Exotic Birds: The Mooney Mite

[@rexmyers991]

I retired from the airlines as a B767 Captain. I flew over 80 different makes and models in my career. The most memorable was the time I flew a Mooney Mite. The owner (very generously) said “ Go ahead, take it around the patch”. I’m 6 foot 4 1/2 inches tall and I managed to fit in the cockpit and even got the gear retracted. What a thrill. It flew beautifully. Just one take off and landing. It was amazing.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Am glad you got to try it! My old man told me he and his buddies would simulate dog-fighting in Mites back in the 50s.

[@jockellis]

My son in law is a 6-foot-7 Jet Blue captain. Wonder if he could fit in one

[@fredbrillo1849]

I owned N4153 back in 1972. Traded it for a Piper Super Cruiser.

[@handy335]

What a great presentation! Thank you! for many years, the "West Coast Mooney Mite Association's" annual fly-in was held at KPTV (Porterville, CA). It was a thrill to see so many Mites in one place!

[@freedomforever6718]

To feel like a bird. And fly like one too! Excellent presentation. Thanks.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Thank you!

[@rockyvillarreal3119]

I loved flying the Mooney Mite thanks for the memories. (My yellow Mite at the 2:53 minute )

[@privatepilot4064]

I’ve always absolutely loved Mooneys!

[@br4nd0nh347]

Been thinking about getting a Mooney as my first plane. This video makes it higher on the list.

[@AC-jk8wq]

Mooney’s make great first planes… And wonderful forever planes…. 😃

[@jnhumble]

Well told, especially for non-native English speakers. An example for all!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Lol, I’m american. Better get to work on my english 😂😂😂

[@jnhumble]

Sorry -vids: I meant that ALTHOUGH BEING A NON-NATIVE SPEAKER MYSELF I could easily follow and enjoy your narrative 😏 Dutch is my mother tongue. QED!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Ah ok, my bad! Very kind words, thank you. I am very self-conscious of my voice and need lots of coffee to watch my own videos so I don't go to sleep. 😂 Am working on getting better..

[@wernerschulte6245]

Oh thank you, that was great !! Thank you for not playing music in the background and thank you for speaking clearly and not that fast. As a german guy it is not that easy to understand everything. This video is the first one which explains the tail rudder very well. Looking strange the forward faced rudder does not only operate optimal at low speeds and high angles of attack but also avoids addidionally nose up torque due to the vertical position at this situation. Other rudders backwards tiltet can give a lot of elevator force which is unliked at critical flight situations. I am convinced if Al Mooney were still alive the company would still exist.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Not so sure of that, Al left Mooney back in the 60s and had nothing to do with whatever came after it.

[@luislima4053]

Thank you for this explanation about Al Mooney and the history of this awesome aircraft !!!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

My pleasure!

[@khublieoldschoolgamer5737]

My uncle would fly his Mooney from George Town and Cairns to my home town in central Qld Australia. Flew with him back to Cairns and George Town many times. Some of the most vivid and exciting memories I have from my youth.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

glad you experienced it!

[@captainhuspower5723]

Your uncle you referred to wouldn’t by any chance have been Ron WEGNER a very good friend and an excellent pilot as well as being an electrical genius who operated the Georgetown power station for many years and also an Electrical Inspector in Far North Queensland.

[@arthurpearson3407]

The flight school I learned at in the early 60s got a Mite that was a hit with pilots. As a 16 yr old I loved flying it and running circles around the trainers of that day and early 172s. 130 on 65 hp. A real treat.

[@khublieoldschoolgamer5737]

@@captainhuspower5723 yes he was, he was killed in a car accident, head on with a car carrier a few years back. What a tragic end to a wonderful man. I am Maureen and Rons nephew, Maureen is my father's sister. Love them both very much.

[@khublieoldschoolgamer5737]

@@captainhuspower5723 the last time I saw him he flew his kit plane down to us and I had to help him work on it at the local airport. Losing oil pressure, he was running a custom VW motor I believe.

[@davidfw190]

I loved flying the mite,great little airplane

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Glad you enjoyed it! If there's any left in a couple years, would love to try one myself. My dad flew them in the 50s also.

[@frederickwoods5943]

There was a Mooney Mite in a separate small building at what is now called "Eagles Nest" on the west side of Waynesboro (Fishersville), VA. To this day I live about a half mile away from the airport. As kids my brothers and I sat in all the aircraft, particularly the Cubs, a Luscombe and others but never crawled inside the Mite. I have many stories of growing up spending Wednesday afternoons and Sundays "at the airport" ...

