First big trip in my M-20E

[Freight Dog]

Coming back to the US on leave after being gone since December, and want to take the plane on a serious cross country: KCXO - KSNA and back a week or so later.

Haven't flown it since December, but it's currently in the shop at Don Maxwell's for more post-purchase work and tank repair.

Basically planning to follow an IFR route in ForeFlight, most likely gonna do it IFR as I feel more comfortable being "in the system" given that I fly for a living, though definitely not gonna push any serious weather, especially over the mountains. Not planning on flying at night. Also planning to stop every 350-400nm.

This will be the trip to really learn my plane. I've flown it around Texas when I bought it, and now I'd like to take it on a nice, long cross country.

Any wisdom would be greatly appreciated, particularly from the preflight perspective, what to watch out for with the plane, etc.

[Jerry 5TJ]

I suggest you go IFR in VMC. and take O2 as some of the MEAs are above 11,000'  

I flew along that route in my M20E several times between Maryland and KSNA in the 1990s.     Lovely country viewed from a Mooney.  Watch for winds over the ridges as the "E" doesn't have much climb left at those altitudes.

One eastbound trip I flew KSNA to KTDW non-stop in 5.7 hours at 13,000 which is my longest Mooney leg to date, and probably forever. 

[Freight Dog]

Thank you Jerry. Definitely planning IFR in day VMC.

Here's my planned route - KCXO TNV V306 JCT V198 AGAZY SFL RIOWE ELP V198 SSO V94 BLH V16 PSP V388 PDZ KSNA

The highest MEA is 10,000 along this route. I altered the route a bit due to MEA's as I don't want to go higher than that.

My fuel stops will be right along this route.

[bd32322]

How does IFR in VMC help compared to VFR flight following? If you are worried about search and rescue outside of areas with radar coverage, I would equip myself with a 406 MHz PLB, survival gear and a VFR flight plan. Where I fly in the north east, IFR only serves to increase your flight distance by 30+ %

In fact even on IFR days I am trying to fly composite flight plans or VFR on top and only asking for IFR close to my destination for the approach. I stay ith ATC on flight following the whole way though because its busy in the NYC, Boston, wahington dc corridor

[Joe Zuffoletto]

Funny, I'm planning a trip to Cabo in a couple weeks and I plotted both of our routes into JeppView. Our paths will literally "cross."

 

After a week in Cabo I'll be heading to KSNA, then back to Denver.

 

Have a great trip!

 

[Jerry 5TJ]

How does IFR in VMC help compared to VFR flight following?...Where I fly in the north east, IFR only serves to increase your flight distance by 30+ %

In the lightly-populated regions of the west direct IFR routing is common if you file /G.    IFR means you don't have to negotiate hand-offs, and if there's a TFR or restricted area enroute ATC will keep you out of it.  If you encounter wx, well, you're IFR already.   Not much to gain by filing VFR out where Freight Dog is headed, unlike in the NE.   

[M016576]

In the lightly-populated regions of the west direct IFR routing is common if you file /G.    IFR means you don't have to negotiate hand-offs, and if there's a TFR or restricted area enroute ATC will keep you out of it.  If you encounter wx, well, you're IFR already.   Not much to gain by filing VFR out where Freight Dog is headed, unlike in the NE.   

The only downside is that you may need to fly at higher altitudes, due to line of sight and MEA's. VFR avoids those problems.

[Freight Dog]

In the lightly-populated regions of the west direct IFR routing is common if you file /G.    IFR means you don't have to negotiate hand-offs, and if there's a TFR or restricted area enroute ATC will keep you out of it.  If you encounter wx, well, you're IFR already.   Not much to gain by filing VFR out where Freight Dog is headed, unlike in the NE.   

This...

Funny, I'm planning a trip to Cabo in a couple weeks and I plotted both of our routes into JeppView. Our paths will literally "cross."

 

After a week in Cabo I'll be heading to KSNA, then back to Denver.

 

Have a great trip!

 

Screen Shot 2013-03-03 at 4.42.57 PM.png

Thank you! You too! Sounds like an awesome trip. I flew a King Air 350 between MMSD and KSNA quite often some years back - very scenic even from altitude.

[N201MKTurbo]

Thank you Jerry. Definitely planning IFR in day VMC.

Here's my planned route - KCXO TNV V306 JCT V198 AGAZY SFL RIOWE ELP V198 SSO V94 BLH V16 PSP V388 PDZ KSNA

The highest MEA is 10,000 along this route. I altered the route a bit due to MEA's as I don't want to go higher than that.

My fuel stops will be right along this route.

You will be better off BLH V64 KSNA. The ride will be better and that is probably what you will be assigned anyway.

[carqwik]

Actually, I am not so sure you get as many direct routes out in the Southwest of the USA when IFR as you do in the mid-section of the country, especially at non-O2 altitudes.  There is lots of military airspace here...and a few tethered balloons that go to 14k or so...so most typically one gets airway routings when IFR.  For example, IFR generally won't let you fly thru MOAs even if they aren't active.  One good thing about some of the IFR low altitude airways in the Southwest is that they allow you to avoid big rocks and generally seem to follow near some of the interstates (but not the part of V94 from SSO to TFD or GBN to BLH or along V64 just west of TRM). OTOH, most of the time it is VFR here so you get lots of desert to look at!

