Mooney M20c - Flight and Pilot Interview

We meet Mike and his 1963 Mooney M20c and take it up in the air for a test flight!
Really love this channel and want to help it continue? Become a Patron for as little as $1 per month:
/ flyingdoodles

[@froggyziffle]

OMG! I got my complex endorsement in this plane. Not the same model, the same plane. I think I got 25 - 30 hours in it. Knew the original owner. It is a very small world.

[@austinmaness8339]

Very cool!

[@bensmith7536]

hah thats amazing..... six degrees of separation.

[@HypePerformanceGroup]

Lucky you, such a sexy plane

[@craigjhr]

2:55 "With the numbers that I ran, it made more sense to NOT get into a partnership..." 3:12 "So I started looking, and a partnership 25 mins. from my house..." That made perfect sense, and it was even at his second most desirable airport. It doesn't appear that emotions had anything to do with that decision.

[@DKofDAH]

It’s a bit late 4 years later, but as I understood him he bought it form a partnership for him self. Or is my English just this bad?

[@whatta7793]

He also said that he planned on flying a lot. Depending on how much is "a lot", then partnership might indeed be completely out the window no matter the other circumstances.

[@crooked-halo]

7:40 - The best part of this awesome video! That gear retraction...wow!

[@hepone]

My dad had a Mooney, just like that one... used to take me up as a kid. I loved it.

[@parkerfilms1]

Nice video Bobby! Always good to see you back in the air!

[@fudogwhisperer3590]

Love the simplicity of the gear! Awesome!

[@PilotFun101]

I love my MooneyM20c Ranger. Its a awesome plane all the way around. Thanks for sharing!

[@mojogrip]

Like the new definition for GUMPS 😁 Make sure that gear is down.

[@jamesjordanjr6175]

@Beckett Romeo www.reddit.com/r/youtube/comments/mzs6rt/i_hate_to_interrupt_the_mass_posting_of_the/

[@CmdrMic]

Awesome vid Bob, thank you. Super great with the multiple cams! Excellent editing!

[@Neicoman]

Talk about bringing back memories, I had a Mooney Super 21 Forty-five plus years ago. Loved it.

[@BoldrepublicRadioShow]

Thanks for doing this video - I've been looking at buying one of these.

[@mikentx57]

Bobby, great to see you be able to do a new episode while you were in town. As always very informative and inspiring. Also very sorry about Maverick He was a great guy. Mike, you have a fantastic looking Mooney there. The paint job is first rate and the whole plane looks well maintained. I never was that much of a fan of Mooneys but that one I really like.

[@Tarfawn]

This was a great blast from the past for me. My brother had a '57 when I was young teen and he'd take me on flights when he visited. I always remembered that manual landing gear and how fast the gear was.

[@kenjohnson6137]

Good looking C model. I enjoy my G I’ve had for 16 years. KPBF. Thanks for sharing. 👍

[@scottramsey9403]

Loved the manual gear on the Mooney, positive system with very little chance for unwanted retraction. I drove an M20E in the 70's out of Wenatchee, WA.

[@RyanRoberts15]

Those manual flaps and gear are awesome. Seems much better than flipping a switch.

[@MalcolmRuthven]

Back in the mid-1960s, I joined a flying club that had a 1965 M20C/Mark 21. Although it was an M20C as is the above 1963 model, it had a rectangular rear window and the "positive control" single-axis autopilot. Still had the manual gear lever. As I recall, it had a true airspeed of 165 mph (about 145k) at 75% power at altitude. Soon thereafter, we traded it for a new 1967 M20F/Executive 21 (about $20K!!), with the longer cabin, 200 hp, and the ram-air "Power Boost" feature for more MP at altitude. Great planes. as long as your nailed your approach speed correctly on final.

[@markm6254]

That aircraft is a dream. I'm in a constant battle trying to justify one. It's the TCO vs. how often I have the time to fly... Thanks for the video, and congrats to Mike; he found a beautiful example of a 20C.

[@AllAmericanAviation]

Mooney's are awesome! I'm glad I found your channel -you do a great job!

[@quintusboonzaaier6199]

Thanks for making videos again!!!

[@jjohnston94]

I'm gratified to hear both of you talk about anchoring your hand before touching the avionics. Every pilot learns this on his own, and you can tell a pilot even in a car, because the habit carries over.