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Small airports are the life! Glad you enjoyed it. I miss the experience too

[@waltermengden8927]

Enjoyed this - the rudder design was to improve the rudder effectiveness / safety during slow flight and stalls. One correction - the Mooney factory is in Kerrville, TX. They don’t produce aircraft anymore but they do produce parts.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

I read other accounts that the rudder was designed as such as somehow it lowered production costs, was quicker to fabricate. I like the aerodynamic version better. 😂. Yes on Kerrville, not sure why in my mind it had a "y". Now I know...

[@marktaylor8659]

As a resident of Kerrville, I still see Mooneys flying frequently from the airport. The distinctive tail is the giveaway.

[@JD96893]

What an amazing engineer. We need someone like him to make aviation great again. Edit: I wonder if this aircraft could be reinvented and sold as a cheap light sport aircraft.

[@Triple_J.1]

A Continental O-200-D is $40,000. Glass Avionics, GPS, plus Radio and ADSB $10,000. Prop, gear, hardware. Another $5,000. Now for the construction materials in pre-punched kit form. $25,000. Total. $80,000. Cheap, yes? If you count 1,000 man-hours of qualified aircraft factory workers at $40/hr plus payroll taxes and benefits totaling $55/hr. Is another $55,000. Add cost of building and operating a small factory add another $5 Million, divided by total production of say 500 aircraft. This alone adds $100,000 to the cost. Now you're at 80 + 55 + 100 = $235,000 plus another $50,000 for product liability insurance for each item sold because lawsuits are each $1M losses as soon as the letter arrives. Just in legal defense, not including fines. Now, multiply 285,000 x 1.25 for a fair profit margin that can endure some slow times, and you're at $365,200. Will you sell 500 at this price? Probably not. Not right away, maybe over 10 or 20 years. This is the problem. Experimental / Homebuilt and Kits get you into the air in a new plane for under $100K unless you count your time as valuable Then closer to 120-150k.

[@SoloRenegade]

You don't need a Continental. you can get Multiple 80hp engines for $12k-$15k. you don't need ADS-B. $5k firewall forward misc is nonsense. And 80HP would be 15HP more. $20-$25k is not unreasonable for a KIT, but plans built would be much cheaper. $12k (engine) + $5k (prop, avionics, firewall forward) + $20k (kit) = $37k, which is comparable to a light single seat plane I am currently building. Cheaper if plans built. Being made of wood, the plane could be even cheaper.

[@m39fan]

It would have to be enlarged quite a bit to sell in quantity. These are too small for 3/4 of the population to be as comfortable as they demand to be. They are TINY.

[@SoloRenegade]

@@m39fan obesity has always been a barrier to entry to aviation.

[@bravocharlie639]

People are taller now. That's the growth hormones, fed to cows, then to us. Older ships like the USS Constitution or similar Era rebuilt to spec are eye opening.

[@charlesschneiter]

Aaahhh... that dreaded gear handle 😯. As a very young pilot I flew a Mooney M 20 C with the same design. My first few patterns were akin to a dolphin's swim 🙃 as I inadvertently pulled or pushed at the yoke while trying to get this darn lever to latch properly. Ah those were the times. Thanks for this history lesson!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

I read many accounts on how pilots had a tough time with the handle and getting it to lock in place (not just Mites but any Mooney).

[@chrismoody1342]

In my teen years my father owned two different Mooney’s. So I got a soft spot for them.

[@Flies2FLL]

The only Mooney I have ever flown was the Mooney that they marketed in 1989 to flight schools, N900AT. I was an instructor at FlightSafety Academy at the time, and Mooney brought the plane to the school to sell it to us. I was one of the instructors chosen to fly it. It was indeed fast! We had Piper Arrow IV's at the time with the T-tail as advanced instrument instructional planes. I flew from Vero Beach to Melbourne and flew an ILS in it, and then the instructor showed me how the air brakes that come out of the wings allowed very high descent rates! It was a small tight plane. I'm 6'1 and 150 pounds, and I fit in it with no problems. FlightSafety Academy wound up buying four of these for advanced instrument trainers, since our Arrow IV's ("Sky Pig") were high time and ready for retirement.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Lucky students!

[@Skyking6976]

Yeah…AT for advanced trainer. I recall they had a “barber pole” painted tail. Was a test pilot for Mooney before it shut down in ‘08. Miss Mikey and the gang at Kerrville. Not Kerryville. Great video. New flew a Mooney Mite but always wanted to.

