I need suggestion on first long distance trip in my mooney M20J

[Ali]

Hello guys! 

I am planning my first long trip in my Mooney M20J and could use some advice from the experienced pilots here. The route will take me from Denver, CO to Miami, FL, and I have a few questions: 

Fuel Stops: What are some suggested airports for fuel stops along this route? I'm looking for airports with good facilities and reasonable fuel prices.

Weather Considerations: What are the key weather patterns I should be aware of, especially since this trip will span multiple climates and regions?

Aircraft Preparation: Are there any specific maintenance checks or preparations you suggest I do before embarking on this trip? My M20J is well-maintained, but I want to ensure everything is in top shape for a long flight.

Flight Planning Tips: Any general tips for planning a long cross-country trip like this? I'm using ForeFlight for navigation, but I'd appreciate any additional resources or tips you might recommend.

I also check this : https://mooneyspace.com/topic/7982-201-j-suitable-for-a-low-bdm-how-pilot But I have not found any solution. Thank you in advance for your help!

Respected community member

Ali Ambere

[ArtVandelay]

Check out airnav.com, will help plan out your fuel stops.

This time of year, fly early, plan on landing early to avoid thunderstorms and turbulence.

Stop at airports that have maintenance facilities, just in case you need it.

[802flyer]

I like using windy.com to keep an overall eye on weather patterns starting a week or so out. It’s been discussed on mooneyspace before here: https://mooneyspace.com/topic/37682-anyone-use-windycom/.

A quick glance at the cloud, rain, wind, turbulence, and CAPE* layers will give you a decent idea of where to focus your weather review more thoroughly, and can help get a general idea of good windows for each leg. You can also plot your route and see a cross-section of weather along it. Then focus in on concerning areas with aviation-specific weather products.

*if you haven’t read up on it, Convective Available Potential Energy is a handy metric for guesstimating where thunderstorms might form, and how severe they might be.


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[802flyer]

For fuel stops, I usually start with the fuel price layer on the ForeFlight map, and read the ForeFlight/airnav comments/reviews for the fields with cheap gas until I find something that looks good. Also check the Runway tab for condition of the runway surface.

Happened upon KLHW this way on a recent trip to Florida, and it meets your criteria of cheap fuel and clean facilities (though perhaps a bit far east for your route, unless you want the coastal view heading south).


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[Z W]

When I first started flying long cross countries, I picked airports with the cheapest fuel for fuel stops.  After a few issues, I now choose airports with 1) maintenance facilities, 2) commercial airline service, and 3) nearby restaurants, hotels, and Uber/Lyft service.  It's insurance for both aircraft maintenance issues and weather.  Being stuck on the ground on a Sunday in the middle of nowhere with nobody staffing the FBO can really interrupt your trip.  And I've had to use the airlines to get home once.

For where you're going, fuel stops that meet those requirements would include Garden City, KS (KGCK), Liberal, KS (KLBL), Tulsa, OK (KTUL), Springfield, Missouri (KSGF), Little Rock, AR (KLIT), Montgomery, AL (KMGM), Tallahassee, FL (KTLH).  I'd try to pick my way from one of those to another based on the weather that day, and be flexible about it.  Any of them also makes a pretty good overnight stop if you need or want to break it into two days.

Florida's airspace around Miami and Tampa is always a challenge.  It's very busy and the controllers don't like dealing with slow piston aircraft.  Their preferred method of dealing with you is to route you 20 NM offshore at 4,000 feet, which feels uncomfortable in a single engine.  You will want to either stay VFR and outside the class Bravo as long as possible, or file IFR and try your very best to sound like a professional airline pilot on the radio and hope they work you in.  It helps if you file an arrival procedure in your flight plan, in my experience.  They'll usually give it to you and let you fly it.

Good luck and have fun.

[M20F]

For a trip that length I would start with fresh oil. 

[201er]

Go IFR and bring Hefty Slider bags.

[201er]

1 hour ago, Z W said:

When I first started flying long cross countries, I picked airports with the cheapest fuel for fuel stops.  After a few issues, I now choose airports with 1) maintenance facilities, 2) commercial airline service, and 3) nearby restaurants, hotels, and Uber/Lyft service.

I agree that the cheapest fuel isn’t necessarily the best fuel. Often there’s a catch such as the runway is really short or it’s in the middle of nowhere. If you want to reduce stress and risk, go for the bigger airports with services.

Also check the hours for FBO you plan to use in Florida. Don’t be surprised they close at 6PM. Sometimes it’s cutting it close when you’re arriving from far away.

[Pinecone]

https://airnav.com/plan/fuel/

Allows you to pick cheapest route (based on time and fuel stops) or shortest.   It lets you set parameters like runway length. 

It doesn't let you set maintenance available, so you need to take their list and do some more digging.