[@mdb831]

I had the joy of flying in a 65 Mooney 20. It was wonderful. I was impressed with how advanced it was for such an old girl.

[@charlesormond964]

The comms in this video are excellent!!

[@chrisr4815]

Awesome video dude! Keep up the great work.

[@farmgene]

Wonderful plane and video! Great engineering on that gear!

[@daszieher]

The C is my all-time favorite! A bone stock naturally aspirated and carb'ed Lycosaurus with constant speed mated to a simple airframe with retracts should make a great, reliable travel steed. The simple airframe of the C can be "pimped" with the one-piece aero windshield and "speed mods" to decrease fuel burn in cruise. The 201-cowling should go on with some technical modification (not worthwhile for retrofitting existing C airframes). Throw in a glass cockpit and you're in the 21st century. I really don't understand why Mooney never made an entry-level version like that based on the "short", "mechanical" Mooney. My gut feeling (caution! no research on this!) tells me, such a model should be possible for a $200k price tag. Increasing the total numbers produced based on the same general architecture as their "higher-tier" models would have undoubtedly improved overall profitability.

[@citabriaable]

Enjoyed the Mooney trip as it brought back memories of Carpenter Airport in the Steele Creek Community outside of Charlotte, NC. My Dad was a CFI there and flew me and some of his students in a Mooney M20c there. That Mooney was brand new and smelled like a new car inside, had curtains on the rear windows, and I was very familiar with the "Johnson Bar" watching my Dad stow the gear after takeoff. Not long after, a male student landed with the gear up, ( I got slide photos my Dad took of it ) it bounced and screeched metal down the runway for hundreds of yards, but no fire or injuries. I do remember the pilot had "pissed himself" as he shakily got out of the aircraft.

[@MortgageEasy]

Great video I felt like I was back in my Mooney M20B difference was she also had the manual flaps.

[@jamesschilling4659]

👍 Glad to see u back again w/another interesting episode. Keep'em coming, Bobby. 👏😀✝⚜☮🇺🇸

[@robinj.9329]

Way back in the 70's, I'd fly with a Pal in his Mooney. Had the all-wood wing, but a replacement metal tail! Was an absolute delight! I wish I owned one now! Fast, inexpensive and a capable traveler.

[@corvairchris82]

Hey Bobby, Glad to see the Doodles back in the air, loved the Mooney. so sorry to hear about Mav.

[@jimbiller9682]

AWesome video bobby. LOve this airplane, fast and simple.

[@jimtheedcguy4313]

I drive by the Mooney factory in Kerrville all the time!! I've always wanted to go check it out because I see it open sometimes.

[@brianpetersen3429]

Excellent video!

[@raymondsnyder4738]

I never use flaps in my 62 m20c Keeps things simple and dramatically minimizes the need to trim the plane from liftoff to touchdown Great job in the video!

[@BrettMcNary]

Both guys matched their shirt with their sunglasses.........haha. Awesome video!

[@GunganWorks]

I grew up in the back seat of an E with the Johnson bar landing gear. I'll be looking for an early M-20F with a Johnson bar someday.

[@hattrickpsh]

Cool video and cool plane!

[@captlarry-3525]

Old Bellanca Pilot, likes this. Love the gear mechanism ! Good efficency. When you grew up flying a Luscombe, only a few well balanced and sensitive airplanes really feel right.. Cruisaire was one.. M-20 looks like another. Typical cold clear and bumpy winter day.

[@7spower998]

Mike a good review. I like your Gulfstream sweater!

[@corysmith1402]

Great video! I'd love to see a Bellanca Super Viking review.

[@carlfichtner8148]

Also my favourite plane ! Nice video ! Very nice plane ! Greetings from Montréal YUL !

[@charliebowman785]

Lucky you in a Mooney. Great video.

[@par5eagles]

Very nice video.

[@musoseven8218]

Awesome, good looking aeroplane.