[@Knuck_Knucks]

Thank you for this! 🐿

[@bradalgra8088]

Great history of the Mite Richard!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Thanks, bud!

[@TheGravitywerks]

KERRVILLE Texas....went to college in Kerrville in the mid 70's and learned to fly on that same airfield. Went to the factory a few times...Great video! Thank you!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Thank you! And I stand corrected on Kerrville...

[@chriscusick6890]

What an excellent video!! What an excellent little aircraft and a designer ahead of his time.

[@paulg.yarger8797]

Excellent Video Sir! Seems like there's always more too Learn! Amazing Man!!!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Thank you! That's 1/2 the journey for me, learning about it (I was blessed to gain some firsthand info from a former owner too)

[@wdreece8859]

I have a family member who owns a Mooney MC20. Very awesome plane.

[@donlawrence1428]

I did not know this airplane. A nifty little bird!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Sure is!

[@redfire122]

Awesome video. Learned a lot!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Theoriginalbubbafett]

Fantastic video! Keep up the great work!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Thank you! Will do!

[@elosogonzalez8739]

Very nice segment.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Thank you!

[@skyhawkchad7817]

Video of the orange Mooney mite at 4:05 was taken from my 150M over central Texas near lake Somerville. Good buddy of mine has it and it’s a cool little plane.

[@normanfawley7379]

Good interesting documentary,I enjoyed that !

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Thank you!

[@leokimvideo]

I never knew about the tail fin trick

[@larrysouthern5098]

What a shame we can"t have an airplane like this today...with composite and electronics.. wow!!!

[@craigwall9536]

Well, you can. The Mite plans were sold to homebuilders at one point. Mostly peoplr wanted them to duplicate the landing gear, so if you canvas the KR-2 builders you might scare up a set.

[@55pilot]

I flew one in 1957. What a fun bug!

[@fatbikejamie]

AFAIK the Mite was the only certified retractable that didnt require a backup system for the gear operation. I'd love to have one!

[@AC-jk8wq]

Really nice and fun presentation…! Plenty of Mooney facts and pictures… There must be about 200 Mite pilots still active in North America… Art and Al Mooney were awesome team leaders. They surrounded themselves with other good people that were still working for the company after 2000… 40+ years later… One detail you can add to your tail story… Look at the horizontal plane, and the vertical plane… they share so many parts, they look identical… thus, improving the manufacturing process. Art was a manufacturing genius! The rudder got a couple upgrades in the 60s…. Longer, and more throw…. The original wooden tail design, had one failure as noted in this video…. It had a glue joint fail, after some previous known damage…. Most of the wooden tails were exchanged for aluminum after that… If Al Mooney can gear up a Mooney… so can anyone else. (Unfortunately) In the most modern Mooneys… the trim motor and flap motor operate at the same speeds. The pilot needs only to operate the trim while the flaps are being deployed…. 😃 For your next Mooney video…. Consider the three different airframes Mooney built… short, mid, and long body Mooneys… With engine options from normally aspirated, to twin turbo-normalized with matching intercoolers and manifold pressure controllers… The Mite is quite the flying motorcycle. The wing may not be perfectly laminar…. But, the name fits the actual flying characteristics… it’s is really thin, and thus, low drag… compared to other thick, slow, GA wings. Mooneys are both fast and efficient…. It is up to the pilot how he wants to fly today. If you supply 100hp per person in the airplane…. It can climb like a rocket, and speed along faster than any other factory built aircraft…. With pretty short runway requirements…. With grass fields being OK too. Go Mooney! 😃

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Love the commentary, and rich information you added for our knowledge. Yes I had read about how the tail setup also made manufacturing easier, in fact some argue that's the ONLY reason the tail was backwards, but the guy who designed it isn't here to clear the air for us, so... I'd LOVE to fly a Mite one day. Not sure if my vast 150/172 will help much in transitioning to it, lol. My dad told me he used to go up with his friends in Mites back in the 50s and chase each other around the sky, I can't even fathom how much fun he had. My next Mooney video is about obscure or failed Mooney designs, I'm still picking which ones but certainly the Mustang and 301 will be part of it.