 

Btw, if it is your first time to Southern California (in a plane with you at the controls), you can expect it to be somewhat busy on the freqs and lots of frequency changes in rapid order.  KSNA has a mix of GA, corporate, and airline traffic...but SoCal Approach and the SNA tower do a marvelous job.  If you were to get any IMC at all in the Southwest, it would likely be a coastal marine layer at KSNA in the morning hours.  On the other hand, there are many days in SoCal when the haze is so thick you'd swear it was IMC...! 

[Freight Dog]

You will be better off BLH V64 KSNA. The ride will be better and that is probably what you will be assigned anyway.

The MEA along V64 gets as high as 11,000 feet which means 12,000 for me going westbound.

Haven't taken my M20E that high before...

Actually, I am not so sure you get as many direct routes out in the Southwest of the USA when IFR as you do in the mid-section of the country, especially at non-O2 altitudes.  There is lots of military airspace here...and a few tethered balloons that go to 14k or so...so most typically one gets airway routings when IFR.  For example, IFR generally won't let you fly thru MOAs even if they aren't active.  One good thing about some of the IFR low altitude airways in the Southwest is that they allow you to avoid big rocks and generally seem to follow near some of the interstates (but not the part of V94 from SSO to TFD or GBN to BLH or along V64 just west of TRM). OTOH, most of the time it is VFR here so you get lots of desert to look at!

 

Btw, if it is your first time to Southern California (in a plane with you at the controls), you can expect it to be somewhat busy on the freqs and lots of frequency changes in rapid order.  KSNA has a mix of GA, corporate, and airline traffic...but SoCal Approach and the SNA tower do a marvelous job.  If you were to get any IMC at all in the Southwest, it would likely be a coastal marine layer at KSNA in the morning hours.  On the other hand, there are many days in SoCal when the haze is so thick you'd swear it was IMC...! 

Good gouge!

I have flown in SoCal before (got my IFR ticket and flew boxes, airlines and corporate out there), but first time as an aircraft owner.

What about parking situation/fees? Would KFUL be a better/cheaper option? Fuel definitely seems cheaper there. Going to Huntington Beach.

[Ron McBride]

I learned to fly at KSNA in 1972.  It deffinitely has changed a lot.  I go to KFUL when I need to go to Oange County now.  I just don't like the real busy airports anymore.   Fullerton can be a challenge to find in the afternoon due to the haze. An Instrument approach can make this much easier.

 

Ron

[N201MKTurbo]

Your E will do 12,000 without breaking a sweat. The winds and bumps going through the pass can be severe if not just annoying. If you try to get V388 they will try to get you higher than 12,000 because of airline traffic (MEAs be damned).

 

L.A, SoCAL and SNA seem happiest with you on V64. Just slow down to approach speed over Santiago Peak, because they will keep you at 8000 until passing it and then clear you for the approach, which you will not be able to make without speed brakes, so just plan on flying through the final approach course and circling back to the approach, which is what they will do after they figure out that you cannot drop like a brick.

 

I always fly IFR into SoCal, the airspace is very complex and IFR makes it all go away.

[Freight Dog]

Your E will do 12,000 without breaking a sweat. The winds and bumps going through the pass can be severe if not just annoying. If you try to get V388 they will try to get you higher than 12,000 because of airline traffic (MEAs be damned).

 

L.A, SoCAL and SNA seem happiest with you on V64. Just slow down to approach speed over Santiago Peak, because they will keep you at 8000 until passing it and then clear you for the approach, which you will not be able to make without speed brakes, so just plan on flying through the final approach course and circling back to the approach, which is what they will do after they figure out that you cannot drop like a brick.

 

I always fly IFR into SoCal, the airspace is very complex and IFR makes it all go away.

Very good gouge. Keep it coming!

Thanks guys!

[Freight Dog]

Mission successful!

We took off from KCXO just as the west coast storm moved over Colorado and before the weather system hit SE Texas.... launched IFR as the ceilings were around 1500 or so and cruised the tops until west Texas.

We overnighted in El Paso. Atlantic was excellent, but their fuel prices were.... Atlantic. Due to last minute change, we went to MYF first before going up north.

We ended up parking in KFUL. Maybe 5-10 min longer drive than KSNA, but excellent service, reasonable fuel price, and ramp fee was only $10 a day with 1 day waived for fuel purchase.

On departure, we got V64 to BLH and 11,000 feet. Worked nicely. Stopped for fuel in KLSB as bladders weren't gonna last much longer either then pressed on.

Overall, learned a lot about my Mooney and its performance. Also, as we landed at home, I saw my beacon was no longer working, and my rheostats for cockpit instrumentation lighting quit as I was adjusting it... so, got a few squawks to address, but all in all, a great trip!

Thanks everyone for feedback.