Mooney M20J (1976) 200BHP TIPS & HINTS

[Outback Pilot]

I have started endorsement training in a Mooney M20J at Bankstown and was wondering what hints and tips and experience Mooney drivers could share with me?

I have flown several hours in a Piper Arrow II, but still find the Mooney tricky with approaches, landing (slippery with the nose wheel compared to other aircraft if you do not keep you feet on the rudder firmly) and take off’s. It is not the easiest aircraft to slow down either compared with the Arrow. The main thing is really staying a head of the aircraft.

If you could share the various MAP & RPM settings you use, including approach, in the circuit etc.

Thanks

AW :confused: :confused: :confused:

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[Outback Pilot]

Thanks for your e-mail’s as it has been very helpful information regarding the Mooney M20J. Please keep any more information coming. :) :) :)


Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

[Mooney Driver]

Without doubt, the greatest fund of Mooney knowledge will be found by subscribing to the Mailing Lists at

http://www.aviating.com/mooney/subscribe.html

Be prepared for 50-100 postings daily, concerning operation, maintenance, hints, tips, factory news etc., etc.. There are a couple of regular Australian contributors, so you won't be lonely.

At the moment, we are getting regular messages from Bob Kromer, ex Mooney Factory Test-Pilot.

Also, consider joining AMPA, the Australian Mooney Pilots Association. This very active group is composed of about half the Mooney owners in Australia. It has an excellent group of members and holds regular fly-in events as well as "PPPs", Pilot Proficiency Program courses. These are based on (and are improved versions of) the advanced flying courses developed by MAPA in the US. These courses will teach you everything you could possibly wish to know about operating your Mooney.

Contact Don Rowling at
[email protected]
or
+61 0418 632 662

or me at:-
0418 604 088

[TTF]

Hi Op

Usually a lurker around these parts but I see you're not having much response so....

Take off -
Boost pump on
Flaps 15
Full fine full power
Rotate 65 kts (70 if crosswind) Will actually fly itself off with limited back pressure.
Gear up
300' Flaps up/check t/p's
500' - 25/2500/boost pump off/monitor fuel pressure
Climb out - 95kts
Overclimb cruise ht by 50', Close cowls and descend back to cruise to enable faster acceleration.
Leave setting at 25/2500 until a/c hits approx 125kts.
Set Cruise power - 23/2400
Lean
(Skip last 2 items if doing ccts and go straight to 20/2400 @ cct ht)

Descent -
20/2400
500 fpm
Enrich via couple of turns every 1000'

Approach -
As you said - a very slippery little sucker - hard to slow down in time for finals if you're not ahead of it, especially if descending into the circuit.
Best way to decelerate is dropping the gear - but you can't do that until IAS is down to 133 kts so be thinking ahead in this regard. Best to get your speed sussed well before joining cct.

Downwind -
BUMFH Checks, including fuel boost on @ F.
Turning base - Reduce MAP to 13"
Established on base -
Flaps 15 whilst backtrimming
80 kts

Finals
PUFF checks (Pitch full fine/U-C down & confirmed/Cowls open/Flaps Full whilst backtrimming)
Established @ 70 kts.
Round out/power off & float her down, keeping nose up. If you balloon to much then do a go around.

Important Notes:

Prop strikes are relatively easy. Never nose down after roundout as you may/probably will end up doing a wheelbarrow and inevitable propstrike.

Don't try and salvage an approach if not established by mid final - Go around. Yes I know this should be the case for all a/c but some moreso than others.

Give it plenty of right rudder on a go around lest you become a victim of the dreaded P factor and end up a smoking hole in the ground.

If you overshoot the c/line turning final do not over correct as you may also end up a smoking hole in the ground via low speed stall/spin.


Going from memory so may have missed a couple of points but hope this helps.

[Outback Pilot]

TTF thanks for the information it is very helpful. We use 26/2600 in this model on climb out.

I have flown the Arrow II and they’re a lot easier to slow down. I will keep at it and master the Mooney hopefully in the next couple of hours.

I found the Arrow II endorsement training a lot easier as we did circuits first to get things down pat in the circuit area, then moved on to air work. The Mooney training has been air work first now circuits.

:)
See Mooney M20J Type Here (http://svc056.bne077u.server-web.com/Mooneyj.htm)

[TTF]

Hi OP

Yeah I was on a 20J as well - everyones got their own MO's I guess.

Anyway have fun

[Tinstaafl]

An interesting consideration for a glide approach/forced landing is the fairly large difference between Vg & Vat.

At some point you will have to change from using Vg (to maximise glide range) to Vat (to minimise float). You will need to consider the change in glide range when you do so.

[typhoonpilot]

Hello Outback Pilot:

I worked for a Mooney dealer in the States while going to College. We had 10 Mooneys for rent divided equally between the 201 and 231. The 201 is one of my favorite G.A. aircraft. It is a great travelling machine with a real sports car feel to it. The posts I read where all good but I wanted to add two things that I emphasized while teaching the aircraft.