[@AC-jk8wq]

@@aircraftadventures-vids Good news… Transitioning from C150/172 to a Mooney M20C is a common move from getting the PPL to owning a fantastic X-country machine…. Transition training requirements are insurance driven… often requiring 10hrs dual, and another 10hrs solo prior to carrying passengers… Transitioning to a Mite… has the challenge of being a single seater…. Find a good CFI that has Mite experience… There are a couple of websites that have Mooney Mite pilots hanging out… 😃

[@CrotalusHH]

I learned to fly the 201 and T231. Small cabins, but fast and fun to fly.

[@JustPlaneSilly]

Love this channel!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Well thank you bud, badge of honor. And everyone loves yours! 👍

[@descendantofphineas7785]

I have over 300 hrs in the 201, love the mooneys.

[@davidkreimer2970]

My first airplane mentor told me something important about the Mite not mentioned in the video. Namely, that the battery was placed on a slider, such that cruising trim was done by sliding the battery aft, as needed. This is important for max cruise speed as it unloads the tail downforce to zero, omitting the drag produced by typical up elevator. This is no small matter

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Wow, i had not read that one. Thanks for the insight!

[@hertzair1186]

I remember as a child I the 60’s reading an old 1950’s era encyclopedia aviation section that had a photo of the Mooney Mite…with the caption saying “it is safe at low speed”

[@Ranger152]

Hello Ralf, the Mite reminds me of my experience in one 1952. Hans Guido Molkte accidentally touching the sound barrier. I climbed to 9,000 and then thought how to loose altitude. So I set up a rapid descent and teased the red line. The Mite didn't like it. Finally established cruise speed. 18 years old made this a fun event. Of course Hans was in a Me 262, anyhow, hello , hope you and Margaret are well...

[@keithjurena9319]

Mooney moved to Kerrville..well, Louis Shriner Field which is south of Kerrville. I had relatives work at the factory.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Sorry for butchering the name! I could swear there was a Y in there, lol.

[@yucannthahvitt]

I love them, I just wish such a thing was possible today as a production aircraft. Unfortunately GA is dying because of old plane attrition, rising ramp and hangar cost, and how incredibly expensive new aircraft are. A Mooney Mite cost about as much as a Cadillac Coup De Ville in the 50s, can you imagine a certified retractable costing as much as a new Cadillac CT4 today (a mid $40,000 range car).

[@MyZxcvb12]

What a lovely plane it's like a small fighter

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

My dad told me he'd play dogfighting with his friends in Mites back in the 50s.

[@Mephistopholies]

Wow; good show. I knew that rudder type was a Mooney. I didn't know there was other models.

[@mooney-m18x]

Actually, the Mooney Mite was Al Mooney's eighteenth design (Model M-18). The four place scaled off the the M-18 design was the M-20. The M-19 was a higher horsepower M-18 with a 30 cal machine gun on each wing.

[@engineeringoyster6243]

“Retractable gears . . .” Gear is ALWAYS singular.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

thanks for keeping me on my toes, will see if I clean up my voiceover a bit better next video...

[@jcflindsay]

With all the horror stories, I'm terrified of learning to fly but this makes me want to table my fear. Pretty awesome.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

You got this! Go for a discovery flight at your local flight school....you might get hooked though, lol.

[@AC-jk8wq]

The thing that takes fear away… Knowledge. The more you learn about flying, and the plane you fly…. The more fun it gets! Experience. The more experience you gain flying around the country, in different weather, during different seasons… The fear generally goes away pretty quickly… Then build on that knowledge and experience… Add night flying, and an instrument rating to really get the most out of your investment… 😃 Go Mooney! +1 for getting that first introductory flight… There are two possible outcomes… 1) That was fun… glad I took that flight early on… 2) Pure addiction… can’t wait for that next flight…! 😃

[@jcflindsay]

I'm not sure I could deal with confusing air traffic control comms and airport approaches 😮. "I'm comin' in hot! Roll the trucks!" LOL

[@la_old_salt2241]

​@jcflindsay They don't throw you off the pier and say sink or swim though JC. They walk you through it and you learn the controllers are there to help you as you learn. Have fun!

[@jamestone265]

I remember flying with my dad at Hawthorne Muni in Cubs and our Ryan SCW in the 50’s when I saw my first Mooney M20. My dad thought it was the plane for his future and loved it speed and low cost per hr. He lost his life in 1963 and never reach that goal.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Sorry to hear! I know it was a long time ago, but still. He was damn right about the M20

[@Iowa599]

What was the airframe wrapped in? In one photo, the fusulage appears to be wood, but what about the wings? Canvas?

