How do Mooney Bravos Perform?
A new owner answers the question unsoliciated!
Hi Mac,
The guys have been working me like a sled-dog! Almost 100 hours on the hobbs already. Joe’s close to being signed off, Ken and Rob are still working (they need their IRA before Insurnace will allow them to solo).
Took the airplane on a couple of trips...boy I landed in an absolute snowstorm in Illinois. She performed so well. I picked up my girlfriend at this airport west of rockford Ill and I had about 1/2 mile vis...saw the rabbits and landed her fine...but the wind was blowing so hard that it was almost picking her up and moving her across the runway. Glad I had 3000lbs and glad it was a low-wing. We got up above the weather at 3000'...Christmas eve with my family in Indianapolis. Landed in 20 knot crosswind and brought her down smooth as glass. People came out after I shut her down, I thought to compliment the airplane, but they came out to say that 3 people in the last hour had to divert and I was the only one to get in...the quote from the line guys, as my girlfriend likes to tell people, was “kudos on the landing buddy”. Rockford Ill to Indiapolis in 25 minutes...230kts over the ground: love it.
On more than one occasion we have been out filling up somewhere or grabbing lunch and the random pilot will say “Nice mooney”...you should see these guys just light up Mac! They are so glad they bought the airplane. I’ve done about 30 hours with both Joe and Ken and its a LOT of airplane...I think they are seeing that now...but I think they needed a little humbling. She ain’t no skyhawk and I’ll admit it was above their level of flying..but Joe and Ken are both coming along quite nicely. I solo-ed Joe the other day for his first 3 to a full-stop and he did great.
Ken and I took her to Clearwater, FL to visit with my family (hey, I’m not charging them for flight instruction, so I figure this is my little perk: use it to x-c on vacation with my family!) We landed at Cedar Key...2300ft and I mean ON the water. I showed Ken that this thing can land in some SHORT fields. The first one I landed and didn’t even get on the brakes much at all. Sometimes (that flight and especially the Illinois landing, take-off) I just sit there and say to myself “what an airplane”....when they hear me say that, I think they appreciate it even more.
I should have had the tires replaced because of all the landings and so forth with these guys (I hate treating it like a training airplane, but I’ve got to get these guys the experience), but I didn’t and the oyster shell runways down in florida chewed up the mains and we blew a tire in Clearwater. No damage and kept her right on the line...luckily they had 2 main tires and got us on our way the next morning. It was my fault and I should have had them replaced.
Just wanted to catch you up...Thanks again Mac and hope you guys are enjoying all that snow!
Please feel free to use me as a reference ANYTIME.
Happy New Year,
Billy