1964-M20E Posted August 14, 2013 Report Posted August 14, 2013 Thanks for keeping your blog, I'm looking forward to your adventure. Many of you know of this site already, but for those that don't. www.honeymooney.com Another E model owner not shy of long distance flights. Would be one great adventure if I had the time and money fly around the world. Of course how many and what spare parts do you carry? Quote
Awful_Charlie Posted August 14, 2013 Report Posted August 14, 2013 Yes. Definitely in 2013! We'll be keeping an eye out for you! Safe trip when the weather clears for you - we might even hop over to welcome you back Quote
SPEEDMOONEY Posted August 15, 2013 Report Posted August 15, 2013 Hi Adrian I just flew my M20J from KHDF to LFPN 2 weeks ago Give a call if you land at Paris Have safe flight and blue skies Gilles Quote
adrian Posted August 19, 2013 Author Report Posted August 19, 2013 Merci, Gilles. After a few changes to the plan, we are finally en route. We have made it to Kuujjuaq in northern Québec. Greenland tomorrow! Quote
carusoam Posted August 19, 2013 Report Posted August 19, 2013 On the move... http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N822E 9,000' , 130 kts... Go international Mooney! -a- Quote
Awful_Charlie Posted August 19, 2013 Report Posted August 19, 2013 Good to see you on the move Adrian! Be even better to see you again soon. Safe and happy travels - I look forward to hearing all about it Ben Quote
Hector Posted August 19, 2013 Report Posted August 19, 2013 Wow!! A flight like this is going to have to go into my bucket list. We are going to Dublin next month. I showed this to my wife trying to convince her........forget about it!!! Quote
adrian Posted August 20, 2013 Author Report Posted August 20, 2013 Vicious headwinds today, and a long flight - 5.5 hours. But we made it to Greenland. What a fabulous destination! Some pictures on the blog: http://n822e.wordpress.com/ 3 Quote
Marauder Posted August 20, 2013 Report Posted August 20, 2013 Congrats on your first leg! Looking forward to the next update. How is the Aspen doing? Quote
carusoam Posted August 20, 2013 Report Posted August 20, 2013 Thanks for the update. Nice photos. -a- Quote
Oscar Avalle Posted August 20, 2013 Report Posted August 20, 2013 Vicious headwinds today, and a long flight - 5.5 hours. But we made it to Greenland. What a fabulous destination! Some pictures on the blog: http://n822e.wordpress.com/ Vicious headwinds today, and a long flight - 5.5 hours. But we made it to Greenland. What a fabulous destination! Some pictures on the blog: http://n822e.wordpress.com/ Great congratulations!!! Quote
adrian Posted August 20, 2013 Author Report Posted August 20, 2013 We made it to Iceland today, over the icecap with a brief stop in the village of Kulusuk, on Greenland's East coast. What a day! Rubbish weather for the first couple of hours over the water from Greenland to Iceland kept us down low to avoid icing, in a very wet cloud. But in the end we made it, only to find another very splendid Mooney on the ramp of Reykjavik airport. Fuller update on the blog - http://n822e.wordpress.com/ Quote
Awful_Charlie Posted August 21, 2013 Report Posted August 21, 2013 Woo hoo! They've made it to Blighty https://share.delorme.com/N822E Congrats chaps Quote
Marauder Posted August 21, 2013 Report Posted August 21, 2013 Great! Nice to have him represent the Mooney community! He will now need to provide us the details; total flight time, fuel used, whether his plane is faster than Mike's, etc. Quote
carusoam Posted August 21, 2013 Report Posted August 21, 2013 FlightAware seems to have stopped following, from the west coast of Greenland... -a- Quote
adrian Posted August 22, 2013 Author Report Posted August 22, 2013 Great! Nice to have him represent the Mooney community! He will now need to provide us the details; total flight time, fuel used, whether his plane is faster than Mike's, etc. Errrr.. I'm not very good at keeping track! Flight time from Maine to Southern England was about 28 hours, I think. I didn't keep all the fuel receipts, because some of them are just too painful..... especially the $730 for 2/3 of a drum of fuel in Kuujjuaq. We generally flew at just over 150kt TAS for about 9.3 gph, at about 9,000 ft. The Monroy long range tanks turn the M20E into a fantastic travelling machine for two people. On our longest flight from Canada to Greenland, we flew for 5.5 hours, and landed with 35 gallons remaining - very reassuring in an area where alternates are a long way apart, and the weather can change fast. The things I would like to change on the aeroplane are: 1. I want an autopilot! 28 hours of hand-flying, almost all IFR, over 4 days was pretty tiring. 2. The gear and flap speeds are far too low - as is Vne. 3. I want electric trim. When two people are in the cockpit, wearing survival suits, it's very difficult to reach the trim wheel! 4. The Aspen PFD is too bright at night. But for an aircraft built in 1966, which hadn't flown for 16 years before I bought it last year, I think it is absolutely amazing, and I love it. 1 Quote
