Joining the Mooney club - M20C

[ShuRugal]

Well, I've gone and bought myself a plane.  Been doing research on what I wanted for my mission/budget for a couple months now, and came across this beauty in my price range.  Took a test-flight in her and fell in love.  This aircraft has been very well taken care of, too.  Couldn't be happier.  Now just to knock out 10hr of dual instruction so my insurance will let me fly it...

 

Got two pictures right now, I'm sure more will be forthcoming.

 

 

[Mooneymite]

Welcome aboard and congratulations.

Tell us more.

[Hank]

Woo-hooo! Welcome aboard, and to the joys of Mooney ownership. 

C models rock!  

[ShuRugal]

Tell us more.

 

Not a whole lot more to tell.  Started flying in February, Got my Light Sport ticket about 5 months ago.  Need to round off a handfull of night/instrument hours for Private, worked out a plan with my CFI to use this bird to do it.   Prior to this year, the only thing I could afford to fly was my PC, and I've got entirely too many hours sunk into DCS and RC-models (helicopters).  Transitioning to physical full-scale fixed-wing was really just a matter of getting used to the way a Tecnam gets tossed around by the wind...

Edited October 17, 2017 by ShuRugal

[Mooneymite]

The pictures kinda look like FL?

Where's home base?

[Hank]

2 minutes ago, ShuRugal said:

Transitioning to physical full-scale fixed-wing was really just a matter of getting used to the way a Tecnam gets tossed around by the wind...

Welcome to the big boys club! The wind won't do as much of a number on your Mooney as it does on the Tecnam. Just make sure to pay attention and learn the procedures for your Mooney. Power setting is more complicated, and getting it too wrong for too long will cost you way too much . . . .

[ShuRugal]

6 minutes ago, Mooneymite said:

The pictures kinda look like FL?

Where's home base?

Central Virginia.  Please forgive me if I prefer not to be more specific.  I'm in Network Security, and paranoia is an occupational hazard...

1 minute ago, Hank said:

Welcome to the big boys club! The wind won't do as much of a number on your Mooney as it does on the Tecnam. Just make sure to pay attention and learn the procedures for your Mooney. Power setting is more complicated, and getting it too wrong for too long will cost you way too much . . . .

Absolutely.  Add RPM before MP, remove MP before RPM.  The engine in this bird was overhauled ~250 hours ago, I don't plan on blowing the heads off and wasting that value

[gsxrpilot]

44 minutes ago, ShuRugal said:

Absolutely.  Add RPM before MP, remove MP before RPM.  The engine in this bird was overhauled ~250 hours ago, I don't plan on blowing the heads off and wasting that value

It might be a bit more complicated than that. Does this bird have an engine monitor? And do you know how to use it?

[ShuRugal]

Just now, gsxrpilot said:

It might be a bit more complicated than that. Does this bird have an engine monitor? And do you know how to use it?

Engine gauges are analog.  I've got CHT, OT, OP, and EGT.  I've been spending some quality time with a PDF of the O360 manual.

[gsxrpilot]

5 minutes ago, ShuRugal said:

Engine gauges are analog.  I've got CHT, OT, OP, and EGT.  I've been spending some quality time with a PDF of the O360 manual.

Please do yourself a favor an get a proper engine monitor such as an Insight G2 installed at your earliest opportunity. And learn to read it properly. If you truly value that engine and want to see it last another 1500 to 1700 hours, do this. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have.

Right now you've got an estimation of CHT on a single cylinder, same with EGT. That really doesn't tell you much.

But hey, welcome to the Mooney club. You own a wonderful airplane and we all hope you get to use it as fully as we do our Mooneys.

*BTW - I'm in IT security as well... App and DB security.

[ShuRugal]

Just now, gsxrpilot said:

Please do yourself a favor an get a proper engine monitor such as an Insight G2 installed at your earliest opportunity. And learn to read it properly. If you truly value that engine and want to see it last another 1500 to 1700 hours, do this. I'm happy to answer any questions you might have.

Right now you've got an estimation of CHT on a single cylinder, same with EGT. That really doesn't tell you much.

But hey, welcome to the Mooney club. You own a wonderful airplane and we all hope you get to use it as fully as we do our Mooneys.

*BTW - I'm in IT security as well... App and DB security.

An engine monitor is near the top of my "upgrades to buy once the loan is paid off" list.  For now, I intend to learn the engine and pilot manuals front to back, and to keep myself well within published limits.  Any experience-learned advice is appreciated.  This plane has had five decades of service on steam gauges with no incidents, I reckon I can continue that legacy if I go into it with my eyes open and ready to learn.

 

As for IT Sec, I fill a combination role with firewalls, proxies, and host-based security.  Fun job.

[Hank]

1 hour ago, ShuRugal said:

Central Virginia.  Please forgive me if I prefer not to be more specific.  I'm in Network Security, and paranoia is an occupational hazard...

Absolutely.  Add RPM before MP, remove MP before RPM.  The engine in this bird was overhauled ~250 hours ago, I don't plan on blowing the heads off and wasting that value

You also need to learn how to lean the engine. Never did that in the Cessna I used for lessons . . .

My C does well with analog gages, and I'm also researching full engine monitors. Do you have Carb Temp gage? Mine is 2-1/2", and is in the only decent place I have "open" for a monitor (to replace it).

[Guest]

If it doesn't have them, shoulder belts should be the first upgrade.  Used engine monitors come up from time to time and help keep the budget in line.

Clarence

[carusoam]

Welcome aboard, Shu.

over time you may find it more useful to expose some data.  Like which model you have and the general location you fly from.

put it in your avatar.

