Thoughts of a new owner

[AndyFromCB]

Well, I got her here, flown her 3 hours yesterday and other than the unfortunate incident with the homeland security folks here are my thoughts:

-All the bad things I've ever heard about Mooneys are total nonsense. Went up and in about 10 minutes everything just clicked. Big wing dip on take off because I wasn't used to the small amount of control deflection needed for crosswind take off, the yoke just doesn't move that much but I find that actually nicer as it doesn't hit my legs at full deflection.

-Slowing her down is non issue, I don't understand where that perception comes from. Drop the gear at 140, she's down to 110 in few seconds, put in full flaps abeam the numbers, 90 few seconds later, start pulling power out on final.

-Bravo has to be the easiest airplane to land ever. Much easier than my Arrow. 75 on short final, 70 over the numbers, pull the power out. It doesn't float any more than my Arrow but I also don't have to point it nose down at the runway

-Wow, this airplane is stable like a rock vs the pipers and cessna's I've flown, it's like it's on rails. When trimmed for an airspeed, it just stays there, making landings so easy.

-I love that glide ratio. Two huge guys up front, case of oil in the back for W&B, pull the power back, pull the prop back, 500fpm descent.

-Still having some issues with the right channel in the voltage regulator, so few more gremlins to track down. Two brand new batteries, left one failed after about 1 hour into the delivery flight. We tested it yesterday, just won't hold a charge.

[KSMooniac]

Check out sealed Concordes when replacing your battery(ies)!  Gill is making some crap in the last few years.

Congrats on the great purchase!

[scottfromiowa]

Excellent!  Have fun with your "new" Mooney.

[jlunseth]

In my book, Mooney speed performance is the best insulation against a gear up ever.  I understand there have been some Mooney gear ups.  But it seems to me, if you are coming in to land at somewhere over 120 and you can't figure out why the plane won't slow down to landing speed, that right there would be a pretty big hint. 

[gjkirsch]

All Mooney's reward those that fly the numbers with the opportunity of a good landing.  Unfortunately, the for sale adds today are full of planes that have had a prop strike. 

[AndyFromCB]

So did the one I bought. So I got a discount for damage history, a new prop with 400 hours and overhaul without calling it that from G&N. I'm almost glad Mooneys are like that.

[johnggreen]

Astelmaszek,

Congrats on the Bravo.  I have flown mine for almost seven years now and am still impressed with its capability.  My needs have changed some for an airplane and need/want a larger aircraft with more useful load.  In comparing the Bravo and it's capabilities with what my options would be, the cost differences are staggering.  I've owned cabin class twins before and never really thought they were that expensive until now after owning, flying and paying for the Bravo.  Now, the reletive costs are just too much to swallow.

Anyway, that's my problem.  You'll have a great experience.  I would encourage you to do a full series of stalls (if you haven't already) with the Bravo.  it does not fly like a Cessna and has to have a much greater correction of angle of attack for recovery.

Fly safe,

Jgreen

[carusoam]

Astel,

John has good advice, just watch out if he invites you to do a series of stalls and spins.  He's looking for some videos still!

??????

 

Best regards,

 

-a-

[rbridges]

Quote: jlunseth

In my book, Mooney speed performance is the best insulation against a gear up ever.  I understand there have been some Mooney gear ups.  But it seems to me, if you are coming in to land at somewhere over 120 and you can't figure out why the plane won't slow down to landing speed, that right there would be a pretty big hint. 

[AndyFromCB]

John,

I'll go out and do some more airwork next week. The prior owner/delivery pilot was a CFI so he gave me a basic checkout as in getting off and back on the runway, basic systems and power settings about 3 hours of total flight time.

I think I tracked the eletrical gremlin down yesterday, waiting for a new baterry and a couple of fuses that blew up when the voltage regulator went haywire. 

Then I indend to go out by myself for another 2 to 3 hours to do some more airwork including stalls. 

Then I plan on getting in with an instructor and doing about 6 to 12 full landing approaches in simulated IMC to understand the aircraft and autopiliot better. Unfortunatelly, the Bravo does not come with GPSS so I'll have to do all the "hard" work myself as in setting the needles on the HSI ;-) Might actually make me a better IFR pilot. On the other hand, it has the vertical functionality the autopilot in my Arrow lacked as in the S-Tec 30 only had altitude hold and manual trim.