1. Airspeed control is the critical element to a successful approach and landing. The Mooney recommended speed needs to be held right on the dot. Some pilots think that plus five knots is okay, in some airplanes it is, but not the Mooney.

2. Point number two involves the prop strike tendnecy. One of the posters mentioned wheel barrowing. That can happen but the really interesting phenomena is increasing amplitude oscillation with the mains on the runway. In one of my first training flights in the 231 I landed with the mains on and was holding the nose off, a technique from another airplane. The nose came down rather firmly and bounced back up, naturally I increased the back pressure on the yoke to counteract. Well, the nose came down again, harder this time and bounced back up yet higher. Usually the third bounce will cause a prop strike since it will be so violent. The reason for this is that the elevator has become totally ineffective due to blockage of airflow across the horizontal stab. The correction for this, if it ever happens, is to add power to get some extra airfow across the elevator thus enabling some control of the pitch.

Good luck in your flying.

Typhoonpilot

[dirkdj]

There is one recommendation I would like to object to:

After liftoff, it is better to leave the throttle wide open instead of reducing to 25/2500 (done in order to 'save' the engine).

For noise abatement purposes, the prop can be brought back to 2500 RPM but leave the throttle wide open to top of climb. There is a fuel enrichment valve on most engines that will provide extra rich mixture for cooling purposes when throttle is wide open.

Having a JPI six-cylinder engine analyser (on a 231) it is easy to see that temperatures (CHT and EGT) go UP when reducing throttle during climb.

Please read the excellent columns by John Deakin on http://www.avweb.com/articles/pelperch/perchlinks.html for in-depth explanations and old-wives-tales killing.

[bookworm]

I agree with dirkdj. Full throttle and 2500 or 2600 rpm to top of climb.

My favourite "utility" setting, which is worth remembering, is 19" 2300 rpm. That tends to give about 120 kt gear up, and is a good speed for holding and general manoeuvring.

The other useful rule of thumb is that a 1" reduction in MP gives about 100 fpm descent.

Enjoy.

[Outback Pilot]

Thanks for all your helpful information regarding Mooney Technics. As soon as my instructor is back on deck from the Christmas break I will put them to practise, especially my circuit procedures. :) :) :D

[eyeinthesky]

I have about 100 hours on M20J, but am a little rusty as have not flown one for a couple of years. Things I remember:

1) Prop clearance when taxying is minimal: take GREAT care on bumpy grass taxiways.

2) View over the nose on flare can be a little limited (relatively high cockpit coaming)

3) You have to sit fairly close to the control column to reach the (non adjustable) rudder pedals unless you have very long legs. This can leave you with the ability ONLY JUST to do full and free.

4) You need to plan your slowing down for the circuit well in advance to avoid either shock cooling or screaming in at 150 kts. To have to drop the gear to get the speed back quickly is, in my view, evidence of being behind the aircraft and poor planning.

5) All the comments so far regarding the landing technique are spot on. 5kts fast and you will float another 200m or more!

6) Make sure the baggage hatch is closed and locked before you depart. When it opens in flight it upsets the airflow over the rudder (not dangerously so) and makes you jump!!

With all this, however, quite the best touring aircraft I have ever flown. Solid and stable and fast, if a little snug in terms of shoulder room for two burly blokes. Visual nav was more difficult than radio nav because of the speed and the relatively poor downward visibility, but if I had the money and couldn't afford a twin then that's the aircraft I would buy.

[dirkdj]

In my experience, the Mooney M20 series are not suitable aircraft for anything but the smoothest of grass fields.

If you look at the geometry of the nose landing gear, you will see that if the nose gear drops in a 10cm hole, the prop will actually come down a lot more than that. The 231 is probably worse than the 201 in this aspect.

My friend with a 231 found this out the hard way, his first prop strike was on a grass field near his home, where his maintenance shop is based, luckily, only paint was damaged on the prop. His second prop strike was in Spain, when taxiing out for departure, on the grass parking area. The nose gear dropped into a hole in the ground, impossible to see because of the grass and bad forward visibility over the nose in a 231, the prop was damaged, engined needed teardown, new three-bladed Hoffman prop was ordered. Total cost over 15000 Euros.

Also the rubber donuts on the landing gear need to be looked after and replaced from time to time, they are the only kind of suspension in the landing gear.

[Outback Pilot]

Thanks for your posts. I have mastered the Mooney finally especially in slowing it down to land.

My next issue is working out the Aircraft Loading, C of G etc and performance sheets.

:) :) :)

[Cougar]

Anyone got access to M20J emergency checklists? Looking especially for boldface for EFATO, PFL's etc. And can someone please confirm 90 kts as best glide speed. Cheers.

[bookworm]

Try the checklists at Mooney Junction (http://www.aviating.com/mooney/checklists/index.html)

[Piper Arrow]

Cougar, Around 91 Kts for full weight best glide.