I agree, very nice plane - and if you are not too picky about the "classic" panel, a GTN750 works very well also 

Moreover, you now have two quality GNS 530s to choose from.. the Flight1 and the RXP version.

 

I just throw the Baytower (RV7) GNS530 in all my planes. Run the Alabeo RXP converter, then edit the panel to put in your choice of GPS. (The RXP converter works as a generic GNS530 converter.) I like Baytower because he actually bothered to make the text readable.

 

BTW, the Mooney gets 3 FPS slower than the Saratoga. But it gets about 15-20 knots cruise faster, so take your pick! I can't decide!

 

29 minutes ago, violingineer said:

I just throw the Baytower (RV7) GNS530 in all my planes. Run the Alabeo RXP converter, then edit the panel to put in your choice of GPS. (The RXP converter works as a generic GNS530 converter.) I like Baytower because he actually bothered to make the text readable.

 

BTW, the Mooney gets 3 FPS slower than the Saratoga. But it gets about 15-20 knots cruise faster, so take your pick! I can't decide!

 

I agree, the Baytower GNS is really good.. but the "real" Garmin units are better..

14 hours ago, Gregg_Seipp said:

I honestly wish they'd put a family in their airplanes...at least airplanes like these. 

Really? The first thing I do when I load the plane is to remove the copilot! (Although as a child I did love family flight with Rod Taylor)

With 4 people on board and full baggage you can't even take 50% of fuel with the Mooney.

1 minute ago, J35OE said:

The first thing I do when I load the plane is to remove the copilot!

LOL..looking over at the copilot..."Get out."   Yep.  That'd be me.

16 hours ago, violingineer said:

- Airplane seems a bit slippery; really needs a lot of speed brakes, but nothing surprising here for a Mooney. 

Depends on what planes you are used to. As I'm flying only jets IRL I never need the speedbrakes on the Mooney, not even idle power (as I'm trying not to cool down the engine too much)

Just tested the brakes and the brake scalar of 0.8 results in a landing run of 1200ft (with antiskid on), that's what the real one needs as well.

The reason why the Mooney needs basically the same landing roll a 172 needs as the landing distance is for sure the very low wing and the 4° nose up attitude on ground. Both items prevent that a significant amount of weight rests on the maingear after touchdown, hence not much to do for the brakes without locking up. So it's not the weak brakes but the general design of the Mooney.

But I don't think that anyone would buy a Mooney if he's looking for a good short field performance. ;)

 

On 8/28/2017 at 8:44 AM, J35OE said:

Depends on what planes you are used to. As I'm flying only jets IRL I never need the speedbrakes on the Mooney, not even idle power (as I'm trying not to cool down the engine too much)

Just tested the brakes and the brake scalar of 0.8 results in a landing run of 1200ft (with antiskid on), that's what the real one needs as well.

The reason why the Mooney needs basically the same landing roll a 172 needs as the landing distance is for sure the very low wing and the 4° nose up attitude on ground. Both items prevent that a significant amount of weight rests on the maingear after touchdown, hence not much to do for the brakes without locking up. So it's not the weak brakes but the general design of the Mooney.

But I don't think that anyone would buy a Mooney if he's looking for a good short field performance. ;)

 

Although I personally know nothing about this plane's design, I know folks at my work who do, and who visit Kerrville a lot. My former boss just signed the TC on this one: https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2017/march/30/new-mooney-ultras-certified

Fun near Reno:

Here I've edited the GPS and swapped it with my version of the Baytower GPS with Kronzky's (http://kronzky.info/fs/500wx/) algorithm for relative terrain, which sorta looks like the RXP rel-terrain, but a little more interpolation in the colors (not official Garmin), but I modified Kronzky's green to black which fits the real life colors better. I have this rel-terrain in my personal-use-only xml versions for RealAir GNS530, Carenado GNS530 and Baytower530.

I frankenstein gauges and cockpits a lot for my own purpose---BTW, the EDM/GEM in this Mooney (like most other Alabeo/Carenado GEMs) doesn't really have a light map, so you can put in just about any gauge that fits the diameter in there. I have tried the LRI (lift reserve indicator) from the FSX DC3, an AOA from the FSX learjet, AOA from the freeware Iris T-6 Texan (http://www.rikoooo.com/downloads/viewdownload/62/548), and a radar altimeter---all work pretty good, the LRI looks a little scratchy on the edges, but the Iris AOA always looks great. That is if one prefers AOA over the GEM, since cyl head temp and EGT are already redundant on this plane. I'd imagine a g-meter would work pretty good in that spot too. Again, I wish developers would make their cockpits more editable.

 

Now just need some repaint masters like Ron Attwood to kick out some gnarly colors for this beast!

 

On 8/27/2017 at 11:06 PM, Bert Pieke said:

I agree, the Baytower GNS is really good.. but the "real" Garmin units are better..

I'm just glad I got a reply from Mr. Pieke ;)

 

On 8/22/2017 at 8:50 PM, Lmaire said:

is there a switch to activate the speed brake?

Have not seen an answer to this question. I've looked all over for it and cannot locate it.

Since the speedbrake switch can be mounted e.g. on the forward facing part of the yoke (and is operated with the forefinger) it's possible that they haven't animated the switch (if it is there at all)

27 minutes ago, J35OE said:

Since the speedbrake switch can be mounted e.g. on the forward facing part of the yoke (and is operated with the forefinger) it's possible that they haven't animated the switch (if it is there at all)

The "/" key in FSX controls the speed brakes and with the M20R if you pan to look at either wing and press the "/" key you will see the speed brakes deploy, so it is clearly in the model. I can map a button on my Saitek Multipanel (likely the IAS button) with Spad:Next but I am still looking all through the cockpit for a control to select with the mouse

Again, if the switch is on the forward facing part of the yoke you can't see it (and hence not click it in the sim)

5 hours ago, fppilot said:

Have not seen an answer to this question. I've looked all over for it and cannot locate it.

It is on the left (outer) side of the yoke.

A red button.  Click it and see the speed brake light activate on the upper panel.

10 minutes ago, Bert Pieke said:

5 hours ago, fppilot said:

Have not seen an answer to this question. I've looked all over for it and cannot locate it.

It is on the left (outer) side of the yoke.

A red button.  Click it and see the speed brake light activate on the upper panel.

Thanks Bert. Once again! Could find nothing in the docs. As mentioned above found the "/" key performed.