An instrument proficiency check in a Mooney M20F is a busy hour. Approaches, holds, a missed approach and partial-panel work come quickly in a fast retractable, and the instructor is watching for the pilot who stays ahead of the airplane rather than behind it.
A good checklist won’t fly the approach for you, but it does take the routine items out of memory so your attention can stay on the approach. A checklist written for the M20F keeps that routine consistent from one approach to the next. Use it alongside the airplane’s POH, which governs, and confirm it matches your airplane’s year and engine.
Quick answer: The CheckMate Mooney M20F Checklist is a cockpit checklist for pilots who fly the Mooney M20F, a low-wing retractable Mooney. It comes as CheckMate, CheckMate+ or CheckMate Pro in Standard (6.5″ x 9″) or Compact (5″ x 7″) sizes, plus a QuickMate card. It’s meant to supplement the airplane’s POH/AFM, not replace it, so confirm it matches your exact model, year, engine and handbook before relying on it. It’s available on Skyfarer and at Skyfarer Shop.
CheckMate formats for the M20F
- CheckMate. The design that started it all, with the familiar legacy look, in Standard (6.5″ x 9″) or Compact (5″ x 7″).
- CheckMate+. An updated design aimed at better readability and safety, with passenger and crew briefing prompts, abort plan prompts and ATC communications prompts. It includes an instant low-resolution, black-and-white temporary digital download, so you have a copy to use right away. Standard (6.5″ x 9″) or Compact (5″ x 7″).
- CheckMate Pro. A personalized CheckMate+: add your tail number, name or phone number, your empty weight and useful load, and details for up to five airports you visit often. Typical production time is within 48 hours. Standard (6.5″ x 9″) or Compact (5″ x 7″).
- QuickMate. A 5″ x 7″ plastic card with an abbreviated checklist for pilots who prefer minimalism. It highlights only the most critical information while keeping all the V-speeds and emergency procedures from CheckMate.
How to put it to work
- Confirm the match first. Compare the model, year and engine on the listing with your airplane’s POH/AFM, data plate and records before you fly with it.
- Read it against the handbook once. Go through it page by page with the POH/AFM and any supplements open beside it. Where they differ, the POH/AFM and supplements govern.
- Brief each approach with the checklist close by. Before each approach on an IPC, run the descent and before-landing items early, then put your full attention on the approach itself.
- Pick the size for your cockpit. Standard (6.5″ x 9″) gives more room on the page; Compact (5″ x 7″) is the smaller option when space on a kneeboard or in a side pocket is tight.
Good to know
A CheckMate M20F checklist supplements the aircraft’s POH/AFM; it doesn’t replace it. The handbook, its supplements and the placards in your airplane are the authority on every procedure, speed and limitation, and the checklist is the working copy you fly with.
Airplanes with the same name can differ by model year, engine and installed equipment, so confirm the checklist matches your airplane’s exact model, year, engine and handbook before you rely on it.
Pilot tip: On an IPC, if you get behind, say so and slow things down. Asking for a hold or delaying vectors is better practice than rushing a checklist.
More photos
Where to buy
CheckMate Mooney M20F Checklist is sold by Skyfarer Shop. Find it on the Skyfarer marketplace or order directly from Skyfarer Shop. Either link shows the current price, shipping options and return terms.
Frequently asked questions
Will the M20F checklist work for an M20E or other Mooney?
Don’t assume it will. CheckMate lists separate checklists for different Mooney models, so pick the one that matches your airplane and confirm it against the POH.
Does this checklist replace the POH/AFM?
No. It supplements the airplane’s POH/AFM. The handbook and its supplements govern every procedure, speed and limitation, so confirm the checklist against them before you rely on it.
How is CheckMate+ different from the original CheckMate?
CheckMate+ uses an updated design aimed at better readability and safety and adds passenger and crew briefing prompts, abort plan prompts and ATC communications prompts. The original CheckMate keeps the familiar legacy look.
What’s the difference between Standard and Compact?
Standard is 6.5″ x 9″ and Compact is 5″ x 7″. CheckMate, CheckMate+ and CheckMate Pro all come in both sizes.
