My Mooney Story-A Love Affair

[Echo]

It was after flying for the first time in a Piper Cherokee 180 that I realized "I'm a low wing guy".  Training in Cessna 150's, after earning my PPL I joined a nearby club that had a 172.  It felt roomey and "fast" after the 150.  The 172 was hard to get time in so I got my check out in the club's Cherokee.  I immediately felt comfortable in the plane and preferred how it flew and sight picture over the Cessna.  I found a closer grass strip (now only a memory to housing development) that had one hanger.  The hanger housed a Warrier and an Arrow.  My mission was to fly to family cottages and the Arrow "did it faster".  I began flying the Arrow and it felt just like a faster Cherokee.  Me happy.  After getting my sign off I had about 100 hours and was itching to own my own plane.  Barnes and Noble had a now ancient (It was early 2001) copy of Belvoir Communications "Consumeer Aviations Guide to Used Airplanes".  The M20E was punching all my right buttons for speed, efficiency and beauty.  Back then the internet was NOT what it is today and Trade-a-Plane newspapers at airports were how you "found available aircraft".  I found my plane there and phoned the owner. (to be continued)

[Skates97]

Great story! I've always been partial to low-wings, just like the way they look. I had never heard of a Mooney but a friend had a 1961 M20B and took my son and I for a flight, I was in love with it. When I shopped flight schools I chose one that did all their training in Cherokees. Right after I got my PPL I bought our Mooney and have loved every one of the 900+ hours I have in it. 

I know almost everyone has a ton of Cessna time from training, but the first time I even sat in one was a flight in Maui when I was at almost 300 total hours. The CFI that we took along for the flight couldn't believe it was the first time I had been in a Cessna. It flew well, but confirmed in my mind that I love low wings and especially the Mooney.

[hammdo]

Sums up me pretty well. 1 lesson in a Cessna 172, next week Warrior - loved the low wing, bought a Warrior a few months later, got my PPL in that. First time I saw a Mooney (King videos while getting my PPL), I was hooked… 

-Don

[MooneyMitch]

My favorite realistic [for me] low wing airplane................all my former Mooney's....................next on the list, P-51

[A64Pilot]

High wings have several advantages, chief among them is it gives you a place to stand when it’s raining, and they almost always have two doors and are easier to get into and out of. High wings are less likely to be damaged if flying bush, easier to camp out under a high wing. People have always said they are more stable, but I don’t think that’s necessarily true.

The one thing that annoys me about them is you can’t see in the direction you’re turning, if you turn left you can’t see to your left, the wing is in the way. That’s the one reason why in my opinion they don’t make a good Ag plane.

Its way easier to make a low wing retract than a high wing too.

[Echo]

49 minutes ago, A64Pilot said:

High wings have several advantages, chief among them is it gives you a place to stand when it’s raining, and they almost always have two doors and are easier to get into and out of. High wings are less likely to be damaged if flying bush, easier to camp out under a high wing. People have always said they are more stable, but I don’t think that’s necessarily true.

The one thing that annoys me about them is you can’t see in the direction you’re turning, if you turn left you can’t see to your left, the wing is in the way. That’s the one reason why in my opinion they don’t make a good Ag plane.

Its way easier to make a low wing retract than a high wing too.

Agree with all.  I don't like to fly in rain, but am old Infantry guy so if I get wet, meh?  I love sports cars so climbing out is actually a part of the alure for me.  Prefer the low stretch to the kitchen table.  While I will land on a known grass strip, I only do so if wind component or runway repair demands it.  Not a back country guy, although love watching the videos of others.  Spent enough time in tents in Army.  Camping days are over and out.    I find the Mooney to be the most stable plane I have flown or flown in (GA).  The Missile was the best, but I haven't flown in a long body.  I much prefer a Mooney to a Cessna for stability in all phases.

