Skyhawk vs. Mooney

On May 12, 9:15 pm, vincent norris wrote:
I was simply wondering if someone could break down the cost difference
of a 172 and M20. Obviously maintenance on a mooney is going to be a
little more.....

I would suggest that if you think it will be only a "little" more, you
may be in for a rude shock.

I don't own a Mooney but I know friends who do, and they are quite a
bit more expensive over the long haul.

And unless you are the "typical" FAA human bean, at 170 pounds, you may
find it a bit of a squeeze in ways other than financial.

vince norris

That's an old wife's tale. Mooneys are actually pretty roomy so long
as we're talking about the front seats; otherwise, it depends. If you
think a Mooney is tiny, then a 182 or Bo of the same year is also tiny
as the Mooney is wider (or same size of bo...I forget). If anything,
there is a very clear preferece for tall pilots. If you are under
5'10", a Mooney may not be for you. In fact, the A owner that I
previously mentioned in another power is 6'5" (best guess 260lbs).
I'm 6'3" and 225lbs at the time of flight). The owner is broader in
the shoulders than I am. My shoulders fit my largish frame. We were
shoulder to shoulder in the plane but not uncomfortably so. I did
slide my seat back so he had easy access to his manual gear and flaps
without rubbing shoulders or catching my seatbelt latch. You take
someone my size in one seat and your typical passenger in the other
and there is lots of room between. Even someone my size, must
constantly move the seat forward to reach the pedals. You can
understand why pedal extensions are not terribly uncommon for shorter
pilots.

If you want a 2+2 seater (2-adults plus 2-children under the age of
6), then a Mooney M20 - M20E is what you want. If you want a 4 seater
plane, then you need to look at a F model or newer. The F model has
200HP. The G model has 180HP. Both the F and G qualify as a medium
body and have the same dimensions as the beloved J; which is obviously
more roomy than the older M20-M20E models. Both the F and G are
slower than a J but they are priced accordingly.

Greg