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

It was mixed construction, wood with canvas

[@mooney-m18x]

Wings are fabric covered wood from D section leading edge back to main spar, from there to trailing edge, fabric only (including flaps and ailerons.

[@larryweitzman5163]

I noticed that some already corrected Kerryville to Kerrville, TX, but what I didn't see was the fact that all three Mooney tail surfaces are interchangeable. Yes, the vertical stab is the same as each horizontal stab. Same for the Aerostar, and maybe the Aero Commander (also a Ted Smith design). Ted Smith also designed the A-20 Havoc, the little known DC-5 (the first one became the personal aircraft of Bill Boeing named "Rover") and the A/B-26 Invader. Now you know where the Aero Commander design comes from.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

You know, I always thought the original Aero Commander straight-tail looked exactly like the Invader tail. Glad I’m not the only one 👍

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

And I’ve been properly flogged about the name Kerrville which i mispronounced 😂

[@larryweitzman5163]

@@aircraftadventures-vids Yes Ted Smith worked for Ed Heinemann Chief Doug designer, but Smith did much of his magic. Look at all four of Ted Smith designs (A-20, DC-5, A-26 and the Aero Commander and a little bit of the Aerostar), they all have his stamp. The Invader had a laminar flow wing.

[@albertogarciaarango2411]

UNFFORGETABLE THIS NICE PLANE

[@otiebrown9999]

I was lucky to fly one!

[@FoxMacLeod2501]

It's just "landing gear." Never "landing gears." "Gear" = equipment/hardware. "Gears" = two or more toothed cogs. For example: a pickup truck may have five forward gears, and one reverse gear. Contained within components such as the transmission, 4WD transfer case, and axle housings, there are various types of gears; involute helical-cut & spur gears, ring gears, pinion gears, & bevel gears, among others. Inside the passenger compartment, the truck may be packed with a variety of hunting, fishing, and camping gear, in preparation for an upcoming trip. Collectively, it's a collection of gear. Each person will be bringing their own gear. If the door comes open on the highway, some of their gear will fall out. The truck's owner installed additional, heavy-duty off-road gear, such as mud tires, a winch system, roof-mounted flood lights, and taller suspension. Just as there are no hunting gears, camping gears, SCUBA diving gears, or safety gears, no aircraft possess "landing gears." I don't blame you; English doesn't make a ton of sense, and to make it even more difficult to get right, our abysmal schools are no longer providing students with even adequate language education.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Even after 46 years I can't get english right 😜

[@AC-jk8wq]

Fox, you nailed it! 😃

[@highrafterranch1982]

Grew up on a ranch about 5 miles from the factory…. My bedroom on top of a hill faced the factory and at night you could see their lights and if the wind was right you could hear them testing engines… fastest single engine production plane for many years…. Literally sports car of the sky

[@Imnotplayinganymore]

The gear retract lever was up when the gear was down and vis-a-versa which led to some confusion. My dad was checking out an instructor in his Moony. My dad put the gear down, then the instructor put it up, thinking he was putting it down. The belly landing did very little damage and dad said it was a very smooth, but loud landing lol. They jacked the plane up, installed a borrowed prop and flew it home.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Yikes! That's one way to find out.

[@AC-jk8wq]

Flying a retractable is a study of how well your brain is working, under various conditions… Most days… you probably wouldn’t ever make the mistake… Then there are the odd days… tired, sick, heading to a pressing meeting, hungry, dehydrated…. (The set-up) First landing attempt results in a go-around… (too high or too fast) Clean the aircraft up for a second attempt…. The second attempt… The pilot remembers the GUMPS checks from the previous attempt…. everything was done already…. Except the gear! The first time it comes to mind…. Is the loud crunching sound of sheet metal being ground down. And the incredibly short landing distance of about 200’. Always look for the green light on final approach, or check the gear indicator on the floor… Green light… I’m good to land! 😃

[@spency787]

7:18 now that is a lightweight gear leg, particularly with one main bolt and three nuts missing! 🤣

[@alurbanec714]

As a fledgling pilot in 1969 I got the opportunity to fly a Mite. I lived it then and still do. It is a pilots airplane if there ever was one. It sure ignored Newton's law on gravity as it wanted to fly.

[@airplanegeorge]

I always liked the ercoupe too, except for the rudder problem, they did put peddles in some of them.

[@MishMashMoto]

I owned and flew a Culver Cadet. It was an extremely good flying airplane. Working the gear is a little tricky when your by yourself (it’s a manual ratchet type wheel).

