Robert Trask

[Robert Trask]

Good afternoon.  I am considering buying a newer Mooney but REALLY want to sit in one for a second to see how I fit and how much room I would have behind the left seat.  I am 6.5” tall.  Does anyone know of an owner in the St. Louis area that may have a long body that i can bribe to let me sit in one?

Thanks in advance.

Robert

[Mcstealth]

Robert, welcome to the forum. Please stick around and contribute when you can.

Good luck on your future purchase. You will find that the Mooney is well suited to the longer legged type, and the room left in the back "should" be adequate.

I'm sure you will find someone in your area soon that will wax poetic the virtues of his/her ship.

Somewhere on this site @gsxrpilot keeps up a pindrop map of our members.

DF

 

 

Edited March 25, 2020 by Mcstealth

[carusoam]

A long body for a long body... 

Only becomes a challenge when your legs are extra short...

Then you would already be familiar with sitting height...

The best way to see how well you fit in a Mooney...

Zip over to TX... visit with Jimmy at AAA... they have a few Mooneys in inventory....

http://allamericanaircraft.com/Default.htm

Use caution... sitting in a modern Long Body can make you want to go all-in!  

Best regards,

-a-

 

 

[Stephen]

2 hours ago, Robert Trask said:

Good afternoon.  I am considering buying a newer Mooney but REALLY want to sit in one for a second to see how I fit and how much room I would have behind the left seat.  I am 6.5” tall.  Does anyone know of an owner in the St. Louis area that may have a long body that i can bribe to let me sit in one?

Thanks in advance.

Robert

Hi Robert, I'm in Hannibal. You can sit in mine; it is a mid body. It will be representative of an F, J, K, If you fit there (probably will fit fine once seated), the long bodies even have more room. 

[Yetti]

Al Mooney was 6' 3" or something like that.   I am 6' 9".  Pretty sure you will fit.  Just be OK that you will never be gracefull getting in or out.

[Stephen]

50 minutes ago, Mcstealth said:

Robert, welcome to the forum. Please stick around and contribute when you can.

Good luck on your future purchase. You will find that the Mooney is well suited to the longer legged type, and the room left in the back "should" be adequate.

I'm sure you will find someone in your area soon that will wax poetic the virtues of his/her ship.

Somewhere on this site @gsxrpilot keeps up a pindrop map of our members.

DF

 

 

I think that is a membership requested site that Paul manages. I am just north of @Robert Trask in Hannibal, MO. . That said, Robert may be on the south side of STL, making that bit of a trek. 

[Stephen]

7 minutes ago, Yetti said:

Al Mooney was 6' 3" or something like that.   I am 6' 9".  Pretty sure you will fit.  Just be OK that you will never be gracefull getting in or out.

I'm 5'11'' and I fit. , but unlike @Yetti I can't (effortlessly)  reach the fuel take switch on the floor. 

[gsxrpilot]

We'll ping @Junkman. According to my MooneySpace Map, he is in the St Louis area.

Speaking of the map, I'm happy to send the link to anyone who is listed on the map. To be listed, you just have to list an airport or city in your public profile. And then let me know. 

[ArtVandelay]

OP mention the amount of room behind as well, makes me think he’ll have 4, this may be a weight challenge instead of roominess challenge.

[Rick Junkin]

1 hour ago, gsxrpilot said:

We'll ping @Junkman. According to my MooneySpace Map, he is in the St Louis area.

@Robert Trask, I will be at my hangar at Spirit of St Louis Thursday after 1700 to do some autopilot maintenance with my mechanic. Give me a call at (314) 283-5718 and we'll get you in the airplane, if not tomorrow then the next time you're available.

Cheers,
Rick

[Robert Trask]

Thanks everyone!  Rick i will take you up on that!  Name your bribe:)

 

I will text you in the am.

[skydvrboy]

21 hours ago, Robert Trask said:

 I am 6.5” tall.

If you are really 6.5" tall, you will have a hard time reaching the step, let alone the rudder pedals or seeing over the panel... even when standing in the seat!   Of course we all knew you meant 6' 5", but I nearly snorted my drink out my nose when I pictured a little man about the size of a G.I. Joe action figure trying to fit in a Mooney.  There has to be one in every crowd who takes things too literal... and now you found him!

[larrynimmo]

The Gecko from geico 

[Mcstealth]

19 hours ago, Robert Trask said:

Thanks everyone!  Rick i will take you up on that!  Name your bribe:)

 

I will text you in the am.

Tequila is always good.

 

[carusoam]

Please find the threads for established gentlemen aviators... for ideas... 

Taking that first step... is soooo cool!

Best regards,

-a-

[gsxrpilot]

It's like getting a ride in your first 911. It spoils you for other airplanes.

[Rick Junkin]

13 hours ago, gsxrpilot said:

It's like getting a ride in your first 911. It spoils you for other airplanes.

@Robert Trask and I met up at the hangar, did a successful fit check, and talked airplanes and flying for a couple of hours. We may be able to get him his first Mooney flight on Sunday, weather and schedules permitting.

He’s working on his PPL, and would like to finish that up and move straight into his IR in his own airplane if possible.

Recommendations on the “best” Mooney model for an aspiring Mooniac to earn his PPL in, or to transition to after his PPL (my recommendation) to earn his IR in? I know some of you have done it...

