Guest Posted January 21, 2023 Report Posted January 21, 2023 1 hour ago, GeeBee said: I've been watching this thread, loathe to chime in but I guess I will. If operating out of gravel more than once a year or poor or questionable grass an Ovation is not your airplane. Well mowed and maintained turf no problem. If transient grass strips and gravel is your norm buy a 185. You ask about learning glass (which is easy). That means you want a nice well equipped airplane. You won't like what gravel will do to your nice Mooney. If it has TKS, forget about it. You'll be buying new horizontal stabilizer panels in no time, and they are not cheap. The Ovation prop clearance with a Hartzell scimitar 3 blade is 11.125" with new doughnuts. I struggle enough with dings just on paved strips. Unless you want to visit the prop shop early and often, stay off of gravel. CG is not a problem, everything is on top of the wing. With two people in the front, I throw 40 pounds of sand in the baggage just to keep the handling nice. 1 person and luggage? Piece of cake. Hate to be brutally honest but match the airplane to the mission. There is no fast airplane that can operate off all surfaces and conditions. Everything has a price, both positive and a negative. Mooneys are very fast, very economical, very sturdy but they are not infinitely flexible in the operating conditions. No airplane has all those attributes. A big engined Texas Skyways 182, sounds like another option for the mission, but an Ovation would be a sin.
GeeBee Posted January 21, 2023 Report Posted January 21, 2023 20 minutes ago, M20Doc said: A big engined Texas Skyways 182, sounds like another option for the mission, but an Ovation would be a sin. Agree, if you are wedded to a tri-gear rough field either the big engine 182 or the tri-gear big engine Maule. Both 4 place, lots of baggage room, reasonable speed, good for all surfaces. https://www.controller.com/listing/for-sale/220162743/2006-maule-mt7-260-piston-single-aircraft
Canadian Gal Posted January 21, 2023 Author Report Posted January 21, 2023 As already mentioned, the 185 will do nicely on floats, instead of taking the Ovation into gravel strips much. Most ( not all ) of the gravel strips i go to are near water, so the 185 is good. I'm just not going to start taking the floats off and on all the time. It will be on floats about 7 months a years, and then back to wheels or skis for the winter. The 185 is mine, and my Doctors pay me for its use. The Mooney if that's what I choose to get, will be purchased by my Doctors, for me to fly around. No i don't want to fly a PC12, or Kodiak, before someone recommends that as a do it all. 1
Guest Posted January 22, 2023 Report Posted January 22, 2023 1 hour ago, Canadian Gal said: As already mentioned, the 185 will do nicely on floats, instead of taking the Ovation into gravel strips much. Most ( not all ) of the gravel strips i go to are near water, so the 185 is good. I'm just not going to start taking the floats off and on all the time. It will be on floats about 7 months a years, and then back to wheels or skis for the winter. The 185 is mine, and my Doctors pay me for its use. The Mooney if that's what I choose to get, will be purchased by my Doctors, for me to fly around. No i don't want to fly a PC12, or Kodiak, before someone recommends that as a do it all. Do you operate the 185 commercially?
Canadian Gal Posted January 22, 2023 Author Report Posted January 22, 2023 6 minutes ago, M20Doc said: Do you operate the 185 commercially? Correct. But I am not open to just being hired by anyone. My team of Doctors, patients, medical equipment occasionally, are all i fly commercially in it. I've had people ask me to do charters, my answer is no.
