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From: Miloch <Miloch_member@newsguy.com>
Newsgroups: alt.binaries.pictures.aviation
Subject: Mooney M20
Date: 26 Oct 2017 04:37:29 -0700
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mooney_M20
The Mooney M20 is a family of piston-powered, propeller-driven, general aviation
aircraft, all featuring low wings and tricycle gear, manufactured by the Mooney
International Corporation.
The M20 was the 20th design from Al Mooney, and his most successful. The series
has been produced in many variations over the last 60 years, from the
wooden-wing M20 and M20A models of 1955, to the M20V Acclaim Ultra that debuted
in 2016. More than 11,000 aircraft in total have been produced.
In November 2008, the company announced that it was halting all production as a
result of the late-2000s recession, but would still provide parts and support
for the existing fleet. With the injection of Chinese capital after the
company's purchase, production of the M20 resumed in February 2014. Since then,
the company has released two more M20 models.
Al Mooney had been developing preliminary designs for the four-seater M20 for
some time, while the single-seat M-18 Mite was in production in the late 1940s
and early 1950s. When in early 1953 the company moved from Wichita, Kansas, to
Kerrville, Texas, and when it became clear that the Mite was nearing the end of
its production, development of the M20 accelerated. The first M20 flight took
place on September 3, 1953, and it was certified on August 24, 1955.
During 1955, the company sold 10 of the M20 airplanes. Due to start-up costs,
they lost about $3000 on each airplane. In 1956, they delivered 51 airplanes,
and in 1957 the total was 105. The airplane gained attention because it was able
to achieve speeds up to 170 miles per hour (270 km/h) with a 150 hp (110 kW)
Lycoming O-320 engine. The combination of speed and efficiency was noteworthy.
In 1958 the M20A joined the lineup with a larger 180 hp (130 kW) Lycoming
O-360-A1A engine, and by 1959, this was the only model offered, with a total
sales that year of 231 units. This was the first year the company made a profit.
The M20A continued production into 1960, when 166 were delivered. These were the
last of the Mooneys to have wooden structures in the wings and tail. Early in
the model's history, several incidents of wooden tails breaking up in flight
occurred due to water damage and the resulting rot. Consequently, most tails
have now been replaced with all-metal copies, as required by Mooney Service
Bulletin M20-170A and the FAA Airworthiness Directive 86-19-10. Without the
possibility of metal fatigue, the wooden wing has an indefinite life expectancy
and is considered by some pilots to provide a smoother ride in turbulence.
2000s
The M20TN Acclaim was released in 2006, powered by a turbonormalized Continental
TSI0-550-G powerplant with twin turbochargers and dual intercoolers. The Acclaim
replaced the Mooney M20M Bravo in the company product line.
Mooney laid off 60 employees in June 2008 and cut production, citing a weak
economy and sales inhibited by high fuel prices. Later that year, in November,
all production was halted.
In July 2008, Mooney signed a memorandum of understanding with Rolls-Royce to
develop a version of the M20 that was to have been powered by the Rolls-Royce
RR500 TP turboprop powerplant. The project was announced as being a joint
"marketing investigation" and "exploration project", but does not appear to have
come to fruition.
2010s
More employees were laid off in late 2010. The stated goal was to have less than
10 employees at the start of 2011, with these employees providing parts and
support to existing aircraft owners while the company searched for new
investment. This search ended in late 2013; Chinese investment enabled the
company to resume production in early 2014. Later that year, the M10T and the
M10J were announced, both to be powered by Continental diesel engines.
Two new models were released in 2016: the M20U Ovation Ultra and the M20V
Acclaim Ultra. The M20U was based on the M20R and its first flight was on 4 June
2016. It was the first M20 to have a pilot-side door. It also featured a
composite shell forward fuselage which replaced the traditional aluminum skin.
The M20V, which was developed from the M20TN Acclaim, had those features, as
well.
Role
Personal use civil aircraft
Manufacturer
Mooney International Corporation
Designer
Al Mooney
First flight
1953
Introduction
1955
Status
In production (2017)
Produced
Number built
>11,000
Unit cost
US$690,000 (M20U Ovation Ultra, 2017)
US$770,000 (M20V Acclaim Ultra, 2017)
Developed from
Mooney M-18 Mite
In August 2017, 6,748 Mooney M20 aircraft were registered with US Federal
Aviation Administration, 342 with Transport Canada, and 33 in the United Kingdom
with the Civil Aviation Authority.
In June and July, 2017, pilot Brian Lloyd flew his Mooney M20K 231 around the
world, commemorating Amelia Earhart's attempted circumnavigation which took
place 80 years earlier in 1937. Lloyd followed a route similar to the one taken
by Earhart.
Specifications
These are the specifications for the 2016 M20 Acclaim Ultra
General characteristics
Crew: one pilot
Capacity: three passengers
Length: 26 ft 8 in (8.13 m)
Wingspan: 36 ft 6 in (11.125 m)
Height: 8 ft 4 in (2.5 m)
Empty weight: 2380 lb (1080 kg)
Useful load: 1000 lb (454 kg)
Loaded weight: 3380 lb (1533 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 3368 lb (1528 kg)
opposed piston engine, 280 hp (209 kW)
Propellers: Hartzell Scimitar Three-Blade
Performance
Cruise speed: 242 knots (278 mph, 447 km/h)
Stall speed: 53 knots (61 mph, 98 km/h)
Range: 1100 nm (std tanks) (1266 mi, 2037 km)
Service ceiling: 25,000 ft (7625 m)
*
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