[@leeoldershaw956]

In 1963 I flew our club 1962 C nonstop from STL to LLY which was then Cameron Airpark. I flew at 11.5k at 18" and 1800 rpm. TAS was 140 mph. It was CAVU all the way with zero wind component. Flight time was 6 hrs. For the 834 am trip. I put 36 gal into the 48 gallon tanks. Consumption was 6 gph so I had 2 hrs. Reserve. I was alone but that is phenomenal economy. I retired a long time ago from Eastern Air Lines but that trip remained the longest flight I ever had as a crew member. The next longest was a 5:15 JFK MEX as 1st O on a L1011.

[@chuckwilliams999]

I remember my dad having this airplane, Brand new when I was 5 years old, flew everywhere, like a family car.

[@bobohara3974]

My 1967 Lopresti cowled M20F would rock along all day at 158-160kts sipping 10gph all on 200hp. Tight cabin but what a great flyer.

[@michaelrains2268]

1963 that's a very good year , love the Money!

[@alexbrowne5510]

“Birds!”... isn’t a flying doodles video if there aren’t birds somewhere judging by the last 3 videos I’ve watched. Really, seriously hoping to catch you at Oshkosh this year (2021 baby!). Love the content. Keep it up!!

[@JoseMTamez]

Yo Doodle! What's up with the beard and the white shades? LOL! I love this plane and I could fit just nicely in it. The retractable landing gear came up surprisingly quick and 150 knots at 10 gallons an hour would be no problem with my plans for any future long range flights. I think you have a most phenomenal airplane and you're one lucky dude. At $100 an hour maintenance it would be the perfect choice for me and I wish I could afford one. Thanks again for the great post Doodles!

[@sb1806]

You're a good dude Bobby!

[@Rift45]

Great looking airplane!!

[@tonyh4533]

Wear your shoulder harness. For s standardization instructor, that sticks out like a sore thumb. Beautiful airplane.

[@pilot-plane-coffee1678]

excellent video-

[@sb859]

Thanks for taking us along Bobby!

[@JasonFerguson1283]

Anyone remember going to the Abbotsford BC airshow? Great memories!!

[@maheralazzawi7814]

nice flight

[@paulbickley658]

I like Mooney's. Even though I am not a pilot just a truck driver, but I am not surprised they went out of business. They really needed to change with the market to stay competitive. Meaning they needed a variety of turbo props added to their fleet of sales, including still keeping their current planes. Including making some planes like the beachcraft C-90...

[@MrPILOTSTEVE59]

I have a 1969 Mooney M20C with electric flaps and gear. Love flying it, but find annuals too expensive and not many mechanics want to touch it. Flying it has been a joy.

[@digbyisapilot]

Great video, awesome content : )

[@thesawch63]

1963 was a great year , the year I was born !!

[@skydvrboy]

The step! You didn't mention the step that retracts automatically when you start the plane. That is one of the coolest features of these planes!

[@CCitis]

The Johnson bar gear is awesome. It does not have all the complexities of hydraulic or electric. Less $$$

[@prestonmiller9552]

Sad to hear Mooney has shut down yet again. I have never been able to understand how such a fine aircraft could be so well built, so well liked and yet not be able to stay afloat financially. Lets hope they can get it together again one of these days. Thanks Bobby!

[@briantii]

Preston Miller New they are expensive, and if you’re going to spend that much most people would rather have a Cirrus. Cirrus still has great performance, fixed gear, a HUGE cabin, and of course the parachute. I think Mooney would have had a shot if they’d been able to get a parachute in the new ones.

[@MarcUlm]

Great video! :)

[@StephenOshea]

man thats is nice . love the colour fast machine

[@JasonFerguson1283]

So great! Someday!!!!

[@foesfly3047]

I own and fly an Experimental Amateur Built plane. I've owned 2. I greatly appreciate the many benefits of owning E-A/B but if I ever went Certified, it would probably be a Mooney.

[@edthompson2043]

Wish you had filmed the gear process. Have always been curious about that. Nice video

[@mikem9583]

I should have done a go-around for him to film it. I regret no doing that to show people as I felt exactly like you before I flew one.

[@centralfloridarealestate4868]

Nice aircraft !

[@robertsmith5744]

My father belonged to a flying club and they had a Mooney M20C 1962 I thought. I was taught how to land it in case for whatever reason my father could not. I had to go around on my first try as the Mooney is so close to the ground it tries to float and I was running out of runway ha ha. It's a Great airplane I remember this one indicated 160 knots 8000 ft. at cruising speed.

