Hello All,

I thank you in advance for your thoughts. This looks like a good deal IF I were to go down this road, which lately is looking more and more likely.

http://www.controller.com/listings/airc ... ooney-m20j

Thanks again,

Carlos

Calls what is your mission and load....

Busted link.

Mike C.

Sorry about the broken link. This should work:

http://www.controller.com/listings/airc ... ooney-m20j

Mike, thanks for your reply.

I'm sorry about not stating my mission. The wish is to take myself, my wife and our 9 year old daughter from Orlando, Florida, to Culebra, Puerto Rico, and back, Approximately 1,100 NM each way, maybe once a month. In addition, to see clients exclusively in Florida, but the main mission is the Culebra one.

Because of the distance and water, I have spent the last two years looking for twins, starting with Lazarus, then putting Dukes aside and looking at 58Ps, then looking at various 55s and 58s. I have become discouraged because it seems I simply do not have enough budget for what I want. So, it seems a few years with an economical plane that is still fast, save some more AMUs, and then get what I want is the prudent thing to do.

After reading some more about single engine over my planned route (Orlando to Turks and then to Puerto Rico), and the fact that on my route the "wet footprint" is actually quite small, it seems that a few years with a single might work.

I thank you all again and please let me know if you have any questions.

Carlos

That plane won't reliably do 1100 NM without refueling IMO, unless flying very slow. There is an STC for long-range tanks (basically expands the wet wing and adds two new fuel caps) that might make it possible.

If you have an intermediate fuel stop, then of course it is a non-issue.

The Missile conversion is a good one, and still supported by the vendor although they don't do new conversions. The IO-550 is of course a great engine as everyone here will attest. This plane should do ~175-180 KTAS around 13-14 GPH LOP if my memory serves. It looks like a lot of plane for the money.

This is where the airlines excell. Safer and you wont subject your family to sitting for 8 hours, while you worry about fuel and mech things and even weather.. Unless you ve got a turbo King Air or better I wouldnt want to do this.
Recntly took an airline flight round trip from IAH Houston to San Juan,not much problem and Miami would be shorter.

Sit down and think about how fun this trip could be in your own fast Mooney. Then go look at your daughter and think about how you would feel if half way there with no where to land the engine missed. How much would you pay to be on a boring airlline then?

CPX to MIA round trip is about $500/person based on what Expedia is claiming. Timing can be as short as 4.5 hours. So $1500 for three people. You can't fly that route for that even in the Mooney.

If saving money is the right thing, the airlines might win this one.


Get an economical plane for local use, use airlines to CPX, get richer, buy a twin.

Mike C.

Jet blue has 6 non-stops/day MCO-SJU. Take them and keep a plane at SJU to fly over.

Routinely spending 6 hours non-stop in an Accord sized plane with your wife and little girl is insane. Just dealing with bathroom access will be a big deal. Never mind winds, weather, the requirement to clear customs for any stop enroute.

Hate to stomp on your dream, but I'd not want to do that with any piston airplane.

(And in particular, this airplane with 64 gallons, 16 gph, 180 kts won't work)

Bill and Mike,

You guys may be on to something. Wait, save money, get rich, then buy the twin

Thanks again.

Carlos

Scott,

The plan has always been Orlando to Turks, stop for fuel/potty/stretch and then on to Culebra.

Thanks for the feedback. However, the voice of reason seems to be creeping in on the conversation

Thanks,

Carlos

Thanks Charles. You are probably right, of course...

Carlos

Carlos, if you have use for the plane anyway I would say buy it and do the trip a few times. It is a great experience and you will see how family likes it. There are different areas that you can make your fuel stop thereby mixing it up a little. If sometimes weather is not right or other reasons then go commercial.

Carlos,

That mission really seems made for an Aerostar 601P or something else in that class. The Mooney while fast would be a bit cramped on that trip.

Jay, maybe it would be cramped in a good way? My main concern especially with wife/baby on board would be avoiding dangerous weather and staying dry in the event of an engine problem.

As much as I love GA travel, and Mooneys of course, it is hard to argue against the airline option for this mission. I haven't flown mine out of the country yet, so I haven't done the customs dance and thus don't know how much of a PITA it can be.

If you still have a need for a plane for other uses, it still might be a good plane for that and at that point you can try a small trip with the family to gauge comfort level and willingness to spend 6+ hours in one. My wife has flown some long trips with me and has no issues, even up to 4 hours in one leg. I usually aim to keep legs in the ~3 hour range but she's been a trooper. We've flown to/from the NYC area in a single day with one stop and she did fine. I've done up to 7 hours solo and wouldn't subject a pax to that...especially due to the biological requirements on such a flight. Back in the 80's my dad took our family of 4 on summer trips in an M20C (with the short legroom in back and small baggage area) and I have no idea how we did that! My wife and I can fill up my M20J by ourselves...

Who knows what the airplane market will be like in a year or three, but you might be able to get in and out of that Missile without losing your shirt if you really want a plane now. Of course waiting and saving more is never a bad idea either unless you get really fed up with the TSA and the commercial travel experience. The Aerostar comment above sounds like a great idea if you're thinking of a twin ultimately. I sometimes dream of one myself, but don't have a budget or mission to support one, so I continue to be happy with my Mooney and keep upgrading it a little at a time.