Mooney 201 head room

Brian Dilse

Brian Dilse

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Joined
Jul 16, 2017
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Grand Forks, ND
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Brian Dilse
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A long long time ago I flew an old Mooney 20B.. Fun airplane, but I'm 6ft1. Very cramped. My head hit the ceiling and tilted 10 degrees to fit.

I don't know much about the 201…Any tall guys feel comfortable in the 201 w/ headsets?

Compared to a Skyhawk, what has more headroom?
 
I'm 6'4" and fit ok in an M20J. That said, my 172N has more vertical headroom, and the door, side windows and A-pillar are nearly vertical; while the upper half of the Mooney cabin has a semi-circular cross-section. So even though the Mooney is a few inches wider at the elbow, there's more space at eye level in the 172.

One big difference between the M20B and M20J is that the J's sloping windshield is further forward and much larger, giving a feeling of greater spaciousness in the front seats.
 
6' 0", absolutely no problem in my early 201, even with the old "Princess Leila" Lightspeed headsets.

Have heard some height-challenged owners have added extra foam to the seats during a re-cover to boost their eyeballs above the glare shield. If you go for a ride in one, make sure that hasn't been done. Foam can also be removed.

Also agree that the 201 style windshield adds to the feeling of space in the cockpit. Remember, Al Mooney was a smart guy who placed many engineering and aerodynamic decisions before marketing decisions. That tighter cockpit and cowl are major contributors to a lower cross sectional area that adds quite a few knots of speed vs. comparible airplanes.

If you value wide airplanes, those are available too, but come at a speed and efficiency cost.

Figure out what you mission is and choose between the engineering trade offs to fulfill it!
 
Unfortunately, I'm 6'1" with a freakishly long torso and short legs….not circus freak quality yet, but close. Even my 172M is a bit tight for headroom. :(
 
Brian Dilse said:
Unfortunately, I'm 6'1" with a freakishly long torso and short legs….not circus freak quality yet, but close. Even my 172M is a bit tight for headroom. :(
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Yeah mooney ain't for ya then. They designed it for the opposite. Long legged, short headroom, long arms, is what the mooney is built for. Honestly, the high digit Cessna offerings (C182) are built more towards your frame. High dash heights, nugget through where the spar would normally be, and plenty of chest-to-panel room to pull your midget legs forward to reach the rudder pedals without needing reading glasses (like in the mooney).

The difference between 145 block and 130 block is ballwash on anything less than 400NM, especially if ergonomics is the opportunity cost. If you fly less than 90 hours a year the gas savings are a rounding error, and this is coming from a retract owner mind you.
 
I'm 6' and have 3-4" of headroom with seat in the most vertical position. You can always recline the seat to get some extra headroom.
I would suggest finding one to sit in, some don't like the sports car position.
 
Being short has some advantages…last one to get rained on…Fit great in all airplanes…I wish I was about 5'9"
 
I don't think the 201 cockpit is any different than the M20b cockpit. The extra length for put in the back seat. If you really are interested put up a request on Mooneyspace to go sit in one. You'll probably have the opportunity to fly in it in short order.
 
steingar said:
I don't think the 201 cockpit is any different than the M20b cockpit. The extra length for put in the back seat. If you really are interested put up a request on Mooneyspace to go sit in one. You'll probably have the opportunity to fly in it in short order.
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The feeling of more space exists in the front cockpit of the 201 due to the windscreen being much further away from your nose.
 
If you want near Mooney speed, especially the older ones, 900 lbs useful, and low cost to own with plenty of room, in addition to rear seats that fold down to carry two sets of golf clubs and baggage for two, take a look at a Grumman Tiger.
 
I have seats from a J that articulate. They also allow me to adjust my seat height a couple inches. I know height isn't generally an issue with mooneys, but your torso height could be throwing a curve ball.
 
I know a Mooney pilot who is 6'9", and claims to have plenty of headroom. He also says he cannot fit in most Cessna and Piper planes . . . But I'm only 5' 11", have several inches' headroom, and sit on a gel cushion to see better out the windshield. Bounced my 5' 3" wife off of the ceiling once, too; she sits on two chair cushions from home.

For what it's worth, Al Mooney was 6' 5", and he built the plane to fit himself. Many people need rudder pedal extensions.

But the seating position is very un-Cessna-like. In those, like your minivan, it's like sitting in a chair. The Mooney seats you like your favorite sports car, with your legs out in front of you. Some people don't Iike that.

Happy shopping! And do join us on Mooneyspace, as I don't have time to dispel all of the Mooney myths myself.
 
Hank S said:
The Mooney seats you like your favorite sports car, with your legs out in front of you. Some people don't Iike that.
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My favorite sports cars are Italian. If you don't feel like googling "Italian Driving Position", it's arms out and knees up. For some reason, Italian sports car drivers like the pedals up close and the steeply angled wheel far away.

I'm guessing your favorite sports cars are air cooled Porsches (sitting low with the wheel and dash up close... sound familiar?).
 
asicer said:
My favorite sports cars are Italian. If you don't feel like googling "Italian Driving Position", it's arms out and knees up. For some reason, Italian sports car drivers like the pedals up close and the steeply angled wheel far away.

I'm guessing your favorite sports cars are air cooled Porsches (sitting low with the wheel and dash up close... sound familiar?).
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No, I have an old Jaguar V12 convertible. Sits almost exactly like my Mooney, except the Mooney seats is about 1/2" higher off the floor (but still not high enough to put anything under, just to hide pins, charts, screws, etc., when dropped). Although my "old Jag" is more than 20 years younger than my Mooney . . . .
 
I have not flown in a 201, or any Mooney for that matter, but a friend of mine invited me to sit in his new (to him) 201J a few weeks ago. First, I'm 6'2" and change and 280 lbs. Head room wasn't much of an issue, and leg room was ample, but it was tight width-wise at the shoulders. Granted, I'm a fat guy, but my fatness doesn't change my shoulder width. I suspect a tall person of medium or even somewhat large build would fit fine. It's snug for a big boy, but not unbearable. I will say I fit in there better than I do in a Cherokee 140-235. Never had any problem in Cessnas.
 
The secret for big guys is to stagger the seats--have one seat further forward than the other. It makes a real difference . . . . . Regardless of plane type.
 
Hank S said:
The secret for big guys is to stagger the seats--have one seat further forward than the other. It makes a real difference . . . . . Regardless of plane type.
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Not always possible. Some planes have fixed seats. DA40 is one example
 
Hank S said:
The OP asked about fitting into a Mooney. Both front seats slide in all models . . . .
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I guess I mistook your "Regardless of plane type" as generic, applying to all plane types.
 
Brian Dilse said:
Unfortunately, I'm 6'1" with a freakishly long torso and short legs….not circus freak quality yet, but close. Even my 172M is a bit tight for headroom. :(
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I'm 6'2", with a 32" inseam, so Fred Flintstone-esque long torso, short legs. Headroom is fine in the Mooney, in fact, I don't even put the seat in the lowest height position. At cruise, on a smooth day with George at the controls, I let the seat go way back giving limo like leg room.
 
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