Slowing down to lower gear

[M20 Ogler]

The gear alarm in my C buzzes at 18” MP and below, I’ll still be indicating 130 mph. Need 120 mph the drop the gear. So I’ll pull up the nose and climb a bit or just deal with the noise. I’d like to learn what other pilots do here. 

[201er]

3 minutes ago, M20 Ogler said:

The gear alarm in my C buzzes at 18” MP and below, I’ll still be indicating 130 mph. Need 120 mph the drop the gear. So I’ll pull up the nose and climb a bit or just deal with the noise. I’d like to learn what other pilots do here. 

Reduce power earlier.

[Derrickearly]

23 minutes ago, M20 Ogler said:

The gear alarm in my C buzzes at 18” MP and below, I’ll still be indicating 130 mph. Need 120 mph the drop the gear. So I’ll pull up the nose and climb a bit or just deal with the noise. I’d like to learn what other pilots do here. 

I do the same.  However, the bird I'm flying now has three blades, so when I pull power it slows down really fast.

[cliffy]

Check what MP your Maintenance Manual says the gear horn should trigger at  and maybe reset that trigger point

[Rwsavory]

18” is too high for the gear warning. I sometimes do a nice pull in the turn from crosswind to downwind to bleed off airspeed.  Here’s what the manual says for the setting on a 1965 C:

 

[Jim Peace]

49 minutes ago, M20 Ogler said:

The gear alarm in my C buzzes at 18” MP and below, I’ll still be indicating 130 mph. Need 120 mph the drop the gear. So I’ll pull up the nose and climb a bit or just deal with the noise. I’d like to learn what other pilots do here. 

you can adjust that.  Seems I have to have it adjusted every 18 months or so....its a trial and error thing....mine comes on now around 12 maybe a bit higher....

[Hank]

54 minutes ago, M20 Ogler said:

The gear alarm in my C buzzes at 18” MP and below, I’ll still be indicating 130 mph. Need 120 mph the drop the gear. So I’ll pull up the nose and climb a bit or just deal with the noise. I’d like to learn what other pilots do here. 

That's mighty high. Shouldn't your buzzer come on at 12"? Check your Owners Manual, that's what mine says (1970 C).

 

I drop Takeoff Flaps as I slow for pattern entry, and use the gear to start my descent in downwind, where I'm usually doing just 90mph anyway.

[cliffy]

If you want to slow down -  pull the power off 

 

 

 

[FlyingDude]

2 hours ago, M20 Ogler said:

The gear alarm in my C buzzes at 18” MP and below, I’ll still be indicating 130 mph. Need 120 mph the drop the gear. So I’ll pull up the nose and climb a bit or just deal with the noise. I’d like to learn what other pilots do here. 

That’s too high. It should go off at 12. In my E, It’s not measuring MAP. Just a limit switch on the throttle. So find the position that will give you 12”…

[Utah20Gflyer]

I generally fly the pattern at 16 inches so it would be really annoying for the gear horn to go off at 18 inches.  As other have said check for the proper number for your aircraft.  Mine goes off about 12 inches which seems about right.  Generally my rule is to not allow the gear horn to go off without remedying the issue immediately.  The intention is to thereby avoid a gear up,  tolerating the horn means I may ignore it when it’s really giving me a important input.  Being able to do that requires it not to go off frivolously so make sure it’s set correctly.

The process of slowing down for me is to level off and reduce power to pattern power (16 Inches) and wait for it to slow to pattern speed (100mph).  I try to always be at pattern speed when entering the pattern.  Then when I’m abeam the numbers I’m good to go to drop the gear.   
 

[0TreeLemur]

In my C the horn goes off at about 12" MP.   It takes forever to slow down to landing gear extension speed without it going off.   When I approach pattern entry and pull the power back enough for the horn to sound, it takes a further 5 -10 seconds to reach gear extension speed.   Gotta hold the nose up.  Getting that gear horn set right will minimize your annoyance and allow you to slow down more gradually.

I was taught to get the gear down on the downwind leg to help with speed control, to help fly the pattern at 90 mph (80 kts).  Flaps start coming in at the perch.

[carusoam]

two switches…

1) throttle out switch… Easy adjustment… switch is on the backside of the panel, riding on the throttle…

2) Gear up switch… Some people toggle this switch by placing a finger in the hole…

PP thoughts only,

-a-

[MBDiagMan]

It is adjusted too high.  It should be about 12inHg.  It is very easy to adjust.  Look underneath the panel forward of the throttle control.  There is a micro switch mounted with three screws and nuts in slots.  Loosen all three and move the switch as needed.

There is a lengthy thread hear where I and others discussed this to death including plenty of pictures.  Search by my moniker to find it.  It had bubbled to the top a month or two ago.

Additionally, slowing down a Mooney to gear speed is a skill you need to learn early on in your transition.  If you have speed brakes you can cheat though.  My first Mooney had no speed brakes so I learned the skill without them.  My second Mooney has them so I have two different methods of slowing down.

Edited January 30, 2022 by MBDiagMan

[Jim Peace]

3 hours ago, carusoam said:

placing a finger in the hole…

even though my gal is 58 years old I can still stop her whining with a finger....

[Ned Gravel]

I have had the warning horn switch move on the throttle cable three times during my ownership.  Clarence fixed it each time - and it is not easy to do from under the panel.

With regard to the actual gear speeds in the POH, manual gear Mooney's are great speed brakes.  Not fussed about dropping them at higher speeds.  Just keep the handle from slamming wildly into the down lock block on the panel.  I am generally doing 140 mph or less at the IAF or crossing over mid field for the pattern and have never had any problems in 17 years of flying this Mooney.  I am usually at 120 halfway to the FAF or on the turn to downwind and that is well within the POH stated limits.

Not the same for the hydraulic flaps though.   Deploy them above 100 mph and they will come back up on you.  

[MBDiagMan]

Okay here’s the thread that should be helpful for adjusting the gear horn:

https://mooneyspace.com/topic/21059-throttle-switch-for-gear-position/page/2/

[MBDiagMan]

12 minutes ago, Ned Gravel said:

I have had the warning horn switch move on the throttle cable three times during my ownership.  Clarence fixed it each time - and it is not easy to do from under the panel.

With regard to the actual gear speeds in the POH, manual gear Mooney's are great speed brakes.  Not fussed about dropping them at higher speeds.  Just keep the handle from slamming wildly into the down lock block on the panel.  I am generally doing 140 mph or less at the IAF or crossing over mid field for the pattern and have never had any problems in 17 years of flying this Mooney.  I am usually at 120 halfway to the FAF or on the turn to downwind and that is well within the POH stated limits.

Not the same for the hydraulic flaps though.   Deploy them above 100 mph and they will come back up on you.  

If the bottom radio tray is like mine with no bottom, it’s really easy to adjust by pulling out the bottom radio for easy access.

[AIREMATT]

@M20 Ogler
Just go up and fly the plane for a few minutes. 
set the throttle to 12” MP and mark the throttle knob/lever with a sharpie.

Land and set the throttle to your marked positIon. 
Adjust the warning switch behind the panel under the throttle cable to that location and tighten it down.

Should go off at 12” for you now.