Need Advice - First Time Buyer - M20J

[ifroad]

I would appreciate a word or two of wisdom for a Cessna/Cirrus pilot who is very close to purchasing his first M20J. Always thought I wanted a Mooney but when I finally sat in one I felt closed in. Is this just a perception that others have felt, but get over, or is it just one of the compromises one must make for the efficiency, speed, and handling of a Mooney? Thank you.. Just wanted to ask before I spend a good deal of cash. Thank you very much

[carusoam]

Speed and efficiency usually trumps the closed in fealing...At least on this board...

Volume costs fuel or speed. If volume is not a requirement, your a free to fly pretty quickly.

There is several threads regarding pilot size and comfort and rumors...use the search button on your iPad...

Then, an Ovation beats the SR22 on the same powerplant...

Is speed or efficiency important to you? Or does the parachute help sell your project to someone important to you?

Have you flown in one yet?

Have you flown in an Ovation, eagle or Bravo yet?

What's your budget look like? (round figures only)

Best regards,

-a-

[ifroad]

Thank you. Committed at $105K for a beautiful 1984 M20J. Unfortunately cannot find a ride here in Atlanta, at least with the folks I know. Sold a SR20 share early last year and looking to go it my own this time around. Wanted a Mooney ever since reading about them in Bax seat years ago in Flying. Have 50 or so hours complex and 550 TT. It seems to be a good fit for my kind of flying which is mostly me and occasionally my wife. Kids on their own now. Thanks again. No Bravo or Ovation time either. A real Mooney newbie

[ryancook]

Well I just bought my very first airplane and it is this M20J. Some of the things that drew me to this model are the speed, economy, build quality and solid flight characteristics. I am a larger pilot at 6'3 and 250 yet feel quite comfortable in it. Seems to have more room than the Arrow I had flown regularly prior to buying this one. I have a fair amount of time in a G1000 equipped 182 as well as a Diamond DA40 which is closer to the Cirrus you described. There is certainly more room in those two planes, but I am really drawn to the speed and beauty of the Mooney. The 201 is a solid IFR machine as we experienced a lot of weather bringing her home to Las Vegas from Palm Bach Florida. You can check out my flight stats on flightaware.com . Put in N5760Y and you will see that flight. It is broken up into four legs. Palm Beach to Mobile Alabama. Mobile to Addison Texas. Texas to Albuquerque New Mexico. And final leg to Henderson Executive (Las Vegas). We of course had headwinds the whole way but made really good time. We flew a total of about 12 hours over two days. Average fuel burn was 9gph. Hard to beat.

I would tell you this. Are the quarters smaller in the Mooney? Yes. But with that kind of speed and efficiency it is a hard plane to beat.

The range is excellent. The speed is great. The plane is beautiful. I am in love with it. I don't think you can go wrong with it.

[ifroad]

Thank you very much. Your previous flying experience fits mine exactly and I have no more questions. This is my first post on mooney space and what a help it has been! Congratulations on your new plane and my compliments to the administrators of mooneyspace! Thanks for the quick responses from both of you.

[Hank]

Welcome to the club! Enjoy your new plane. There are several members here in the Atlanta area (but not me). Add location information to your avatar or signature, and you may make new friends. There are times I wish my C-model had the room and power of a J, but it still flies great and meets my needs.

[Jamie]

A comment for future mooney buyers that find this thread...

 

My mooney is getting bigger. It's not that it's small. It -feels- small because you sit close, it's a low wing, there's no pilot side door, etc. Once you get used to it, it's roomy.

 

Also, to be blunt, don't expect anything to be big if you're fat. Just losing 20lbs has not only made me feel better, but the plane got larger just because of that. The Mooney was designed before everyone started eating the Standard American Diet. What's the FAA standard adult? 170lbs? Back when our planes were designed, people were actually that thin. Now? heh.

[yvesg]

When you said that you felt closed in, this migth be due to the fact that you are used to more room around, however after a few flights I think that this feeling will go away. My first flight in a Mooney in the left seat was about 15 years ago and I have a glimpse of memory about that feeling you are describing. I am a bit claustrophobic myself but feel very good in the Mooney.

Yves

[M20F-1968]

There really is just as much room in a Mooney as other GA aircraft, it is just configured differently.  Sitting with you legs outstretched rather than the "bench seating" feeling of a Cessna or Bonanza is different.  The cabin wisth is quite similar to Beech, Piper or Cessna.   It is much more of a sportcar feeling.  Visibility is good.  Access to the panel instruments is good.  It may be tighter to climb in and out of the left seat, but it helps to push back the co=pilot's seat first.  I rather like the feeling of "wearing a Mooney."

 

John Breda

[ifroad]

thanks everyone. I think it's time to throw my hat in the ring with the rest of the Mooniacs.!

Vinton

[Hank]

A comment for future mooney buyers that find this thread...

My mooney is getting bigger. It's not that it's small. It -feels- small because you sit close, it's a low wing, there's no pilot side door, etc. Once you get used to it, it's roomy.

Also, to be blunt, don't expect anything to be big if you're fat. Just losing 20lbs has not only made me feel better, but the plane got larger just because of that. The Mooney was designed before everyone started eating the Standard American Diet. What's the FAA standard adult? 170lbs? Back when our planes were designed, people were actually that thin. Now? heh.

Spoken like someone who's never put four adults in a short body. It is, however, teaching my wife how to pack when we go out of town. :-)

I like the seating position, although like many people I initially thought the panel was too close. Now, it's just how the plane is supposed to be, and I think Cessna's are strange.

[Smiles201]

Though mooneys are the best, what you are experiencing is less window area. I felt the same way moving from piper to mooney. The advantages will soon make you forget the slight loss of viewing area.

[Jeff_S]

Vinton, welcome to the club. You'll love your Mooney. While it may seem a bit cramped at first, it's really not. When I had my Piper Warrior, I always bumped shoulders with a passenger. In the Mooney we never touch. But what will really get you is the sports car feel...once you get comfortable and familiar with it, you'll feel like you're slipping into a glove when you climb in the cockpit.

 

Also, since you're in Atlanta, please register your email at the Southeast Mooney users group, here:

 

http://www.southeastmooney.org/mailman/listinfo/se-mooney

 

We're an informal group, but I generally try to organize one or two fly-in events per year. This year we are going to go en-masse to the Rome GA airshow in October, and I keep threatening to arrange a flying sometime this spring to the Tuskegee Airman museum in Tuskegee AL (Moton Field). Add your email to the list and you'll get my mailings.

 

Jeff

[ChristianGodin]

I was flying with a friend in his piper Mirage. When you have to get to the co pilot seat, realy it's not an easy task. I feel that I get as much space in my mooney as in his Mirage not taking into account the two extra seats and supplement storage. I have 350 hours in my mooney and I don't fell tight at all in it.

[Rustler]

ifroad--

 

I am slightly claustrophobic and never have felt uncomfortable in my Mooney. I remember thinking it was slightly cramped the first time I flew it but forgot that pretty quickly. As somebody said, losing 20 pounds is not only good for you, it adds useful load.

[ifroad]

Thank you all again for the help and recommendations.... Very, very, helpful indeed!

 

Vinton

[Piloto]

One of the unique feature on the Mooneys is the baggage door. Unlike most singles and twins that have a side baggage door the Mooney has a top baggage door. This makes it much easier and possible to accomodate baggage on top. On a M20J you can easily load six 21" inches suit cases in the baggage area only. Try that on a Cessna, Cirrus or Piper. Beware, on many occasions the luggage on my M20J will not fit in the rental car trunk. If you have an Ovation or Bravo rent an SUV.

 

José