Cheers,
Rick

 

[Mcstealth]

6 minutes ago, Junkman said:

@Robert Trask and I met up at the hangar, did a successful fit check, and talked airplanes and flying for a couple of hours. We may be able to get him his first Mooney flight on Sunday, weather and schedules permitting.

He’s working on his PPL, and would like to finish that up and move straight into his IR in his own airplane if possible.

Recommendations on the “best” Mooney model for an aspiring Mooniac to earn his PPL in, or to transition to after his PPL (my recommendation) to earn his IR in? I know some of you have done it...

Cheers,
Rick

 

Awesome. Good job Mr Rick. 

[gsxrpilot]

2 minutes ago, Junkman said:

Recommendations on the “best” Mooney model for an aspiring Mooniac to earn his PPL in, or to transition to after his PPL (my recommendation) to earn his IR in? I know some of you have done it...

A big block turbo might be a bit much for a newbie... but certainly anything starting with a J and moving towards a C, would work well. For me the most important thing would be a good panel. You want to learn in the plane you will fly, and then be satisfied to fly it for awhile after obtaining the rating. 

For me that would require...

• Coupled Autopilot
• WAAS moving map GPS
• HSI
• Standard 6-pack panel arrangement

A J or an F with that panel would be ideal. IMHO

[rbridges]

On 3/25/2020 at 6:08 PM, Yetti said:

Al Mooney was 6' 3" or something like that.   I am 6' 9".  Pretty sure you will fit.  Just be OK that you will never be gracefull getting in or out.

Does anyone look graceful getting out?  Maybe not having a decades old body (me, not the plane lol) would help. 

[Yetti]

12 minutes ago, rbridges said:

Does anyone look graceful getting out?  Maybe not having a decades old body (me, not the plane lol) would help. 

The passenger seat is worst, cause you kind of have to roll out onto the wing and spin around.   For the pilot, you can at least get headed in the right direction.

[Robert Trask]

On 3/26/2020 at 11:03 AM, skydvrboy said:

If you are really 6.5" tall, you will have a hard time reaching the step, let alone the rudder pedals or seeing over the panel... even when standing in the seat!   Of course we all knew you meant 6' 5", but I nearly snorted my drink out my nose when I pictured a little man about the size of a G.I. Joe action figure trying to fit in a Mooney.  There has to be one in every crowd who takes things too literal... and now you found him!

HA!  Using a phone to originate an account and first post while napping got me again:)  Please do not let this example reflect your opinion of my attention to detalaiza or speckling.

[Rick Junkin]

I like the "knee-in-the-seat" method for egress from the passenger seat, but it requires a little twisting and turning. I won't be able to describe it well with just words, but that won't stop me from trying. From seated in the passenger seat with the door open:

1. Reach across with the left hand and grab the handle on the door frame. Or grab the door frame if your airplane doesn't have a handle.
2. Twist the body to the right and put the right hand on top of the seat back.
3. The hardest part - pull the right leg up under you and put the knee in the seat.
4. Pull the left leg up to where the left foot is on the floor in front of the seat.
5. Using both hands and the knee in the seat, raise the body up to where you can get the left leg under you to stand up.
6. Step out with the right leg, followed by the left, bracing yourself with your hands on the handle/door frame and the seat back.

There is a complete thread here somewhere that contains everyone's best methods for ingress and egress, mine is combination of others' ideas.

Cheers,
Rick

[Robert Trask]

All,

Thank you for all of the replies!  I am digging through it.  I absolutly fit from a height perspective, perhaps better than any other GA plane that I have sat in.  It will be tight shoulder wise flying with my brother who is 6'6" and 270 with a 36" waist, but we can stagger as well.  I realize with use in the front the back seat is for holding a jacket only.  

I would have thought that a mid body would limit the rear seat legroom vs a long body.  Nothing is off the table.  I am down to an older Cirrus SR22, Mooney, or Cherokee 6xt (for the most part) as of this time.  A 206/210 would certainly work but dang they are expensive for what you get!!!  It makes little sense!

I do not need to make a decision today, I have a few months.  The way that it is looking the GA used market may take a fairly significant smacking in a few months, which is sad.  With that said, it will be a good time to buy unless i'm broke or dead from "the virus".

[Robert Trask]

5 minutes ago, Junkman said:

I like the "knee-in-the-seat" method for egress from the passenger seat, but it requires a little twisting and turning. I won't be able to describe it well with just words, but that won't stop me from trying. From seated in the passenger seat with the door open:

1. Reach across with the left hand and grab the handle on the door frame. Or grab the door frame if your airplane doesn't have a handle.
2. Twist the body to the right and put the right hand on top of the seat back.
3. The hardest part - pull the right leg up under you and put the knee in the seat.
4. Pull the left leg up to where the left foot is on the floor in front of the seat.
5. Using both hands and the knee in the seat, raise the body up to where you can get the left leg under you to stand up.
6. Step out with the right leg, followed by the left, bracing yourself with your hands on the handle/door frame and the seat back.

There is a complete thread here somewhere that contains everyone's best methods for ingress and egress, mine is combination of others' ideas.

Cheers,
Rick

Rick you showed me once, and it was truly a non-issue to get in and out.  I hear about the difficulty all the time but my EXTREMELY limited but very recent experience did not reflect that.  Ya just get in or out.  I wouldnt want that situation as a UPS driver but in a aircraft...zero concern on my part.