54 years (almost 55)

[Dan Lawler]

Thanks for adding me to the group.  I brought my new (to me) airplane home to KPRC yesterday, and it brought a wave of nostalgia.

 

There are almost 55 years between these two pictures. Both airplanes are nearly identical 1962 "C" model Mooneys. The brown one was the first retractable landing-gear airplane I ever flew. It is still flying, based in Wisconsin. I had many wonderful adventures in that bronze bird when it was nearly new in the late '60s.

 

I have about 100 hours Mooney time, twentyish in a wood-wing M20A and the rest in the M20C, none of it more recent than 40 years ago. A friend and I used to shut down the wood-wing and we could ridge-soar it, prop stopped, in the orographic lift from the Estrella mountain ridge SW of Phoenix.

 

I bought this blue Mooney from a friend. I can tell I'm going to have a fun time with my new bird. It's old now, but so am I!

[TNIndy]

Congrats on the new Mooney!

[LANCECASPER]

3 hours ago, Dan Lawler said:

 

That's not fair. you have more hair now than you had 54 years ago

[ohdub]

Congrats!

[aviatoreb]

Hey - just like me!  I am 54...almost 55.

[EagleDriver]

That’s really cool - congrats on being reunited, even if by (very) reasonable facsimile. 

[Bartman]

That’s is awesome !

[Boilermonkey]

That's very cool.  I wish I had a side by side like that.  Frame it!!!

[Oscar Avalle]

Awesome!!! Congratulations. Really nice bird


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[amillet]

Welcome back into the Mooney fold.  My father was born in Chino Valley in 1923.

[cliffy]

Congrats  Come on up the KSGU (St George, UT) lunch is on me OR 1st Saturday of every month there is a hangar breakfast on the west side of the airport in the most northerly/west hangar starting about 8AM. Sometimes we see 20-25 pilots there. 

[carusoam]

Great pics Dan!

here’s to another 50 years!

Oldest Mooney pilot to fly solo in his Mooney was 100 years old this year….

-a-

[MooneyMitch]

Such a beautiful thing