Edited February 2 by Echo

[Echo]

Chapter II

So I found a 1966 Mooney M20E that was located in Brunswick Georgia.  The original owner was located in Ocala, Fl and lived in a fl-n community.  The plane was VERY low airframe time, but owner had NOT been flying the plane much in the last 15+ years.  (Knowing NOW what I didn't know then I would have walked away).  I was "that guy" that comes in not knowing ANYTHING about Mooney's other than what aviation consumer said, "the 1966-67 Mooney's had the smoothest wings, corrosion protection.  This plane had the desireable Johnson bar gear.  I had been married for nearly 20 years and we had moved to Iowa from Wisconsin.  We were now a 6.5 hour drive away from family cottages on a lake.  I did what I would NEVER recommend.  I gave my wife an ultimatum.  "I am buying an airplane, you can get on board or do whatever you have to do".  So you can imagine how that was received.  (20 years later she is still hanging around...sometimes a man has to do what a man has to do).  But I digress.  I received photos of the "shotgun panel" and spinning tiny DG and fell in love.  A "one way ticket was booked" to Georgia where "pre-buy" was to take place in Brunswick.  The plane was brokered, so I never met the owner.  A ferry pilot flew the plane up from Ocala and we took the plane up and stayed in the pattern.  He commented that the controls were "stiff" and I educated him on the PC system and that the wing leveler was "always on" unless he pushed the button on the pilot yoke.  I did my first couple Johnson bar landings and was so sold on owning this plane that any rational thought was NOT there.  Turned "pre-buy" into an annual and for the price of $700 annual was completed with...wait for it...ZERO squaks.  The next day I launched for a VFR flight back to Iowa.  It was a couple days before Christmas and there was a MONSTER front between me and Iowa.  So I found that the DG was useless.  Thankfully I had a auto GPS and dialed in Evansville, IN.  (my hoped to reach destination for day 1).  I climbed out and found that my ground speed was a whopping 120mph.  I had to climb up to 10,500' to get on top.  I made SO MANY MISTAKES and weather was NOT what it is now.  Reaching just north of Atlanta I had a break in the clouds and did my third Mooney landing with a 20+mph direct crosswind.  It was NOT pretty.  Fueled the plane and checked weather.  NOT GREAT.  I launched anyway (just a dumb 100 hour new owner writing checks he couldn't cash)...I had to climb up to 9500...then 10,500...then 11,500 to reamin above a solid cloud layer.  I watched a gulfstream go across my path East to West and thought to myself, YOU ARE IN WAY OVER YOUR HEAD!  It was getting late in the day and at Fort Cambell, KY I had a cloud clearing and got down.  I had a wall of white (snow storm to my north).  I looked right and there were airport lights.  Whew.  The landing was uneventful.  I had just completed the most dangerous, ignorant day of my life and by the grace of God I had survived to be the father to two children and husband to a wonderful wife.  Knucklehead was I.  I taxied up to the FBO and shut down.  Opening my pilot window the attendant asked if I need fuel?  Yes.  Did I plan to spend the night?  Yes.  Did I need a ride to a motel?  Yes.  On the way, are you hungry?  Yes.  Would you like to go through the McDonald's drive through?  Yes.  Would you like me to pick you up tomorrow?  Yes.  8:00?  Yes.  That guy was my hero.  The next day I launched into a clear blue sky and had ground speeds of over 150 knots.  Day two of Mooney ownership was looking pretty damn good.   

[Fly Boomer]

42 minutes ago, Echo said:

