Transitioning to Mooney

[Huitt3106]

Hello all, I have been reading these forums for a while and am very interested in purchasing vintage Mooney for their capabilities and efficiency. It’s typically just me and the girlfriend which are both average frame and shouldn’t have any issue with available space. I am interested in anything between the C and F model (due to affordability). I have yet to actually fly in one and would love to find someone near the central Virginia area that would like to split the fuel cost and go for a flight. 

One other note is that I’ll be transitioning from a Cherokee 140/160 and have yet to receive any complex time. I have around 150 hours total flight time in just shy of 2 years. 

I guess my main question is if there’s anybody on here that may be near my area and also for any advice on transitioning. I’ll have to sell the Cherokee before I can even consider another purchase. 

[Marauder]

13 minutes ago, Huitt3106 said:

Hello all, I have been reading these forums for a while and am very interested in purchasing vintage Mooney for their capabilities and efficiency. It’s typically just me and the girlfriend which are both average frame and shouldn’t have any issue with available space. I am interested in anything between the C and F model (due to affordability). I have yet to actually fly in one and would love to find someone near the central Virginia area that would like to split the fuel cost and go for a flight. 

One other note is that I’ll be transitioning from a Cherokee 140/160 and have yet to receive any complex time. I have around 150 hours total flight time in just shy of 2 years. 

I guess my main question is if there’s anybody on here that may be near my area and also for any advice on transitioning. I’ll have to sell the Cherokee before I can even consider another purchase. 

Where in central Virginia?

[Guitarmaster]

You will find much information here. I just sold an F and loved every minute of flying that airplane!
There's a good chance there is someone on the forum close to you to get a ride from.
For your mission, a vintage Mooney is hard to beat!
Good luck in your search!

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[Guitarmaster]

Don't fly with@Marauder, everything else you look at will pale by comparison!

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[Marauder]

Just now, Guitarmaster said:

You will find much information here. I just sold an F and loved every minute of flying that airplane!
There's a good chance there is someone on the forum close to you to get a ride from.
For your mission, a vintage Mooney is hard to beat!
Good luck in your search!

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 

Remember you are still shunned for your act of treason. Traitor! Hope you remember us every time you fill up that 310. 

[Bob_Belville]

Just now, Guitarmaster said:

Don't fly with@Marauder, everything else you look at will pale by comparison!

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 

Fine, I'll give him a ride...

[Huitt3106]

5 minutes ago, Marauder said:

Where in central Virginia?

I’m tied down at KLYH. 

[steingar]

Mooney should fit the bill just fine.  Says me if you haven't yard apes you should go for a short body Mooney, a B, C, D, or E.  Small back seat, but what do you care, you aren't using it frequently.  To be fair, the back seat is no smaller than that in your Cherokee.

Says me get a C, they tend to be the biggest bang for the buck, and they're also the most common.  Don't skimp on transition training.  I got ten hours, I wish I'd done 20.  And I transitioned forma Cherokee with lots more yours than you.

[Marauder]

3 minutes ago, Huitt3106 said:

I’m tied down at KLYH. 

There are a few owners in the Hagerstown, Frederick MD area. I'm sure a few will catch this thread later this morning or today. I have been out to Leesburg a couple of times. I'm in southeastern PA.

[SkyTrekker]

I'm 6' and my wife is not skinny.  We fit in our E with our 16 year old son in the back and no one has ever complained about space or comfort.  I'm partial to Es, so take it with a grain of salt, but unless you are flying with all four seats filled, you can't beat an E for the price/performance/comfort ratio.

We bought ours a year and a half ago and I would do it all over again.

[orionflt]

my nephew @ShuRugal is at KFCI (richmond)

Brian

[Bob_Belville]

1 minute ago, steingar said:

Mooney should fit the bill just fine.  Says me if you haven't yard apes you should go for a short body Mooney, a B, C, D, or E.  Small back seat, but what do you care, you aren't using it frequently.  To be fair, the back seat is no smaller than that in your Cherokee.

Says me get a C, they tend to be the biggest bang for the buck, and they're also the most common.  Don't skimp on transition training.  I got ten hours, I wish I'd done 20.  And I transitioned forma Cherokee with lots more yours than you.

Good advise though I would not restrict myself to just 1 of these models. There probably are more Cs than Fs or Es on the market but with 50 year old airframes the history of the specific plane, the maintenance, mods, engine time, avionics,... are all more important that the model.

As for transition to complex, there are many on here who were flying Mooneys with less time than you have. I started flying an E in 1969 with about 50 hours TT, mostly in C150s.

[Huitt3106]

3 minutes ago, steingar said:

Mooney should fit the bill just fine.  Says me if you haven't yard apes you should go for a short body Mooney, a B, C, D, or E.  Small back seat, but what do you care, you aren't using it frequently.  To be fair, the back seat is no smaller than that in your Cherokee.

Says me get a C, they tend to be the biggest bang for the buck, and they're also the most common.  Don't skimp on transition training.  I got ten hours, I wish I'd done 20.  And I transitioned forma Cherokee with lots more yours than you.

From everything I’ve looked at, a slightly speed modded C would be the best bang for my buck. I guess this could be another topic completely but where do you find the best instructor/ long term fellow owner to offer transition training?  I’m at the same airport as Liberty School of Aviation but it seems to me like getting transition training from someone that’s only flown cessnas and pipers wouldn’t be as beneficial. I could just be making assumptions with that. 