Canadian Gal Posted January 22, 2023 Author Report Posted January 22, 2023 6 hours ago, M20Doc said: A big engined Texas Skyways 182, sounds like another option for the mission, but an Ovation would be a sin. Not fast, and poor fuel range. Before I did that, I would just get another 185, and leave it on wheels. But I want to go much faster, and further.
carusoam Posted January 22, 2023 Report Posted January 22, 2023 Hey CG! I have an O1… very similar in ops as an Ultra… No fear in taxiing on grass… the 1’ of clearance is pretty good. Going on and off pavement requires some caution… especially if rainwater is hiding deep holes from view. Gravel strips have a tendency to suck stones into the prop… at high power settings and slow speeds… Sounds like a challenge for anything that flys… With a foot of clearance… the various prop choices only give another couple of inches… Sooooo… you are free to choose the Mooney for your long X-country needs… The TopProp comes in a few options… one has thick blades for more meat on the bones for OH(s). Keep in mind… the Ovation IS a big plane compared to the short body Mooneys… parking for days on soggy grass can be problematic… The Mooney can be used as a work horse… even though some people treat them as forever-planes… many start their lives out as WHs… Go O! Doc is our key guy for extensive Canadian Mooney experience… always good experience shared! Ask more questions!!! Best regards, -a- 1
LANCECASPER Posted January 22, 2023 Report Posted January 22, 2023 The question isn't "Can you land a Mooney on a dirt strip?". Of course you can. I took my Mooney 231 up to Canada a couple of times and landed on nice dirt strips, uneventfully .. in the summer. (I also took a Piper Mirage and landed it in Northern Manitoba at a dirt strip at Kasba Lodge.) With a two blade prop on the Mooney 231 there wasn't much clearance, and there is even much less clearance on the gear doors on newer Mooneys. So if you're thinking of doing it regularly the question is more "Should I?". It's like taking a low-clearance sports car on roads where an SUV is more appropriate - most of the time it will work out and you won't tear anything off of the car. But for the times that you do some damage on the Mooney it might be expensive and inconvenient getting it repaired on site, not to mention getting another airplane to come and pick up you and your passengers. 1
hypertech Posted January 22, 2023 Report Posted January 22, 2023 (edited) My ovation will never touch a grass strip much less gravel. One misplaced gopher hole and it’s an invitation for a new engine and expensive gear doors. There is a lot more weight on a long body than a mid body. If that’s the plan, look elsewhere. Otherwise, enjoy the finest four place piston ever built. Edited January 22, 2023 by hypertech 4
carusoam Posted January 23, 2023 Report Posted January 23, 2023 For comparison… There are a lot of Nice Mooneys that live on grass strips… Often living in hangar houses… as well as their owners…. runway maintenance and condition are important… The Mooney Cg is a bit farther away from the mains than the typical tricycle based Brand Cs…. Where snow on the tail feathers, raises their nose… Mooneys are a bit fast while still on the ground… Some days you take the Mooney, other days you go by brand C… PP thoughts only, not a CFI… Best regards, -a- 2
Canadian Gal Posted January 23, 2023 Author Report Posted January 23, 2023 Maybe its where I live, but have never seen a gopher hole on a grass or dirt runway, and have been to a lot of them. Since they are pretty common around here, maybe ours are kept in better condition. If I see even a tiny little hole, I go fix it, as do many other pilots. I've been into paved strips in the USA that were much worse than most of the grass and gravel ones I've been to. 1
Fly Boomer Posted January 23, 2023 Report Posted January 23, 2023 Just now, Canadian Gal said: Maybe its where I live, but have never seen a gopher hole on a grass or dirt runway, and have been to a lot of them. Since they are pretty common around here, maybe ours are kept in better condition. If I see even a tiny little hole, I go fix it, as do many other pilots. I've been into paved strips in the USA that were much worse than most of the grass and gravel ones I've been to. I don't think our gophers get as big as yours, but when I was about 8, I watched one main gear of our PA12 Super Cruiser drop into a hole on our turf airstrip deep enough to get the prop. 1
carusoam Posted January 24, 2023 Report Posted January 24, 2023 Soon after Bob bought his new2him forever-plane… M20E… @Bob_Belville (RIP) He taxied into a hole near his home drome…. Costing him a new prop and engine OH… No grass required/gravel required…. His plane did turn into the nicest forever-plane around after that… Best regards, -a- 2
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