Uh, have you seen a 36 and 33/35 next to each other? The front of the plane is moved forward about 10 inches.

The first Long Body was the Porsche powered M20L.

I agree that a mid body is great for 2 people and bags.

As has been mentioned, the M20K Encore is the ultimate mid body with speed and UL. The nice thing is, a 252 can be converted to an Encore and gain 230 pound GW increase. My 252/Encore is 1060 UL. I have the Monroy extended tanks, so 104 gallons of fuel. Still enough to fit 2 people and weekend luggage.

So a lot of flexibility as to range and how much you need to carry.

Those were the days. Hard to beat that Mooney panel.

Back in about 1985 or so, I stopped by Freeway Airport in MD. Back when aircraft dealers actually had new aircraft sitting on the ramp.

I sat in a 201 for about an hour, thinking how great it would be to have a plane that well equipped. I mean it had DME, RNAV (rho-theta), an HSI, autopilot. What more could anyone wish for.

Well, now there is the panel in my 252.

Terry’s plane is the first one ever that they never had to actually make an instrument panel for.. All of the displays fit so tightly together.

I think the Ovation/Eagle is one of the best piston planes ever made. There's some primacy bias in that opinion, but I've never felt more confident in an airplane. I've considered getting an Ovation with air conditioning, but now seeing TAS of 200 in the Malibu, the Ovation is no longer coveted as much.

In 1999 I bought a pretty M20C for $32K and flew it for three years. Hard to imagine a more economical certified airplane that still gets you across the country.

You are just jealous.

Getting closer to the goal. Couple of questions:


A buddy has a 201, said he flight plans 150 its and 10 gals per hr. Then I see ads saying 160 at 10 gals per hr. Any thoughts?

Op difference for a 201 vs a rocket, 231/252, ovation or bravo? Would love a bravo, but that big lycoming scares me if anything breaks. Ovation makes most sense because I think air conditioning is a must have item per the wife and the 550’s are everywhere. Rocket and 252 looks like a blast and the 201 is definitely the most cost effective way to go.

Also, seems like there’s a growing supply in the market for everything single engine (400+ cirrus’s, over 800 Cessna’s, 100+ Mooney’s, 500+ pipers and almost 300 beech’s per trade-a-plane). What are your thoughts on the market and where it will be in 3-6 months? Is 100ll a problem?

Thanks. I really appreciate it.

Airplanes that are set up correctly will do 160/10, Byron being one of them.

I have a J and I've never seen 160 but I don't have the lower gear doors which are worth about 5 knots. (I need to flight a right lower gear door; I think I have two left ones). People say 150/10 because it's easy math and there is a safety margin in there.

I had a J for 10 years and I would see 158 KTAS on 10 GPH at 7K. It's a very dependable aircraft.
The Bravo is completely a different machine. Relatively speeder with the ability to climb into the flight levels and go fast however the fuel cost is 70-80% + more expensive. And the engine is $100K to replace where the J Lycoming is under $50K.
Ovations should be an option too. Cruise 170 to 190 on between 12 to 17 GPH.

I've owned both a 201J and an Ovation. Ovation was a great XCtry airplane, fast, economoical, could climb high if needed and just a solid flying airplane.

The 201J was great, slower but more economical. Flew mostly just two of us and once you knew how to climb in, was actually very comfortable in both airplanes. I would buy another 201 in a second as a good local and XCtry machine. I flew that 201 to Texas and Iowa/Chicago from NY enough to know that it's a very good airplane.

I used to get 155Kts TAS at about 10.3 (avg) day in day out.

Flew all over the country in a 79 J model. I always figured 153/12, unless I was at or above 9,000. If I end up with another one it will have the split rear seat, and will not have a dual mag.

Flew an F with the J-210 windshield and front end for many years. Great useful load, 64 gallons of fuel, and 146-148 kts on 8.8 GPH LOP all day long. Never should of sold it.

My current ride is a Bravo. 175 kts at 10K 17-18 GPH. An additional 2 kts per thousand up into the teens.

That's a slow 201. 160@10 should be possible with the majority of properly rigged 201s.

I have a lot of hours in the long body Ovation (Eagle) with air conditioning. It's fast, comfortable, and very capable. It's a definite performance upgrade from the 201 and if you can swing an ovation, skip the 201.