[Marauder]

2 minutes ago, orionflt said:

my nephew @ShuRugal is at KFCI (richmond)

Brian

You need a map Brian! 

[Huitt3106]

1 minute ago, Bob_Belville said:

Good advise though I would not restrict myself to just 1 of these models. There probably are more Cs than Fs or Es on the market but with 50 year old airframes the history of the specific plane, the maintenance, mods, engine time, avionics,... are all more important that the model.

As for transition to complex, there are many on here who were flying Mooneys with less time than you have. I started flying an E in 1969 with about 50 hours TT, mostly in C150s.

That has been one of my worries (old airframes). I’d rather get one of the later year C models but (late 60’s early 70’s) but don’t see as many on the market. I’d LOVE to get something like a J but it’s out of my price range. 

[orionflt]

Just now, Marauder said:

You need a map Brian! 

Lynchburg is a short flight from Richmond especially in a Mooney! but I know you never take short flights  

 

[Bob_Belville]

1 minute ago, Huitt3106 said:

From everything I’ve looked at, a slightly speed modded C would be the best bang for my buck. I guess this could be another topic completely but where do you find the best instructor/ long term fellow owner to offer transition training?  I’m at the same airport as Liberty School of Aviation but it seems to me like getting transition training from someone that’s only flown cessnas and pipers wouldn’t be as beneficial. I could just be making assumptions with that. 

Lee Fox in Fredericksburg might provide transition training. N201DF. 

http://themooneyflyer.com/cfi.html

[Marauder]

1 minute ago, orionflt said:

Lynchburg is a short flight from Richmond especially in a Mooney! but I know you never take short flights  

 

Right across the Washington SFRA!

[Guitarmaster]

From everything I’ve looked at, a slightly speed modded C would be the best bang for my buck. I guess this could be another topic completely but where do you find the best instructor/ long term fellow owner to offer transition training?  I’m at the same airport as Liberty School of Aviation but it seems to me like getting transition training from someone that’s only flown cessnas and pipers wouldn’t be as beneficial. I could just be making assumptions with that. 

@Sabremech may have a C for sale soon. All speed mods. Nice little C. Don't know if he's ready to let her go yet though.

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[Bob_Belville]

3 minutes ago, Huitt3106 said:

That has been one of my worries (old airframes). I’d rather get one of the later year C models but (late 60’s early 70’s) but don’t see as many on the market. I’d LOVE to get something like a J but it’s out of my price range. 

I would not worry about the airframe just because it is a little older. It all depends upon its history. The peak of Mooney production was the mid '60s so for example you'll see more '66Es for sale than any other year. For Fs that's probably '67 though the model stayed in production through '76.

These plane are very robust and there is no real time limit to the airframe with the caveat that corrosion can scrap a plane that might look fine. Get a proper PPI.  

[orionflt]

15 minutes ago, Huitt3106 said:

From everything I’ve looked at, a slightly speed modded C would be the best bang for my buck. I guess this could be another topic completely but where do you find the best instructor/ long term fellow owner to offer transition training?  I’m at the same airport as Liberty School of Aviation but it seems to me like getting transition training from someone that’s only flown cessnas and pipers wouldn’t be as beneficial. I could just be making assumptions with that. 

Phil Mclannahan is a friend of mine, he was doing a lot of flying  for liberty. he may be be available to provide some transition training

 

8 minutes ago, Marauder said:

Right across the Washington SFRA!

better get your map out, both Richmond and lynchburg are south of there and about 80 miles apart.

Brian

[Guitarmaster]

Remember you are still shunned for your act of treason. Traitor! Hope you remember us every time you fill up that 310. 

Like paying taxes, I don't feel I do enough.

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[Marauder]

6 minutes ago, Huitt3106 said:

That has been one of my worries (old airframes). I’d rather get one of the later year C models but (late 60’s early 70’s) but don’t see as many on the market. I’d LOVE to get something like a J but it’s out of my price range. 

I would just keep looking until you find something that matches your budget & how you intend on using the plane. I forgot to mention that there is a Yahoo group for us in the Mid-Atlantic area. We send out notifications for weekend fly-ins periodically. We are due for another one soon. I would get yourself signed up on that group email list. @201er manages the distribution list.

[Huitt3106]

10 minutes ago, orionflt said:

Phil Mclannahan is a friend of mine, he was doing a lot of flying  for liberty. he may be be available to provide some transition training

 

better get your map out, both Richmond and lynchburg are south of there and about 80 miles apart.

Brian

I know Phil!  I hadn’t thought about getting with him on that. He’s back down in this area now, I’ll have to talk with him  

Its a a lot of open land between Richmond and Lynchburg, luckily the SFRA is a bit north!

[Huitt3106]

9 minutes ago, Marauder said:

I would just keep looking until you find something that matches your budget & how you intend on using the plane. I forgot to mention that there is a Yahoo group for us in the Mid-Atlantic area. We send out notifications for weekend fly-ins periodically. We are due for another one soon. I would get yourself signed up on that group email list. @201er manages the distribution list.

I would be interested in that. I’m planning on putting my Cherokee on the market sometime this spring. If it’s close enough for a Cherokee I would be interested in that. 

Thanks!