Seat to ceiling height on M20E

[mizer2167]

Can someone tell me the seat to ceiling height on a short body Mooney?

Trying to see if I can fit before putting down a deposit and have a long 40.5" sitting height. I haven't had occasion to sit in one yet.

 

[carusoam]

While we are waiting for an answer...

Long legs... cramps the back seats...

Nobody has run out of sitting height around here lately...

Mooneys are sporty, but not in Miata kind of way...  even my eyes are over the top of the windshield in a Miata...

How fast do you need to buy the plane that you can’t sit in it before considering a payment of any form?

There are so many other things usually involved that are equally important to fitting...

My biggest fear regarding sitting in a Mooney for sale... the sudden urge to push the buy it now button.

Good luck with the hunt.

Best regards,

-a-

[RLCarter]

38" sitting height for my self, also wear a ball cap 99% of the time, haven't had an issue in mine

[chrixxer]

Can someone tell me the seat to ceiling height on a short body Mooney?
Trying to see if I can fit before putting down a deposit and have a long 40.5" sitting height. I haven't had occasion to sit in one yet.
 

I'm 6'2" and it's all torso (inseam is just 32") and I fit in the B/C/Es I've flown with headroom to spare.






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[Ragsf15e]

I’m 6’3” with 34” inseam and no issues with headroom.  If you’re also big in the shoulders or middle, you get real cozy with your copilot and the trim wheel is a bit harder to get to.  Maybe bump your headset on the torpedo lights once in a while getting in and out.  Some depends on how your seat is upholstered.

Honestly, I wish I had one more set of holes aft in the seat rails.  My legs barely fit under the instrument panel with the seat locked in the aft set.

Edited November 24, 2018 by Ragsf15e

[Yetti]

3 minutes ago, Ragsf15e said:

Honestly, I wish I had one more set of holes aft in the seat rails.  My legs barely fit under the instrument panel with the seat locked in the aft set.

There is a drawing for that if you search around.  holes are 1.5" apart.

I am 6"9 with a 39" inseam.   You should fit fine.  I was excited to fly the Mooney after getting my head out of the top of a c172.  Al Mooney was 6'3"

[Yetti]

A Jr machinest would create a jig for making sure the holes are exactly 1.5" apart.  The 1/4 inch drill bit is also helpful for cleaning out the holes so the seat pins engage properly.

 

[Hank]

Plenty of headroom for 72" of me, plus my winter wool hat. 

But my 63" wife (not in this picture) has bumped her head on the ceiling in turbulence; I know how to wear a seatbelt and have yet to hit the ceiling (unless parked in the hangar counts?).

Edited November 24, 2018 by Hank

[Ragsf15e]

10 hours ago, Yetti said:

A Jr machinest would create a jig for making sure the holes are exactly 1.5" apart.  The 1/4 inch drill bit is also helpful for cleaning out the holes so the seat pins engage properly.

 

Ok, figured I could do that, just worried about slipping or some other way of screwing up perfectly good airplane.  I may be a professional pilot, but I’m definitely not a Jr machinist... unfortunately, I’ve got enough tools and the willingness to be dangerous.  

Why the need for a diagram or jig to hit exactly 1.5”?  Is that just to keep both sides exactly the same and keep the seat square?

Thanks for the encouragement!

And sorry to the OP for stealing his thread, yeah, you’ll fit fine.

[mizer2167]

Appreciate all the responses. I'm 6'5", but with a short, 32" inseam so I sit much taller, like someone 6'7" or 6'8".

I want to avoid "tire kicking" if I can't fit. Travel and prebuys aren't inexpensive either. This one's halfway across the country, but there's an MSC nearby that can do the prebuy for me. I was considering buying it sight unseen.

Also, in this market, the good ones priced realistically seem to go in days or hours. I think this is a good one.

[BKlott]

Buying the wrong airplane can be a lot more expensive than travel and rebuys. It can be disastrous. I would NEVER buy an airplane sight unseen.

[NJMac]

Buying the wrong airplane can be a lot more expensive than travel and rebuys. It can be disastrous. I would NEVER buy an airplane sight unseen.

I bought my E sight unseen (never flown in one either) and redid the panel before I ever flew it. I’m more impulsive than most though. We happened to do the deal while in Hawaii, had my business manager drop off the cashiers check to the airfield when it was delivered.


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[carusoam]

3 hours ago, Ragsf15e said:

Ok, figured I could do that, just worried about slipping or some other way of screwing up perfectly good airplane.  I may be a professional pilot, but I’m definitely not a Jr machinist... unfortunately, I’ve got enough tools and the willingness to be dangerous.  

Why the need for a diagram or jig to hit exactly 1.5”?  Is that just to keep both sides exactly the same and keep the seat square?

Thanks for the encouragement!

And sorry to the OP for stealing his thread, yeah, you’ll fit fine.

In a two pin system...  The holes need to match the designed spots pretty closely, so both spring loaded pins go down inside both holes...

If only one pin goes into the hole, the seat will rotate a small amount (around the seated pin) each time the plane changes attitude from climb to descent and back...

The amount of Motion is the mm clearance of the seat’s hardware and the track itself... check if the wheels are still there too....

 

For the OP...  go to the nearest MSC and ask ‘can I sit in a Mooney?’ There will be one available that can be used to calibrate your sitting sensors....

Often, the MSC will be aware of Mooneys for sale, have one for sale, or may even have one for rental purposes...

I bought my O without flying it... I went to see it first. The rest was machine buying 101...

What is different today, competition of buyers... in 2009 there were few people buying and selling planes...

