Best Mooney for new pilot?

[nels]

If your father is disabled and needs to fly with you, the Mooney just won't work. My cousin and I recently purchased a Cessna 177RG that was previously outfitted with hand controls as the prior owner had only one leg. We came to find out that the 177 is a popular plane among handicapped pilots for reason of easy entry and exit. They perform well and are not fuel guzzlers; not far from Mooney C model numbers. We got such a great buy on the cessna that we couldn't pass it up. Now we aren't sure what to do with it.

[benpilot]

I like the Cessna 177RG and my flight school has one that I will use to get my complex endorsement after passing my PPL checkride. This will help me step up to get transitioned to a Mooney 201J since I need to learn how to manage landing gear and constant speed prop safely and correctly before flying a Mooney.

[carusoam]

If access is critical the cardinal is sweet. It's like getting in a big 70's station wagon...

[aviatoreb]

I like the Cessna 177RG and my flight school has one that I will use to get my complex endorsement after passing my PPL checkride. This will help me step up to get transitioned to a Mooney 201J since I need to learn how to manage landing gear and constant speed prop safely and correctly before flying a Mooney.

 

Cardinals are indeed nice airplanes.  Probably my favorite Cessna - P210 is not bad too.  Really I don't see it as an us versus them for Mooney versus the other brands. There are lots of nice airplanes - as they say - I never saw an airplane I didn't like.  Mooney N10933 is of course the best one...but airplanes are just generally cool.

[Joe Zuffoletto]

But why in the world would anyone want to fly down low? So you had an Encore and stayed low unless the weather dictated? To me it's missing the point. I like it between 15,000 and FL220. Quiet, no changing frequencies with every class C, no traffic, no turbulence, almost no ice, for sure no SLD, about perfection as far as GA travel is concerned.

 

Oxygen is such minor deal and I've always worn it above 8,000 feet anyway just to feel fresher on landing.

 

Good question! It was my first turbo and I guess it took me a while to get into the habit of flying high. I bought it to get from Napa to Denver way up high on occasion but flew it like a normally aspirated plane otherwise. Old habits died hard. Wearing O2 masks never bothered me, so that wasn't the reason.

 

After moving to Denver in 2006 and being forced to fly in the mid-teens and higher most of the time, I got into the habit and it stuck. I now fly IFR at FL180 or higher, no matter what the terrain below. You're absolutely right, it's MUCH nicer up high.

[benpilot]

Well I could always buy two planes, one for my business flying just me and a bigger one for hauling gear and people.

 

Cessna 182RG

Mooney 201J

 

Both for less than 200k sounds good to me!

[aviatoreb]

Well I could always buy two planes, one for my business flying just me and a bigger one for hauling gear and people.

 

Cessna 182RG

Mooney 201J

 

Both for less than 200k sounds good to me!

 

Now yer talkin'!  But if it were me and I had an M20J AND a C182, I would put my C182 on floats as my second plane.

[benpilot]

 

Good idea! Having a seaplane would be cool especially to fly to scuba locations

Figure instead of one expensive plane having two is useful since if one is having a week long annual, then at least I'd have a bird to fly for business.

 

After my PPL, I will start the search and get checked out in a Mooney 201J.

[jetdriven]

I can vouch for the Cardinal and Cardinal RG. They have huge doors. easy to get into, and are reasonably fast for what they are. Maintenance is reasonable. The 177 is a 125-128 knot machine on 180 HP, and the 177RG is a 138-140 knot airplane.  The RG has the same engine as our beloved 201's, and although slower, has a great useful load and the same 9-10 GPH, but 10-15 knots slower. Being able to lean forward and see in front of the wing, below you in a turn is awesome though.

[benpilot]

 

Well I am thinking of buying either a Cessna 177RG or 182RG and get my instrument ratings in it then transition to a Mooney 201/252K as second plane for high speed distance commuting. That way I can take my disabled father places and if I want to go scuba diving or mountain biking then can dump this stuff in the back of the Cessna. Use Mooney for long trips to visit friend and for business thats what the planes were really designed for. Of course that Kodiak plane is massive and would make a serious cargo hauler that I saw today at KPAO.