A Look Back At My Mooney Purchase

[Jimhamilton]

About a mont ago I posted for my first time with my thoughts on my new Mooney. I have not posted since because I am now using an IPad and my pea brain could not get the posting to work. ( For those of you interested, I am using Safari with the java script turned off )

I bought my M20K about two months ago for the purpose of helping me commute between KCOS and KSLC. I am a pilot for Delta in Salt Lake and I am attending my second year of bible school at Charis Bible School in Colorado Springs (part of Andrew Wommack Ministries). Most of the time I pass ride or jump seat to and from work and school, but when the schedule does not permit I fly the Mooney or drive when the weather is bad. I have about 25 hrs in it and am starting to get used to it. I have flown both VFR and IFR and I am usually between 14,000 and 17,000 feet. It seems to be a sweet altitude for this plane. The other day I was descending into KCOS with a ground speed of 250kts. Now that is why I bought it; Altitude and Speed and let's not forget fuel economy. For the money I spent I do not believe I could have made a better choice. I am not sorry, not one bit for buying it. Anyway, I have some questions for you seasoned owners.

What do you do at different FBO's who insist on using a tug to tow your plane? After informing them that the Mooney nose wheel has limited turning radius I usually let them tow. I inspect the nose gear after every tow and so far so good, however, I am still nervous every time they tow.

At higher altitudes the oil temp can get a little high. Still in the green but a needle and a half from the red line. What I have done is open the cowl flap to the mid position. Is that normal?

On takeoff I am not using the full 40 inches. I set about 38 inches and I still get great performance. I do this to be easier on the engine. If obstacles are a factor I will use the full 40 inches until clear. For climb I use 33 inches and 2600 rpm. Any thoughts on this?

For you Garmin 430 users, when you insert your route of flight, can you enter using airways or do you have to input every fix? For example, the FMS we use on the 737 allows us to enter a fix then connect to another fix using a jet airway. Such as TCH J80 JFK. All the intersections would be included between the two fix's.

By the way, any of you with flying missions experience, I would love to get in touch with you

Anyway, thanks for reading and hope to get to know you better, Jim.

[jetdriven]

Jim, glad you enjoy the Mooney.  I as a rule will NOT let them tow my J, its a 1000$ repair, and there is no way to get them to admit it. I will just taxi it to where it will rest for the week. In this case, fuel is cheap. The one exception is a Lectro tug, they lift the nose wheel in a bucket and by design, won't turn the nose wheel.

I have a J so I cannot comment on climb power settings. Most M20J pilots wil climb full throttle 2700 RPM.  This plane is not known for climbing ability and in ours, 2500 RPM cuts the climb by 1/3rd.

[Jimhamilton]

When I park in KCOS it's normal ops for them to move the plane around with a tug. I have talked to the ground crew and they all claim to know about the Mooney nose gear. I am still nervous though. Thanks, Jim

[rbridges]

33" and 2600 rpm?  must be nice.  glad you're enjoying the plane.

[GeorgePerry]

Quote: Jimhamilton

I have some questions for you seasoned owners. What do you do at different FBO's who insist on using a tug to tow your plane? After informing them that the Mooney nose wheel has limited turning radius I usually let them tow. I inspect the nose gear after every tow and so far so good, however, I am still nervous every time they tow. .

[jackn]

I don't know if your 'K' is a 231, 252, or Encore. You are not doing your engine any good lowering the MP to 38" from 40". In my Encore conversion, full fuel pressure is set at Max MP(39"). When you reduce MP (slightly) you are effectively leaning the mixture. My engine runs hotter at 36 than at 39. That being said 33" & 2600 climb sems ok to me.

As for the 430, you have to enter all fixes on the airway that define a heading change. I'll be upgrading to the 750 for airways.

[David Mazer]

All the following is from a Rocket rather than a typical K.  A retired airline pilot suggested using less than full power on takeoff to me as well.  I tried it and didn't like it.  The plane performs much better for the minute or so it takes to get off the ground and get a few hundred feet up, then I back off to 35/2500 with a 135 - 145 IAS for climbs from sea level to about 16,000 which gives me a climb rate of about 1,000-1,200 fpm unless it is really hot, then I reduce the rate of climb a little for temperature control up to altitudes in the low to mid 20's.  The Rocket is full rich on climb.  End of sentence.  The POH doesn't ever recommend leaning even into the flight levels so I don't lean on takeoff even from 5,000 ft airports.

