M20J or C-177B

[steingar]

The CG in Mooney's is so benign that the only guidance in the owner's manual of my 62 M20c is "don't put the big guys in back". Cardinals don't do Mooney speeds unless they suck up the gear. And even then no Cardinal will keep up with a 201. The M20J is the fastest you can go in the certificated world on an I0360.

 

[labbadabba]

It's nose heavy

I guess this was my point, with two adults and two kids, if you have both adults in the front you're flirting with the forward CG envelope. If you have an adult in the back it works out.

 

[PPC1052]

I guess this was my point, with two adults and two kids, if you have both adults in the front you're flirting with the forward CG envelope. If you have an adult in the back it works out.

It really only pops up with two heavy people in the front with no one in the back seat. Any weight in the backseat is will help move the CG back. And if no one is back there, you can add some ballast in the baggage compartment. We have a bag with ropes and extra oil and other stuff anyway.

 

[azure]

It really only pops up with two heavy people in the front with no one in the back seat. Any weight in the backseat is will help move the CG back. And if no one is back there, you can add some ballast in the baggage compartment. We have a bag with ropes and extra oil and other stuff anyway.

I needed to add ballast in the back for my IR checkride. I'm <140 lbs and the DPE was big but still not much over 200, but together, we would have put the CG forward of the envelope.

 

[hindsight2020]

The CG in Mooney's is so benign that the only guidance in the owner's manual of my 62 M20c is "don't put the big guys in back".

I'd think that'd be a moot warning when it comes to 20C/E backseats.

 

[PPC1052]

I needed to add ballast in the back for my IR checkride. I'm <140 lbs and the DPE was big but still not much over 200, but together, we would have put the CG forward of the envelope.

If I'm not mistaken, yours is an RG. I have no experience with the CG in those. I'm 200lbs. My CFII was well more than that. We were on the edge of forward CG, but still ok in my 177B.

 

[idahoflier]

A little late here, but will echo what others have said. There's a lot to like about the C177, but higher DA climb performance isn't on the list.

 

[azure]

If I'm not mistaken, yours is an RG. I have no experience with the CG in those. I'm 200lbs. My CFII was well more than that. We were on the edge of forward CG, but still ok in my 177B.

Yes, it's an RG. Possibly with the 200 hp engine plus all the machinery for raising and lowering the nosegear, the RG is more nose-heavy than the FG. What I know is that this is an issue with 177RGs that is not much ameliorated by all the avionics I have in the tailcone.