Hoping to buy a Mooney

[Stetson20]

Hi all, 

Writing from Grand Rapids area (GRR). I'm a retired Navy pilot and a First Officer for Southwest. Based in MDW and live 30 ENE of GRR. If you ever fly over GIBER intersection, I live on that lake below, Long Lake. 

So I got the Mooney bug and I've been given the green light from the Boss (Mrs Stetson20) to start looking. I've flown planes for everybody else since 1988- now I'd like to fly my own. Looking for suggestions. 50k max budget for purchase. I expect the majority of my flying will be commuting from Y70 or 6D6 to KMDW weekly, with pleasure trips sprinkled throughout the flying season. IFR plane is a must, with GPS capability.  Very interested in hearing what you all do during winter. Still flying? Heated hangar (pricey)?

Looking to purchase in the spring. Also looking forward to forum feedback, and making some new friends hopefully.

My first inclination is to use a broker service that deals mainly with Mooneys. I'm open to suggestions and thanks for listening.

Stetson20

 

[Guitarmaster]

Talk to Brian Heyne. He's a HOU captain and AC broker. Lots of good information on here from all of the folks on mooneyspace about what to look for.

Give me a call and I can fill you in on the deal at Atlantic and my own experience with my Mooney.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[mooniac15u]

21 minutes ago, Stetson20 said:

Hi all, 

Writing from Grand Rapids area (GRR). I'm a retired Navy pilot and a First Officer for Southwest. Based in MDW and live 30 ENE of GRR. If you ever fly over GIBER intersection, I live on that lake below, Long Lake. 

So I got the Mooney bug and I've been given the green light from the Boss (Mrs Stetson20) to start looking. I've flown planes for everybody else since 1988- now I'd like to fly my own. Looking for suggestions. 50k max budget for purchase. I expect the majority of my flying will be commuting from Y70 or 6D6 to KMDW weekly, with pleasure trips sprinkled throughout the flying season. IFR plane is a must, with GPS capability.  Very interested in hearing what you all do during winter. Still flying? Heated hangar (pricey)?

Looking to purchase in the spring. Also looking forward to forum feedback, and making some new friends hopefully.

My first inclination is to use a broker service that deals mainly with Mooneys. I'm open to suggestions and thanks for listening.

Stetson20

 

Welcome aboard.  I have family in Belding and Lowell.  You'll soon get the standard bombardment of advice from everyone about why you should get their model of Mooney.

[mooniac15u]

Y70 seems like a nice little airport. There were a couple other Mooneys on the ramp the last time I was there. 

[Bob_Belville]

18 minutes ago, Stetson20 said:

Hi all, 

Writing from Grand Rapids area (GRR). I'm a retired Navy pilot and a First Officer for Southwest. Based in MDW and live 30 ENE of GRR. If you ever fly over GIBER intersection, I live on that lake below, Long Lake. 

So I got the Mooney bug and I've been given the green light from the Boss (Mrs Stetson20) to start looking. I've flown planes for everybody else since 1988- now I'd like to fly my own. Looking for suggestions. 50k max budget for purchase. I expect the majority of my flying will be commuting from Y70 or 6D6 to KMDW weekly, with pleasure trips sprinkled throughout the flying season. IFR plane is a must, with GPS capability.  Very interested in hearing what you all do during winter. Still flying? Heated hangar (pricey)?

Looking to purchase in the spring. Also looking forward to forum feedback, and making some new friends hopefully.

My first inclination is to use a broker service that deals mainly with Mooneys. I'm open to suggestions and thanks for listening.

Stetson20

 

Welcome S...20! If it is usually you alone or you and the Boss, and you're staying mostly east of the Rockies you should find the most bang for the buck with the M20C, M20E, and the M20F. @ 50k you should be able to get a decent airframe with either a modern panel (i.e. with autopilot, ADS-B, moving map GPS, engine analyser) , or a less than mid time engine. The 180 hp carbureted C is a little cheaper, everything else being equal, than the 200 hp injected E which is in turn a little cheaper that the longer, heavier F. But these planes are ~ 50 years old and no 2 are alike anymore so you'll probably want to have an open mind re model. There are lots of mods and upgrades and you'll want to make lists of what is essential vs. nice.

