M20J performance

[Tx_Aggie]

Shameless plug for the early J model. Has to be the best bang for the buck in general aviation right now. It was posts like this that got me fired up to eventually pull the trigger on my own. This thing will grab any tailwind available and sip on the fuel while doing so. While today wasn’t the fastest ground speed I’ve ever experienced in my J, it was the fastest west bound flight I’ve had out of Houston. To everyone one looking for a good plane go buy up those M20Js for $115K on TAP/controller! What other plane give this kind of performance for such a low fuel burn and low acquisition cost?! 

[ArtVandelay]

I love westbound flights, similar area of the country, similar result.

I noticed you’re running max rpms, I reduce it to 2500 to make for a quieter ride, it won’t hurt your TAS that much.

[Tx_Aggie]

3 hours ago, ArtVandelay said:

I love westbound flights, similar area of the country, similar result.

I noticed you’re running max rpms, I reduce it to 2500 to make for a quieter ride, it won’t hurt your TAS that much.

I was actually at 2500 also, I’ve got the original tach on the right side of the panel (outside of the photo), where are you noticing max rpms? 
 

btw nice cht spread, my #1 is hottest with about 50 degrees difference over my #3; seems I need to dial in my fuel injectors to get equivalent TAS for 8 gph- now that’s efficient!!

[Tx_Aggie]

4 hours ago, ArtVandelay said:

I love westbound flights, similar area of the country, similar result.

I noticed you’re running max rpms, I reduce it to 2500 to make for a quieter ride, it won’t hurt your TAS that much.

Also- not to get hung up in the details but you’re over west Florida at 13k, in December when OAT is 2* C.

 

I was over central Texas in July at 8k where OAT was 20* C, headed west. There’s kind of a big difference in factors!
 

I typically get howling winds from west to east in the winter and very cool engine operating parameters. But still nice performance for 8 gph nonetheless.

[ArtVandelay]

I was actually at 2500 also, I’ve got the original tach on the right side of the panel (outside of the photo), where are you noticing max rpms? 
 
btw nice cht spread, my #1 is hottest with about 50 degrees difference over my #3; seems I need to dial in my fuel injectors to get equivalent TAS for 8 gph- now that’s efficient!!

Your prop control is all the way in, Js max rpm is 2700.
Edit: BTW, the controls should not be able go to the panel, they should be adjusted to come up just short.

[Jim Peace]

The C is fast too...just did a 800nm trip up and back to NJ from the creek.....check out that TAS...

just wish I had more fuel to do it nonstop...can a J fly 800nm and land with reserves?

 

[ArtVandelay]

The C is fast too...just did a 800nm trip up and back to NJ from the creek.....check out that TAS...
just wish I had more fuel to do it nonstop...can a J fly 800nm and land with reserves?

Yes, not just because of extra fuel, but also more efficient running LOP:



In picture above I was getting 21.8 mpg, no wind it’s 17+.

[firelog1101]

Love my J, cant get something with similar performance for the price.  Getting an Eagle or Ovation shot the acquisition costs up too much for me.  My only other thought was a Bonanza or Debonair, but it would've been atleast 15 years older for similar price.

Beech had nice interiors that appear to have held up well but the panelwork and instrumentation was really lacking in the 1960s.  Having the landing gear so out of sight was worrisome for me, along with the keyboard keys.  Plus you need 2 extra cylinders to equate to relatively similar performance.  A lot still don't have Autopilots

[Tx_Aggie]

15 hours ago, ArtVandelay said:

Your prop control is all the way in, Js max rpm is 2700.
Edit: BTW, the controls should not be able go to the panel, they should be adjusted to come up just short.

I know it looks like that but it’s not. Just had a new prop control installed and they didn’t leave space. Good observation though.

[NotarPilot]

I absolutely love my J and I knew it was going to be my first and last airplane I bought. You can’t beat the efficiency in a certificated airplane.