[N201MKTurbo]

Your plane should be fine, just go. If some mechanical issue happens, it happens and you have to deal with it. They rarely happen while you are fueling, so if something happens while flying, you can change your destination. If it is something that requires an immediate landing, your planned stops won’t matter anyway. 
 

The route you are flying is pretty simple, no mountains. It makes the weather planning a lot easier. 
 

If you watch the weather for the week before the trip, you will have a good idea what to expect. One thing I pay attention to is whether the forecasts are getting better or worse as time goes on. It is like the second derivative of the weather. You have the weather, then the forecast, then the polarity and rate of change of the forecast.

[Shadrach]

16 minutes ago, 201er said:

I agree that the cheapest fuel isn’t necessarily the best fuel. Often there’s a catch such as the runway is really short or it’s in the middle of nowhere. If you want to reduce stress and risk, go for the bigger airports with services.

Also check the hours for FBO you plan to use in Florida. Don’t be surprised they close at 6PM. Sometimes it’s cutting it close when you’re arriving from far away.

One of the great joys of aviation for me is being able to easily visit places that are significantly removed from the well traveled highways, and major metropolitan areas. I try to support these operations when possible because I want to keep them in existence.
In general, it’s good practice to call an unknown FBO before making a decision to patronize. One can get a pretty good sense of hospitality from a phone call. I wish more pilots left Airnav ratings (I’m guilty as well). All of the above being said, I’ve been treated well and I’ve been  treated poorly by FBO large and small.

I also make it general policy to tip line people. It’s sets a nice tone out of the gate.

 

[bcg]

If it's convenient, stop at KMEI Key Field in Meridian, Ms.  The Navy uses it for fuel and there's an ANG wing there so you're likely to see at least a T45 and probably an F18 on the ramp, I once got parked between the 2.  KC135s are there often and there are some ANG cargo jets based there, I think C5s but I could be wrong.  Add to all that, the FBO is awesome with a soft serve ice cream machine, popcorn and lunch all for free plus reasonably priced fuel.  I always try to stop there on a long XC if I can.

KMLU in Monroe is a good one along that route as well.  It's used by Air Force and Army, I've seen Apaches and some of the USAF twin training jets there.  Again, free ice cream and sodas, a great FBO with very nice crew cars and some really good food very close by.  I don't remember what fuel prices were like there. 

I like the airports used by the military for training stops and fuel, they always have lots of nice extras so they can keep that government contract.  Our tax dollars are paying for it all so, we might as well use it when we can.  There's one in West Texas also, I think it has tacos, I can't remember which one it is though.  Maybe someone else here knows.

[McMooney]

airnav fuel routing is great, can really save you some money.

try to pick fields of good size and capability,  nice to be able to get a crew car, take a nap, maintenance, etc...

try to pick a time when the winds are favorable, west to east you have a good shot but your return will be SLOW.

make sure you have some supplies, extra oil, tools, snacks, drinks etc... 

pick a day where you can avoid crossing fronts and you should be good.   oh yeah, pit stop somewhere and try to get to florida early am,  otherwise you'll have to dodge buildups/thunderstorms.

stop in wichita, touch and go the shuttle landing strip, fly past the cape, all kinda cool stuff on the way

 

[N201MKTurbo]

11 minutes ago, bcg said:

If it's convenient, stop at KMEI Key Field in Meridian, Ms.  The Navy uses it for fuel and there's an ANG wing there so you're likely to see at least a T45 and probably an F18 on the ramp, I once got parked between the 2.  KC135s are there often and there are some ANG cargo jets based there, I think C5s but I could be wrong.  Add to all that, the FBO is awesome with a soft serve ice cream machine, popcorn and lunch all for free plus reasonably priced fuel.  I always try to stop there on a long XC if I can.

KMLU in Monroe is a good one along that route as well.  It's used by Air Force and Army, I've seen Apaches and some of the USAF twin training jets there.  Again, free ice cream and sodas, a great FBO with very nice crew cars and some really good food very close by.  I don't remember what fuel prices were like there. 

I like the airports used by the military for training stops and fuel, they always have lots of nice extras so they can keep that government contract.  Our tax dollars are paying for it all so, we might as well use it when we can.  There's one in West Texas also, I think it has tacos, I can't remember which one it is though.  Maybe someone else here knows.

Pecos TX has free barretos. 

[bcg]

4 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

Pecos TX has free barretos. 

Thank you, that's who I was thinking of.

[Fly Boomer]

7 hours ago, Ali said:

Fuel Stops: What are some suggested airports for fuel stops along this route?

