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What speeds do you use for gear extension and approach flaps?


Max Clark

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47 minutes ago, GeeBee said:

The M20R POH says this:

”Do not exceed this speed with the flaps in the full down position”. It says nothing about the T/O position.

Further the MPPP is training the same way as I submitted and for the same reasons.

The limitation only applies to full down.

image.png.e83d61955a93807bb7dc3bcfcdb5a41e.png

 

 

This is most misinterpreted limitation in the POH.

In order to have a higher limit for partial flaps, don't you think they would specify a an amount of flaps and a higher airspeed?

See the J models - the only Mooney's that have an approved higher partial flaps air speed limitation and its only for a small range of serial numbers, which are not even the last ones produced. After 34-3078, with the introduction of the 28V J's they went right back to single flap speed limitation. 

 

FlaplimitationsJ.jpg.a4afd4ec1f07500dbebe02f301dbe11c.jpg

You won't find any such higher partial flaps speed in any other Mooney including the R, they all look like your R:

 

FlapLimitationsM20R.jpg.c180365a9a069f329ab480c6478c27a8.jpg

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On 9/25/2024 at 6:19 AM, Max Clark said:

The guy I bought the plane from made it a point that I am now the one paying to fix things, so even though VLO is 140 KIAS he made it a point to always be *much* slower than that.

Very true, as the guy that's not only paying the bills but doing all the work, after repairing most of connecting rods in my gear doors, all with enlarged openings (mine has 3 gear doors per side). I have since reduced my gear down speed to 110-120 kts from 140. Occasionally If I am getting slam dunked I may exceed 120, but my norm is 110-120. That's going to be challenge for a new Mooney pilot but it doesn't take that long to be able to get it slowed down without the gear and then the gear will thank you for it.

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2 hours ago, GeeBee said:

The M20R POH says this:

”Do not exceed this speed with the flaps in the full down position”. It says nothing about the T/O position.

Further the MPPP is training the same way as I submitted and for the same reasons.

The limitation only applies to full down.

 

 

 

So, according to your read, T/O flaps are ok up to 194 KIAS?

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8 hours ago, kortopates said:

Very true, as the guy that's not only paying the bills but doing all the work, after repairing most of connecting rods in my gear doors, all with enlarged openings (mine has 3 gear doors per side). I have since reduced my gear down speed to 110-120 kts from 140. Occasionally If I am getting slam dunked I may exceed 120, but my norm is 110-120. That's going to be challenge for a new Mooney pilot but it doesn't take that long to be able to get it slowed down without the gear and then the gear will thank you for it.

Do give the speed brakes some slack as well?  Or just deploy at any speed?

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20 hours ago, midlifeflyer said:

So, according to your read, T/O flaps are ok up to 194 KIAS?

Alsolutely---NOT!  ANY flap extension should be below the White Arc.  A number of years ago I had the same question so had a long discussion with Tom Bowen, Chief Engineer at the time.  While I can't remember everything he told me, the basic issue was torsion and loads throughout the CG  range of the plane.  They did do tests showing that approach flaps could be extended below gear speed in the long body, but never got it approved.  So, if you forget to retract the flaps on takeoff you are not likely to do damage to the flaps if you're below gear speed, but they are not approved for extension above the white arc, notwithstanding apparently some J models.

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2 hours ago, donkaye said:

Alsolutely---NOT!  ANY flap extension should be below the White Arc.  A number of years ago I had the same question so had a long discussion with Tom Bowen, Chief Engineer at the time.  While I can't remember everything he told me, the basic issue was torsion and loads throughout the CG  range of the plane.  They did do tests showing that approach flaps could be extended below gear speed in the long body, but never got it approved.  So, if you forget to retract the flaps on takeoff you are not likely to do damage to the flaps, but they are not approved for extension above the white arc, notwithstanding apparently some J models.

I was hoping you would step into the discussion. Thank you for confirming that. 

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On 9/28/2024 at 3:21 AM, donkaye said:

Alsolutely---NOT!  ANY flap extension should be below the White Arc.  A number of years ago I had the same question so had a long discussion with Tom Bowen, Chief Engineer at the time.  While I can't remember everything he told me, the basic issue was torsion and loads throughout the CG  range of the plane.  They did do tests showing that approach flaps could be extended below gear speed in the long body, but never got it approved.  So, if you forget to retract the flaps on takeoff you are not likely to do damage to the flaps if you're below gear speed, but they are not approved for extension above the white arc, notwithstanding apparently some J models.

So what you are saying is officially, white arc for all flap speeds but unofficially Mooney has said up to gear speed. But officially in the M20R POH they say the white arc applies to full flaps but we know not what for T/O flaps except for unofficially. Great way to run engineering.

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1 hour ago, GeeBee said:

So what you are saying is officially, white arc for all flap speeds but unofficially Mooney has said up to gear speed. But officially in the M20R POH they say the white arc applies to full flaps but we know not what for T/O flaps except for unofficially. Great way to run engineering.

No.  Any and all flaps only below the white arc.  I just said that you may not harm the flaps if you accidentally had approach flaps below gear speed.  It's not something you should deliberately do.  I just gave a little background.  A number of high performance airplanes and jets permit approach flaps above gear speed.  Mooney doesn't permit it until below the white arc.

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9 minutes ago, donkaye said:

No.  Any and all flaps only below the white arc.  I just said that you may not harm the flaps if you accidentally had approach flaps below gear speed.  It's not something you should deliberately do.  I just gave a little background.  A number of high performance airplanes and jets permit approach flaps above gear speed.  Mooney doesn't permit it until below the white arc.

Would you not agree the POH wording, "Do not exceed this speed with the flaps in the full down position" is misleading? Should it not be "Do not exceed this speed with the flaps extended"?

 

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Would you not agree the POH wording, "Do not exceed this speed with the flaps in the full down position" is misleading? Should it not be "Do not exceed this speed with the flaps extended"?
 

It was misleading and thankfully they have changed it in the Ultra POH.

b07bb8891309214b426f1217b95831cb.jpg


If they had the resources they should go back and make POH revisions to correct it for the rest of us.
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2 hours ago, GeeBee said:

Would you not agree the POH wording, "Do not exceed this speed with the flaps in the full down position" is misleading? Should it not be "Do not exceed this speed with the flaps extended"?

 

Yes, which is why I asked Tom in the first place.

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