Chapter II

So I found a 1966 Mooney M20E that was located in Brunswick Georgia.  The original owner was located in Ocala, Fl and lived in a fl-n community.  The plane was VERY low airframe time, but owner had NOT been flying the plane much in the last 15+ years.  (Knowing NOW what I didn't know then I would have walked away).  I was "that guy" that comes in not knowing ANYTHING about Mooney's other than what aviation consumer said, "the 1966-67 Mooney's had the smoothest wings, corrosion protection.  This plane had the desireable Johnson bar gear.  I had been married for nearly 20 years and we had moved to Iowa from Wisconsin.  We were now a 6.5 hour drive away from family cottages on a lake.  I did what I would NEVER recommend.  I gave my wife an ultimatum.  "I am buying an airplane, you can get on board or do whatever you have to do".  So you can imagine how that was received.  (20 years later she is still hanging around...sometimes a man has to do what a man has to do).  But I digress.  I received photos of the "shotgun panel" and spinning tiny DG and fell in love.  A "one way ticket was booked" to Georgia where "pre-buy" was to take place in Brunswick.  The plane was brokered, so I never met the owner.  A ferry pilot flew the plane up from Ocala and we took the plane up and stayed in the pattern.  He commented that the controls were "stiff" and I educated him on the PC system and that the wing leveler was "always on" unless he pushed the button on the pilot yoke.  I did my first couple Johnson bar landings and was so sold on owning this plane that any rational thought was NOT there.  Turned "pre-buy" into an annual and for the price of $700 annual was completed with...wait for it...ZERO squaks.  The next day I launched for a VFR flight back to Iowa.  It was a couple days before Christmas and there was a MONSTER front between me and Iowa.  So I found that the DG was useless.  Thankfully I had a auto GPS and dialed in Evansville, IN.  (my hoped to reach destination for day 1).  I climbed out and found that my ground speed was a whopping 120mph.  I had to climb up to 10,500' to get on top.  I made SO MANY MISTAKES and weather was NOT what it is now.  Reaching just north of Atlanta I had a break in the clouds and did my third Mooney landing with a 20+mph direct crosswind.  It was NOT pretty.  Fueled the plane and checked weather.  NOT GREAT.  I launched anyway (just a dumb 100 hour new owner writing checks he couldn't cash)...I had to climb up to 9500...then 10,500...then 11,500 to reamin above a solid cloud layer.  I watched a gulfstream go across my path East to West and thought to myself, YOU ARE IN WAY OVER YOUR HEAD!  It was getting late in the day and at Fort Cambell, KY I had a cloud clearing and got down.  I had a wall of white (snow storm to my north).  I looked right and there were airport lights.  Whew.  The landing was uneventful.  I had just completed the most dangerous, ignorant day of my life and by the grace of God I had survived to be the father to two children and husband to a wonderful wife.  Knucklehead was I.  I taxied up to the FBO and shut down.  Opening my pilot window the attendant asked if I need fuel?  Yes.  Did I plan to spend the night?  Yes.  Did I need a ride to a motel?  Yes.  On the way, are you hungry?  Yes.  Would you like to go through the McDonald's drive through?  Yes.  Would you like me to pick you up tomorrow?  Yes.  8:00?  Yes.  That guy was my hero.  The next day I launched into a clear blue sky and had ground speeds of over 150 knots.  Day two of Mooney ownership was looking pretty damn good.   

That is a delightful story.  Someone famous said:

"Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment."

[Echo]

33 minutes ago, Fly Boomer said:

That is a delightful story.  Someone famous said:

"Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment."

Amen to that.  Old enough to have known better.  Many lessons on what NOT to do that day..  Wisdom is earned.  I was "Darwin" that day, but cheated death.  All I can do is shake my head, but "it" did happen.  sigh...

[Echo]

Chapter III

Well, I found that maintaining and feeding a vintage Mooney M20E...especially a former hanger queen requires laser focus and AMU's.  What to do?  As a father of two young children "extra cash" for a hobby is tough to come by.  My answer was donating plasma twice a week in the evenings and taking on a co-owner.  My co-owner was a busy Emergency Room Physician with a professional (also medical doctor) wife.  He found me through an add I posted on a then free online ap.  He began flying right seat with me and fell in love with the Mooney.  He had hoped to buy in, but when completing his medical he self reported (two years after incident) that he had a mountain bike incident that resulted in an inner-cranial brain bleed.  This is an automatic fail on third class medical.  He was a high functioning professional that had been working in the E.R...but no go on medical.  The FAA then proceeded to require extensive and expensive neurological testing to confirm he was fit to fly.  In addition they started a two year ban on getting medical from date of report.  I waited.  We continued to fly together and he participated in cost of airplane panel and interior upgrades.  Of course he did NOT officially "buy in" until the "fit to fly" and completion/issuance of third class medical was completed.  Finally that happened and I had a co-owner.  We continued co-ownership for over a decade and we discussed my exit and the idea of adding another co-owner.  To be continued...

