Wahoo Posted March 10, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 Thanks a ton guys,schllc. I totally agree. I may spend more time with a instructor, but it will be in my plane. I’m willing to devote as much time as needed with my instructor until we are both comfortable with me flying it. I will probably go with the bigger plane but the mooneys a VERY sexy looking. They are great looking planes. Maybe cut a couple of inches off and lose 100 lbs. hahaha 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amelia Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 (edited) If it is vital to take it with you when getting away from it all, I agree, a great big airplane with barn door access is perhaps necessary. If it is possible to substantially pare down the cargo, you might find a certain freedom in that, and Mooney might fit your mission better than you think.You’d find dividends paid in faster speed, lower fuel bills, more nimble handling, more bang for your airplane buck. We have always chosen to travel light, no matter where, how, or for how long. One carry-on bag or small duffel each is plenty for us, even for a month of international travel. If we choose to camp, we hold to that super backpacker compact and light philosophy as well. Otherwise the logistics bog us down, and travel becomes clumsy, heavy, and expensive. Slows us down in the air, but even more so on the ground, where we seem to spend far more time tending our stuff than doing what we came to do. Special exceptions may dictate your decision, SCUBA gear is heavy, and ski bums may need to haul bulky bags. We often just rent gear like that, though, because we don’t use it often enough to look after it. We watched in wonderment at the North 40 airplane camping area at OSH as Mooney drivers spent an hour unloading massive amounts of gear from the camping equivalent of a clown car. Mentally toting up the numbers, we wondered how, even from 40 miles away and one pilot, they weren’t way over gross. And then the family minivan pulled up and disgorged yet more stuff. Amazing! Admittedly, we envied them their rocking chairs, king-sized beds, 8-man tents, bikes, and expedition kitchens, but at the cost in time spent packing, unpacking and repacking, not for us. Oh, and Al Mooney was, what, 6’5”.? Edited March 10, 2021 by Amelia 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscalandro Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 11 minutes ago, Amelia said: Oh, and Al Mooney was, what, 6’5”.? There it is. Every G D time. Al Mooney wasn’t 250lbs. And at 6/5 I would have loved to see him get in and out of my airplane. Nobody above 6ft gets into the left seat of my C in what I would call a “comfortable “ way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carusoam Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 Summing things up... 1) We have choices.... 2) Select the engine that works for your mission... 3) big or small... 4) Fuel injected or carb... 5) Normally aspirated or turbo’d... 6) Select the airframe... 7) Short... 8) Medium... 9) Long... 10) Select the budget... 11) Select the time frame... Less than a year, less than ten years, forever-plane... 12) Select how you want to fly... VFR, light IFR, full FIKI IFR.... 13) Know your risks, have a plan to mitigate them... 14) When it comes to expensive airplanes... everyone has a different frame of reference.... 15) When it comes to comparing yourself to the culling process the Airforce uses.... they have an interesting elimination process before you get to the part about flying their turbine powered planes... 16) They also have some things that are disqualifying that a Mooney doesn’t have... Have you ever measured your sitting height? 17) No matter what plane you select... have a well defined training plan, experience gathering plan, and a open wallet... for training and maintenance... 18) The laws of physics can be tough on people that are moving quickly from newbie to flying in the flight levels... 19) recognize what too quickly is for you... 20) Some people really excel in life... most own Mooneys... 21) A few... use their Mooney experience to graduate to their next level... 22) Some people retain their Mooney for its speed and efficiency... and its ability to fill it up and take off... 23) A score of people have moved on to turbine powered planes, some have gone full jet... 24) If you are still concerned about do I fit... stop by GMax and see what is available... Sit in all of them... 25) For a simple comparison... Yeti flys an M20F... 26) Lost in time.... Al Mooney was a big man... and he flew an M18 Mooney Mite... not sure how this sample of data can be helpful... Get on a path that will get you the experience that you want to have... Take no shortcuts (don’t skip getting the experience)... enjoy! Go Mooney! Best regards, -a- 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1980Mooney Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 3 hours ago, Wahoo said: ....will probably go with the bigger plane but the mooneys a VERY sexy looking. They are great looking planes. Maybe cut a couple of inches off and lose 100 lbs. hahaha “Cut a couple inches off”?...but wants a bigger plane. Really? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscalandro Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 3 minutes ago, 1980Mooney said: “Cut a couple inches off”?...but wants a bigger plane. Really? I'm sure it was a joke. You get jokes, right? I lost about 30 lbs recently, you would be surprised how much more nimble it makes you. Definitely a benefit when getting in or out of a Mooney. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1980Mooney Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 3 minutes ago, chriscalandro said: I'm sure it was a joke. You get jokes, right? I lost about 30 lbs recently, you would be surprised how much more nimble it makes you. Definitely a benefit when getting in or out of a Mooney. Yes I get it now.....him not the plane. Although I suspect he’ll have to lose way more than a couple of inches to lose 100 pounds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carusoam Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 This helps make MS an enjoyable experience... how? Did you guys miss breakfast this morning? Just wondering... -a- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 11 hours ago, Wahoo said: . . . the mooneys a VERY sexy looking. They are great looking planes. Maybe cut a couple of inches off and lose 100 lbs. hahaha That's easy! My C is "a couple" of inches shorter than F & J models (OK, it's 10" shorter), and way more than 100 lbs. lighter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJMac Posted March 10, 2021 Report Share Posted March 10, 2021 I think an Ovation is the wrong choice for you, for me. I don't need yet another fella chasing the same limited amount of birds that I'm trying to shop too. FWIW, I'm the same size as the op and I love the way I fit in my E. Chris just seems to be a glass half empty kinda guy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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