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Before I researched the topic I used to think the Cadet was a drone that was converted to passenger plane, lol. (was the other way around). They are cool little planes, especially considering they predate WWII.

[@MishMashMoto]

@@aircraftadventures-vids It really is a joy to fly. Very robust all wood contruction also. Mine was converted with a C-90 from a Cessna 140 and did about 140mph. Only thing to note is that the pitch control (up & down) is very sensitive at cruise. A little elevator stick movement goes a long way in this airplane. Some owners have had a glue joint issue on the left side of the fuselage where the horizontal stabilizer attaches also so that’s a key area to inspect IMO if anyone gets the chance to fly or purchase one. Fly safe everyone.

[@rbrtjbarber]

There's an example on display at the Kansas Aviation Museum in Wichita, KS.

[@av8tore71]

I have a 1965 M20C my grandfather bought brand new. After my grandfather died the plane went to my dad and now I have it. I just hung a O360-A1D straight from Lycoming (this is the planes 3rd engine) and only has 2670 total time on the air frame

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

No f-in way! A 360? Isn't it extremely nose-heavy now? And what are the performance numbers?

[@Skyking6976]

Nice…I owed a C that was manufactured in the mid 60’s. I remember seeing the original sticker and it was around $17,000. I paid mid-40’s for the thing around 2002. Tricked it out with an S-TEC autopilot and Garmin 430.

[@AC-jk8wq]

@@aircraftadventures-vids The O360 is the standard entry level Mooney engine…. 180hp And all the fun that comes with it! The heavier engines are IO550s that first showed up on the Mooney Missile… an M20J that was born with an IO360…. 😃

[@merrickmoriel8878]

They have a Mooney Mite at wings over the Rockies museum.

[@johnt6213]

Kerrville, Tx.

[@piolenc]

I'm curious about why Mooney never made a proper cowling for the aero engines used in the Mite. I can understand not caring about cooling drag after substituting 65 hp for 25 hp, but the cylinders in the breeze installation would have compromised the cooling of the rear cylinders at cruise, an important consideration.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Valid observation. I'd say simplicity coupled with the fact that it wasn't warp-speed fast. I think the tradeoff of having to engineer a tightly cowled engine vs the gain of a couple of extra knots wasn't worth it.

[@piolenc]

@@aircraftadventures-vids If it was only a couple of extra knots. In a low-drag airplane like the Mite, cooling drag becomes proportionately greater. NASA's estimate was that cooling drag was 30% of the total in the LongEze, for example. Bruce Carmichael estimates actual cooling drag in most spamcans to be as much as ten times what the cooling task requires, and those machines are "properly" cowled. I'm working on volume 2 of the Ducted Fan book series, devoted to cooling systems. I wish I could get my hands on a set of Mite plans to devise a cooling system for it. Obviously not a commercial proposition, but if I could get one Mite owner to make the modification and report the result...

[@tinolino58]

Up to the Lean Machine Mooneys where allways sold for to little. It seams that only bad sales people joined the company. They where afraid to ask enough!

[@selfairadventures8291]

If only those donuts were cheap today. My M20J requires 11 of them if you replace them all -- they now cost over $200 each! Ridiculous for a rubber puck!

[@MrShaneSunshine]

Loosing the tail and landing??? Unbelievable! "Johnson" bar...."johnson" is a euphamism! Tubular chromolly front section is cool. Nice plane. Nosewheel retract is a nice trick too. Linkages like on the big ones.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

I suspected as much.

[@jimchandler6744]

The Mooney factory was at KERRVILLE, TX, not Kerryville.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

I know, I know. Been told 50x already in the comments now.

[@excellenceinanimation960]

There’s an old one at the local airport! I want it!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Get it!

[@brealistic3542]

Moony is a classic

[@bobjoatmon1993]

The plane I always wanted to own but never found one for sale when I had a pilots license

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

They are likely getting more rare for sure.

[@engineeringoyster6243]

“Laminar flow wing . . .” Laminar flow is the future of aviation and will always be.

[@bpd231martinko9]

I noticed that one or two of the airplanes in the video looked very similar to an Ercoupe. A close friend of mine had one (Steve KIsh from Coopersburg Pa., I mention his name because he was very involved in the Ercoupe owners club for many years before his death in 2011 and thought that some of you Ercoupe owners out there would recognize his name) I spent a lot of time flying with Steve. Any way the question I have for you guys and gals out there in aviation land is : Did Mr. Mooney have anything to do with the design of the Ercoupe? Just curious...

