My new E

[chrixxer]

So I just bought a 1966 M20E with The One True Landing Gear system. I did a rental checkout and four hours in an M20B, and I'll be logging some more time in that before I fly the Super 21 home. Gotta get ready for her. Setup an LLC and bank account, get a tiedown at the airport (Santa Monica) - which raises the question, which is better, a canopy cover (I've heard they can scratch the heck out of the "glass" and paint?), or those reflective heat shields inside the windows / windshield? Sun and wind are much more of a factor than rain, here...

 

Anyway, I was looking for an F but this E came along with numbers I couldn't pass up, and my A&P says she's cherry. Excited! This will be my first plane; I have 300 hours on my 19 month old PPL, I'm instrument rated, complex and high performance endorsed, and in the last year I've logged >155 hours PIC, including 50+ hours in an Arrow and 50+ hours in an SR22. I'm ready for this next phase, and my days as a Mooniac!

Edited April 29, 2017 by chrixxer

[ragedracer1977]

I don't have advice on the covers, but I just wanted to say congrats!!  I hope to be in your shoes this summer!

[prflyer]

Congratulations!  But we need to see pictures or it did not happen!  

[chrixxer]

It's multiple time zones away currently, but here's what I've got accessible...

[flight2000]

Congrats!

Pick your poison on the covers versus window screens.  When I had my E, I scratched my windshield in the corners pretty good before I realized what happened.  It was a by-product of how the windscreen went in and the angle needed to get it to stay.  If you are in the sun all the time, the heat can get pretty intense between the reflective screens and the acrylic windows. 

Never had any issues with the cabin covers, but the down side is it can trap moisture if you're not able to air it out every once in awhile.   

With the lack of rain in your area, I'd probably go with the cabin cover after using both in the past.  You can request a soft cotton material under the canvas cover where it meets the windshield to help add another layer of protection. 

Cheers,

Brian

[MB65E]

Great! Can't wait to see it! 

I'll swing by if I see you taxing at SMO. 

I'd go for the cover, it helps with more than just keeping sun out of the interior. 

-Matt

[Yetti]

Someone somewhere around here was saying something about shoulder harnesses.

Congrats

[chrixxer]

26 minutes ago, MB65E said:

Great! Can't wait to see it! 

I'll swing by if I see you taxing at SMO. 

I'd go for the cover, it helps with more than just keeping sun out of the interior. 

-Matt

Where on the field are you?

Which Porsche(s)? (I have a rare(ish) '94 968 Cabriolet, though that might leave the garage in favor of a GNS530W, GTX345, and GNC255...)

[rbridges]

great looking plane.  congrats on the purchase.  If you're flying by yourself or with one other person, you won't miss the F.  

[chrixxer]

Just now, rbridges said:

great looking plane.  congrats on the purchase.  If you're flying by yourself or with one other person, you won't miss the F.  

Thanks! Yeah, most of my flights are me + 1, with the possibility of two dogs in the back. Two flights in the last year have been 3 adults. For those trips, if we can't squeeze, I can always rent...

[Roger O]

Congratulations!  Nice looking plane.  I had covers on my C made by Bruce, and they were great.  Never a problem, and kept everything nice and clean and cool!

[milotron]

Congrats on the new purchase. An exciting time for sure!

Canopy cover on mine. There are far more scratches on the inside of the glass than outside. The white canopy cover keeps the interior surprisingly cool.

I got a set of the interior thermal panels with the plane and was advised ( and I agree ) to never use them as they absolutely cook the 'glass' worse than having no cover at all.

iain

[MyNameIsNobody]

Congrats from a fellow 66 M20 Driver. (S#1120) and Porsche owner.  06 Cayman S.

-DO NOT SELL YOUR PORSCHE.

[drapo]

My vote goes to the covers, if you get a good one that fits, it will last and won't scratch your windows.

You'll soon find out why they call it the SUPER 21  Enjoy!

[cliffy]

Have Bruce cover and love it. HAD Porsche and loved it, just didn't drive it much, 1980 911 SC, cherry, show room condition. HAVE an F-150 and won't change. I fly 1 or 1+1 99.9% of the time. Don't need the longer body. You WILL enjoy the Mooney! Was based at SMO many decades ago in a Navajo when they started the "No Jets" policy. 

[Desertdoc75]

Great looking "E"!

Get a canopy cover instead of the shields. If it's fitted properly, it will protect a lot more and scratch a lot less!

