James,
Welcome to the Meyers website. You’ll quickly discover most Meyers owners are very proud of their aircraft. These machines are members of their families, and tend to stay with their caretakers for many years. We’ve cherished N2919T for 21 years, and acquired it from a gentleman and his wife who cared for it for nearly 30 years. The aircraft are pampered and improved by each family who has the privilege of flying them, so the next caretaker will enjoy the aircraft all the more.
I went through a similar comparison process when trying to decide which aircraft suited our needs. I researched and flew Bonanzas (66 S model appeared best of the Vs), C210s (amazing load and speed capability with the turbos), and Comanches (great for load and tall people). Each type has its advantages and shortcomings.
I was introduced to the M200 by a long time Meyers OTW owner, and never looked back. After flying N2919T at a fly-in in Heber City UT, we were hooked. Not only is the aircraft fun to fly, it is a pilot’s airplane. You have to fly it, or it will fly you and you can get behind it quickly. It is sturdy, lots of power (you can get a leg cramp on takeoff), fast, and responsive. It is not exactly what I would call stable… without an autopilot, if you let go, it will roll to the heavy wing, and it tends to tail wobble due to its short wingspan and tail moment. A straight tail Bonanza or C210 is superior in stability, but both lack in performance and handling. All big bore 6 cylinder engined aircraft burn lots of gas and aren’t inexpensive to fly around the pattern (4 cyl fixed gear 2 seat Experimentals are cheaper). You’ll also want a hangar to keep the rain and mice out.
What truly sold us on the aircraft is the camaraderie and fellowship of our Meyers group. The friends we have made and the support we provide each other is like being in a tight knit military unit. Even though we are spread across the country, we are able to reach out to one another when we stumble across a unique mechanical issue not experienced previously, when in need of a part, or when discussing aircraft handling qualities. Being a small community, we enjoy learning of each other’s adventures and experiences. We hold annual gatherings, with locations voted on by members and hosted by members. And as you have seen in these threads, we are open to sharing our thoughts and experiences freely and without judgement.
I encourage you to visit Ed or me (we’re at SC01) if you can find a moment to examine the aircraft and ask questions to your heart’s content. Then you can decide for yourself if your desire to own and fly an airplane is for travel and convenience, or living a life-long experience with a rare aircraft that has fabulous performance.
Holler with questions…
VR, Tom Thibodeau
757-870-2474