MAPA Pilot Proficiency Program - Wichita - PIREP

[hubcap]

Just returned home from Wichita after attending the MAPA Pilot Proficiency Program at KICT in Wichita. 

There were ~15 Mooneys on the ramp in attendance. We had attendees from as far away as Pittsburg PA, and instructors from as far away as Massachusetts. The quality of the ground school and the flying instruction was outstanding. I only have 180 hrs in my Mooney and my instructor has literally thousands and thousands of hours in an M20K just like mine. I learned a ton of stuff that I did not previously know about Mooney aircraft and how to get the best and most performance out of them.

My instructor Bud and I flew the VFR portion of our training on Friday afternoon. Bud has literally thousands of hours in M20K's which is what I fly. He gave me some great pointers on engine and turbo management while we were going through the VFR training which included stalls, engine out procedures, steep ascending and descending turns, etc etc We practiced short field and soft field takeoffs and landings in the Mooney When we returned to KICT we shot the ILS 1R Approach down to minimums and logged a night landing. 

Saturday was beautiful flying weather in Wichita so Bud and I took off using the soft field take off technique a little before 11:00. We were in contact with Wichita Approach during the entire IFR training flight. We flew all of our approaches 100% by hand. The only time we used the autopilot was in-route.  Our first approach was the Localizer Back Course down to minimums on runway 31 in Hutchinson (KHUT). We executed a soft-field landing, taxied back for takeoff and got back in touch with Approach with a request for vectors for the RNAV 36 at 9K8 (Clyde Cessna Field).  After a short flight we were vectored to final and flew down to minimums with a pretty stiff crosswind from 270 before going missed. On the missed we practiced the technique for a proper IFR climb out on missed approach by adding power, gaining positive rate of climb then gear up, half flaps up while continuing the climb and finally all flaps up. We flew the published missed approach with a couple of laps in the hold before contacting approach and requesting vectors to final on the ILS 1R approach at KICT. Flew the approach down to minimums again and then Bud let me do "just a normal" landing. It was great training and Bud offered some great guidance during the training.

Saturday evening we were treated to a steak dinner with all the students and instructors. The food was great and the story telling was better!

It was a great experience and I am certainly planning on returning for more training in the future.

A special thanks to my instructor Bud, I really enjoyed flying with you and learned a lot, and a special shout out of thanks to Will Wobbe!! After dinner on Saturday evening we were doing what pilots do.... discussing airplanes. During our discussion he discovered that there was functionality available in my JPI 900 that I was unfamiliar with, so he went with me back to the airport so we could get in my aircraft and he trained me up on the JPI 900......and this was around 22:30 hrs. It is awesome to see the dedication of these instructors.

Thanks to all and looking forward to seeing my new friends again soon!

Edited October 17, 2021 by hubcap

[MarkD34M]

Hubcap:

I attended the one in Massachusetts in September, my 3rd one. Great group of people, lots of learning and enjoyment. And, they all volunteer, which shows you how passionate they are about helping others and the Mooney community. Bud and I have flown many hours together. Great guy. Hope to see you at one in the future. Safe flying.

Mark

[carusoam]

Great pirep for MAPA PPP, hubcap!

Thanks for sharing the details…

It truly is amazing how much detail you can absorb with a pro-Mooney CFII with you in your plane…. 

Best regards,

-a-

[exM20K]

@hubcap great choice to get through type-specific training in your newish-to-you plane.  The PPP is a solid two day immersion in systems and flying.

were there any Acclaims there, and if so, did they have course materials for the M20TN?

-dan

[Hank]

Attending a MAPA PPP shortly after my transition training was one of the best things I've done. It's nice to go back every now and then, too, to unlearn bad habits that creep in over time.

[Scottknoll]

Hubcap:
I attended the one in Massachusetts in September, my 3rd one. Great group of people, lots of learning and enjoyment. And, they all volunteer, which shows you how passionate they are about helping others and the Mooney community. Bud and I have flown many hours together. Great guy. Hope to see you at one in the future. Safe flying.
Mark

I was at this PPP as well. IMHO this is hands down the best Mooney training you can get, very professionally run by highly experienced Mooney instructors. Reminds me of my experiences at FlightSafety/CAE.

Meeting other owners of the same type is fantastic as well. Mark and I realized after parking next to each other, that we nearly bought each other’s Mooney a few years earlier! Small world.

I learned more on my preflight at that event than I did during my entire insurance checkout flight when we bought our airplane. Fly safe and keep learning!

[hubcap]

2 hours ago, exM20K said:

@hubcap great choice to get through type-specific training in your newish-to-you plane.  The PPP is a solid two day immersion in systems and flying.

were there any Acclaims there, and if so, did they have course materials for the M20TN?

-dan

There was (1) Acclaim in attendance.....and what a BEAUTIFUL aircraft it is. 

I will have to look at the course materials to confirm, if "Acclaim" specific materials were available.

[PeteMc]

Just shot a note off to one of the MAPA guys.  Don't see a 2022 schedule yet.  But assuming there will be a FL or other warm-wx PPP in Jan/Feb.

 

[Danb]

Lakeland January 28th I believe is the warm winter PPP

[Jerry 5TJ]

The next MAPA PPP is scheduled for the end of this month in Lakeland, Florida.  I am planning to be there with one of my “learners” in his M20J.  

[anthonydesmet]

If I am out of annual on time next week I will also be in Lakeland

[Schllc]

On 10/18/2021 at 10:12 AM, exM20K said:

@hubcap great choice to get through type-specific training in your newish-to-you plane.  The PPP is a solid two day immersion in systems and flying.

were there any Acclaims there, and if so, did they have course materials for the M20TN?

-dan

They taylor the material for your plane to a degree.  I brought my acclaim to one several years ago and I asked them to update it in the future and they said they would. 
covid knocked out the ones I scheduled since then. 
they did put me with an instructor with a lot of acclaim time. 
it was helpful and they do a lot of things for which you just seldom find time.

if you have never been you should go, it is well worth it. Plus you get see a bunch of Mooney’s!!

[Frank]

I was also at the seminar and had enjoyed hanging out with @hubcap and the other attendees. While I made the trip from Pittsburgh, I don't think I came the furthest. I remember one Ovation guy was from California, and I think there were a couple of attendees from eastern Virginia.

[PeteMc]

59 minutes ago, philip_g said:

ppp Honolulu

The shop that gets all the Mooneys showing up for ferry tanks is going to REALLY thank you for the business!!! 

[kortopates]

Great pirep for MAPA PPP, hubcap!
Thanks for sharing the details…
It truly is amazing how much detail you can absorb with a pro-Mooney CFII with you in your plane…. 
Best regards,
-a-

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kortopates]

Great pirep for MAPA PPP, hubcap!
Thanks for sharing the details…
It truly is amazing how much detail you can absorb with a pro-Mooney CFII with you in your plane…. 
Best regards,
-a-

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk