack...

Anything going all electric with nice PFDs... have put a bunch of extra arrows on one i-instrument face. Instead of extra instruments...

really...  how much instrument panel space do I really need for the old analog VSI, ADF, and a second VOR?

The O1 panel is perfect for people with Giraffe necks...  :)  this is why the Os get fancy elevator chairs...

PP thoughts only...

Best regards,

-a-

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