People around here like to help the new guys. Help them by giving them detail they don't have to memorize....

An M20C is a great way to get started in GA. And live in GA. And finish in GA... 

Best regards,

-a-

[Skates97]

12 minutes ago, M20Doc said:

If it doesn't have them, shoulder belts should be the first upgrade.  Used engine monitors come up from time to time and help keep the budget in line.

Clarence

First thing I did to my plane. Glad I didn't need them before I put them in, hope to never need them now that they are there.

[steingar]

Something I honestly don't get.  Our engines in the Vintage Mooneyare are Lycoming O360s, regarded as one of the most bulletproof engines ever made by anybody.  The same engine that's banging around half the GA fleet, including lots of Cherokees, Skyhawks, Grummans and Odin only knows what else.  Most of these have run forever on just the most basic instruments.  So why the big push for engine monitors?

[ShuRugal]

I understand the appeal:  It is certainly nice to know every little thing the engine is doing, and if you want to squeeze every last drop of performance and efficiency out of an engine, then you do need to know every little thing, all the time, so you can ensure you don't exceed any limits.

[Oldguy]

Welcome aboard, Shu. Let me second the motion for the shoulder harness upgrade if it is not already there.

For some more education/training, check out the PPP classes held by the Mooney Safety Foundation at http://www.mapasafety.com/. And at the end of next September, take the short hop down to KECP for the Mooney Summit. You can get some ideas about the happenings there by looking in the Mooney Summit section on this site.

Finally, enjoy the gift of flight you have with your plane.

[ShuRugal]

Definitely going to investigate getting a shoulder or 4-point harness installed.  Are there any known sources of 4-point harnesses approved for these planes?

[N6758N]

59 minutes ago, steingar said:

Something I honestly don't get.  Our engines in the Vintage Mooneyare are Lycoming O360s, regarded as one of the most bulletproof engines ever made by anybody.  The same engine that's banging around half the GA fleet, including lots of Cherokees, Skyhawks, Grummans and Odin only knows what else.  Most of these have run forever on just the most basic instruments.  So why the big push for engine monitors?

While I have a fancy EDM-900 installed in my plane and love it, I'm with you 100%. These engines have been around since the 1950's and they've been run to TBO and beyond time and time again without any kind of engine monitor. Some don't even have EGT gauges at all! I know plenty of flight schools to this day that do this and get 2,400hrs or more out of an engine. The biggest benefit of the engine monitor to me is the ability to diagnose engine issues without spending as much time troubleshooting the engine itself. They are certainly nice to have, but I would first invest in shoulder harnesses and Mooney specific training first, followed by lots of 100LL. Congrats to @ShuRugal on your purchase, have fun!

[Htwjr]

Congratulations on your C which is the best value in all of general aviation.  You can't beat its combination of speed, simplicity and efficiency.  I have had mine for 3 1/2 years and still love it.   Don't try to force it down on landing, let it settle.  Airspeed is key.  I like 1/2 flaps for takeoff and landing unless it is a short field.  Lean aggressively on the ground.  Find yourself a mechanic that will allow you to assist with maintenance and annuals and learn as much about the plane as possible.  Read and learn a lot on this forum.  Enjoy!

[ShuRugal]

6 minutes ago, Htwjr said:

Find yourself a mechanic that will allow you to assist with maintenance and annuals and learn as much about the plane as possible. 

I've got this bit covered.  The seller i bought it from is an IA and has been the primary maintainer of this bird since he refurbished it in 2007 (lost his medical and his partner moved out of state, which is why he sold it).  He has already stated that I am welcome to bring the plane over any time and roll up my sleeves to participate in maintenance.  The IA I had do the pre-buy will probably be the guy I end up using for annuals:  He allows/encourages owner involvement, and he was extremely informative and helpful during the pre-buy, definitely went above-and-beyond what I was expecting.

 

I think between the two of them, I'll be set for a long time for maintenance needs.

 

Just now, bluehighwayflyer said:

My personal opinion is that full engine monitoring is unnecessary if you understand the teachings of APS and Deakin.  Fly at 65 percent, LOP if you can, and look out the window instead. 

Got a link to the resources from those individuals (organizations?).  I understand the principals of LoP ops, and the engine manual appears to have good data on how to do it, but any further info is always welcome.  I definitely see the value of running LoP: reduced fuel consumption in cruise and reduced carbon-fouling of the plugs and rings.  I also appreciate the risks:  I've seen enough OS .30 model engines with lasered pistons from running too lean to understand that overdoing it can cost me big $$ on my O-360.

Edited October 17, 2017 by ShuRugal

[steingar]

Using an engine monitor to run LOP does make very good sense.  However, the M20c features an O360, which is carbureted.  I've never tried to run a carbureted engine LOP, and I don't plan to.  A engine monitor might make the leaning process on these engines a bit more precise (seems like guesswork more than anything else right now) but that seems like a tall price to pay for little benefit.  Like the man said, that amount of cash buys shoulder harnesses and enough training to be a far safer pilot.

I think running 65% is going to do that aircraft far more good than an engine monitor.

[N6758N]

1 minute ago, steingar said:

Using an engine monitor to run LOP does make very good sense.  However, the M20c features an O360, which is carbureted.  

Exactly. Carbureted engines don't like LOP. 

[orionflt]

carbed engines will run LOP, but you have to be in the right configuration. normally when i'm flying above 7000 ft WOT or (close to) I can go lean of peak, I just have to find the correct RPM for the day. with the engine monitor I know i can get lean of peak when my EGT spread is minimal at rich of peak.

yes on a carbureted engine it is hit or miss depending on all the environmental variables, but it can be done.

Brian