6' - 2" too tall for Mooney ?

[spokewrench]

Was at the airport yesterday waiting to get my med exam with about 20 other pilots and was asking opinions on what plane would fit my height and most thought that a Mooney would be cramped for a 6' - 2" male at 217 lbs. What do you guys think ? Maybe a F or J model?

[co2bruce]

You will be fine in the Mooney. I believe Al Mooney was well over 6 ft. I am 230 lbs 5'10". With only a 30" inseam ( so I'm all torso) and the plane fits me like a glove. Where are you located, I'm sure a member will let you sit in one.

[BigTex]

Mooney's have an amazing amount of height so you'd be surprised how well you'd fix in one. I'm 6' -0" at 205 lbs and I fix easily. Mooney's get a bad rap for being cramped. Once you learn certain techniques to get in and out, it's a breeze. I personally find it harder to get into and out of a J3 Cub than my Mooney. I'd suggest you find someone near you that owns one and ask to set in it. I bet you'd be surprised how well you'd fit.

[kmyfm20s]

6'4" and no problems in my J. In a Bonanza I hit my head.

[aviatoreb]

Was at the airport yesterday waiting to get my med exam with about 20 other pilots and was asking opinions on what plane would fit my height and most thought that a Mooney would be cramped for a 6' - 2" male at 217 lbs. What do you guys think ? Maybe a F or J model?

I am 6'4'' and 215lbs. Al Mooney was 6'5'' (and lighter than the two of us). They say they built himself an airplane. It is a very comfortable airplane for a tall person with long legs. You sit with low with legs straight in front of you (crank the seat down) like in a sports car. I bet you will not even use the back most seat position unless you have a especially long legs for your height like I do.

[N33GG]

You would fit just as well in a C or E model. Only the back seat pax suffer minimal leg room.

[spokewrench]

Thanks everyone ! I will have to find one to take a look at -

[carusoam]

This is the weirdest question that never goes away. (Who propagates this stuff anyway?)

Mooneys have short legs, not Mooney pilots. (park next to a Cirrus for a good demonstration)

Trying one on doesn't cost anything. (except you run the danger of picking up a strong addiction to efficient speed (mph or kias). (m/hr-gal....)

Of course, I'm 6.00’, my Ovation was delivered with pedal extenders, and I raise the seat for optimized view level...

Take that back to Beech club... ( I don't think they care though).

I think the statement "I don't fit" is easier to go with than "efficient speed doesn't mean that much to me"...

If height was a REAL issue, you would see threads here that we're titled "I'm 6’ X" tall and this is what I go through to best fit in my Mooney." (but you can't)

Enjoy the search function, there has to be a few threads here regarding pilot size over the past few years...

Find a Mooney owner near you and ask if you can sit in his plane.

Best regards,

-a-

[Marauder]

This is the weirdest question that never goes away. (Who propagates this stuff anyway?)

Mooneys have short legs, not Mooney pilots. (park next to a Cirrus for a good demonstration)

Trying one on doesn't cost anything. (except you run the danger of picking up a strong addiction to efficient speed (mph or kias). (m/hr-gal....)

Of course, I'm 6.00’, my Ovation was delivered with pedal extenders, and I raise the seat for optimized view level...

Take that back to Beech club... ( I don't think they care though).

I think the statement "I don't fit" is easier to go with than "efficient speed doesn't mean that much to me"...

If height was a REAL issue, you would see threads here that we're titled "I'm 6’ X" tall and this is what I go through to best fit in my Mooney." (but you can't)

Enjoy the search function, there has to be a few threads here regarding pilot size over the past few years...

Find a Mooney owner near you and ask if you can sit in his plane.

Best regards,

-a-

What is even funnier is that I have more headroom in my Mooney than I do in my full size pickup!

[OR75]

plenty of room in a Mooney once you are seated.

for a tall or big person, getting in and out may be more difficult than for other aircrafts (with 2 doors)

[jimosborn]

This is an interesting subject because the common perception is obviously that the "small" Mooney must be a challenge for tall pilots, which is not at all the case.

I'm only 5'8" but the fellow from whom I bought my two J-models is 6'3" and he delivered both planes from Australia. As it happened he'd also delivered a F-33A Bonanza to me months earlier. So, with ferry tanks and survival gear stuffed everywhere in the cabins in each case, there wasn't room for much more than himself. When I asked about comfort level between the Beech and Mooney while sitting 16 hours at a time during the over-water segments, he said the Mooney was actually more comfortable, primarily because he could stretch his legs straighter without pressure behind the knees from chair-high seats.

