'The Transition'

[Apollo]

As some of you know, I own a m20c.

 

However, for the next week or two I am going to be flying a J model while I prepare for my CFI Airplane.

 

Does anybody have any good(?) anecdotal evidence of what they experienced when going from a C(or so) model up to a J?

 

I will be doing Private and Commercial maneuvers in these, so any tips there would also be great.

 

 

Landing, flying, takeoffs, crosswinds. Is it all about the same except for some differences in engine management?

[Glenn]

I had time in an E, prior to flying a J.  If I found that I needed to use pitch trim more in the J, and that the ailerons were a bit lighter.

 

There is of course the issue of that round electric switch on the right side of the pilot's panel, that, as I recall, operates the landing gear. (I've been flying an F with a Johnson bar for the last 29 years.)  You will need to become familiar with the emergency gear procedure, that does not exist on your C, if the C has a Johnson bar.  Speed control on approach and landing is the same.  You can fly instrument approaches a little faster, because you do not have the same limiting gear speeds.

[Hank]

Apollo--

 

I have some time in an F. The biggest changes, besides what is installed in the panel, are speed-related.

1. Takeoff is the same, but you will have an improved climb rate from the extra 20 hp.
2. My first descent was an eye-opener. I normally just push for 500 fpm and trim the forces out and come down near the top of the green arc [~170 mph; yellow starts at 175]. In the F, this put me ~190 . . . Gotta pull some throttle before descending. I would expect this to be more of a factor in a J, which is a cleaned-up F after all.

Took a couple of departures to remember to adjust cowl flaps, and I really missed my infinitely adjustable flaps--it had a slider for Up, Takeoff and Down, and could not be positioned in-between. The F also lands much better with full flaps than my normal 'set Takeoff flaps and adjust as needed on final.'

 

Other than that, it's just a little longer, a little heavier and has a little stronger engine than our C's. My flaps and gear are electric, so that wasn't an issue for me, and the speeds were the same.

[jetdriven]

The green arc extends all the way up to 200 MPH, so you can leave full cruise power set, trim for 500-700 FPM descent and let it eat. It winds up to 180-190 but its still in the green.   That really helps out the block airspeed, in fact, you can average 150 knots from takeoff to landing.

 

I took a friend and M20E owner flying a few weeks ago. He was impressed, to him, it was "like an E with a way better panel, more room, and a little faster."  He flew it fine.

[1964-M20E]

I went form an E to an F and there were no problems. You will of course not have carb heat on the J model since it is fuel injected and the starting procedure will be slightly different.

[Mooneymite]

Question:  Why are you changing to a J for your CFI?  Did you consider just using your C?

[Apollo]

Possible conflict of schedule/documentation issue.

 

 

Thanks everybody else!