M20J Information

[dlthig]

I've asked this on other forums, but I'm all for second or third opinions.  I'm 6' and 210lbs, my father-in-law is 6'3 and 300lbs.  Will we fit in the front seats of a J model?  We've sat in a PA24 and I think that we'd be OK in a Comanche, but I want a newer airplane.  I'm focusing on Js and B/C Comanches.  The speeds are about the same, but the Comanche will carry more, but I don't expect to always need the extra 200lbs.  Also, I've read about the load on a J, but I don't have much real-world facts on load.  I'm a Piper guy that is willing to jump ship, I just need a push.

[mooniac58]

First off, Welcome!

I would start by saying while your 6'0 and 6'3 heights will be no problem.  I am 5'11" and my business partner is 6'3" - I look over at him on business trips and he looks to have at least 2-3 inches clearance - however in turbulence he has taken a couple nice shots to the head and now keeps his shoulder harness snug

I own a 1987 M20J and my empty weight is 1812.  The max takeoff weight for the M20J is 2740lbs and the balance envelope seems to be pretty forgiving as I have never been near it yet.  Here would be the layout W&B in my bird with max fuel (64 gallons) and you and your dad on board:

	WEIGHT	ARM	MOMENT
Aircraft	1812	45.19	81884.28
Pilot	210	34.00	7140
Co-Pilot	300	34.00	10200
Passenger 1		70.70	0
Passenger 2		70.70	0
Baggage Compartment		95.50	0
Hatrack		102.00	0
Fuel	384	48.43	18597.12

TOTAL WEIGHT: 2706 lbs (34 lbs under max)
TOTAL MOMENT: 117.82 moment/1000
CG POSITION: 43.54

The CG is just slightly forward the 43.8 - 50.1 allowed (see image attached to this post), however I am guessing at 6'0" and 6'3" you will have those seats pretty far back on the tracks and will be withing the acceptable CG as well.  In addition to this, who doesn't have a tote box full of junk in the trunk, eh?

With the Mooney's exceptional efficiency, full fuel tanks is not needed for any flights that are not long cross country trips.  I commonly fill my tanks just to the tab bottoms which is 50 gals and this gives another 84lbs of usable load.

[dlthig]

Thanks for the information.  Jim, I had a 180D years ago and taught a student that was about the size of my father-in-law.  Our CG was usually out the front and I carried weights in the baggage area for a while to keep us in CG.  I'm curious about the gross weight increase around 1990.  I think that will put the airplane out of my budget of under 100k.  Also, did the Js get heavier in the 80s with more equipment and soundproofing?  I'm thinking the 78-79 time-frame carried more?  I'd like as much useful load as I could get for the times that I may want to fly with 750-800lbs of people. 

[KSMooniac]

Data point for useful load...my '77J has a 1021 lbs useful load.  The panel, windows, and interior were updated by the previous owner.  Removing vintage avionics saves weight, and sticking with standard thickness windows, reasonable interior, etc. will prevent the weight gain.  I have a fixed rear seat (wish it folded!) and new plastic pieces that are painted and thus not covered with additional material.  No headrests either.  No wing tips or other mods (yet).  Strip-n-seal of the tanks instead of bladders this year too. 

You'll have to look at each candidate airplane individually to check useful load as it is not uncommon to 100 lb. or more differences from one plane to the next.  As mentioned above, fueling to the tabs (50 gallons) is usually more than enough fuel, and having a modern totalizer system allows reduced fuel missions with high confidence when needing to carry a lot of payload.

[alun]

another newbie question...when you are fuelling to the tabs do you mean the bottom of the triangle thingy?  I couldn't really see any tabs as such when i looked (as opposed to the ones in the cherokee i had before).   sorry if this is a bit vague but i don't have access to the plane until mid feb whilst the avionics work is being done so am going from memory.  those tabs then give 50 gallons? 

thanks,

al.

[mooniac58]

Quote: JimR

Hi, Al.  Yes, if you fuel to the bottom of the triangle thingy, you'll have 50 gallons aboard. 

 Which is a ton of fuel for a Mooney!  I usually stick to filling to the tabs as well.