[Dream to fly]

Congratulations,  That is a nice looking plane.  Enjoy the rides

[gsxrpilot]

I'd use both.  Make the sunshades yourself out of this stuff from Home Depot.http://www.homedepot.com/p/Reflectix-24-in-x-25-ft-Double-Reflective-Insulation-with-Staple-Tab-ST24025/100020855

 That way when someone lifts the cover to peek in to see if there's anything to steal, they can't see in.

Also there are times when I don't want to take the cover with me because of weight. I can still take the sunshades as the full set, (I cut them out myself) weigh practically nothing.

[mooney driver]

YEP!!!  Cover!!  congrats! Have a blast driving her!!!!

[Jim Peace]

My C spent 41 years up the road at VNY.  I highly suggest a full cover over the shields.  Unless you have thousands to spend for SB208.....you live near SMO so maybe you do...

Planecover.com is who I went with and I like it much better than the Bruce cover I had on another plane......I called Bruce covers and asked them to come out and measure my plane.  I was going to fly it to the airport just down the street from them and they refused to come out.  Nice service.....

Edited April 30, 2017 by Jim Peace

[MBDiagMan]

Congratulations!  Even in California weather, you should go to all lengths to find a hangar.  Pull out all the stops.  It is the only way to keep a pristine example of a Mooney pristine.

Hangars are tough to get where I am at too.  I hangar 2 airplanes 45 minutes from home at two different airports in opposite directions.  It is a pain, but I am working on getting them both close to home.

Enjoy your new baby.

[chrixxer]

39 minutes ago, MBDiagMan said:

Congratulations!  Even in California weather, you should go to all lengths to find a hangar.  Pull out all the stops.  ...  Hangars are tough to get where I am at too.

There's no space at HHR, there's no space at SMO (there's a 30 year waiting list and hangars are a politicized issue), and if I have to drive further than either of those options, in traffic, it defeats the purpose of owning a plane. It can be an hour or more in traffic to get to TOA, LGB, or VNY.  I've also heard, anecdotally, hangars at SMO are renting (when you can get them) for 4-figures/month, way out of my budget...

[chrixxer]

2 hours ago, cliffy said:

Have Bruce cover and love it. HAD Porsche and loved it, just didn't drive it much, 1980 911 SC, cherry, show room condition. HAVE an F-150 and won't change. I fly 1 or 1+1 99.9% of the time. Don't need the longer body. You WILL enjoy the Mooney! Was based at SMO many decades ago in a Navajo when they started the "No Jets" policy. 

Yeah, my daily driver is the '95 Wrangler I bought new at age 18. Tossed in my stuff the day I bought it and hit the road for California. Still have her 22 years later... And yeah, my mission profile is me, or me + 1 (and often two dogs, combined weight ~100 lbs, they ride comfortably in the back of that Wrangler, so the back seat of a Mooney should be no issue - they ride in an Arrow now, though I usually pull the back seat out). Those few times I need to carry more people, if the Mooney's not comfortable (I'm 6'2" but it's almost all torso, I fit in an M20B with the seat fairly far forward), I can always rent something with more room.

[MBDiagMan]

1 hour ago, chrixxer said:

There's no space at HHR, there's no space at SMO (there's a 30 year waiting list and hangars are a politicized issue), and if I have to drive further than either of those options, in traffic, it defeats the purpose of owning a plane. It can be an hour or more in traffic to get to TOA, LGB, or VNY.  I've also heard, anecdotally, hangars at SMO are renting (when you can get them) for 4-figures/month, way out of my budget...

I understand your situation perfectly.  I have dealt with it for years and it is VERY frustrating.  I have been on hangar lists for over 6 years, trying to move my planes closer, with very little movement.

All that said, I hate to see planes outside.  There is just no way to keep them from deteriorating.  Covers and such things help, but the plane still deteriorate in the weather, even mild weather.  Again, all that said, I understand that you have no choice.

When I bought Joyce, the same broker had another C model that had a fresh engine and other amenities for a lot less money.  It was lightly hail damaged and had faded paint.  I had no interest in the plane, but the broker brought up a valid point.  With the fresh engine and good structural integrity, it would be a good plane for someone that had no choice besides tying it down outside.  It is a shame to see a beautiful, corrosion free example not stored in a hangar.

Enjoy your new (to you) Mooney.

[gsxrpilot]

I've owned two airplanes and have used two different airports. One was a solid hour away (52 miles) the other is only 30 minutes (25 miles) until 3pm and then it's an hour. I've been on waiting lists on airports closer for years.

I wouldn't own an airplane and park it outside. But then here in Texas we get some king size storms... like the one last night.

BTW... I had a lease on a hangar an hour away, for two months before I even owned my first airplane. I knew it would be more difficult to get a hangar then the plane. So when one came open, I put it under lease immediately.