The Mooney M20
The Mooney M20C
My first Mooney at KGPT (Gulfport, MS) in July of 2005.
I've been flying Mooney aircraft since September of 2000 when I bought N721LP, a 1967 M20C. The M20C is a low-wing, retractable gear, constant speed propeller, four place airplane powered by a 180 hp carbureted Lycoming engine.
I owned and flew N721LP from September, 2000 until December, 2006. She had manual gear (the famous Mooney Johnson Bar), hydraulically deployed flaps, carburetor temperature gauge, approach certified GPS, and an RNAV.
The following link is to a comprehensive flight test of the M20C:
The Mooney M20J, or Mooney 201
My second Mooney, taken at KAWM (West Memphis, AR) in 2008.
In December of 2006, I traded N721LP and an undisclosed amount of cash for N36CE, a 1982 M20J. The Mooney 201 is fast, efficient, and almost perfect for General Aviation. Powered by a normally aspirated, 200 hp ,fuel injected Lycoming engine (IO360a3b6d), it performs well until it reaches the higher altitudes necessary for safe flight in the American west where field elevations and density altitudes tend to be a bit high for the normally aspirated engine. I routinely flew N36CE at a ground speed of 160 kts. (184 mph) while burning only 12 gallons of fuel per hour.
N36CE was equipped with an approach certified GPS, a multi-function display, datalink weather, a graphic engine analyzer, and an autopilot that would fly instrument approaches.
The current owner of N36CE has done many avionics upgrades and given her a new look with a paint job done by Art Craft Paint in Santa Maria, CA. Art Craft has a lot of experience in painting Mooney aircraft.
The following link is to a comprehensive flight test of the M20J:
The Mooney M20K, or Mooney Mooney 231
My current Mooney, taken at KSLC (Salt Lake City) with its original paint in 2011.
Still at KSLC, this time with new paint in 2012.
In October of 2011, I traded N36CE along with cash (seems to be a recurring theme) for N5810Z, a 1985 M20K Mooney 231 Special Edition. It is very similar to the M20J, except that instead of a normally aspirated four cylinder 200 hp. Lycoming engine, it has a turbocharged six cylinder 210 hp. Continental engine. It is ideal for flight at the higher field elevations and density altitudes of the American west (where I have lived since the summer of 2011).
All three of my Mooneys have been bought from Jimmy Garrison and David McGee at All American Aircraft in San Antonio, TX. They are extremely fair and knowledgeable about Mooney(and other brand) aircraft.
N5810Z is a great flying airplane with a low time engine. The paint was showing all of its 25 years, so she got a complete strip and paint at Straube's Aircraft Services in Ogden, UT. The design was created by Brian Smith of Wings Aviation. Brian and I spent about six weeks trying different looks until we came with a design and color scheme that I really liked. (He didn't like the placement through the N-numbers in the paint vs the placement of the stripe in the design, but I am really happy with the outcome).
The painting process was not quick. I delivered the plane to Straube's on January the 8th. and it was supposed to take 20 working days. Like most paint shops, they ran way behind. They rescheduled the delivery to February 18th, then the week after that. Didn't happen. Then I was given a new date of March 3rd. I finally took delivery on March 21. That was a long wait. Nevertheless, I would rather they took their time to produce a high quality result, than rush the job and get sloppy.
The following links are to a comprehensive flight test of the M20K, All American Aircraft in San Antonio, TX, and Straube's Aircraft Service, in Ogden, UT (also in Kingman, AZ, Kapelei, HI, and Philadelphia,PA. Straube no longer lists an Ogden, UT location on their website, so I guess they have closed that paint shop.
N5810Z will be changing hands again the first week of October, 2017. I no longer have a valid medical certificate to allow me to fly and keeping an aircraft around just to go look at it is dumb. I have been accused of being dumb more than once in my life, but it is time to let this Mooney go.
I am going to miss flying.