Have fun and keep us posted.

  

[Stetson20]

16 minutes ago, mooniac15u said:

Welcome aboard.  I have family in Belding and Lowell.  You'll soon get the standard bombardment of advice from everyone about why you should get their model of Mooney.

I'm a 1987 Belding grad! Born & raised at Long Lake (6mi east). Haven't checked hangar space availability/price at Y70. 6D6 (Greenville) has 2 types for 149/mo and 200/mo with electric bifold doors I believe.

 

[Stetson20]

11 minutes ago, Bob_Belville said:

Welcome S...20! If it is usually you alone or you and the Boss, and you're staying mostly east of the Rockies you should find the most bang for the buck with the M20C, M20E, and the M20F. @ 50k you should be able to get a decent airframe with either a modern panel (i.e. with autopilot, ADS-B, moving map GPS, engine analyser) , or a less than mid time engine. The 180 hp carbureted C is a little cheaper, everything else being equal, than the 200 hp injected E which is in turn a little cheaper that the longer, heavier F. But these planes are ~ 50 years old and no 2 are alike anymore so you'll probably want to have an open mind re model. There are lots of mods and upgrades and you'll want to make lists of what is essential vs. nice.

Have fun and keep us posted.

  

Thanks! I basically caught the bug a couple weeks ago. Was flying with a MDW captain and found out he commutes in by airplane from NW Ohio. He flies a Commander 114. Got to talking about the landing fees, fuel prices, etc., at MDW and figured out its more reasonable than I had imagined. And I've always liked the Mooney styling. Trying to restrain myself and take a measured approach to buying. So I am planning on a spring purchase. Plenty of time to educate myself on everything Mooney.

My background is military, so I have a limited amount of knowledge on all things civil aviation. However, I joined Mooney Space, AOPA, and Mooney Owners websites. Very excited to embark on this journey!

[Stetson20]

32 minutes ago, Guitarmaster said:

Talk to Brian Heyne. He's a HOU captain and AC broker. Lots of good information on here from all of the folks on mooneyspace about what to look for.

Give me a call and I can fill you in on the deal at Atlantic and my own experience with my Mooney.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

Matt check your PMs. Thanks!

[orionflt]

Welcome aboard  Stetson,

What did you fly in the Navy, Retired P-3 FE here. I personally own a C model that I have been doing a flying restore on, I have owned it for around 10 yrs.

if you have any questions this is the place to ask them, there is a lot of knowledge and everyone is willing to share. good luck in your search and once you narrow down what you are looking for let us know!

Brian

[Stetson20]

1 minute ago, orionflt said:

Welcome aboard  Stetson,

What did you fly in the Navy, Retired P-3 FE here. I personally own a C model that I have been doing a flying restore on, I have owned it for around 10 yrs.

if you have any questions this is the place to ask them, there is a lot of knowledge and everyone is willing to share. good luck in your search and once you narrow down what you are looking for let us know!

Brian

Brian, 

I actually started out Army. 8 years as a Warrant Officer. AH-1 and UH-1. 12 years Navy. T-34, T-45, S-3 and B-707. B-717 and B-737 post military.

[carusoam]

Welcome aboard Stetson.

Flying season?

Every day, except for non-flying season.  That is the week the plane is down for it's annual.

Go Mooney!

Best regards,

-a-

[Guest]

With military experience you'll do fine here.  Lots of pot shots, sniping and flame throwers are present.

Clarence

[gsengle]

But generally civil and professional... at least compared to say, pilots of america or aopa message boards :-o

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[glafaille]

Start your search NOW.  Finding a nice $50,000 Mooney is like looking for Unicorns!  You hear about them but they are rarely seen and can only be found in very remote places far removed from airlne service.  However, if you are willing to overlook missing logbooks, decades old overhauls, questionable maintenance histories and shotgun panels you will have much better luck.  

Much easier to find a unicorn if you have an airplane to use to hunt the critters down.  The market seems to dry up when the wind blows cold.  Early to mid summer seems to be the best time for hunting.