[@jhaedtler]

always like the Mooneys with the Johnson bar gear handle. New Mooney drivers had a bobble on take off when retracting the gear, They would pull on the yoke the same time as the gear operation! Great airplanes!

[@spikekavalench]

Very cool. What model standby compass is that, I need an aftermarket replacement for mine.

[@G_Money72]

Just about 8 hangars from one of the most unique homebuilts ever to fly. Defiant

[@videom]

I used to own a plane and a hanger in Mesquite before it was controlled. I feel old.

[@airwipe1639]

My man went from 0-100 when he said he’s a FI for the 777

[@FRIENDHORATIO1]

Still a cool job, don’t be a hater

[@airwipe1639]

FRIENDHORATIO1 that’s not the reply that came up in my notifications 😂

[@jrwarner579]

Great Video Bobby!!! thanks Bro!!

[@av8tore71]

I own a 1965 C model myself and I would never trade it for any other.

[@becauseifly3440]

Mike, Great Looking Mooney! You need to tell me about it back at the 777 schoolhouse. Bobby, keep these coming. I enjoy both of the Doodles channels.

[@Itsreload]

I was thinking....I recognize that voice. I watch you sail... and now fly too.

[@CyrilDeretz]

Nice. Love Mooneys. It is a 55 (57 actually) year old airplane actually, I think you said "45". No big deal ;-)

[@robertwren2289]

That was a very cool flight, thank you very much! That gear is way fast. How low do you have to get before the gear horn will go off?

[@jackt6112]

I also owned a Skyhawk at one point. But after going military, it was club planes at the bases for personal. The two planes I liked the most were the Skyhawks and the Mooneys. With the Skyhawk you could take 3 people and camping gear and the two doors are just natural. For a couple of guys going some place I liked the Mooney. It was fast, and I just like low wing better where the Wing gets out of the way in a turn and I like the way it handles power better. They are just more natural to me. What turns me off about most of them is when they have an airfoil I don't like or they are heavy on the controls. I don't like Arrows or Cherokees. Musketeers could be a sled from a performance standpoint. I never flew the Saratoga but it at least looked like it had a wing I could like but it would cost more to fly and for what? The Mooney is low wing with a wing like a Cessna and light on the controls. I liked the manual retracts. There is a technique to it as when you start the motion you keep going quickly so you can use its inertia. Their fast cruise is no mystery. That's from the smaller cabin cross section. To me, they don't feel much different than a Cessna 172 XP.

[@malakov5]

This has the windshield speed mod. Makes for fun panel work…

[@waqarsyed6641]

AWESOME airplane

[@charlyromeo7926]

1963 ? You have got to be kidding. That is before the Beetles got here...

[@quinnjim]

6:35. The Cirrus has a castering nose gear, not a "direct steering linkage".

[@scottfranco1962]

Hi, really love your videos. Could you tell us a bit about your camera setup? I get a lot of rolling black bars from the screens in my a/c. Thanks.

[@Justwantahover]

In a Cessna you can't see out the side windows without crouching down, the top of the window is below eye level. But not on the Mooney, an advantage of a low wing.

[@nunyabidness3075]

One good thing about the Mooneys, they don’t crumple on you. Flying around in a forty plus year plane that may have had some hard landings you could be the Spam in the can. Not in a Mooney.

[@robion91]

Awesome, been waiting for a Mooney M20C. Wait, aren't you supposed to be sailing right now?

[@danielkennedy1524]

the mooney was used in he olden days for "advanced" aircraft at ERAU!

[@24017460]

Nice plane

[@kkiwi54]

I like Mooney's, except for the backwards tail fin.

[@Tunadavis]

Where did Bobby learn to fly? I saw his buddy Travis's Army Squadron t-shirt so maybe in the Army?

[@trainroomgary]

✈️ Hi from Michigan: Know WMU well / well done 😎

[@mikem9583]

Cheers!!

[@paulgraham5370]

Are your cameras on loose mount or what? The effect of plane movement is very realistic. I get my flight time going along with you guys!

[@daneulekowski929]

It would be cool to see you fly with 310 Pilot Kevin and Jamie

[@ericlozen9631]

Very Cool ~ I'm 5 years younger than that model.