What kind of flying if not Mooney? Poll

[201er]

If not Mooney flying, what sort of flying do you most see yourself doing or appeals most to you?

[Schllc]

I never thought I would love a plane like my Mooney but the Aerostar is really growing on me. It’s like a big brother Mooney. It’ll take years to get to the comfort level I have in a Mooney, but it’s a sweet plane. 

[Hank]

I'd probably find a nice biplane, which isn't on your poll . . . .

[EricJ]

Back country stuff is fun, e.g., tail draggers to dirt spots.   LSAs, twins, warbird-y stuff like Nanchangs and T-34s, ...there are so many options.   There's organizational stuff like CAP, too, which is also an opportunity to fly Other People's Airplanes.

[Shadrach]

  On 6/25/2024 at 1:18 AM, 201er said:

If not Mooney flying, what sort of flying do you most see yourself doing or appeals most to you?

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How could you omit tail draggers?  I love my Mooney, but a tandem seat, high wing, tail dragger is like the motorcycle of the sky. I have no desire to spend 3 hours in it but every second of 30-45 minutes of pattern work is a blast.

[Skates97]

  On 6/25/2024 at 1:53 AM, Hank said:

I'd probably find a nice biplane, which isn't on your poll . . . .

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If I had the money (to buy/maintain/operate) I've always loved the Beech Staggerwing. 

[hubcap]

I would have a Decathlon 

[dkkim73]

Decathlon is a great plane. Great feel.

Always thought huskies looked fun. A very odd plane is the Leza-Lockwood air cam which always looked like it offered an up close experience, open, down low... With the two engines you can fly over dicier places (swamps etc). Looks like pure pleasure flying...

[DCarlton]

You left off a big category ….  Experimental 

[toto]

The most fun I ever had flying an airplane was getting a seaplane rating in a Supercub on straight floats. 

[Shadrach]

  On 6/25/2024 at 4:37 AM, dkkim73 said:

Decathlon is a great plane. Great feel.

Always thought huskies looked fun. A very odd plane is the Leza-Lockwood air cam which always looked like it offered an up close experience, open, down low... With the two engines you can fly over dicier places (swamps etc). Looks like pure pleasure flying...

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There is an air cam on our field. One day I hope to bum my way into a ride. It’s open cockpit and I’ve alway wondered if there is an initial discomfort with being so exposed.  Like flying a twin engine canoe with a windshield. Would love to fly one but they look like a death trap.

[takair]

Can’t pick multiple options. I’m partners in a Cessna 140 which has been a blast. I bought into that to build tailwheel time for the Pitts I’m restoring. Just starting to recover it. Also doing some instructing which I really enjoy. Would love to pick up some more right seat time in a turboprop or jet. Would love an Aerostar like schllc has or some STOL machine. Still have a bunch of RC planes too. The list goes on. Time and money are the main hurdles.  Money would buy me time. Major donations or lottery winnings would be welcome. 

[Pinecone]

  On 6/25/2024 at 8:44 AM, Shadrach said:

There is an air cam on our field. One day I hope to bum my way into a ride. It’s open cockpit and I’ve alway wondered if there is an initial discomfort with being so exposed.  Like flying a twin engine canoe with a windshield. Would love to fly one but they look like a death trap.

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There is one at my field also.  Interesting, two in MD.

I HAVE a tailwheel aerobatic airplane, so that answer it somewhat easy.

I would LOVE to own a T-34 and an Aerostar.

[Danb]

Would love a Honda Jet for trips and a super cub for beating the treetops 

[Yetti]

  On 6/25/2024 at 1:19 PM, Danb said:

Would love a Honda Jet for trips and a super cub for beating the treetops 

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Type ratings on the Honda Jet.   Here is the weird thing I am finding out.   Honda Jet, TBM 900, Gulfstream IV  all 3 million dollars.   I get it a brake job on the Gulfstream is $100K and 2 pilots and training of 70K a year.

So let's go down to the next level $1.5MM.    1980s Cessna Citation,   TBM 800, Husky.    It seems cheaper to buy the Citation and hire pilots for a trip.   Put it on leaseback.

Trying to rationalize the cost of an Ovation.   Seems like the market has been messed up by a particular seller.   Everything is $250K   But they are all original engine near TBO on time or hours.   People bought them as their last plane and now they are timing out as pilots, but want their money back.   Or I can get a Turbo Commander.  

[Parker_Woodruff]

Cessna 206 on amphibious floats.

[Skates97]

  On 6/25/2024 at 4:37 AM, dkkim73 said:

Decathlon is a great plane. Great feel.

Always thought huskies looked fun. A very odd plane is the Leza-Lockwood air cam which always looked like it offered an up close experience, open, down low... With the two engines you can fly over dicier places (swamps etc). Looks like pure pleasure flying...

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  On 6/25/2024 at 8:44 AM, Shadrach said:

There is an air cam on our field. One day I hope to bum my way into a ride. It’s open cockpit and I’ve alway wondered if there is an initial discomfort with being so exposed.  Like flying a twin engine canoe with a windshield. Would love to fly one but they look like a death trap.

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Was at a fly-in that had an IFR rated AirCam, beautiful plane. I was wondering if you needed a rain jacket for water coming around the sides of the windscreen and hitting you.

[MikeOH]

  On 6/25/2024 at 5:54 PM, Skates97 said:

Was at a fly-in that had an IFR rated AirCam,

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Was it equipped with “cat ‘n duck” instrumentation?

[skydvrboy]

I can only envision two scenarios where I’d give up the Mooney: lost medical or financial disaster.  Either way, I’m going ultralight, a Quicksilver MX.  Never more than 50 mph nor more than 50 feet AGL… I’m going low and slow.

[toto]

  On 6/25/2024 at 7:19 PM, skydvrboy said:

I can only envision two scenarios where I’d give up the Mooney: lost medical or financial disaster.  Either way, I’m going ultralight, a Quicksilver MX.  Never more than 50 mph nor more than 50 feet AGL… I’m going low and slow.

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I've kind of decided that when that day comes, I'm getting an Aventura UL ... hard to beat an amphibious ultralight for punching a hole in the sky

 

[Igor_U]

The ultimate SUV:

DHC-2 Beaver on amphibious floats. 

 

[Greg Ellis]

I think I would transition into something that allowed me access to remote airstrips and mountain airstrips to visit places in the US that are not accessible by Mooney due to unimproved runways, etc..

[RoundTwo]

Moving up, first would be a Bo and past that, a twin. I still want a Time Machine.

[Schllc]

  On 6/28/2024 at 12:15 AM, RoundTwo said:

Moving up, first would be a Bo and past that, a twin. I still want a Time Machine.

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Is a bonanza an upgrade?  
I don’t have much time in them, but I don’t remember feeling like I wanted one when I flew in them. I definitely like them more that cirrus or any piper product I’ve flown, but still felt like Mooney was king of the hill for singles. 

[toto]

  On 6/28/2024 at 12:15 AM, RoundTwo said:

Moving up, first would be a Bo and past that, a twin. I still want a Time Machine.

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When we move from a better product to a worse product, we typically say “moving down”