MAPA Pilot Proficiency Program

[jrjaks]

Has anyone here attended one of these events?  The next one is in Ft. Myers, Florida, in February.  It's a pretty convenient time and place for me.  It looks as if they have extensive Mooney specific ground training, along with 4 hours instruction in your aircraft, all of which qualify for a Flight Review and IPC.  I'm curious how they handle the different models of Mooneys that show up, whether they have different classes for each, or lump them all together.  It seems like they'd have to separate them.

[Carl S]

also curious

[MooneyMitch]

Jezzie has recently attended.  He will probably chime in with you all.  I believe his response was extremely positive. 

[John Pleisse]

I did it in Atlantic City about 5 years ago. It also included the high-altitude sign off at the local Air Force base. Worth every penny and minute spent. Great attendees and instructors.

[jezzie]

Yes the Mooney specific training I took in Palm Springs was great, so much information in 3 days, practical knowledge, the instructors so great just like family. When pracitcal I will do another. In my case one of the instructors rented me his Mooney J model and did a great job in orienting me to when my own J will be ready. Great confidence builder.

[jlunseth]

I have been to three, well, two and a half.  We went to KIAG last year but missed the first day because of a malfunction enroute, so they let me come to Peoria also.  Then we went to Denver this year.

The program is very well organized.  The cram alot of material into two and a half days.  Seminars run all day on Friday, and the Friday seminars typically cover things related to flying your aircraft.  The trainers who put on these seminars are all Mooney veterans, and they have put together an excellent training manual with the "numbers" for each model of Mooney.

You will typically fly on Saturday, and on Sunday.  When you are not flying, there are seminars running both days covering maintenance and ADM issues, taught by Bruce Jaeger.  He does an excellent job.

The PPP trainers are all veteran Mooney pilots.  The organizers do a masterful job of matching pilots with instructors who fit the pilot's aircraft and interests.  Last year, at KIAG and KPIA, I drew Jack Napoli and Jerry Johnson.  Jack owns a 231, same model as mine, so we spent a couple of hours doing maneuvers and landings, and talking about flying the 231.  Then, since I had just received my instrument, I got Jerry Johnson, who is a true class act and a great instrument instructor.  We spent a couple of hours at KIAG and KPIA working on instrument flying and approaches in a Mooney.  I had done most of my instrument instruction in a Skyhawk, so welcomed the work on how to do approaches in the faster Mooney, and what speeds to use.

This past year, having gone last year and done the BFR and Instr. Prof. types of things, I signed up for the Mountain Flying Course.  Spent a great afternoon with Wayne Fischer.  We flew to Leadville and a couple of other places.  Wayne is another class act.  I looked up his resume, and I have to say, what can you not learn about flying a Mooney, from someone with this experience:

Owner/Operator Mooney M20K-252
Past President/Current Director - Mooney
   Pilots Safety Foundation
Author - Monthly flying safety column for
   Mooney Pilots magazine
Volunteer Pilot - Angel Flight, free patient transportation
FAA Aviation Safety Counselor
Arizona FSDO Flight Instructor of the Year
NAFI Master Instructor

Certificates
ATP # 1474909 Airplane Single and Multi-Engine Land
B-707, B-720B, B-727, B-737, CE525S, DC-9
Commercial Privileges - Single Engine Sea
Flight Engineer - Turbojet Powered
CFII Airplane Single and Multiengine Instrument Airplane
Total Flight Time 25,000

The people who teach at the PPP's are true masters of our aircraft, and I cannot recommend this program highly enough.  I plan to go at least once a year, if for no other reason than to just hang around with these guys.

[BrianNC]

2012 PPP's

Melbourne, FL - Feb 17-19

Tucson, AZ - April 20-22

Chattanooga, TN - June 1-3

Niagara Falls, NY - Sep 7-9

Olathe, KS - Oct 12-14

[NJMac]

Bumping this up.  Anyone going to this in October in Kentucky? I think I'm going to register.  

[carusoam]

Do it!

it will be worth it.

For many different reasons.

Some you get to pick yourself.

Just be sure to check the dates and locations, as this thread has some age associated with it...

Best regards,

-a-

[Hank]

  On 2/19/2018 at 1:58 AM, NJMac said:

Bumping this up.  Anyone going to this in October in Kentucky? I think I'm going to register.  

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Owensboro was my first PPP. Thoroughly enjoyed it, learned a lot, and had a great introduction to barbecued mutton. But it would be a long trip from Alabama . . . . Have fun!

[NJMac]

Ive got a good friend who will be renting my mooney on occasion. Id like to bring him that weekend too. Do they have rental Es he could fly in or does he nees to take my plane on another weekend?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[donkaye]

  On 2/19/2018 at 2:08 AM, NJMac said:

Ive got a good friend who will be renting my mooney on occasion. Id like to bring him that weekend too. Do they have rental Es he could fly in or does he nees to take my plane on another weekend?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 

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Check with the management, but I've had 2 people use the same airplane in the past.  Due to the number of instructors available they usually fly in 2 different sessions.

[carusoam]

In the past...

There are schedules put together so partners can share the same plane...

pilots get to take a break, but the plane doesn’t need to... 

Chunks of time go by really fast during these days.

See what IR procedures will be available for the weekend.  Sometimes there might be something really specialized that may be of interest like a PAR (?) approach... Radar/partial panel, that kind of thing....

I got to do a PPP at AtlanticCity a few years back.  Re-learning to fly.  PPP can be tailored to fit some pretty specialized needs if you are not current or not IR current.

Best regards,

-a-

[mike_elliott]

  On 2/19/2018 at 2:05 AM, Hank said:

Owensboro was my first PPP. Thoroughly enjoyed it, learned a lot, and had a great introduction to barbecued mutton. But it would be a long trip from Alabama . . . . Have fun!

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Ahh yes,,Moonlight BBQ. Made More than one trip thru there, even organized a Mooney lunch fly in to there back in the day

[Oldguy]

  On 2/19/2018 at 1:58 AM, NJMac said:

Bumping this up.  Anyone going to this in October in Kentucky? I think I'm going to register.  

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I am going to try to get to this one this year. I have had conflicts with the Chattanooga and Florida ones over the past 12 months.

  On 2/19/2018 at 2:05 AM, Hank said:

Owensboro was my first PPP. Thoroughly enjoyed it, learned a lot, and had a great introduction to barbecued mutton. But it would be a long trip from Alabama . . . . Have fun!

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Long trip? Hank, you fly a Mooney! Long trips are more than 2 stops to refuel. This is only about 2 MH from us.

(MH equivalence is 60 clock minutes or 75 clock minutes in lesser planes)

[Bob_Belville]

I intend to do the Manchester NH PPP September 7-9. 

[Hank]

  On 2/19/2018 at 2:23 PM, Oldguy said:

I am going to try to get to this one this year. I have had conflicts with the Chattanooga and Florida ones over the past 12 months.

Long trip? Hank, you fly a Mooney! Long trips are more than 2 stops to refuel. This is only about 2 MH from us.

(MH equivalence is 60 clock minutes or 75 clock minutes in lesser planes)

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You're closer than me, and your J (even LOP) is faster than my C. When I went to Owensboro, i flew the length of KY to get there. But It was well worth the effort!

[Danb]

Same here Bob

[Bob_Belville]

  On 2/19/2018 at 9:20 PM, Danb said:

Same here Bob

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That's great Dan, we'll look forward to seeing you. New England in the fall... another reason to own a Mooney!