I just learned about the AirNav Fuel Planner from another post above.  This is a great tool.  I have no idea what airport in Devner you are departing from or what airport in the Miami area you are heading to or, for that matter, what your range or fuel burn are.  BUT, as an example, I just plugged in  some approximate numbers, and the fuel planner tool spit out 10 possible routes, along with total distance and savings on fuel compared to the shortest route.  You will probably get a different solution if you use the tool but, using my made-up numbers, it said that the best bet was stopping at KRNV in Cleveland Mississippi.  Total trip length is 1485, longest leg is 761 (there is only one stop), and savings compared to shortest route is $253.74.  You can try the tool at:
https://www.airnav.com/plan/fuel/
 

[M20F]

1 hour ago, N201MKTurbo said:

Pecos TX has free barretos. 

After @Marauder and his passengers visit they will set a limit. 

[BlueSky247]

Man, threads like these are why I really gotta start a bucket list of fields to visit. Great pointers!

[PeteMc]

Remember each leg is just like flying from your home Apt to some new lunch spot.  It's not one giant flight, but a bunch of individual flights, no biggie at all that you've never been there before.

And I'm with the group that no longer looks for the cheapest fuel when not in my home area.  Not to say that if I'm stopping in a bigger metro area I won't shop around, but I don't usually pick small Apts in the middle of nowhere because I can save a few cents per gallon.  Having a mechanic and people around in case there's an issue are a big plus.

Besides search for hotels/motels at overnight stops, I'll also call the FBO.  Sometimes they have deals with local places and can also guide you to parts of town where it's easy to get to restaurants (or places with restaurants).  Some places also have shuttle vans that make it easier. 

I always have a bag full of snack bars, M&Ms or whatever.  Every once in a while you get someplace and that Apt rest. is closed and you really don't want to spend the time getting to the one that's 20 min. each way and probably has a line too.  

 

 

 

[Shadrach]

2 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said:

Pecos TX has free barretos. 

Is that Texan for Burrito?  Having lived in the San Antonio area for years, I know that they do love Messcan food.

[Ragsf15e]

4 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said:

Your plane should be fine, just go. If some mechanical issue happens, it happens and you have to deal with it. They rarely happen while you are fueling, so if something happens while flying, you can change your destination. If it is something that requires an immediate landing, your planned stops won’t matter anyway. 
 

The route you are flying is pretty simple, no mountains. It makes the weather planning a lot easier. 
 

If you watch the weather for the week before the trip, you will have a good idea what to expect. One thing I pay attention to is whether the forecasts are getting better or worse as time goes on. It is like the second derivative of the weather. You have the weather, then the forecast, then the polarity and rate of change of the forecast.

Love the second derivative of the weather!

[Z W]

4 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said:

Your plane should be fine, just go. If some mechanical issue happens, it happens and you have to deal with it. They rarely happen while you are fueling...

You've had better luck than I.  Dead or weak batteries and flat tires can happen anywhere.  Minor inconvenience on a field with services.  Major problem at an unattended field with cheap self-serve on a weekend.

I do love finding off-the-beaten path airports and going there, and supporting them.  I just don't use them as fuel stops on a long cross-country any more.

[N201MKTurbo]

2 minutes ago, Z W said:

You've had better luck than I.  Dead or weak batteries and flat tires can happen anywhere.  Minor inconvenience on a field with services.  Major problem at an unattended field with cheap self-serve on a weekend.

I do love finding off-the-beaten path airports and going there, and supporting them.  I just don't use them as fuel stops on a long cross-country any more.

My alternator quit over BF Pennsylvania once. I landed and asked about maintenance and found a mechanic about 40 miles away. Then I found the two farm boys who mowed the grass. They seemed able to find whatever tools and parts I needed. With their help I repaired the alternator on the ramp. And it has been working fine ever since.

[Shadrach]

Just now, Z W said:

You've had better luck than I.  Dead or weak batteries and flat tires can happen anywhere.  Minor inconvenience on a field with services.  Major problem at an unattended field with cheap self-serve on a weekend.

I do love finding off-the-beaten path airports and going there, and supporting them.  I just don't use them as fuel stops on a long cross-country any more.

A lot of it is luck... The only flat tire I've ever had in a Mooney occurred during an unplanned landing at a small field with no FBO. My right seater got queasy so I diverted to the closest field. She was puking in a zip lock by the time we turned final. The tire blew 600ft into the ground roll.  It was a Saturday with no one on the field.  I called the airport owner who gave me the number of a local A&P. He was working on an aircraft 200NM away but he gave me the number of a local to let me into his shop as well as permission to use tools and a jack and borrow a wheel off of an abandoned 201 that had been sitting on the apron for several years.  Not ideal, but I was on my way in a few hours.   I returned and reinstalled the wheel a few days later.

[Shadrach]

11 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

My alternator quit over BF Pennsylvania once. I landed and asked about maintenance and found a mechanic about 40 miles away. Then I found the two farm boys who mowed the grass. They seemed able to find whatever tools and parts I needed. With their help I repaired the alternator on the ramp. And it has been working fine ever since.

Rural folks often go out of their way to facilitate the solution to a problem.