I've already replaced the gear from a towing incident from who knows whom.  I'm careful about communicating but not paranoid about it.  I hope that doesn't come back to bite me.

I'm not entirely surprised that your 737 FMS has a few capabilities the Garmin doesn't.  However, GA avionics seem to be improving in capabilities as the new GTN series has that capability.  There is also a new voice command add on for the 430/530 that does enter the entire airway.  I think it costs about $2,500 plus installation.  It was at OSH this year.

Enjoy your plane.  Despite the adoration of J's around here (mostly well deserved) the K definitely has a niche where it does a great job.  Dare I say it, even better than the J.

[Txbyker]

Have you guys seen this tow?  You can fold it up and carry it with you.

http://www.redlineaviation.com/mooney/

Its great if you want to tow your plane yourself.

[RJBrown]

Quote: Jimhamilton

 At higher altitudes the oil temp can get a little high. Still in the green but a needle and a half from the red line. What I have done is open the cowl flap to the mid position. Is that normal?  

Before it was converted to a Rocket My 1980 231 had the same issue with oil temp. The oiltemp was the defacto power limiting gauge. Pushed hard it was the first gauge to go over. The Oil Pressure gauge was an important part of the scan. Low oil level affects oil temps.

[David Mazer]

The problem isn't moving when I'm there and able to move it myself or supervise, it is when I'm not there and they move it without me.  Under those circumstances, the greatest tow in the world won't make any difference.

[orangemtl]

Agree with Maerbase.  My home FBO is VERY reliable, and the red indicator for maximum lateral deviation is both noticed and followed by them.

Anywhere else, I put my OWN aircraft into place.  Hauling a 3000 pound aircraft back and forth by hand/tow bar to fit it into the parking 'T' makes one a more precise parker, after the first few exercise events.

[FAST FLIGHT OPTIONS LLC]

Quote: Jimhamilton

About a mont ago I posted for my first time with my thoughts on my new Mooney. I have not posted since because I am now using an IPad and my pea brain could not get the posting to work. ( For those of you interested, I am using Safari with the java script turned off ) I bought my M20K about two months ago for the purpose of helping me commute between KCOS and KSLC. I am a pilot for Delta in Salt Lake and I am attending my second year of bible school at Charis Bible School in Colorado Springs (part of Andrew Wommack Ministries). Most of the time I pass ride or jump seat to and from work and school, but when the schedule does not permit I fly the Mooney or drive when the weather is bad. I have about 25 hrs in it and am starting to get used to it. I have flown both VFR and IFR and I am usually between 14,000 and 17,000 feet. It seems to be a sweet altitude for this plane. The other day I was descending into KCOS with a ground speed of 250kts. Now that is why I bought it; Altitude and Speed and let's not forget fuel economy. For the money I spent I do not believe I could have made a better choice. I am not sorry, not one bit for buying it. Anyway, I have some questions for you seasoned owners. What do you do at different FBO's who insist on using a tug to tow your plane? After informing them that the Mooney nose wheel has limited turning radius I usually let them tow. I inspect the nose gear after every tow and so far so good, however, I am still nervous every time they tow. At higher altitudes the oil temp can get a little high. Still in the green but a needle and a half from the red line. What I have done is open the cowl flap to the mid position. Is that normal? On takeoff I am not using the full 40 inches. I set about 38 inches and I still get great performance. I do this to be easier on the engine. If obstacles are a factor I will use the full 40 inches until clear. For climb I use 33 inches and 2600 rpm. Any thoughts on this? For you Garmin 430 users, when you insert your route of flight, can you enter using airways or do you have to input every fix? For example, the FMS we use on the 737 allows us to enter a fix then connect to another fix using a jet airway. Such as TCH J80 JFK. All the intersections would be included between the two fix's. By the way, any of you with flying missions experience, I would love to get in touch with you Anyway, thanks for reading and hope to get to know you better, Jim.

[The-sky-captain]

My J had truss damage that was found and fixed on the prebuy so I am very particular about how my plane is towed at FBO's. I have limit markings and stop screws to help as well. Enjoy your Mooney. In my 3.5 years of ownership I have 600 hours and am still giddy every time I get in to fly. It's an awesome feeling that I just can't shake.