The 1975 Mooney Chaparal N8371V

The Mooney is often referred to as the Porsche of light aircraft.  They have unparallel performance characteristics given that they typically have small, four cylinder engines.    I acquired this plane from a flying club and it had over 4000 hours on the frame when I added the next 167!   This was my first "complex" aircraft, with retractable gear and variable speed prop.  It was also fuel injected.   The Mooney is known for its long wing span and it sits very low to the ground.   Landing this plane is a kick and a half.  Those wings just never want to stop flying!

 You also  really have to love your co-pilot because you don't have much room in the cockpit.   You make a decision to sacrifice speed for comfort.  This model pulled a 140 Knots at altitude, which was a significant step up from my Sundowner!  You learn to start planning things a lot sooner at higher speeds!

 None the less,  I cherish the hours of experience I gained flying this wonderful flying machine!