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Best sub 72k model Mooney?


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2 hours ago, avtech72 said:

Ehhh... if all the maintenance is up to date, still 20AMU-30AMU per year..??? Is this including hangar, insurance, annual, & gas? Am I missing something??

I think this number applies a bit more to the K, R, and S. The 4 cylinders will be a bit cheaper.

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One point that’s important that I didn’t see on this thread.  You just got your PPL.  The next obvious step will be you Instrument Rating (PPL is very limiting when you don’t have the freedom to wait for VFR conditions).  For that rating, I would look for a couple things.

  1. WAAS GPS.  RNAV LPV approaches are the ILS of the modern age.
  2. 2nd NAV-COM.  Having a back-up navigation is important.
  3. Think about 2 COMs.  While not necessary, having 1 COM flying instrument is challenging.

Good luck.  If you were central FL, I’m looking for a partner...  wanna move.

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Do your own math...

1) M20C uses 10gph 

2) Select hours of flight expected per year... 100hrs is a common number used...

3) Use the current price of fuel... 

4) compare to a long body that may use 15gph in cruise...

5) compare to a turbo that may be cruising 200+kts over the ground...

6) add hangar, annual, insurance...

All numbers that can be looked up.  Or roughly estimated...

Then compare the same trips using a car...

If we only take into account the gross costs... this sport is doomed...

Realistically, we are going to travel...   the cost of automobiles and the waste of time is terribly worse...

We have seen what it is like to stay home for a year...   we aren’t planning on doing that again... :)

Go Mooney!

Best regards,

-a-

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Hangars are cheap to rent.

3000’ hangar, 60’ by 50’ costs over $125,000 in building costs, no land included.

mine ended up around $150. Any rental should cost at least 5% of building costs. That’s $750-1000 a month for a hangar.

Small single hangars under 1500 square feet at any airport with demand will be over 500.

We as airplane owners are so cheap that car hobbyist buy out the supply. I don’t know how many million dollar + car collections are here on our field.  

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1 hour ago, Niko182 said:

I think this number applies a bit more to the K, R, and S. The 4 cylinders will be a bit cheaper.

A M20C is going to be quite a bit less. My first year with my plane (no surprises popped up) was about 12-14AMU and that was 100+ hours of flying and a hangar that ran me 3.6AMU. I didn't have any database subscriptions as I had no GPS in the plane. That did not include setting aside any money for engine reserve.

1 hour ago, M20Curious said:

One point that’s important that I didn’t see on this thread.  You just got your PPL.  The next obvious step will be you Instrument Rating (PPL is very limiting when you don’t have the freedom to wait for VFR conditions).  For that rating, I would look for a couple things.

  1. WAAS GPS.  RNAV LPV approaches are the ILS of the modern age.
  2. 2nd NAV-COM.  Having a back-up navigation is important.
  3. Think about 2 COMs.  While not necessary, having 1 COM flying instrument is challenging.

Good luck.  If you were central FL, I’m looking for a partner...  wanna move.

The PPL does not have to be limiting. I bought my Mooney right after getting my PPL. I wasn't instrument rated and the plane was only marginally equipped for IFR anyway. I knew the limitations that placed on me but I wanted a Mooney, it was what I could afford, it was flying regularly, and I was more interested in just flying places than buckling down on an instrument rating. I fly out of the LA area which often has a marine layer but that didn't slow me down, only caused delays of a few hours here and there or making sure I arrived back home before it rolled in. During the first 4+ years of ownership I put 500+ hours on the plane flying regularly from California to Idaho, Utah, Arizona, up to Oregon, and all the way to the East Coast and back, all VFR, few cancelled trips. If someone is willing to be a little flexible they can get a lot of use out of a Mooney still only flying VFR.

There are definite benefits to the Instrument Rating and I am looking forward to finishing mine up here in the next couple months. However, I'm glad I didn't wait until I could afford a Mooney equipped with WAAS GPS to buy one. But, I also went into the ownership knowing what I would be spending down the line to equip it the way I wanted and knowing that adding the avionics after purchase is much more expensive than buying a plane with them already installed.

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1 hour ago, Niko182 said:

I think this number applies a bit more to the K, R, and S. The 4 cylinders will be a bit cheaper.

Thank you for confirming this.. I was a bit scared off right off the bat.

1 hour ago, M20Curious said:

One point that’s important that I didn’t see on this thread.  You just got your PPL.  The next obvious step will be you Instrument Rating (PPL is very limiting when you don’t have the freedom to wait for VFR conditions).  For that rating, I would look for a couple things.

  1. WAAS GPS.  RNAV LPV approaches are the ILS of the modern age.
  2. 2nd NAV-COM.  Having a back-up navigation is important.
  3. Think about 2 COMs.  While not necessary, having 1 COM flying instrument is challenging.

Good luck.  If you were central FL, I’m looking for a partner...  wanna move.

A good point indeed! I know that the Instrument Rating will be super beneficial in terms of unlimiting the conditions of flight. I will look more closely for this.

 

28 minutes ago, Skates97 said:

A M20C is going to be quite a bit less. My first year with my plane (no surprises popped up) was about 12-14AMU and that was 100+ hours of flying and a hangar that ran me 3.6AMU.

This is more around what I was calculating..

28 minutes ago, Skates97 said:

There are definite benefits to the Instrument Rating and I am looking forward to finishing mine up here in the next couple months. However, I'm glad I didn't wait until I could afford a Mooney equipped with WAAS GPS to buy one. But, I also went into the ownership knowing what I would be spending down the line to equip it the way I wanted and knowing that adding the avionics after purchase is much more expensive than buying a plane with them already installed.

Yes, a good point to consider.. I am thinking I would rather wait a little just to make sure to get it all in shot, and not do the upgrades later that would end up proving to be more costly. But yes, a fine line to decide whether its worth waiting for the panel I would prefer or to get flying in my own bird sooner than later..

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One more data point: My F has averaged about $15K annually for the three years I've owned. That's all in; hangar ($360/mo in southern California), annuals, maint., fuel/oil, databases, cleaning supplies, training (IPC & FRs)...I know it's a sin, but I have spreadsheet with EVERYTHING recorded. I know better than to post publically, but PM if you dare to take a look:o

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