Piloto Posted August 22, 2013 Report Posted August 22, 2013 Very good Adrian, congratulations on your crossing. For these trips autopilot is a most specially if you are by yourself. If you don't have an A/P try steering with the rudder pedals only. I found to be less stressing than using the ailerons. Glad that you had no fuel problems. I also have the Monroy tanks and never had to worry about making it. I also found that after 5 hours in-flight my butt gets numb and I don't care sitting for another five. But then I am over 60 and time flies very quick. Are you landing at Le Bourget LFPB?. I has been there for the Air Show and was very impress by the exhibitors and how well the show is organized. My wife favorite city is Paris, very impressive an beautiful. The tour along the Seine river and the walk along Champs Elysees are unforgettable. Take a lot of pictures and post them. José Quote
Piloto Posted August 22, 2013 Report Posted August 22, 2013 I didn't keep all the fuel receipts, because some of them are just too painful..... especially the $730 for 2/3 of a drum of fuel in Kuujjuaq. That's about $22/gal. That's why I avoid Greenland. Hope you didn't landed on a holiday or Sunday. Next time try Narsarsuaq, I think they are cheaper. José Quote
N9453V Posted August 23, 2013 Report Posted August 23, 2013 I didn't keep all the fuel receipts, because some of them are just too painful..... especially the $730 for 2/3 of a drum of fuel in Kuujjuaq. That's about $22/gal. That's why I avoid Greenland. Hope you didn't landed on a holiday or Sunday. Next time try Narsarsuaq, I think they are cheaper. José Piloto, Kuujjuaq is in Quebec, not Greenland and is generally not a recommended stop due to the insane fuel cost. Iqaluit is much cheaper... I believe under $500 for a 200L drum. -Andrew Quote
Oscar Avalle Posted August 23, 2013 Report Posted August 23, 2013 Thank you for sharing with us your trip. It only shows that it is not so hard to do the trip...it just needs patience and good airmanship. Congratulations. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD Quote
Piloto Posted August 23, 2013 Report Posted August 23, 2013 Piloto, Kuujjuaq is in Quebec, not Greenland and is generally not a recommended stop due to the insane fuel cost. Iqaluit is much cheaper... I believe under $500 for a 200L drum. -Andrew What I meant is the Goose Bay - Narsarsuaq route instead of the northern routes. Goose Bay is the most popular departing point for pistons heading to Northern Europe. Fuel is dispensed from a fuel truck instead of drums and is cheaper. Woodward FBO offers excellent facilities and you can do Customs with the front desk girl. There is no advantage on the northern route. Greenland inland is mountainous terrain with no suitable terrain for a survivable crash landing. Specially when granite is snow covered and you have 100 gallons of AVGAS onboard. Because of the high terrain elevation (7,000ft avg.) there is not many options if you encounter icing. Inland rescue is very difficult. I find going overwater a safer and shorter crossing. There is plenty of fishing boats that I can contact on a handheld marine radio and access is much easier. Water is softer than granite and it keeps the fuel from burning. Water my be cold but never colder than 30F. While snow can be -30F. José Quote
yvesg Posted August 23, 2013 Report Posted August 23, 2013 In Foreflight, 100LL is at $2.97 a littre in Goose Bay which is about $12 a gallon. Yves Quote
adrian Posted August 23, 2013 Author Report Posted August 23, 2013 Very good Adrian, congratulations on your crossing. Thanks! Five hours is about my limit for sitting at the controls. Our longest flight was 5.5 hours, and I was ready to stop. The routes from Goose require HF radio. You can obviously bluff your way around that, but it didn't seem worth the hassle - and the weather to the South was very poor when we flew. I looked into making a home-made HF radio, by modifying a ham radio - it can be done quite simply for about $1000, and I would consider that if doing the trip again. For me, a big part of the pleasure was flying over the mountains of Greenland, which are stunning. I have done most of my flying in the French Alps, often in a ski-plane, and have become quite happy flying over pretty rugged terrain. I would love to go back there in a taildragger on skis..... one day, maybe! Quote
Hector Posted August 23, 2013 Report Posted August 23, 2013 Congrats on the crossing! I am filled with envy! That is quite an adventure and it shows what even the older Mooney's are capable of. Now I need to start thinking about long range tanks for my 67C Quote
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