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

I can’t answer your question directly but…there was the Mooney Cadet which was based on the ercouple, so yes i guess

[@AC-jk8wq]

Hey! I have an answer for you… At one point in history… Mooney owned the air coupe company… The twin tail Ercoupe became a single Mooney tailed Ercoupe…. M10 is a single seat Mite M18 is the two seat Mooney based on the air coupe lineage… Mooney’s intention for the M18 was to fill the gap between training and flying a high performance retractable M20…. Known as the Cadet as referenced above. The Cadet maintained the more docile training friendly wing design of the Ercoupe. Go AircraftAdventures! 😃

[@bpd231martinko9]

Thanks for the info.!

[@robstanton9215]

Kerrville Texas my friend, not Kerryville. I live less than 10 miles from Mooney aircraft which is up and running again. A good friend of mine has a newer Mooney M-20K TLS (turbo). I’ve flown an older M-20.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

I know, about 20 others told me too, lol. Don’t know why I thought there was a “y” in there

[@robstanton9215]

@@aircraftadventures-vids It’s all good. I loved your report anyway!

[@sablatnic8030]

At 0:47, isn't that the Besler steam plane?

[@mitchellminer9597]

Fascinating vid. Interesting inventor. There's a bar-and-grill down the road from me that just redecorated by sticking a Mooney on the roof. Dunno why, and can't make out the model, and deffo have mixed feelings about seeing it there.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

I think that's awesome! I mean, if the airframe is beyond unairworthy, might as well do something fun with it (or rather turn it into scrap metal?) Send me the name of this place, curious to see if there's a pic.

[@Workerbee-zy5nx]

The Moony Might work. Wasn't Mr.Moony on the Lucy show? Gail Gordon?

[@prop_thunder_therealone]

this inspired me to make my own mooney in a game called roblox, i named it Mooney M51 because it reminded me of a P51H

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

There are some real-world planes that literally look like they were designed in Roblox (look up a design called the "GafHawk")

[@AC-jk8wq]

There is a mechanical drawing on the internet…. Overlaying the two airplanes on top of each other…. P51 and Mooney… They have SO much in common as far as dimensions go…. Especially the laminar wing design… The only thing really different…. The P51 has a really extra long nose to hide all of the extra cylinders! 😃

[@Fidd88-mc4sz]

The DeHavilland Mosquito employed a similar system of rubber blocks to do away with the need for oleos and and the weight they incurred. The actual reason this was done however was reduce the need for precision engineering.

[@rickeyreed5728]

Nice presentation, however they didn’t move to Kerryville Texas,they moved to Kerrville, TX…just FYI

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

My bad! I've been already advised a few times here

[@murrayhelmer8941]

Wonder how many of the home built versions were completed and flew?

[@mooney-m18x]

I believe only three in the US and one in Canada.

[@xrrider650]

Kerrville, TX

[@MrGuzmanra]

I was always curious about the tail's shape.

[@AC-jk8wq]

11:51 Hey wait a second…. Where did this baggage compartment door come from? Is this the Cherokee option? Mooney baggage doors are hinged near the roof line, and open upwards… allowing the baggage area to be completely filled from the outside… The faux door here… is easy to fill halfway… but, to load the top, the door is in the way! Go Mooney! 😃

[@maxgood42]

I did not know all that , I read somewhere years ago that after the company changed hands many times, the M20 was the last evolution of the ALON A2 aka ERCO. ?

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

You're thinking of the M10 Cadet. In fact I'm going to be working on a new one video in the near future: Mooney's you've never heard of, will be including that one.

[@maxgood42]

@@aircraftadventures-vids Update yeah they took over the AirCoupe co and made a Mooney AirCoupe A2A . I think the reference was about the wing angle being nearly the same . But it was just an Updated Erco but then when you look at the rear windows on the A2A they are very different from the usual Erco bubble cab.

[@Bonanza06c]

It is Kerrville Texas

[@davidbross6942]

Was the Mite aerobatic?

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Probably light aerobatics. With the carbed engine, nothing inverted I'd assume

[@yukon4511]

Kerrville, Tx

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Yup, I thought there was a "y" in there.

[@parrotraiser6541]

Cute little machine,that always triggers "I want!" when I see one. The biggest drawback is that it's a certified aircraft, hence subject to FAA maintenance rules. (Fine for A&Ps, though.)

