Adios, Amigo!

[Jeff_S]

No, of course I'm not leaving the Mooney family. And Sunday I had a vivid illustration of why not! I was cruising back into PDK, talking to ATC on flight following. About 25 miles out or so I got this: "Mooney 77G, you've got a Cessna Cardinal at twelve o'clock, 5 miles, also 4500' and heading to PDK."

"Roger, no joy but looking."

A few minutes later, ATC: "Cardinal XX, Mooney on your right wing 2 miles, same altitude and heading to PDK."

I looked off my left wing and finally saw them...had to keep turning my head to the left to keep them in sight.

A few minutes later, now talking to PDK tower:

"Mooney 77G, you are cleared to land 2 right. Cardinal XX, report at 5 miles."

Hubris is a dangerous thing, but ain't it great to fly a Mooney!

[skyking]

I love it when the tower tells me to slow down. Never heard that in my 172!

 

[jetdriven]

We were given a delay vector then a 360 to avoid overtaking a Challenger jet into Erie the other day. 

[Skywarrior]

That is funny, Jeff. I was coming back into PDK that same day, from Lake Lanier, and had Tower send me way off to the left to avoid a Duchess off to my right. I finally had to do a big S turn so that I could tuck in behind him/her. I had to pull throttle way back and throw out the boards to fit in.

It's hard to be humble.

Chuck M. '91 Bravo

[fantom]

Quote: Skywarrior

It's hard to be humble.

 

 

More like impossible, when you're flying a Mooney

[jetdriven]

"how fast does it go, and how many gallons per hour"  tends to piss off owners of other airplanes.

 

But hey, what else is there? 

[Txbyker]

I have had the opposite issue whereby ATC thinks because I am a Mooney they can squeeze me in front of a 737 on 6 mile final.

[dcrogers11]

I once had a controller with a sense of humor tell the 737 taking off behind me "Caution-wake turbulance from the Mooney that just took off".  

[gsengle]

Best ATC moment ever the other week.

"Mooney zero romeo delta, slow 30 kts to follow landing traffic, challenger on final, cleared for the visual, number two."

[flyboy0681]

Quote: fantom

[Lood]

I had the opposite happen to me. We were on our way to a fly in in Namibia when we took off after clearing customs in Upington. I was at MAUW in my F and the temps were around 90 deg F. So I kind of plodded along, climbing to FL085 when a 300hp F33 came zooming past, soon to disappear. When we landed at our destination, the Bonnie pilot couldn't help but remark to me "I thought Mooney's were fast?" I just nodded and confirmed that they are very fast indeed.

Then I suggested that on the return flight, he should take off around the same time as the Ovation, that also attended, just to kind of get closer to an apples with apples comparison. Unfortunately, he wasn't really sure what an Ovation was, so I just left it at that. Poor guy...

 

[Shadrach]

Quote: jetdriven

We were given a delay vector then a 360 to avoid overtaking a Challenger jet into Erie the other day. 

[jlunseth]

I was asked to slow for an Embraer of some kind, going in to KBUF, and I have had them delay a Citation for me, and then a minute or two later say "never mind" in ATC-speak.  I don't think they quite believe me when I ask to start my descent 100 miles or more out.  Have been called "Mooney jet" during the ensuing descent.  And my Mooney is 30 years old!

[Shadrach]

Quote: Lood

I had the opposite happen to me. We were on our way to a fly in in Namibia when we took off after clearing customs in Upington. I was at MAUW in my F and the temps were around 90 deg F. So I kind of plodded along, climbing to FL085 when a 300hp F33 came zooming past, soon to disappear. When we landed at our destination, the Bonnie pilot couldn't help but remark to me "I thought Mooney's were fast?" I just nodded and confirmed that they are very fast indeed.

Then I suggested that on the return flight, he should take off around the same time as the Ovation, that also attended, just to kind of get closer to an apples with apples comparison. Unfortunately, he wasn't really sure what an Ovation was, so I just left it at that. Poor guy...

 

[John Pleisse]

The examiner (Ross- Neil Samante from HGR) who did my commercial ride, had a 300hp V-Tail. After passing the test, we both departed FDK...me first. I started turning crosswind and looked behind me to see the thin profile of this Bo climbing behind me about to chew my tail off. I quickly leveled off to avoid the embarrassment, build some speed and not let him get me, to no avail. He caught up and blew by me at easily 170KTAS.

I always tell Bonanza guys, that for the 12 KTAS they get....they also get a top OH at 750 hours, a sloppy CG creating less payload than a Mooney and burn $16 more per hour. That typically shuts them up quick. If they persist, I begin to discuss the front carry through spar AD and the fact that the American Bonanza Society is lving in denial. That usually caps it.

[Shadrach]

JP,

I've met Neil a time or 2 but it was years ago.

I would not even try to run with an S35 or better unless I was in an Ovation; then I'd be happy to fly circles around it on 20 less HP.

