Opinions on a M20J

airframe is clean, it floats. So for short fields it tends to be the
landing distance that is limiting. I wouldn't want to operate a M20J
regularly out of much less than 2700 ft as you don't have much safety
margin
at less than that. If you have that and don't visit short strips very
often, no problem.

Usually, the only reason it floats is because folk come in at well over
1.3Vso.

Yeah but that's the same with every aircraft type.


What Mooney jocks learn pretty quickly is that landing the thing is a bit
diferent than say a 182. It's clean, so going from 1.3Vso to stall takes more
distance than in an aiplane that isn't as aerodynamically clean. It has a very
low wing, so if you get into ground effect going just a little faster than you
should, you'll have increased the needed landing distance a lot. Knowing the
airplane well means you'll learn to get the airspeed way down coming over the
fence, and you'll start your flare a little higher to avoid ground effect for a
while longer. Just be aware of things like that and making the turnoff that's a
thousand feet from the threshold isn't a big deal.

W/R/T xwinds -- the M20J has lots of rudder authority. I've landed in some
pretty bad ones, I don't know the actual number, and had rudder left over at
touchdown. You'll not want to make a full flap full stall landing, but getting
a beep out of the stall warning before touchdown is possible, even in a
crosswind.

As for taking off in a crosswind, I'm not sure what technique is being used for
rolling along on one wheel, but in my airplane I keep it on the ground -- all
three wheels -- until I have the airspeed I want for liftoff in a crosswind,
and then I lift it off. There's nothing to be gained by having the yoke back,
even on a short field, until you can lift off. The only exception I can think
of is if the field is soft. I've never been on a soft short field in my
Mooney, but then again I fly mostly in the eastern US, getting on the other
side of the Mississippi only once every couple of years.

"AJW" wrote in message
...

What Mooney jocks learn pretty quickly is that landing the thing is a bit
diferent than say a 182. It's clean, so going from 1.3Vso to stall takes
more
distance than in an aiplane that isn't as aerodynamically clean. It has a
very
low wing, so if you get into ground effect going just a little faster than
you
should, you'll have increased the needed landing distance a lot.

Agreed. While I'm not an instructor, I have sat in the right seat while at
least 4 different pilots got to know the Mooney. That makes 5 pilots I know
of who learned about the need for precise speed control the looooong way.

As for taking off in a crosswind, I'm not sure what technique is being
used for
rolling along on one wheel, but in my airplane I keep it on the ground --
all
three wheels -- until I have the airspeed I want for liftoff in a
crosswind,
and then I lift it off. There's nothing to be gained by having the yoke
back,
even on a short field, until you can lift off.

Well that's what I do too. The problem seems to be that at about 45 to 50
kt, the wing, low and clean, starts producing substantial lift, taking the
weight off the wheels. At that sort of speed, the side force on the
fuselage from a strong crosswind can get to the level at which the wheels
can't maintain enough grip on the runway to resist. In flight (and for
landing) it's easy -- you just stick the upwind wing down. But unless
you're prepared to do that on take-off, you (I) can't stop the thing moving
sideways, particularly if the runway is wet, or uneven.

Aerodynamics dictates that this limit must exist, and it certainly kicks in
earlier than full rudder travel on the M20J. But it may differ for
different circumstances, and I'm sure that careful handling and lots of
practice allows you to get closer to the absolute limit.

Julian Scarfe