My longest distance Mooney Flight

[201er]

Just came home from Denver. 9.3 hour flight was not my longest duration flight but certainly my longest distance. Over 1400nm. I planned a fuel stop enroute but didn't feel like wasting time so we just went straight to Linden. I did get some tailwinds but not all that much because of the current weather pattern. Tailwinds ranged from 0-20knots at 9000ft.

This trip was: KLDJ -> KADS (Dallas, TX), KADS -> KFFZ (Phoenix, AZ), KFFZ -> KAPA (Denver, CO), and KAPA -> KLDJ (NYC).

Second longest was 1320nm from Linden to San Marcos but it took 11 hours due to head winds.

Edited March 20, 2017 by 201er

[carusoam]

Hey, that straight line shows a nice arc of great circle in it!

Did you bring any passengers?

Best regards,

-a-

[Flaves]

Mike, really appreciate you sharing your flights on youtube. I'm not a Mooney owner, just hopeful at this time, but your videos are the reason I started to look into them so much. We spoke on the phone a few years ago, we should grab lunch some time... I'm the guy that works at Newark Airport.

First post on Mooneyspace

[Seth]

Mike - That's impressive.  Even with a pee bottle, 10 hours of planning and flying has got to tire you out mentally.  I flew about 6 hours Thursday and dragged on Friday.  In the past, I've flown two 4 hour flights on the same day, but 10 non stop - again - impressive!!

My longest single flights non stop have been Maryland GAI to Minneapolis, MN - about 5.5 hours.  It was 4.5 back the next morning.  My speed was faster, but Denver is still much further!

-Seth

[cbarry]

That's a pretty impressive use of an efficient bird!

 

[carusoam]

Welcome aboard, Flaves. Mike is a great resource!

Best regards,

-a-

[salty]

Impressive. Planning my first long cross country next weekend if the weather holds. It's 480 miles one way, and planning on returning same day. In my C im figuring it will be about 6.5 hours in the air and if the headwind is strong I may have to stop for gas to feel safe. I'm more nervous about this trip than I was my check ride. 

[EricJ]

Yeah, very impressive.   Long range tanks?   What sort of fuel burn do you manage doing this?

[Oscar Avalle]

Impressive, Mike. My longest non stop trip in my M20C was key west Guatemala City. About 6.4 hours.


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[201er]

Just now, EricJ said:

Yeah, very impressive.   Long range tanks?   What sort of fuel burn do you manage doing this?

I did this one on 8.0gph and around 140-148ktas. Speed picked up a bit as I shed weight. Started with 600lbs of fuel and ended with 144lbs. I also play a bit with speed/fuel depending on wind. I reduce ff when tailwinds pick up. I mostly tinker with fuel so that I can arrive with a comfortable reserve.

Going west to Addison I had the choice to go nonstop slow or make a fuel stop. Since the weather was a bit iffy getting there and because fuel would be much cheaper on the way, I opted to fly faster into the wind on cheaper gas.

[201er]

[DonMuncy]

50 minutes ago, salty said:

Impressive. Planning my first long cross country next weekend if the weather holds. It's 480 miles one way, and planning on returning same day. In my C im figuring it will be about 6.5 hours in the air and if the headwind is strong I may have to stop for gas to feel safe. I'm more nervous about this trip than I was my check ride. 

That is going to be a long day. The first couple of times I flew from Dallas to San Diego, I did it in one day, and it was pretty tough. I switched to starting at mid day and stopping in El Paso or Las Cruces, and finishing the next day. Much less tiring.

[OR75]

9.3 hours !!!

I guess you are getting every penny's worth of that Century IIB

 

 

[cliffy]

Had a Mooney friend (now gone) who did Tucson to Columbus, OH nonstop once 8+ hrs. I can't do more than 2 +30 or so any more. Too stiff when I get out. Used to do LAS to HOU in 1 day.  7+ hrs, but now stop half way and enjoy the evening meal and room. 

Look up "honeymooney" on Google sometime to see what world traveling by E model really is. 

[carusoam]

Some of their travels can be found here...

http://honeymooney.com/

Best regards,

-a-

[N201MKTurbo]

Wow, the most I ever did was Meadville PA to Chandler AZ in one day. That had 2 stops. It doesn't matter if I had Long distance tanks or not. I don't want to sit in a plane that long.

[cliffy]

Honeymooney did I think 6 crossings of the Atlantic Ocean, Even in the middle from Africa to Brazil. That leg ( I talked with him) was 11+ hrs with@ 15 hrs fuel. Big tank in the cabin.

[NotarPilot]

17 minutes ago, cliffy said:

Honeymooney did I think 6 crossings of the Atlantic Ocean, Even in the middle from Africa to Brazil. That leg ( I talked with him) was 11+ hrs with@ 15 hrs fuel. Big tank in the cabin.

That takes big brass balls which I don't have. I can't even imagine the thought of going in the drink midway, even with a safety raft, and waiting days for a ship to swing by and pick you up. You'd be way out of reach of rescue helicopters, if the nearest country even has any.

[Goldonomic]

On 3/19/2017 at 9:57 PM, 201er said:

Just came home from Denver. 9.3 hour flight was not my longest duration flight but certainly my longest distance. Over 1400nm. I planned a fuel stop enroute but didn't feel like wasting time so we just went straight to Linden. I did get some tailwinds but not all that much because of the current weather pattern. Tailwinds ranged from 0-20knots at 9000ft.

This trip was: KLDJ -> KADS (Dallas, TX), KADS -> KFFZ (Phoenix, AZ), KFFZ -> KAPA (Denver, CO), and KAPA -> KLDJ (NYC).

Second longest was 1320nm from Linden to San Marcos but it took 11 hours due to head winds.

EXELLENT...my fastest trip was (If I remember well) GOOSE BAY (Canada) to Reykjavik (Iceland). A 1,320 NM trip.

[thinwing]

i vote 201 for iron butt award

[201er]

59 minutes ago, thinwing said:

i vote 201 for iron butt award

My 11 hour non stop may or may not be the longest nonstop Mooney flight ever. But I’ll bet you no wife has sat in a Mooney for 9 hours nonstop without landing! She should get it!

[Hank]

26 minutes ago, 201er said:

My 11 hour non stop may or may not be the longest nonstop Mooney flight ever. But I’ll bet you no wife has sat in a Mooney for 9 hours nonstop without landing! She should get it!

OK, let's amend the nomination:  Iron Butt for Stinky Pants, Steel Bladder for the Mrs!  

[M20F]

1 hour ago, 201er said:

My 11 hour non stop may or may not be the longest nonstop Mooney flight ever. But I’ll bet you no wife has sat in a Mooney for 9 hours nonstop without landing! She should get it!

San Diego to Savannah is the longest I am aware of in a E.  Long range tanks only, they are amazing machines. 

[carusoam]

11 minutes ago, M20F said:

San Diego to Savannah is the longest I am aware of in a E.  Long range tanks only, they are amazing machines. 

Jonathan Paul for the win!

Crossing the country, non-stop...

Required selecting strong tail winds that are seasonal in nature...  a window of only a couple of weeks...

The M20E is an amazing plane...

Go Mooney!

Best regards,

-a-

[Culver LFA]

1 hour ago, M20F said:

San Diego to Savannah is the longest I am aware of in a E.  Long range tanks only, they are amazing machines. 

I would love to make that trip, so cool