Full Flight: 1966 Mooney M20F

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Few airplanes have as colorful a reputation as the Mooney M20. For some, it is an airplane to be feared, for others, one to be loved, but for many, one that inspires lots of questions. From my experience, the Mooney is a fantastic airplane that flies exceptionally well and is built very tough. For those who know me, this is the plane I hit a deer in and it (the plane not the deer) sustained surprisingly little damage. All that said, the Mooney has several quirks and oddities that must be respected and accounted for. Failure to adjust to its unique demands is very likely responsible for much of its poor reputation.

Today I fly an M20F executive model from the Greenville Downtown (KGMU) to the Pickens County (KLQK) airport for its annual inspection. While waiting for some paperwork to be completed I had the opportunity to film and explain much about the aircraft. I also did what I could to film the entire flight with my limited camera equipment. Hopefully this can at least answer a few questions about the plane.

Video chapters/sections
0:00 Introduction
0:29 Aircraft Exterior
5:55 Aircraft Interior
7:11 Starting the Airplane
14:34 Taxi, Runup, and Pre-takeoff
23:16 Takeoff and Climb
26:18 Cruise
31:23 Preparing for Landing
33:36 Landing

Disclaimer: Yes, I am a flight instructor, but this video should not be considered instruction on how to fly a Mooney M20. The techniques and practices I used work for me and this specific airplane, but that does not mean they will work for you and the specific Mooney you might be flying. It is critical that you receive thorough one-on-one transition training from an instructor experienced in the Mooney before attempting to fly one yourself. Also note, that even an experienced instructor may need a few hours to become accustomed to your particular Mooney. These planes have some personality, so it takes some time and patience to get to know them. Just because you might legally be able to jump in one and go for a flight does not mean that you should.