Longest Mooney Flight (Poll)

[FlyDave]

My longest day was in my J from Kingston, NY (20N) to Albuquerque, NM. And I had 2 issues that warranted 2 hours of troubleshooting and repairs during that day. So it was 11+ hours wheels up to wheels down including the troubleshooting and headwinds going west.

When I landed and got to the hotel I went to the bar and order a small pizza and a beer. Then I ordered second beer - big mistake. Between flying for 9+ hours and the heat of the middle of summer at 8,500'(any higher and I'd have 30-35 kt. headwinds instead of 10-15) I was wiped out. I barely made it to my room and slept 10+ hours.

Great experience but I would have been fine with 1 beer!

[rbridges]

best I can say is 380 nm.  most of my trips are 1.5 hours +/-.  my wife doesn't care to be in the plane longer than that.  Fortunately, that still covers a decent amount of territory.

[gsxrpilot]

I'm so envious of the long trips.  And I'm looking forward to doing some long ones myself.  I did fly to OSH from home here in Austin this summer.  The trip North was broken into several days so as to meet up with the Mooney Caravan for the mass arrival on Sunday.  The return was done in two legs.  The longest trip with my wife was last weekend, AUS - ABQ and return.  The flight West included a fuel stop but the return was non-stop 565 nm in 3.9 hours and 30 gal of fuel.

[chrisk]

My longest was Austin TX to Flagstaff AZ, where ATC routed me past El Paso, after a weather diversion. A little over 811 nm and 5.5 hours.  I averaged 145 kts, and if memory serves, I had about 25 gallons left (around 9 gph for extended range).    The return was 768 nm, minor routing around white sands, and 4 hours of flying,  averaging 192 kts

[Mooneymite]

I am in awe of these trips!  You guys are modern day Magellans.  Those trips over 1000 NM are really impressive.

 

I am both blessed and cursed with non-rev airline travel.  At a certain point, it just doesn't make sense to fly the Mooney when the airline gets there faster/cheaper.  My longest Mooney leg was only 400NM when we were headed out to the Bahamas, but usually I fly trips less than 300 NM.

 

The airlines just can't beat the convenience when we're headed to places off-the-beaten-track.

[chrisk]

I am in awe of these trips!  You guys are modern day Magellans.  Those trips over 1000 NM are really impressive.

 

I am both blessed and cursed with non-rev airline travel.  At a certain point, it just doesn't make sense to fly the Mooney when the airline gets there faster/cheaper.  My longest Mooney leg was only 400NM when we were headed out to the Bahamas, but usually I fly trips less than 300 NM.

 

The airlines just can't beat the convenience when we're headed to places off-the-beaten-track.

At $400 per round trip ticket, I can go pretty far...if I have one or two passengers.  And skipping the TSA cavity search is priceless. 

[Mooneymite]

At $400 per round trip ticket, I can go pretty far.. 

 

A non-rev "ticket" is worth what one pays for it:  Zero, since one can never count on actually getting where he wants to go.  However, a zero $ ticket on the airline does have a certain appeal when stopping by a Signature for fuel and they want over $8/gallon for avgas!!!!  

 

As far as my wife is concerned, the potty on the airliner is a big deal.  

 

Avoiding the TSA....now that's a big deal for me!

 

.

[Jim Peace]

Longest flight - 9.3hrs. Europe to NC in February (F-15E). Four piddle packs required!

 

Not bad,,,,

 

My longest is 12.5 hours in a Cessna 210 from Crete to Djibouti non-stop....over 1700nm.

 

I find it humorous that is my longest even though I drive a 747 for a living......

[cliffy]

Balogna Italy to Van Nuys CA 1 stop/1 day 22hrs duty time Pt 91 B727 w/ 9.5 hrs range :-)

KLAS to KMKC 1 stop 1 day M20D/C longest leg 5.3 hrs.

Longest Mooney day 9.5 hrs in 1 day 3 legs.

Longest flight ever KATL to JNB South Africa 17 hrs nonstop as passenger only :-) :-)

[Jim Peace]

Balogna Italy to Van Nuys CA 1 stop/

How many Ferraris' and ducatis' did you order/bring back?

[carusoam]

Cliffy's post count is at 308... One of the v-8 models for Ferrari in the 70-80's....

Hmmm.....?

-a-

[1964-M20E]

Well on my latest flight that reignited this thread I could have flown commercial and it would have cost me about $450 with a stop in Dallas Atlanta or any other midpoint airport. I spent about $450 on fuel.  Time wise I think I equaled what commercial could do with the layovers and arriving early for check in and wait for baggage claim.