All Mooneys generally share the same interior dimensions except for length...

One big difference is seat height adjustability, those seats are worth a mint! When they become available...

Best regards,

-a-

 

[mizer2167]

Well, I sat in an M20E. Unfortunately, I only have about one hands width of space left above my head, which isn't enough to wear a headset or leave any space for turbulence. Halos would be mandatory.

The owner said that the seats might have had the padding increased by the previous owner, but between that and whacking my noggin on some of the plastics, it didn't seem like the best fit.

Question: How much padding is in the seats? Is it something that can be shaved down and perhaps stretch the springs on the frame like a Bonanza to gain another 1" of headroom? That might be enough.

Leg room was great...and my knees didn't interfere with the yolk like in Pipers.

[gsxrpilot]

The panel is so close in a Mooney, I have my seat reclined a bit more than usual. That might give you the inch you're looking for.

[Raptor05121]

Yup, the Mooneys have a tapered cabin headroom instead of squaring off like Pipers or Cessnas. Its why they seem so tight. You will bump your head if you tilt it left or try to look hard out th window. It's a tradeoff for the speed and fuel efficiency. Recline the seat back a bit offers a lot more room, especially when George or copilot is flying

[EricJ]

7 hours ago, mizer2167 said:

Well, I sat in an M20E. Unfortunately, I only have about one hands width of space left above my head, which isn't enough to wear a headset or leave any space for turbulence. Halos would be mandatory.

The owner said that the seats might have had the padding increased by the previous owner, but between that and whacking my noggin on some of the plastics, it didn't seem like the best fit.

Question: How much padding is in the seats? Is it something that can be shaved down and perhaps stretch the springs on the frame like a Bonanza to gain another 1" of headroom? That might be enough.

Leg room was great...and my knees didn't interfere with the yolk like in Pipers.

How tall are you?   I'm 6'0", much of it torso, and have plenty of room in my J.   I suspect the seat is the issue.

[mizer2167]

29 minutes ago, EricJ said:

How tall are you?   I'm 6'0", much of it torso, and have plenty of room in my J.   I suspect the seat is the issue.

I'm 6'5", but mainly torso. 32" inseam.

[carusoam]

Go halos... or similar.

Allows your eyes to look over the cowl easily...

I raise the chair in order to do so... 6’ and all torso + Giraffe neck.

Now you fly a Mooney to the business meeting and you’re the tallest person sitting at the negotiations table...

Unless your other Mooney friends are there...  

It is an ideal spot with your head close to the ceiling, but you will want to wear your seatbelt tight while doing so...

Congratulations, you fit as expected!

You can always select the proper padding and leather covering you prefer... people do that around here often...

Best regards,

-a-

[EricJ]

37 minutes ago, mizer2167 said:

I'm 6'5", but mainly torso. 32" inseam.

Yeah, well, I got nothin' for ya... 

 

[NJMac]

...

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[takair]

8 hours ago, mizer2167 said:

Well, I sat in an M20E. Unfortunately, I only have about one hands width of space left above my head, which isn't enough to wear a headset or leave any space for turbulence. Halos would be mandatory.

The owner said that the seats might have had the padding increased by the previous owner, but between that and whacking my noggin on some of the plastics, it didn't seem like the best fit.

Question: How much padding is in the seats? Is it something that can be shaved down and perhaps stretch the springs on the frame like a Bonanza to gain another 1" of headroom? That might be enough.

Leg room was great...and my knees didn't interfere with the yolk like in Pipers.

Seat makes a difference.  It took me a while to get read customers to my new seats, I now sit higher....I would guess I gained an inch in seat thickness.  I wouldn’t give up if you really want a Mooney....but look around to be sure you get the right plane.  Tell us where you are located, one of the members may be able to show you their ride.  Check the other type forums and ask for a test fit in brands B, C and P.  Mooney’s are not for everyone, but they can sure grow on you.  

[mizer2167]

1 hour ago, takair said:

Seat makes a difference.  It took me a while to get read customers to my new seats, I now sit higher....I would guess I gained an inch in seat thickness.  I wouldn’t give up if you really want a Mooney....but look around to be sure you get the right plane.  Tell us where you are located, one of the members may be able to show you their ride.  Check the other type forums and ask for a test fit in brands B, C and P.  Mooney’s are not for everyone, but they can sure grow on you.  

I'm in Central Florida.

I've not flown a Mooney ever, but have gotten a chance to fly a few planes from B, C and P brands.

I like the value proposition of M20's (efficiency, ownership costs, acquisition price) - at least from the outside looking in that they seem to offer. My other choice is an Arrow, but I can't find a decent one and they're slow for what they are. I'd probably fall back on PA28's as that's where I have most of my hours - and I fit in them plus have decent left/right visibility. Either that or roll the dice on an early C35 with the E225 Conti. and hope I don't need any Beech parts.

[Bob_Belville]

We normally hear of the opposite problem. Shorter pilots need to sit on a cushion or have the seat foam built up. In my case I had my upholstery shop add 2" extra foam. I'm 5'8".

 

You should be able to judge whether your seat could be lowered by reducing the foam thickness. I am betting you can. Mooneys are generally thought of as tall pilot friendly.

 

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[Hank]

6 hours ago, Bob_Belville said:

We normally hear of the opposite problem. Shortly pilots need to sit on a cushion or have the seat foam built up.

Hey! I'm 6' and sit on a 2" gel cushjon to see the nose. It really helps with my landings.

I figured if 6'9" Yetti Monster fit, most anyone would . . . .