vagabond

I saw this for sale. Copied the ad verbatim, but deleted contact information. Can someone help me decipher this? I am not sure there is enough information to make a reasoned and informed decision.

What I am concerned about is the note that says it hasn't been flown since 2001, and this plane is being sold as is. This implies that something is wrong with it? Annual means every year. This one hasn't had one for 10 years now. What does it take to get a plane through an annual?

Can someone recommend a good mechanic who will look it over for me?

Would someone be willing to go with me and see if this thing will even fly?

Assuming I can convince my husband to buy this, is this even appropriate for us given that I have forgotten completely everything I've ever learned about flying and that the only thing I've ever flown was a C-172?



Mooney M20C
Model Year: 1970
Engine: Lycoming 0-360-A1D (Carbureted 180 HP)
Gear: Retract, electric
Airframe Total Time: 4,000 Hours
Engine: Total Hours approx. 4,000, SMOH approx. 338

Radios:
KX170B NAV/COM with KI-214 VOR / LOC / Glideslope Indicator / Glideslope Receiver
KX170B NAV/COM with KI-201C VOR / LOC Indicator
KR-86 ADF
KN61 DME with KI266 Digital Display
Narco AT50A Transponder

Last Annual: June 2001. Hangered and not flown since that time. Engine running, good compression, light hail damage some panels.
Price $25,000 without annual, as is, where is. Hanger may be available.

Airhoss

It's been sitting a LOOONG time. It is going to have some mechanical issues.

As far as flying it. The Mooney will be a bit of a handful for you at first but it's nothing that you can't learn to fly very well with appropriate training. The Mooney is a very slippery airplane compared to what you are used to and it has some rather sleazy stall characteristics. Don't take it lightly and you'll be fine.

jugheadf15

Corrosion in the engine is going to be a big problem, depending where it is located. I would also expect corrosion in the airframe is probably running fairly rampant by this time, assuming it's last annual was also 10 years ago. Start searching for a Mooney Owner's Forum and continue to ask questions and read up on the particalar model's gotchas. There are a TON of airplanes for sale right now. You would probably be far better ahead to buy something a little more expensive, but flight worthy right now.

DeadHead

The Mooney is a good cross-country airplane, but if your looking for a recreational weekend plane I would probably look elsewhere. The mooney can be especially tight upfront, and not particularly comfortable for any passengers in the back.

As far as flying the thing, probably wouldn't recommend it for a pilot who hasn't flown in a long time, and may be a little "rusty". The Mooney can take some getting used to, especially on landing. The plane tends to be speed sensitive squirrely if slow, and pretty good float if your fast. Flew the M20K, not sure if the M20C is much different, but crosswinds can be a little tricky as the rudder is geared to the ailerons and that can take some getting used to.

Not a bad plane, but definitely spend some time with an experienced instructor before venturing out alone, and get a good appraisal done before entertaining this purchase.

DirectTo

As an owner (not Mooney), I'd steer clear of anything that's been sitting that long. As was mentioned, corrosion would be the big issue. Sitting is about the worst thing you can possibly do to an airplane.

I would venture you would have to invest a minimum of $10k just to get it running well after a ten year sit, not to mention cover any ADs that haven't been complied with in the last ten years. An annual after ten years is going to be a brutal process, and you can guarantee any mechanic worth his salt is going to nitpick every little thing about it before he signs the logbook.

rickair7777

If it was sitting in the AZ desert the engine internals might be OK. But assuming it's in the SEA area, it might need a full teardown inspection, and maybe a full rebuild due to internal corrosion. The fact that it's running is interesting...if it was started, warmed up, and given full-power runups on a somewhat regular basis it might be OK.

But if it was really sitting for ten years... the fact that it runs and even has compression does not ensure that there's no internal corrosion damage which will manifest over time.

Critical questions: Was the engine put in layup, run occasionally at full power, or just left sitting?

Being hangared, there might not be too many airframe issues although a very thorough annual is obviously in order and there will be some overdue items to address.

I wouldn't touch it without getting the engine evaluated by an expert...you could spend another $25K on that alone.

N9373M

I owned an "E" model for 10 years. I echo the above comments - an engine sitting for ANY length of time is bad. I'd be concerned about the hail damage, plus weeping fuel tanks. It's normal for a Mooney's tanks to leak, but where it leaks and how much tells the tale. That might cost 2K-10K depending if they can seal the leaks easily, or if you decide to install fuel bladders.

Our first annual in the plane was 10K, due to the leaky tanks and the A+P was not happy about some of the repairs on some of the control surfaces (hail damage in your case). Subsequent annuals were 1500-2000.

One plus is the electric gear. I have a disproportionally larger right arm and chunks of right index finger missing from raising/lowering the gear with the manual "Johnson Bar". Manual gear is not bad - just another quirk of the Mooney.

Oh - another engineering marvel is the fuel selector valve. It's between the pilot's feet, on the floor. With my beer enhanced middle, I'd have to unbuckle, slide the seat back to switch tanks. To get from "L" to "R" you have to rotate the selector thru "OFF". That always scared me.

Don't get me wrong - the Mooney is a great x-ctry airplane. We planned our trips at 150 kts, and it could get up to 15K feet or higher if needed. I needed 10 hours of dual before the insurance would cover me. 6 of those hours came on a single day round trip from Columbia, SC to Baltimore for lunch with the CFII's daughter.

I wish I still owned the plane, but I ran out of co-owners. It's a buyers market now - you can find something that will fit your mission.

I'd also go here NTSB Aviation Database Query Page to see if there were any accidents.

Two other items. I'm not sure you'd get much use from the ADF, and in our plane, the co-pilot did not have brakes.

vagabond

Thanks guys. I think I'm way over my head on this one. Probably best to keep looking for a C-150 or C-172; stay with the Devil I know instead of risking money, life and limb on something I don't.

Airhoss

I think that is where the smart money is. Spend a bit more on a nice 172 and go fly your pants off!

orbits2000

I agree w/ AirHoss on this one-The C-172 sure as heck is a tried, tested, proven aircraft zero question. BTW Airhoss-I've noticed in previous post that you have time as a smokejumper pilot. I'd very much appreciate chatting with you about your experiences. I've had a goal of flying smokejumpers for quite a while. I'd started a thread in the Part 91 low time cat. looking for you or others with this experience. if you feel like it-go there to respond of p.m. me or whatever is best. Thanks very much.