Lots of friendly folks here to help and they usually have great advice.  Keep your powder dry and gun at the ready position.

[Hank]

Welcome aboard! The Mooney flying season is all year long, minus the time for your annual and any days with icing about. I started flight lessons on 1 Oct on the OH / WV border, and have many winter XC trips based there.

Performance is very good in the winter, especially compared to summer afternoons here in AL. Snow covered hills are nice to look down on, gloves off, coat open. The cabin heat in my C model will flat run me out if the cockpit, it was typically never more than half open with some fresh air mixed in. The morning it was 8° out, my wife stayed in bed and I went to breakfast without her, but boy! did the plane ever climb!  

[mccdeuce]

2 hours ago, glafaille said:

Start your search NOW.  Finding a nice $50,000 Mooney is like looking for Unicorns!  You hear about them but they are rarely seen and can only be found in very remote places far removed from airlne service.  

Looks like we are probably looking for the same unicorn...  If we were only closer to partner for a nice J.

Wont hold those Army years against you - FLY NAVY!

[Stetson20]

9 minutes ago, mccdeuce said:

Looks like we are probably looking for the same unicorn...  If we were only closer to partner for a nice J.

Wont hold those Army years against you - FLY NAVY!

My daughter's husband is based in Little Creek. They live in Chesapeake. We try to get out there to see them every couple of months.

[mccdeuce]

Well hopefully within the next couple of months we will both be proud Mooney owners and can do a little form flying!

[orionflt]

swing thru PA, we can add a few more planes

 

Brian

[Pictreed]

Yes Clark, trade that Family Truckster in for a Mooney!

If you can take another Mooney owner, or better yet if he's on the board, to look at prospective buys it may help to weed out the ones you shouldn't bother with. 

I recently picked up a '65 E for about the range you're looking for.  I've seen a few good ones since then so they're out there.  It took me a few months to decide what I wanted so like you I started this time of year and purchased in the spring.

I'be seen some good ones in the classifieds here too. 

Tim

[Bob - S50]

S..20,

Welcome.  Personally, when I was looking, I did not want to have to deal with carb ice (pretty humid in the pacific nw) so I was only interested in a fuel injected engine.  That would be an E, F, J etc. (not a C).

I ended up finding 3 partners and we got a J.  If you can find a good partner or 2 it does wonders for the budget.  Lets you get a newer/nicer plane and cuts down the fixed costs too.

I'd also recommend joining the Beechtalk forum.  Lots of non-Beech people on there and lots of non-Beech knowledge available.

Best of luck.

[jasona900]

17 hours ago, Stetson20 said:

Brian, 

I actually started out Army. 8 years as a Warrant Officer. AH-1 and UH-1. 12 years Navy. T-34, T-45, S-3 and B-707. B-717 and B-737 post military.

S-3's... nice!  Former Mauler NFO here (2004-2007) and then went P-3s.

[orionflt]

1 hour ago, jasona900 said:

S-3's... nice!  Former Mauler NFO here (2004-2007) and then went P-3s.

how long and where where you in P-3's?

Brian

[Stetson20]

6 hours ago, Bob - S50 said:

S..20,

Welcome.  Personally, when I was looking, I did not want to have to deal with carb ice (pretty humid in the pacific nw) so I was only interested in a fuel injected engine.  That would be an E, F, J etc. (not a C).

I ended up finding 3 partners and we got a J.  If you can find a good partner or 2 it does wonders for the budget.  Lets you get a newer/nicer plane and cuts down the fixed costs too.

I'd also recommend joining the Beechtalk forum.  Lots of non-Beech people on there and lots of non-Beech knowledge available.

Best of luck.

Bob, 

The problem with partners is flexibility. My schedule changes often and the main reason I'm looking to buy is to use it as a commuter. I've definitely thought about it. 

S20

[jasona900]

5 hours ago, orionflt said:

how long and where where you in P-3's?

Brian

I did my JO tour at VP-40 from 2006-2009 and just finished my DH tour at VP-46 this summer.