[Echo]

Chapter IV

Well it's 2019 and my Co-owner and I have brought back a 1966 M20E from hanger queen to awesome dispatch queen.  The windows have been replaced.  The tanks sealed.  The engine was majored at Poplar Grove following a gear up under instructio.  The interior plastics repainted.  Carpets replaced.  Parking brake and brake lines re-done.  Panel replaced (pilot and co-pilot).  Brittain upgraded with accu-flite and accu-trak as well as altitude hold in Tulsa by Brittain.  Upgraded 201 yokes.  The plane was awesome...BUT my co-owner Emergency Room Physician was over a decade younder than me and I was not to far from retirement and a potential move out of Iowa.

My co-owner had a neighbor that was "working on his ticket", but did not yet have his license.  He was NOT interested in the M20E and was leaning toward a Cirrus.  I had a customer that was a Beech owner and had a light sport hangered in West Union Iowa.  He asked me to come see his light sport after we had completed some work.  I wasn't to impressed with the light sport, but behind it was a 201 that had a sticker on the side that said MISSILE.  I thought it was a turbo and wasn't to interested, but asked my customer what the story was on the dusty girl.  He said "I know the owner, if you are interested".  I went home and realized that the plane was a Rocket Engineering conversion with an IO-550 300HP engine on a J.  Wow.  The paint had been upgraded and a custom leather interior installed.  the plane had sat, but I discussed with my co-owner and the "new guy" joined us in visiting the plane.  He said "I am in" and I reached out to the owner and got a great price "as is".  We bought the Missile and the E went up for sale and was sold to an airline pilot out of a fly in property south of Atlanta.

The Missile was ferried and an annual completed.  The engine was at tbo, but new cylinders had gone on about 600 hours ago.  We upgraded a 530 to Waas and installed two G5's as well as sealing the tanks at Wilmer.  With an S-tek autopilot the plane was a joy to fly.  The Missile climbed fantasticly well and flew at 170-180 knots on only 13.5gph.

I was about three to four years from retirement and likely move to Wisconsin so I asked my two co-owners if they could buy me out over the next three years.  They said "we will just buy you out now"...Well shit.  I was not ready to be done, but figured I would just exit as retiring in Wisconsin I would really not need a plane so I sold out in the fall of 2020.  I was NOT ready to be done flying Mooney's, but there I was...To be continued.

[Echo]

Chapter V (Life is Good)

Well from the moment I received my buy out in the fall of 2022 I missed the magic carpet that are our Mooney aircraft.  If I am being honest, the Missile was way more airplane than I really needed for my mission (flying in the Midwest to visit family and cottages).  What to do?  Well first I repaid my co-pilot and lovely wife of 40 years.  I had told her on entering ownership "I am buying a Mooney, you can get on board or do what you need to do".  I do NOT recommend ultamatums and had never ever given one before...of course, she was right in that at the time of purchase I had two children approaching college...and weddings...and life is expensive, right?  The co-owner solved that challenge, but that option was gone.  2022 flew by and in the summer of 2023 we learned that our daughter was moving from the east coast back to Iowa.  An HOUR away.  Any aspirations of putting Iowa experience behind were NOT happening as having two grand daughters an hour away was/ is perfection.

I decided that I wanted to re-enter Mooney ownership and finally from a financial stand point sole ownership of a nearly 60 year old airplane made sense.  What about a hanger?  Box checked on the opposite side of my old hanger.  I had plenty of time in the M20E so insurance was not a problem.  I located my plane on Barnstormers and began discussions with the "transitional" owner in North Dakota.  I say transitional because the long time owner (involved in long time ownership of the plane essentially since the 1960's) and family of a Mooney Service Center sold it to this owner.  He flew crop dusters and a tail dragger was "more his speed" so he was selling after hanging a low time engine.  The plane had some very desireable mods including a REAL J cowl, wing tips, South West Texas Aviation Speed Slope Windshield and updated, but somewhat tired (if closer than six feet) paint.  Monroy tanks, Aspen and ADSB were also installed.  A price was agreed upon and a pre-buy completed.  I picked up my bird and flew it home.  All was right with my world.

