What's it like to fly a Mooney M20K 231

FloridaPilot

FloridaPilot

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Does anyone have any experience flying a M20K? What's it like to fly? Is it expensive to maintain?


Thank you!
 
They fly really nice like just about any mooney. Never owned one so I can't say about the cost but I have worked on them in the shop. About the only thing I noticed was they are tight to work on. We often had more shop time on the Mooney's than some other aircraft for a job because it was harder to work in the tight spaces but thats not really anything special. There are other airplanes with bigger problems.
 
Pilawt said:
Nice airplanes -- quick, quiet, good handling. But there are different versions of the M20K, the "231" and the later "252TSE". The 252TSE has a number of improvements, most importantly a more sophisticated wastegate controller that makes power management much easier.
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Didn't the 231-252 transition also include an intercooler? I seem to also recall that the 231 had a reputation for running a bit hot and the 252 attempted to fix that.
 
asicer said:
Didn't the 231-252 transition also include an intercooler? I seem to also recall that the 231 had a reputation for running a bit hot and the 252 attempted to fix that.
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Yes, the 252 has an intercooler, along with electrically-actuated cowl flap, tuned induction and a 28V electrical system. Max Operating Altitude on the 252 is 28,000', up from 24,000' on the 231.
 
Personal opinion of course, but if I were to move up from the J, I'd skip the 231 and go for the 252.
 
FloridaPilot said:
Does anyone have any experience flying a M20K? What's it like to fly? Is it expensive to maintain?


Thank you!
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Bonanza

IBTL!

I should go to bed I'm no help. But maybe find a guy at the airport that owns one and ask, and for a ride? I had the same question about a Beech Travel Air and got about 10 hours in it.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
 
teejayevans said:
Handheld mike, empty space on the instrument panel...that plane is begging for some 21st century avionics...starting with an engine monitor.
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These photos were taken in 1992 - that panel was hot stuff in those days!

9C0C3D21-8007-4EC1-8759-314DD2219324.jpeg

(And it was better equipped than the other 252 I flew back then.)
 
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I owned a M20J and worked as a flight instructor/demo pilot for the lady who was the Mooney dealer at Boeing Field, when the first 231 was announced.

The metal wing Mooneys have a great reputation for strength. And that is strange because the wood wing Mooneys had a terrible reputation of wing separation.

The 231 was a pleasure to fly in the mid teens. Very fast. And, VERY heavy on the controls. You will never see a Mooney doing aerobatics at an airshow.
 
SoonerAviator said:
Go big or go home, get the M20L. :)
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The Porsche engines are no more, due to Porsche backing out. Some were replaced, many were destroyed by a hurricane while waiting in shop time for the engine swap. It was the first long body Mooney.

Other long body Mooneys still available (the U & V are in production, others are not):

M20M = Bravo, turbocharged but thirsty.
M20R = Ovation, NA but capable. Can be upgraded 280 to 310 hp.
M20S = Eagle. NA, also can be upgraded 240 to 310 hp.
M20TN = Acclaim. Turbo, capable, fast.
M20U = Ovation Ultra, new interior, 2 doors. The ultimate NA Mooney.
M20V = Acclaim Ultra. The ultimate 2-door turbo Mooney.

Happy shopping! It's fun spending other people's money . . . .

But there's nothing wrong with a K, either. They aren't common, but look for an M20K Encore. They've been prettied up, beefed up and have increased useful loads.

I'm happy with my little M20C. I also don't need a turbo, the eastern mountains are easily topped even by my humble 180 hp model.
 
Hank S said:
The Porsche engines are no more, due to Porsche backing out. Some were replaced, many were destroyed by a hurricane while waiting in shop time for the engine swap. It was the first long body Mooney.
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I know, but I just wanted the OP to go into debt trying to service a Porsche Mooney, lol.
 
Is it true that the Mooney K's have more maintenance challenges because of the turbo? Correct me if I'm wrong but I read that Mooney didn't get it right in the earlier model K's
 
Buy two galvanized trash cans. Paint them blue and white. Sit in one, put a lawnmower in the other, and start the mower. Have a friend weld them together.
 
Sundancer said:
Buy two galvanized trash cans. Paint them blue and white. Sit in one, put a lawnmower in the other, and start the mower. Have a friend weld them together.
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I don't know if that's what it's like to fly a mooney but I feel like I should give it a shot
 
There are great bargains to be had in the used 231 market. Almost evry one has been overhauled and had the early engine issues solved. The 251 is an excellent airplane-I’ve had one for 14 years- but I am not sure it is worth the premium over a wellequipped 231 with a good engine. As mentioned, unless you plan to regular fly above 10,000 feet, a 201 is a better buy.
Jon
 
Sundancer said:
Buy two galvanized trash cans. Paint them blue and white. Sit in one, put a lawnmower in the other, and start the mower. Have a friend weld them together.
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Wouldn't you weld them together before starting the mower?

Mooneys are great airplanes. Loved my 201. Wish I had an Ovation.
 
Pilawt said:
These photos were taken in 1992 - that panel was hot stuff in those days!

View attachment 69852

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That panel was apparently still "hot stuff" in 2012 when I bought the Aztec. It had been upgraded in the early 90s to King, and a lot of those devices in your picture look awful familiar. :D
 
GRG55 said:
That panel was apparently still "hot stuff" in 2012 when I bought the Aztec. It had been upgraded in the early 90s to King, and a lot of those devices in your picture look awful familiar. :D
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:)

This was the other 252 I flew, N252Y. It had a Stormscope, and a freshly-installed LORAN-C (VFR only).

AV4_00575.jpg
 
teejayevans said:
A J is actually faster (so I’ve been told) than a K below 10,000’, so if going for a K, you want to fly in the teens.
Here is flight test, J is faster down low, but not anywhere near 10K, but his conclusion is the same.
http://www.mooneypilots.com/mapalog/M20K231 Eval Files/M20K231_Eval.htm
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This. A lot of people are attracted to the allure of speed, but don't really realize that the turbos are really only fast when you get them high, and forget the amount of time and distance it takes to go high. I fly an Ovation, and I have had a few occasions where I wished I had a turbo, but after further analysis, the Bravo (which is similar to my plane only with a turbo) would only give a significant speed advantage when you're flying legs of at least 300-400 nm in length.

For those of us who fly plenty of shorter legs as well, the Ovation is the best game in town.

FloridaPilot said:
Is it true that the Mooney K's have more maintenance challenges because of the turbo? Correct me if I'm wrong but I read that Mooney didn't get it right in the earlier model K's
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There were plenty of "issues" on the earlier K's, but as long as you know what you're getting into, it's not a big deal. You might want to sign up on Mooneyspace and ask there, because you'll get a bunch of K owners to speak up...
 
Beautiful panel! Just because they are steam gauges and not MFDs does not mean id doesn't work well...

It's been my experience that most all Mooneys fly pretty much the same. The newer ones are just faster.
 
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