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Should a new pilot buy and learn IFR in a Mooney

ewalk2001

By ewalk2001
in Vintage Mooneys (pre-J models)

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carusoam Grand Master

carusoam

Posted
Posted

Welcome  Aboard Ewalk...

you have reached an. Excellent decision point...

many a Mooney owner has started IR training in their new2them Mooneys...

Ask @Hank

I started with an M20C at around 100 hours...

Get good Transition Training... no need to wait...

What are your thoughts?

PP thoughts only, not a CFI...
Best regards,

-a-

 

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Jeph357 Community Regular

Jeph357

Posted
Posted

My thought is go for it.

+1 

1 hour ago, carusoam said:

Get good Transition Training... no need to wait...

 I've yet to fully dive into my ifr training but it is on the close horizon. I bought my  "E" with 70 total hours and havent looked back and am glad I did. 

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Hank Grand Master

Hank

Posted
Posted
6 hours ago, ewalk2001 said:

As a new pilot with only 70 total hours I would really appreciate thoughts on purchasing a C or G.  I’m working on IFR and would love to purchase a Mooney.  Is it reasonable to build time with an instructor or is it too soon.  Appreciate the help.

As @carusoamsaid above, go for it! I bought my C just five weeks after my PPL. Was advised to "learn the plane  and get to know it" then begin IFR training. Spent a year and a half having fun, then bevan sporadic "training," mostly local approaches, before knuckling down and starting IFR training for real.

It's good experience, and makes the plane much more useful! The joy of climbing through that dreary, weepy layer jusf abovd the hilltops and putting on sunglasses, telling Approach that the layer is only 1000' thick when they ask, it's great!

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HIghpockets Collaborator

HIghpockets

Posted
Posted

My first airplane was a PA-180. My instructor, an airline captain who started with Allegheny Airlines flying  DC-3s, advised me to continue to fly VFR to build time. He recommended I start my IFR training only after my stick and rudder skills were imprinted to the point of being second nature.  Flying IFR is a cognitive game. It's about staying ahead of the airplane. I see no reason why you should not  purchase a Mooney but I would encourage you to fly as much as you can VFR to get really comfortable in the cockpit. It's been my experience that no two flights, VFR or IFR, are ever the same.  2500 hours after my first solo I still learn something on every flight.

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apenney Collaborator

apenney

Posted
Posted

I had a little over 100 total hours and about 10 hours or so of instrument training when I bought my '76 F two years ago.

I had only resumed flying for about 5 months prior to that, after a 20+ year flying hiatus.

Of course it also depends on an individual's flying aptitude/skills but instrument training in your own Mooney with low time seems to be a very doable proposition with the right transition instructor and respect for and diligence in sticking with the performance numbers.

Fast forward two years and 200 hours later, now with the instrument rating under under my belt for a little over a year - man what a difference it makes.  I recently moved onto my current Bravo and I'm extremely happy that I took this path.  In my opinion, it would be very reasonable to build the time/transition into the Mooney to continue/finish your instrument training.  Good luck with it!

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StevenL757 Grand Master

StevenL757

Posted
Posted
8 hours ago, ewalk2001 said:

As a new pilot with only 70 total hours I would really appreciate thoughts on purchasing a C or G.  I’m working on IFR and would love to purchase a Mooney.  Is it reasonable to build time with an instructor or is it too soon.  Appreciate the help.

Welcome aboard!  Your idea is a good one; provided you have the proper instructor and quality of training available to you.  Briefly, ensure you can tick all three of these boxes as you evolve through the acquisition process...

  • Finding a high-quality instructor proficient in Mooney operations
  • Commitment to learning "it" the right way and committing yourself to such a training regimen
  • Finding a trouble-free, healthy airplane...or one you can "make" healthy

Steve

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rbridges Grand Master

rbridges

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, ewalk2001 said:

As a new pilot with only 70 total hours I would really appreciate thoughts on purchasing a C or G.  I’m working on IFR and would love to purchase a Mooney.  Is it reasonable to build time with an instructor or is it too soon.  Appreciate the help.

I did just that. Maybe had 110ish hours. I used the IFR training to coincide with 10 hours of dual instruction.  The transition will set you back momentarily as you relearn speed and power settings, but it's well worth learning IFR in your own plane that you'll be using afterwards.  

BTW, I bought a C model.  Getting my instrument ticket was the best thing I ever did.  It unlocks so much more potential from your plane. 

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DXB Grand Master

DXB

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, ewalk2001 said:

As a new pilot with only 70 total hours I would really appreciate thoughts on purchasing a C or G.  I’m working on IFR and would love to purchase a Mooney.  Is it reasonable to build time with an instructor or is it too soon.  Appreciate the help.

Exactly what I did.  It is not too soon at all.  10 hours transition with an instructor, and then build some vfr experience with it while you get started on instrument (which for me dragged out 3 years but could have been finished much faster).  Trick is get the avionics you want to use for IFR in the real world. WAAS GPS and at least a basic autopilot seem to be a minimum.  With all the lower cost glass options now, having a digital HSI is also hard to pass up.  

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dzeleski Proficient

dzeleski

Posted
Posted

I bought my J at 78 hours, 3 months after getting my PPL. Its 100% do able assuming you are able to treat the thing with a very high level of respect and fly your airspeeds to the book perfectly. For IFR training I tend to pull the power way back so things happen a little slower, that allows me more time to think and make sure im doing everything correctly. Flying at WOT you have to be way ahead of this plane and im just not there yet while under the hood, so pulling it back seems to make things a little easier.

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David Lloyd Mentor

David Lloyd

Posted
Posted

All good suggestions, summed up by PMcClure just above.  Get a thorough checkout, turn it into some instrument instruction and fly the heck out of it. Unless you are able and are going to throw tons of money into a new airplane sometime in the next ten years, buy the best you can afford, stick with it, improve it and keep it.  Forever.

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Cruiser Grand Master

Cruiser

Posted
Posted

Are you ready to move up ? 

What others are saying is it was right for them. Everyone learns their own way. Is it right for you ? Only you know the answer to that question. Talk with your instructors. All airplanes respect the laws of aerodynamics. It is the pilot that needs to learn how to control them. 

 

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oldguyscanfly Contributor

oldguyscanfly

Posted
Posted

I'm doing it in my 65E, good advise above, especially about getting to know the plane first. I've got about 50 hrs in mine now, and feel comfortable to resume my IFR dual. 

Part of the many justifications I used to buy the plane was that I would save a lot of money over renting for my IFR training.

After a year of ownership, not so much now lol.

But every $$ I've spent on her, well worth it. Great machine!

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