Since purchase I have done small updates to "make it mine".  I removed yokes and had them powder coated.  I relocated the PC disconnect to the panel allowing a push to talk to function in the pilot yoke.  The original six pack glass was fractured and the scrpt not legible.  I had installed an EDM830 in the Missile on pilot side and really liked it.  I decided to retain the OEM engine gauges and have an 830 put in the plane.  Plane went in after a long difficult search to find an avionics installer that would install used equipment.  While the down time was extended, I don't do much flying over the winter so in the plane went to have panel upgrades completed in Mid February.  The plane will be completed tomorrow.  I had originally hoped to install a large Aera on the co-pilot side, but it would not fit.  Fortunately, plan B worked fantastic.  An old in-op BK GPS and Com 2 were on co-pilot side and an Aera 660 fit PERFECTLY.  I had bought the large Aera on Mooneyspace and sold for what I had in it on Ebay.  The RPM was relocated below MP and a serial input from Aera to EDM installed.  I am VFR so the 830 (purchased from AeroDon on Mooneyspace) is on pilot side in a Non-used old VOR/Glideslope hole.  The plane did NOT have an intercom so a used Stereo PS engineering intercom was installed.  Com 2 was relocated to center stack.  I have replaced the baggage carpets with Airtex and remaining carpets will be installed by me this week.  Seats have new rollers and shoulder harnesse's are going in during May annual.  

I am nine days from retiring from a 38+ year commercial insurance job.  Looking forward to flying my "short body J" to family in Arkansas, Cottages in Northern Wisconsin and concerts throughout Midwest.  Health is always the trump card (both my and the Mooney's Engine) are doing well, but we all know that can change.  I am going to enjoy "it" while I can.  Next phase, here I come!

[Echo]

Mooneys:#1

*New owner completed some awesome avionics upgrades!   

[Echo]

Mooney #2

 

Edited April 28 by Echo

[Echo]

Mooney#3 Panel before my modifications...except removed nav heads and replaced engine six pack.

[Echo]

Updates almost complete.  NOT fancy, but just what I wanted.

[Echo]

Couple more.

[Echo]

Unfortunately the Brittain Accu-Flite install will need to wait until next winter.  I enjoy hand flying so that is fine.

[Echo]

In addition to the intercom I had a used P/N 2040-1-2 Voice Alert system installed.  I had this installed in my first m20E after my gear up.  It gives a CHECK GEAR! and STALL! alert through the headset.  I loved hearing STALL! in the flare on touch down.  

Thankfully I never had the "CHECK GEAR! yell at me, but my co-owner did when he didn't have JBar locked in.  Saved him/us.

[Echo]

Got my plane out of its first annual under my ownership and I had no surprises.  Whew!  The Alpha Shoulder harnesses are now installed.  Plane has been down with avionics upgrades and then the annual since Mid February.  Looking forward to flying her the rest of this year.  I decided my daily driver in retirement (after 38.5 years of "free" company cars) will also be blue.  Picked this CPO up on Saturday.

[Echo]

Just received and completed Jimmy's GMAX valuation.  I felt I was fair on the subjective areas.  Pleased with result.  Plane is "valued" about 20% more than I have invested.  Nice.

[Shadrach]

43 minutes ago, Echo said:

Just received and completed Jimmy's GMAX valuation.  I felt I was fair on the subjective areas.  Pleased with result.  Plane is "valued" about 20% more than I have invested.  Nice.

Did you get your heater box all squared away?

[Echo]

2 hours ago, Shadrach said:

Did you get your heater box all squared away?

Yes

[Echo]

Really enjoyed having an engine monitor on flight Up Nort. Everything working perfectly after recent upgrades. 

[Echo]

Photo of pilot side of panel with engine monitor installed.  Anybody know legality of pulling the vacuum horizon and installing a Heading bug (for accu-flite) in the position?