UdoR wrote:
In the end of both stories I fly a big fat Mooney and that’s exactly what I was looking for for so many years
LOL, that is one way of putting it. But yea, the Comanches are great airplanes. My favorite always has been the Twin Comanche, which is something I wish Mooney would have thought of at well. Instead they pre-invented the Malibu with the M22.
Mooney_Driver wrote:
LOL, rumour has it, indirectly. While a Mooney was parked outside Piper’s plant for some thing it is said that some strange people went out with a measuring tape.
I thought the design was made by Al Mooney and sold to Piper. In fact, both versions of the story exist and we won’t find out which one is true. In the end of both stories I fly a big fat Mooney and that’s exactly what I was looking for for so many years 
Silvaire wrote:
My friend’s M20C is an early one, I don’t think it was ever equipped with ‘positive control’
The PC system was introduced in 1965. So it it is a 62 to 64 model it would not have it, most subsequent ones do have it.
It is surely a matter of taste, and also being able to adapt to a different kind of flying and the planes designed for it. Flying different planes is a good way to remind yourself that they are not all the same, and some are markedly different from each other. Certification means little in this regard.
I also think that most plane designs we fly did not get a long term development program to refine their flying qualities as a primary objective. In that regard they kind of ended up where they ended up.
My friend’s M20C is an early one, I don’t think it was ever equipped with ‘positive control’ nor with the later ailerons that were fitted to reduce the effort to lift a wing manually.
Silvaire wrote:
A friend has an early M20C project plane and if I get a chance I would enjoy comparing it (as something closer to the Al Mooney original) to the late model high power stretched version.
In which case make sure that “positive control” is off before you do. Otherwise you may well find roll “very” stiff indeed :)
Silvaire wrote:
Based on experience, I’d also disagree with the linked article’s assertion that a Bonanza is the sweetest handling single yet built, apparently the author has never flown an RV-4, Bucker, Marchetti 260 etc.
I think it is like taste: You can disagree but not argue it. Some find heavy controls nicer, others like airplanes which can do a loop if you only think it should.
You need to try a dogfight in the TB30 if you want a bit of excitement.
I’ve flown both and the TB-30 too. The latter was also designed to fly like a jet and does so. All three of them felt straightforward, direct, pleasant and slightly heavy to me, with reasonable control forces but not a huge amount of excitement.
@Silvaire :) having flown both the 260D and the V35 I would suggest quite similar but the Beechcraft nicer harmonised. The Marchetti is designed as a jet trainer feel and a stable weapons platform, so not exactly sprightly.
Having driven quite a number of 1959-era MGs I found the related comments on Mooneys in the ‘Handling, Landing’ system section of this Aviation Consumer article amusing. For sure when it comes to sports cars I’m more Lotus guy than an MGA or XK120 guy, but for the ‘long and straight’ mission I can understand that the Mooney Bravo flying qualities I recently experienced can work for those who fly them.
I’m more used to planes you fly with your finger tips, and some adaptation would clearly be required for me to fly a Mooney Bravo! I found it mildly alarming at first, although I did start to get used to the high control forces after a while. The somewhat daunting prospect of a go-around made me appreciate why it has electric pitch trim. A friend has an early M20C project plane and if I get a chance I would enjoy comparing it (as something closer to the Al Mooney original) to the late model high power stretched version.
Based on experience, I’d also disagree with the linked article’s assertion that a Bonanza is the sweetest handling single yet built, apparently the author has never flown an RV-4, Bucker, Marchetti 260 etc.
Mooney_Driver wrote:
said “Gesundheit!”, to which the other guy replied with a sneezily “fffanks!” They were a great lot at that airfield.
If we had a ‘like’ button, I’d use it here. (glad we don’t)