 

Besides we do this because we love it not because it is cheaper although at times it is faster than commercial and certainly less hassles than dealing with TSA.

 

This week Talladega and you could not fly there commercial for less time or money, I can walk to the track and I do not need to sit in traffic on the highway to get to the airport after the race.  Air traffic is somewhat congested but not that bad and better than leaving Sun N Fun whish was not bad either considering.  

[cliffy]

Well I always liked the 308 but it was a little beyond my means then. Paying to have the lobster shop open up at midnight in Bangor Maine and boiling a dozen of the critters on the way across the USA- priceless!

[Jim Peace]

Paying to have the lobster shop open up at midnight in Bangor Maine and boiling a dozen of the critters on the way across the USA- priceless!

My favorite Bangor story is prior to 911. Sometime in the late nineties. Passing through with a classic 747 Milan to ORD. Ordered pizza on the radio during the descent. They had the pizza guy come to the upper deck and deliver and take our money just as if he was making a normal delivery.

[Danb]

I believe it was Albuqerque to Wilmington, De about 1500+NM  in 6:30  my longest distance but have had longer time 7:30 hours but head winds...abq to Kilg had generous tail winds at 17000 could have been faster but decided not to don the mask..

[Danb]

Chrisk  good point but where is that point we went to a convention in New Orleans from Philly, the guys thought I was crazy for nor going commercial, so I made a wager I'd pay for there tickets or they would pay for my fuel. They thought easy winner oops no chicken dinner, we left our homes at same time I flew into KNEW they went to International, I got my rental car drove to the big airport and waited 45 minutes for them... I assume if your flying our Mooney's anywhere on the East coast we will beat the airlines...the bet was food to food  what dummies..

[Danb]

not food to food  door to door oops

[cliffy]

Had a friend (now gone-natural causes) that did Tucson to Columbus OH in his J in 8+20  Up high and low power.

[Dave Marten]

The winner is.....Jonathan "Stretch" Paul. A good friend, outstanding aviator, and A founding Mooney Caravan pilot

San Diego, CA to Savannah, GA non-stop. 12 hrs 55 min and 1810 NM in a 66 E model. Burned 74 gallons of Avgas.

Here is his story: http://jonathanpaul.org/pdf/NonStop.pdf

Now you know why we gave him the callsign "Stretch"

Well done!

[bonal]

Just finished reading the account of his trip. It was very well written and I appreciate the time it took to share his adventure let alone the trip itself. Congrats on a great flight.

[carusoam]

We watched Johnathen Paul live via the internet while he was doing that flight...!

A well planned and executed long distance flight.

Similar to Adrian going across the Atlantic....

Best regards,

-a-

[Mooneyjet]

Longest flying day so far for me on a m20C, was from kfxe to cyxe, that's about 1965nm or 14.8 hours of flying. After the 4 fuel stops, it was an 18 hour day. The most shocking part of the journey was leaving kfxe about 32°c and landing in cyxe -28°c, with out the windchill.

[fantom]

The winner is.....Jonathan "Stretch" Paul. A good friend, outstanding aviator, and A founding Mooney Caravan pilot

San Diego, CA to Savannah, GA non-stop. 12 hrs 55 min and 1810 NM in a 66 E model. Burned 74 gallons of Avgas.

Here is his story: http://jonathanpaul.org/pdf/NonStop.pdf

Now you know why we gave him the callsign "Stretch"

Well done!

 

I haven't been following this thread, but I think you're wrong. I too followed Jonathan's flight, and along with Don Maxwell, waved to him as he over flew KGGG..... His was an outstanding accomplishment, BUT.

 

Anyone who's read any of Carol Ann Garrett's three books, or listened to any of her numerous presentations would realize that she's is the all time loooongest Mooney flight winner!

 

[Dave Marten]

Fantom,

Ok, I'll modify my statement. Jonathan Paul wins for longest non-stop Mooney flight without ferry tanks. coast-coast on 74 gals with a stock plane.

Actually surprised by the number of Mooney drivers who made the RTW flight. http://www.earthrounders.com/cgi/singles.php

Let's not forget Jack Weigand, age 20, made the trip solo in an Ovation in 2013.

Many talented/determined pilots in the group.

Interesting note that the only single engine pilot to repeat the RTW flight 5 times flew all of them in a Mooney. Henning Huffer