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Airplane for the mission!

cocolos
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cocolos Explorer

cocolos

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So I know we all like to spend other people's money so here I let me know what I should buy. I am based in the sacramento area and I currently am partnered up in a club that has a cherokee 180. I have no IR but was planning on getting that this winter. And currently have ~130TT.

My current missions are $100 hamburgers and a 450nm trip I like to make at least once or twice every couple of months. Mostly would carry one other + medium size dog. If I need to carry more I'd just rent. I would want a budget of 35k or maybe 40k if I had a partner, which I think would be ideal.

I was thinking a M20C would fit my mission? I would just want a basic IFR airplane. I wouldn't plan on doing any hard IFR flying just breaking through fog layers and such.

Also if someone had some insight into the maintenance cost that would also be great.

Thanks!

Seth Grand Master

Seth

Posted
Posted

M20C may be the best bargain bang for the buck in general avaition.  For $28k to $50k you can get a 135-145 knot crusier.  For light IFR, you don't have to worry too much about the carburated 180HP engine. 

 

I bought my first Mooney, and M20F, with about 130TT.  You may have to get some dual and solo time before being allowed to take others to fly, but you'll be amazed at the performance on the same gas in the Mooney.  The F has 20 more ponies and is the mid length body vs the short body C.  You'll do fine in the C.

 

-Seth

Hank Grand Master

Hank

Posted
Posted

Sounds like me . . . except my little dog isn't 'medium sized.' There's a C for sale on this board in your price range. Maintenance cost is very airplane specific, since it will depend upon installed equipment, condition at purchase and your usage pattern. Annual should be ~$1500, less if you do Owner Assisted (a great way to learn about the plane!).

C's are good for travel, too. My longest trip was 1320nm each way, sightseeing leisurely. This works well fortwo adults, the back seat gets small very fast.

cocolos Explorer

cocolos

Posted
  • Author
Posted

M20C may be the best bargain bang for the buck in general avaition.  For $28k to $50k you can get a 135-145 knot crusier.  For light IFR, you don't have to worry too much about the carburated 180HP engine. 

 

I bought my first Mooney, and M20F, with about 130TT.  You may have to get some dual and solo time before being allowed to take others to fly, but you'll be amazed at the performance on the same gas in the Mooney.  The F has 20 more ponies and is the mid length body vs the short body C.  You'll do fine in the C.

 

-Seth

Would a M20F be more suitable if I had 1 person in the back? I see that they would probably be out of my price range.

Rwsavory Mentor

Rwsavory

Posted
Posted

For a trip length of 450nm, a backseat passenger will be fine in a C, unless they are taller than average. You should be able to find a good plane in your price range.

Marauder Grand Master

Marauder

Posted
Posted

An F would give you extra room, no doubt. But I think you would begin starting to see some trade-offs in condition and equipment for the price range you are looking at.

Rwsavory Mentor

Rwsavory

Posted
Posted

Also I would like to add who or what shop would be good to contact about doing a pre-buy inspection?

I have seen LASAR and Top Gun recommended in California. I have no experience with them, but I'm sure others will chime in.

Bob_Belville Grand Master

Bob_Belville

Posted
Posted

My E is the same size as a C. (Fs and Js have 10" more leg room in the back seat.) I think you'd find a C perfectly comfortable for an occasion back seat passenger. We recently took my E to Sun n Fun, about 500nm each way, with a 6 footer in back. No problem at all. Most of the time it's either short airplane rides or just 2 of us on longer trips. 

cocolos Explorer

cocolos

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Could I get some numbers on the cost so I can create a spreadsheet? So far I have the following:

GPH 9

Hourly Maintenance reserve $30/hr

Engine reserve ~$10/hr (depending how many hours are on it of course, but how much do they usually cost 20k?)

Prop reserve ~$2/hr(how much are they usually?)

 

Insurance might vary but I assume mine would be 1500/year is that reasonable for a 130TT private?

Marauder Grand Master

Marauder

Posted
Posted
Could I get some numbers on the cost so I can create a spreadsheet? So far I have the following: GPH 9 Hourly Maintenance reserve $30/hr Engine reserve ~$10/hr (depending how many hours are on it of course, but how much do they usually cost 20k?) Prop reserve ~$2/hr(how much are they usually?) Insurance might vary but I assume mine would be 1500/year is that reasonable for a 130TT private?
There are a number of factors that go into setting these numbers correctly. My Mooney spreadsheet contains a direct operating cost that tallies up hourly maintenance (figure this to be oil changes and misc. repairs outside of the annual), the cost of the annual over the year's flying, engine reserve (not sure what a C rebuild cost is, but a fuel injected runs from the mid 20s into the 30s depending on shop, level of accessory replacement, etc.), prop (I think was in the $1500 - $1700 range), insurance (you should be in the ballpark depending on the coverage limits) and don't forget about avionics repairs, updates (databases for GPSs) and upgrades. When you put this all in a spreadsheet, you then close it and never look at it again. Why? Simply because the kind of money you are putting into this endeavor can never be justified for personal usage :) AND you certainly don't want any paper trail letting your better half to know what you have been up to!
carusoam Grand Master

carusoam

Posted
Posted

Where'd your avatar go???

The C is a great way to start, until your kids legs allow their feet to touch the ground...

That gives you about ten years before you have to let the C go...

Worked for me, anyways...

Best regards,

-a-

rbridges Grand Master

rbridges

Posted
Posted

Could I get some numbers on the cost so I can create a spreadsheet? So far I have the following:

GPH 9

Hourly Maintenance reserve $30/hr

Engine reserve ~$10/hr (depending how many hours are on it of course, but how much do they usually cost 20k?)

Prop reserve ~$2/hr(how much are they usually?)

 

Insurance might vary but I assume mine would be 1500/year is that reasonable for a 130TT private?

 

my insurance was around $1400 IIRC.  this was ~2 years ago when I got my C model.  60K hull value, closed hangar, asphalt runway.  I had around 150 hrs at the time, and no complex time.

Rwsavory Mentor

Rwsavory

Posted
Posted

Could I get some numbers on the cost so I can create a spreadsheet? So far I have the following:

GPH 9

Hourly Maintenance reserve $30/hr

Engine reserve ~$10/hr (depending how many hours are on it of course, but how much do they usually cost 20k?)

Prop reserve ~$2/hr(how much are they usually?)

 

Insurance might vary but I assume mine would be 1500/year is that reasonable for a 130TT private?

 

10 gph overall is more realistic.  My partner and I charge ourselves $72/hour tach time, which is intended to cover fuel, oil and maintenance and excludes insurance, hangar, subscriptions and engine reserve.

fantom Grand Master

fantom

Posted
Posted

What's the best way to find partners? It wouldn't be ideal but I think with 1 or 2 partners I could afford to do so without breaking the bank.

 

You could start here, IF you post your location and preferred airport under your non-avatar, and an ad in the MAPA Log would help, assuming you're a member.

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