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Any M20A models besides mine

jdawg
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carusoam Grand Master

carusoam

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We have a couple around here.

Somebody recently posted what the wooden wings actually look like without paint on them.

How long have you been the care taker of the mistress?

Best regrads,

-a-

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jdawg Rookie

jdawg

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13 minutes ago, carusoam said:

 

We have a couple around here.

Somebody recently posted what the wooden wings actually look like without paint on them.

How long have you been the care taker of the mistress?

Best regrads,

-a-

I've had her for a year now, I can't even express how great she is too fly and very economical 

Where is here carusoam?

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jdawg Rookie

jdawg

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26 minutes ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

A previous owner of your bird used to be a member here on MooneySpace. I can't remember his name but if you search on terms like "wood" and "M20A" you will find him. 

Welcome aboard!  She is a beauty. 

Jim

Thanks Jim. Russ Anderson owned before me, took great care of her, hope I can do as good a job. Great page!

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Vance Harral Mentor

Vance Harral

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These pictures here are great.  The original A model evokes everything classic about Mooney lines and curves, and the individual specimens look well cared for.  Congratulations to you all!

mike20papa, I trained at KCLL and have a number of Coulter field landings in my logbook too.  All from "back in the day" when I was a student at A&M.  Love the paint and aluminum combo on your airplane.  Wave at all the Aggies for me next time you're airborne.

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Ned Gravel Grand Master

Ned Gravel

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22 hours ago, jdawg said:

Thanks Jim. Russ Anderson owned before me, took great care of her, hope I can do as good a job. Great page!

I flew with him in her once when he was bringing her back from annual.

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kerry Mentor

kerry

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I've always said the biggest difference in a wood wing Mooney is that it costs 20K less for a 5 knot speed mod with its smooth like glass wing.  I grew up flying when I was a kid with my Dad  in his C model and have many memories of very harsh jolts in turbulence.  Supposedly my A model has a softer ride in turbulence.  The wood wing flexes which also give you a softer ride on the ground while taxiing.  I once had a fuel leak in the right wing.  It took me about 1 hour to remove the aluminum tank and a local welding shop repair it for $20.  I think wood is a great material to work with and easy to repair.  I would be lying if I said I don't want to upgrade to the J model but I love the affordablity of the A model.

 

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HRM Grand Master

HRM

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Get in contact with Dave Morris, he is an M20A fanatic and owns one of the nicest ones flying.

His website:  "N1960 - Formerly N6030X - 1960 Mooney M20A".

If memory serves, Bill Wheat signed his fuel door flap as I believe Bill did the original test flight of it.

Frankly, I think MAC should help in the care of any M20A's still flying. They are not only national treasures, but a testament to the Mooney marque.

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MBDiagMan Veteran

MBDiagMan

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Al would be proud.  This was his 20th design.  By the time he got to this one, he knew a little about wood aircraft design and construction.  If Al had not left on the day of type certification, I wonder how long they would have kept making them of wood.

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MBDiagMan Veteran

MBDiagMan

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From where I sit the M20 and M20 A are historic aircraft.  As I understand it these two models are the same except the A has 180HP.  Al and Art were financially strapped and built the wood wing because it was cheap and they had lots of experience with wood design and manufacture.  They were trying to get it certified in order to survive personal financial disaster and left Mooney the day it was certified.  Many crazy circumstances got in their way as far as business success is concerned, but as far as the M20 design, I see it as a masterpiece.  The twentieth design from a man with God given talent and no formal education.

That said I have all the respect in the world for someone willing to fly a 55 + year old wood frame aircraft.  I hope it has been hangared it's entire life.  What a piece of aviation history!

 

thanks for the pictures?

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mike20papa Rising Star

mike20papa

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The truth is .. Mooney Inc. needs to submit the original drawings for the M20 and M20A to the Smithsonian.  This is the official repository for historic aircraft and accessible to the public for nominal fees.  In the factory would only submit the wood wing and empenage drawings, that would be a start.  I've been trying to piece together a set of drawings and some of mine are faded beyond use.  Even the drawings are hand build jewels - beyond "modern" drafting capabilities.  I also wish the factory would release any other documentation on the wing construction, like photos, only the one exists on the internet.  The wing really is a masterful engineering solution.   The piece count is very low, the concept of preforming the wing skin, the spar being built up as opposed to solid, etc.  Revolutionary at the time, now a model for other composite wing structures.

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jdawg Rookie

jdawg

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I schooled and got my ppl in a 172, I bought FVAA before my training was over so I never flew her until after my training was over. It was like going from a 1980 GMC pu to a Porsche. I know I'll never look back, she's a dream too fly. Handles the down drafts like they're nothing. Love my Mooney, and cheap too fly, amazing.

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