When it comes to answering the tall-pilot question, you can't get a better endorsement for the Mooney than from my Aussie pal!

Cheers!

[Freight Dog]

I'm 6'7" 245lbs - no issues in my M20E. Actually, the most legroom I've ever had in a GA plane which was surprising. At 6'2", you'll be forward a few notches... yes, forward.

F or J model? Easy!

[1964-M20E]

I'm 6-2 and 190 no problems in my current F or my former E. Like somone else said the preson behind you in a C or E is not confortable but with a long body F or J no problem. I flew with a friend yesterday and he is shorter and he seemed uncomfortably colse to the co-pilot panel.

[201er]

I think Mooney is the only tall person friendly plane. I'm 5'10" and I have to slide the seat well forward. I like this because in cruise I can slide back and then I can't even reach the pedals at all. If anything, short people should be worried about Mooneys and not the other way around! My friend's bonanza is less comfortable cause you can't stretch your legs out, they always gotta go down like in a chair.

[philipneeper]

i have a 78 c model, its just me and my wife and sometimes our dog. im 6'3" 200 and i fit nice. Only thing about c models if you have broad sholders it will be a lil tight. I felw my dad and we rubbed shoulders a bit. how ever the backseat in my moomney is for a dog or 1 passenger in my opinion

[DrBill]

I"m 6'3", 205 and I fit great in my M20E. In fact I have to move the seat up quite a bit to get in a comfortable pedal position. On long XC, I move the seat back when on autopilot and just stretch out.

Could not do that in my Beech !

BILL

[PilotKen]

I'm 6'2" and 215lbs and do lots of 4 hour legs in my 231 solo, although have done close to 5 hours with my 5'1" 115lb wife. I typically have the seat 1 notch forward for taxi, t/o, and landing. Cruise we put the seats all the way back in smooth air, and are quite comfortable. Of course you can't move around that much so installed contour-foam seats 10 years to keep the butt and back numbness down. Frankly I find it more comfortable than a c182 I also fly which sits more upright.

It would be great to move around more, and packing can be a bit of a challenge sometimes, But that probably means something much larger ( and way more expensive).

Ken

[201er]

The 201 has more back seat leg room (because of how much you gotta pull the front seats forward to even reach the peddles) than any other 4 seat GA plane I've ever experienced (cessnas, cherokees, bonanza). I haven't flown backseat in anything else but just from looking at how much space is available in the rear seat at comfortable pilot position. I did fly backseat in a Mooney once and I was shocked that with pilots pulled forward to reach pedals, there was more leg room in back seat as well as front seats than flying economy class!

[Will W]

I'm 6' 8" and I fly my ovation on 5 hour treks. For take off and landing, I'm seat in the first click from the back. I can sit there the whole time comfortable. I've got about 3-4 inches from hitting my head which is way more that a Bonanza or Baron. Good luck in your search.

[aviatoreb]

I'm 6' 8" and I fly my ovation on 5 hour treks. For take off and landing, I'm seat in the first click from the back. I can sit there the whole time comfortable. I've got about 3-4 inches from hitting my head which is way more that a Bonanza or Baron. Good luck in your search.

Wow - a lot of tall pilots here the Mooney forum. Maybe no surprise, the tall pilots of the world have naturally gravitated to the best tall person plane.

[Marauder]

Wow - a lot of tall pilots here the Mooney forum. Maybe no surprise, the tall pilots of the world have naturally gravitated to the best tall person plane.

The reason is simple, after you try to get into a 152 to do your primary, you learn quickly which can of sardines will work for you...

[rdav]

Yet another 6'2" pilot here .. and I have plenty of room in my M20C. I slide the seat 2 notches forward so that my feet rest comfortably on the rudder pedals. Much better legroom than the Cessna, but it is true that only a small child can fit in the seat behind me when I'm flying. That has never been a significant limitation for me though.

[aviatoreb]

The reason is simple, after you try to get into a 152 to do your primary, you learn quickly which can of sardines will work for you...

Tell me about it - I am 6'4'' and long legged at that - I never did fly the 152 that one day 6 years ago for my first flight lesson. After 5 min, before start up, we got out and booked the 172 instead.

When I was shopping this current plane starting 3 years ago, I was also enchanted with Bonanzas, esp the looks of a V35B. I was so very surprised out how crammed my legs were inside of that otherwise large V35B. It instantly came off my list. Meanwhile, I was just as surprised at how much leg room there is in the seemingly small looking Mooneys.

Kinda cool how so many of you fellow tall pilots seem to have had similar journeys into the Mooney line.