[larrynimmo]

About 6 months ago I looked to upgrade from my J and I discussed with my AI…he asked why?…1. You know your plane, 2. Most of your trips are under 100 miles 3. Bigger plane adds more maintenace costs with very little benefits.

in the end, it’s about your mission…and for my mission, my IFR stellar J is my ticket for affordable “jet set” plane for those under 100 mile trips

[0TreeLemur]

18 hours ago, Jim Peace said:

can a J fly 800nm and land with reserves?

This June I flew non-stop 945 NM in our J from FNL to TCL in 6 hours and landed with 14 gallons remaining.

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N202Y/history/20230619/1716Z/KFNL/KTCL

At those power settings/altitude, she trues out at about 148 knots.  The flight faced headwinds for the first two hours, and got a nice push for the last two hours.   Burned 7.9 gph LOP at 11,500.  Could have done it in still air and landed with 10 gallons remaining.

After living for years with the 52 gallon tanks in our C, the 64 gallon capacity of the J plus the 10-20% lower fuel burn depending on altitude running LOP expands the range considerably.  Now if could only expand my bladder!

The J is a travellin' machine.

[201Mooniac]

19 hours ago, Jim Peace said:

can a J fly 800nm and land with reserves?

On my way to KOSH a few years ago I flew nonstop from San Jose, CA to Scottsbluff, NE, about 1100NM, and landed with 12 gallons.  It was a 6.5 hour leg at 13K where I was getting about 150 kts true and burning just under 8 gp.  I did have an average 18kt tailwind if I remember correctly.

[Hank]

I never plan based on distance. I've flown 4:45 twice in my C, landing with 1:20 remaining. Just flew 4.0 the other day, will know fuel remaining when I fill up (soon, maybe tomorrow morning).

So 4:45 = 4.75 hours; burning 41 gallons yields 8.6 gph. But I only have 52 gallons.

[dzeleski]

I have no idea how you guys do 5+ hour legs. Im completely done with it at like 4 hours or so. Need to stop and get fuel just to stretch out and take a breather.

I generally want to be at my destination with roughly 2 hours of fuel remaining, fairly conservative but in the event weather roles in that gives me a huge margin to get out.

Ill add some more photos for loving a J however

[hammdo]

Ditto - 4 hours max legs for me, I need a break after that - then I can do 3 more hours afterwards for the day…. I’ve done 9 hours max in one day - when I was in my 30’s…

wow 84-88° @ 10,000 feet!

-Don

[Hank]

48 minutes ago, hammdo said:

wow 84-88° @ 10,000 feet!

Last Friday, coming from Lower Alabama to Coastal Carolina, it was 64°F at 9000, much more comfortable. 

[201Mooniac]

1 hour ago, dzeleski said:

I have no idea how you guys do 5+ hour legs. Im completely done with it at like 4 hours or so. Need to stop and get fuel just to stretch out and take a breather.

I was a lot younger then   I was trying to get past the Rockies before the afternoon turbulence and this was the best way to do it.  Now I tend to also try to stop after 4 hours or so.  In my younger years I did a number of 6 hour legs but these days I have to stop sooner for several old timer reasons.

[dzeleski]

1 hour ago, hammdo said:

Ditto - 4 hours max legs for me, I need a break after that - then I can do 3 more hours afterwards for the day…. I’ve done 9 hours max in one day - when I was in my 30’s…

wow 84-88° @ 10,000 feet!

-Don

I think that probe is reading slightly high but it wasnt any cooler then 78. Im done for the day at like 6 hours. Especially if IMC is involved.

[Fly Boomer]

22 hours ago, ArtVandelay said:

Yes, not just because of extra fuel, but also more efficient running LOP:

Monroy long-range tanks?

[ArtVandelay]

Monroy long-range tanks?

Not me, I was burning 7.9gph, for 64 gal,(standard for the J) that’s 7 hours plus an hour of reserve. By personal record is 6 hours, but that’s not a record I want to break.