Angel Flight, VAC, and Mooneys

[Parker_Woodruff]

The first year I owned my M20J, I did a few Angel Flights and a Veterans' Airlift flight.  I've also done several others in my C172 (about to be sold along with my business at Waco Regional).  Mostly I would take missions that were along my intended points of landing.  It made things convenient, and I'm always looking for a reason to take someone else up in my plane.  I was going up to Fayetteville, AR a lot, so I'd take a guy from Houston up there.  You get the idea.

On all occasions it was a challenge to some degree to get my passengers in.  None of them were big, one was slightly disabled from a nervous system problem (Angel Flight).  In the case of the Veterans' Airlift flight, we were at 2900 lbs of baggage, the vet, his son, and a camera guy from Veterans Outdoors (hunting trip).

Let's face it, if you're not a lanky guy like me, getting in that back seat isn't a simple issue.

Interested to know if you guys are having the same issues or if my consideration for another Make/Model airframe for passenger comfort (both friends and AF/VAC pax) is unwarranted.  I've ridden in the back of my own airplane once, and it didn't bother me at all.  But I'm a simple guy--generally comfortable and easily pleased.

But at the end of the day, I always come back to a Mooney because I know them, understand them, like raw speed, and they're plentifully available in FIKI.

[Jeff_S]

I do Angel Flights. Have signed up for VAC flights but they always seem to be on weekdays, or they come up on too short notice, or they're just a lot longer than I care to do, so I haven't done any of those. Lately I've been doing more Pilots n Paws rescues.

So between Angel Flight and PnP, there's not question that the Angel Flight passengers are easier to deal wtih, and generally seem fine getting in and out of the cabin.

[Parker_Woodruff]

http://www.veteranoutdoors.com/Episode6.htm

 

I did the return flight on this one.  Great experience.  Just be mindful that when some of the guys with PTSD fall asleep in your plane, you do need to be ready for what turbulence can do (mentally) if it catches them off guard.  Really sad.

[LFOD]

I took out my co pilot seat when I was doing charity flights. Made ingress and egress infinitely easier for the passenger. 

[rorythedog]

i do angel flights but i usually pick missions for kids and a parent....it's a better fit for our m20j.

we regularly fly with 4 of us and our back seat is comfy once we're all belted in. these flights are usually 1.5 hours or less.

3 of us and the dog do round robbins from kc to st. augustine.....we like it!