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

They did actually offer the Mite as a plans-built at some point.

[@jimanderson1355]

Crosley is pronounced “Craws Lee”. Mooney moved to Kerrville, TX, not Kerryville.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

I'm learning too!

[@mygremlin1]

Correction, NOT Kerryville Kerrville, TX I live here.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

I know, been told. I don't know why I thought there's a "y" in there.

[@jcflindsay]

Are there any Mooney Mite-like aircraft being made today? You'd think someone would try.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

I don't think there's too much of a market for single-place aircraft, too much of a 1-trick pony. Would be nice for sure.

[@yucannthahvitt]

Not certified. Too expensive. It would probably be >10x the cost of the original when accounting for inflation. Using a list price I found online for a 1951 M18LA, that’s $2517 in 1951, $25,524 in 2023. Certified aircraft are absurdly expensive these days, there is no way a modern M18 would sell for under $200,000. Before you question my reasoning recall that the failed Cessna 162 ballooned to $149,000… in 2011. It’s price directly caused its failure to sell.

[@jcflindsay]

@@yucannthahvitt Got to be a way. Where there's a will...

[@yucannthahvitt]

"where there's a will there's a way" is a boomerism with no basis on modern reality@@jcflindsay there is no possible way short of deregulating GA to make GA affordable again. I don't think you grasp just how much GA has outpaced inflation. It used to be perfectly attainable for a middle class earner to buy a new certified GA aircraft, now it's 100% impossible. A Cessna 172 is a $400,000+ airplane now, a DA20 is $350,000+. A modern M18 couldn't even be an LSA since LSAs cannot have retractable landing gear unless they're amphibious, and LSAs are slow, fixed gear, don't climb well and are typically $100,000+, nearly 4x the price of an adjusted-for-inflation M18...

[@clintonsmith9931]

In the50 had uncle bought and repaired Mooney Mite while in army, he was a prisoner of war in WWII. Landed it twice forgetting to crank up gear. Just busted prop. My 6 foot 3 inch brother flew it to California to sell. Flew from Post, Texas . Said never again.

[@AC-jk8wq]

Kinda like riding a motorcycle that distance…. Even driving a car that distance isn’t for everyone… 😃

[@davidduganne5939]

Mooney also sold the Mite as the "Wee Scotsman"--a marketing effort to promote its efficiency and frugal consumption of fuel. The tail had a plaid color scheme. The original M20 was referred to as a "Scotsman"--and it truly was an enlarged Mite, even having a control stick in lieu of a wheel.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

I recall reading about that funny name. Didn't know the M20 had a stick! They should have stuck with that, lol

[@davidduganne5939]

@@aircraftadventures-vids Al Mooney's papers are archived in the library at Univ of Texas/Dallas. They have an inboard profile engineering drawing that shows the stick control, and the original 145 hp 6 cyl Continental engine! I seem to recall the aft fuselage was a wood "cone" as well, just like the Mite.(this configuration was the prototype only, not production models) Ralph Harmon, who designed the Beech Bonanza, was later hired by the Mooney factory (after Al was gone) and he spearheaded the change to a metal wing on the M20.

[@AC-jk8wq]

@@davidduganne5939 interesting details!

[@AC-jk8wq]

The stick didn’t make it into production… The first four seat Mooney was the M20 and started life with only 150hp. The first update became the M20A and got the 180hp engine. It was the last Mooney with wood wings and tail. The next update was the M20B…. All aluminum. Where the stick did make it into future designs… they were models designed to compete for being Air Force trainers… 😃

[@xpump876]

I wish for a Mooney mite. I'd gladly pay the 4k$!

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

I think they're asking for a bit more today.

[@legalmexican]

Kerrville, Texas, not Kerryville. FYI.

[@spingebill8551]

4:58 so technically this can be called a swing wing aircraft?

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

"Swing-tail"?

[@fredbrillo1849]

I owned N4153 back in the early 1970s.

[@savagecub]

It’s Kerrville, Texas not kerryville !

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Oops...

[@immikeurnot]

There's a name for the "lever that wags back and forth." They're called a wigwag.

[@alanhernandez7275]

Just so people know, the Mooney plant is located in Kerrville, TX North of San Antonio. Not (Kerryville). No such town, Kerryville, exists in Texas.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

I know, I've been pummeled in the comments because of this, I honestly thought there was a "y". I better get the town name right on my upcoming video! (Tecumseh, WI)

[@владимирвойтенко-к6и]

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