Hopefully at that point I'll start becoming one with the airplane.

Then and only then will I take it on a real cross country and with some higher minimums for starters.

Andy 

P.S. What do you guys think about taking out the MX-20 out of the panel (seem like an old painful interface) and just mounting an Aera connected to the 430 and audio panel in the same spot instead. 

[231Pilot]

Quote: astelmaszek

 P.S. What do you guys think about taking out the MX-20 out of the panel (seem like an old painful interface) and just mounting an Aera connected to the 430 and audio panel in the same spot instead. 

[AndyFromCB]

I'm mainly interested in displaying XM NEXRAD and getting METARS/TAF. For charts and plates I find my iPad unbeatable in both screen size, ease of use and annual price for foreflight subsripction. 

[johnggreen]

Astel---,

From now on, I'm going to abbreviate you moniker.  Pay particular attention to the dramatic (compared to Cessna or Piper) pitch down necessary for stall recovery.  The Mooney wing is not a "fat" airfoil, it is laminar flow.  You will think you have recovered when, in fact, you have not.  You will usually see the ground through the windscreen on a full stall recovery.  Especially when you are close to gross.  With all due respect, don't pay much attention to stall advice from C, D, and J pilots about anything relatign to slow flight.  Their airplanes are flying the same wing on a lot less weight.  Also, watch out for secondary stalls if you load the wing before a full recovery.  They are a little freightening.  Also, do one (as it is a little hard on the engine) simulated engine failure on takeoff (at altitude).  You will be quite surprised at the dramatic pitch down necessary to maintain Vy which is also almost exactly best glide speed.

A tip on flying the IFR approach.  You will find that approach with 1/2 flaps in the Bravo, gear down, requires the exact same trim necessary for climb with gear and flaps up.  The beauty of that is that you can transition from approach to climb on a missed approach by merely adding power, gear up, and upon establishing a positive climb rate, flaps up.  IFR missed approaches are probably the most dangerous transition in flying.  With 1/2 flaps, this is the one thing the Bravo does to perfection.

jgreen

[Piloto]

Where the Bravo shines is when it mingles in Class A airspace. Congratulations

 

José

[Skywarrior]

Quote: johnggreen

Astel---,

From now on, I'm going to abbreviate you moniker.  Pay particular attention to the dramatic (compared to Cessna or Piper) pitch down necessary for stall recovery.  The Mooney wing is not a "fat" airfoil, it is laminar flow.  You will think you have recovered when, in fact, you have not.  You will usually see the ground through the windscreen on a full stall recovery.  Especially when you are close to gross.  With all due respect, don't pay much attention to stall advice from C, D, and J pilots about anything relatign to slow flight.  Their airplanes are flying the same wing on a lot less weight.  Also, watch out for secondary stalls if you load the wing before a full recovery.  They are a little freightening.  Also, do one (as it is a little hard on the engine) simulated engine failure on takeoff (at altitude).  You will be quite surprised at the dramatic pitch down necessary to maintain Vy which is also almost exactly best glide speed.

A tip on flying the IFR approach.  You will find that approach with 1/2 flaps in the Bravo, gear down, requires the exact same trim necessary for climb with gear and flaps up.  The beauty of that is that you can transition from approach to climb on a missed approach by merely adding power, gear up, and upon establishing a positive climb rate, flaps up.  IFR missed approaches are probably the most dangerous transition in flying.  With 1/2 flaps, this is the one thing the Bravo does to perfection.

jgreen

[johnggreen]

Skywarrior,

Whhhhaaaaaaatttt?  I was wrrrrroooooonnnnnggggg?

You are absolutely correct.  Only by one measely letter though.  In fact, Vy in the Bravo is unusually high, like 120?  Sorry, don't have my POH at my side.

If it makes you feel any better, if my engine had quit on the flight this morning, I would have pegged 85 knots.

Jgreen

[Skywarrior]

Yes, I feel much better now. 

[Awful_Charlie]

From the POH, best Rate (Vy) is 105, best angle (Vx) is 85 and best glide is 80-91 depending on weight

I normally climb at 120, which with 22-23GPH gives about 600-800FPM depending on weight and keeps the temps under control with the cowl flaps closed, or open up to 1/3