I actually have some A36 (285hp) time and would call it an honest 165kt bird. I think the V-tails are visually stunning from every angle and truly admire the design. However, I've noticed that when Bo owners and admirers talk about "The Bonanza", they tend to neglect the fact that there've been nearly 30 different models to carry the name, with power plants ranging from 185hp to 300hp and real world cruise speeds from ~140kts to >200kts...They just take the sum of all of the best qualities of each into this mythical beast that needs no nomenclature and is simply "The Bonanza"...  For some reason, they don't give Mooneys the same consideration, as no matter what year and model is being discussed they can only visualize the interiors of a A, B or C models and the the FF payload of a FIKI Acclaim with extended range tanks...

[John Pleisse]

Quote: Shadrach

JP,

I've met Neil a time or 2 but it was years ago.

I would not even try to run with an S35 or better unless I was in an Ovation; then I'd be happy to fly circles around it on 20 less HP.

I actually have some A36 (285hp) time and would call it an honest 165kt bird. I think the V-tails are visually stunning from every angle and truly admire the design. However, I've noticed that when Bo owners and admirers talk about "The Bonanza", they tend to neglect the fact that there've been nearly 30 different models to carry the name, with power plants ranging from 185hp to 300hp and real world cruise speeds from ~140kts to >200kts...They just take the sum of all of the best qualities of each into this mythical beast that needs no nomenclature and is simply "The Bonanza"...  For some reason, they don't give Mooneys the same consideration, as no matter what year and model is being discussed they can only visualize the interiors of a A, B or C models and the the FF payload of a FIKI Acclaim with extended range tanks...

[Alan Fox]

I hate to be a party pooper , But I just switched from a Mooney to a Bo S35 , Bigger ,20 Knots faster, almost 500 lbs more payload , and a much heavier stable platform , The things I will certainly miss about the Mooney are 1) Fuel burn I went from 11gph to 15 gph , The glide , Nothing glides like a mooney I generally started descents from 6000 feet about 40 miles out , This will not be the case w/the Bo... and the almost perfect almost not able to feel touchdowns... ...  The main reason I switched was the payload The Bo is a true 4 place , the moon was really a three person airplane...I would equate the spar issue to the cage rust issue , if the airframe is taken care of it is a non issue.... The gear is similar on both planes ,  But the early Mooneys B)C)E)F) are true performers for thier small engines .....  I originally wanted a 231 , but the Beech was such a great deal I couldnt say no... I will miss the Mooney....

[jetdriven]

According to AOPA, the Mooney has something like ten times less the fatal accident rate of its category when flown IFR by an instrument rated pilot.  Overall the accident rate is about the same as rthe Bonanzas etc.  Cirrus are substantially worse.

[Alan Fox]

Yea , I would be afraid of the Cirrus.... Even with a chute its a Killer .....

[fantom]

Quote: n74795

Yea , I would be afraid of the Cirrus.... Even with a chute its a Killer .....

[KLRDMD]

Quote: jetdriven

According to AOPA, the Mooney has something like ten times less the fatal accident rate of its category when flown IFR by an instrument rated pilot.  Overall the accident rate is about the same as rthe Bonanzas etc.  

[jetdriven]

Thats a great article about the Bonanza.

so IFR flight plan Mooney fatal accident are about 1/2-13rd of the category average.  Overall fatal accident rate is about average. For the category, which includes Bonanza's and likely Cardinal RG's, commander 114s, etc.

 

here is my source: 

Looking at accidents that occurred under instrument conditions, we found that the Mooney pilots seem to do a significantly better job. The IMC accident rate per 100,000 hours for the Mooney is just a little over half the accident rate of the other retractables (5.91 versus 10.14). It's even better for instrument-rated Mooney pilots on IFR flight plans, at 1.89 per 100,000 hours versus 4.97 for the comparison group. For this group of airplanes, the record proves the adage that you are definitely safer on an IFR plan. Mooney pilots also hold the advantage at night. This is the period when we typically see the accident numbers per 100,000 hours skyrocket. The group as a whole literally goes off the graph we produced in the book, while the Mooney shows only a small increase over IMC accidents in general. The question is, why?

 

from:  http://www.aopa.org/asf/asfarticles/sp9510.html

[KLRDMD]

Quote: jetdriven

Looking at accidents that occurred under instrument conditions, we found that the Mooney pilots seem to do a significantly better job. The IMC accident rate per 100,000 hours for the Mooney is just a little over half the accident rate of the other retractables (5.91 versus 10.14). It's even better for instrument-rated Mooney pilots on IFR flight plans, at 1.89 per 100,000 hours versus 4.97 for the comparison group. For this group of airplanes, the record proves the adage that you are definitely safer on an IFR plan. Mooney pilots also hold the advantage at night. This is the period when we typically see the accident numbers per 100,000 hours skyrocket. The group as a whole literally goes off the graph we produced in the book, while the Mooney shows only a small increase over IMC accidents in general. 

[jetdriven]

yeah, that was a bad recall.  It said that night IMC goes "off the charts" for category while Mooneys are a slightly higher value, but no numbers.  its 1/2 to 1/3rd for IFR compared to category and around average overall for category. Sorry to get that wrong!