Add a Complex Endorsement in Our Mooney M20C
A complex airplane is one with retractable landing gear, flaps and a controllable-pitch propeller. Flying one as pilot in command takes ground and flight training plus a one time endorsement in your logbook from an authorized instructor. There is no separate checkride for it.
Our Mooney M20C has all three of those systems, so you train in an airplane that is already on our line and maintained by our own shop.
Book a Discovery FlightWhat You Actually Learn
The endorsement is really about habits. You learn to run a checklist that has consequences, because forgetting the gear is not a paperwork problem. You learn to manage propeller and manifold pressure together instead of treating the throttle as the only lever. And you learn to plan an approach in an airplane that does not slow down just because you pulled the power back.
Gear extension and retraction, emergency gear extension, prop control, cowl flaps and systems knowledge all get covered on the ground before you fly them.
Why Pilots Add It
Retractable gear time is one of the things insurers and employers look at when you move toward faster and more capable airplanes. It is also the first time many pilots fly something where the airplane demands a specific order of operations, which is a useful thing to learn with an instructor beside you.
It is a common addition while you are working on a Commercial certificate, and dispatch can schedule the two together.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes an airplane complex?
Retractable landing gear, flaps and a controllable-pitch propeller. An airplane needs all three to count, which is why our Mooney M20C is the one you train in.
Is there a checkride for the complex endorsement?
No. It is a logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor after ground and flight training, not a practical test with an examiner.
Which airplane will I train in?
Our Mooney M20C. It has the retractable gear, controllable-pitch propeller and flaps the endorsement requires, and it doubles as our complex trainer.
Do I need this to fly your other airplanes?
No. Our Cessna 172 Skyhawks have fixed gear and a fixed-pitch propeller, so they are not complex airplanes and no endorsement is needed to fly them.
How long does it take?
It depends on what is already in your logbook. Call dispatch at (208) 996-8645 and they will look at your experience and give you a realistic number of flights.