Buying a Mooney - Import and Transition Training

[EKoS]

Hi all - long time Mooney fan here, though only recently joined MS. I’ve finally reached a point in life where plane ownership makes (some) sense, and have come across a very nicely equipped Canadian (Vancouver) M20J that I’m seriously considering as my first plane.

If everything checks out, I’m planning to ferry the plane down to the US (Seattle area) for inspection and registration, then fly it across the country to my home base in the Washington, DC area. A few questions for you all:

1. Who here has gone through the import/reimport process between Canada and the US? I’m broadly familiar with the regulatory and registration requirements, but would love to hear more on any tips and tricks (or things to watch out for) during the process. In addition, anyone here have recommendations in the Seattle area that could do a PPI for me and/or serve as DAR for import purposes?

2. I’ve got a bit of complex/retractable time under my belt, but want to get some transition training before I buy. Any CFI/CFIIs in the Washington, DC area with a Mooney (ideally a J) willing to meet up and help me get up to speed? Happy to pay the going rate for your time, just let me know!

Looking forward to joining the community!

[802flyer]

There’s enough good Mooney CFIs all over the country—including the Seattle area—that the recommendation is pretty much always to defer transition training until you purchase a plane, and then train in your own plane.

The most common reason newcomers (myself included) start out by researching transition training before purchase is hoping it will save money on insurance. But the 10hours of transition training doesn’t make a huge dent. Many insurers will adjust your rate in real time as you gain hours in the new plane, so there’s no real benefit from an insurance standpoint trying to get it done early. Whatever you might save on insurance will be outweighed by paying full rental rate in someone else’s plane.

Not only will it be cheaper for you to wait, but you may as well learn your plane rather than someone else’s.


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[Pinecone]

Where do you plan on being based?

I am in MD and a few other MSers around the area.

@jetdriven is at KGAI and a very good Mooney shop.

[NickG]

I have experience importing planes from Canada. Feel free to PM me and I’m happy to share what I know. There are a few things to watch out for.

[EKoS]

Thanks all! Hearing great things about @jetdriven Mooney service in KGAI - always good to have a well-recommended service option nearby

I’m likely to end up based at KVKX, since that’s the closest airfield to home for me - but will probably set up temporarily at KGAI while I get used to operating a Mooney vs. the Arrow I currently fly. Appreciate the tips on transition training in my own plane - especially if insurance cos will adjust rates in realtime based on hours flown.

@NickG - would love to hear more on your import experiences; will PM you shortly.

[Hank]

Check with @Parker_Woodruff for your insurance questions, he's our guru for that.

I went out with a CFI last fall while my plane was down, in an Arrow. You'll llike the Mooney, the sight picture is similar but a little different. Do watch your speeds, especially in descent. I frequently pull my power to idle on final approach ~1/4 mile from the threshold, with no change in glide path, so you do have a few things to look forward to!

[EKoS]

Thanks! I’m so delighted to have so many resources at my fingertips here, this is an awesome community!

[Danb]

I recently imported an Acclaim from Canada one year ago, going through its first annual. Hopefully it has a us N number otherwise you may be in for a complex reassignment to us. I didn’t even though mine only had 300+ hours and it is a 2016 model I needed a blessing from the FAA if not be prepared to have every aspect gone over and inspected 

D

[cliffy]

I found that on the one airplane I flew that came in from Canada (MU2) that the CAN records were really pretty good

In some ways better than we see here a lot. The airplane matched the records   Maybe it was just that airplane  but 

we didn't have any issues. 

[Fly Boomer]

  On 4/23/2024 at 12:02 AM, cliffy said:

I found that on the one airplane I flew that came in from Canada (MU2) that the CAN records were really pretty good

In some ways better than we see here a lot. The airplane matched the records   Maybe it was just that airplane  but 

we didn't have any issues. 

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I think many other developed countries (Europe in particular) require meticulous record keeping.