New M20 Models Now On Eve Of Certification, M10 Flight Testing On Schedule

Mooney International Corporation reported at AirVenture that the company is having a year to be envied by any aircraft manufacturer – especially those in the sometimes challenging general aviation market.

“Success building upon success” is becoming the new standard for the company in Kerrville – whose workforce is fully staffed – both at its factory in Texas, and its new research and development center in Chino, California.

Mooney’s latest milestone year began on February 10, 2016 with rollout of the latest generation of its legendary M20 aircraft – the M20V Acclaim Ultra – at a special event in Texas, which was followed by order placements for the first aircraft from customers in attendance.

The new Ultra features detail improvements to the overall fuselage – including a first-ever pilot-side door and composite wrapped cabin, a clean-sheet interior design, and significant instrument panel enhancements – all of which will keep this flagship aircraft at the top of the company’s product line. And with a speed of 242 kts, the Acclaim Ultra easily continues Mooney’s heritage of building the fastest production piston-engine aircraft in the world.

In June, the Acclaim Ultra’s sister model – the M20U Ovation Ultra – made its first flight, on schedule and recorded initial performance numbers that were exactly as predicted. As a result, completion of both the new Acclaim and Ovation Ultras is proceeding at an accelerated pace – with FAA certification anticipated in Q3 of this year, followed by first deliveries shortly thereafter. Both new models are on display this week in Mooney’s exhibit at AirVenture 2016.

And while the new Acclaim and Ovation Ultras are winding their way to certification in Kerrville – Mooney’s research team in Chino continues flight testing of the new M10T – the all-composite next generation trainer that made its maiden flight in December of last year. Powered by Continental’s new CD-135 engine and featuring Garmin G1000 avionics and an aerodynamically advanced slotted wing, the M10T and its sister model, M10J (which features retractable gear and autopilot) represent major leaps forward in design and efficiency, while continuing the company’s unwavering vision of aerodynamic purity.

Flight test progress with the new M10T has been significant, with more than 47 flights and 66 flight hours completed to date – including stall testing, envelope expansion, and handling qualities evaluation, as well as engine cooling tests and tuning. A certification date for these highly anticipated new aircraft has not yet been set, but an advanced timeline should be announced by year-end. Perhaps most important, the M10 Series represents much more than simply fresh technology in a market segment where it’s very much needed.

The new Series also represents the voice of customers – as Mooney maintains an on-going commitment to listen carefully to their comments and needs in order to design these new aircraft to meet and exceed future requirements. This level of listening is something Mooney feels is the responsibility of all iconic brands in the industry, and the company takes great pride in setting the example with both the M10T and the M10J.

Continuing on its trajectory of increasing success, in June, Mooney added Dirk Vander Zee as vice president sales and marketing. Mr. Vander Zee is well known in the aviation industry for his sales acumen and management skills, and is playing a key part of the Mooney brand’s increasingly successful re-emergence in the marketplace – as well as improvements to both the Authorized Mooney Dealer and Service Center networks. And, as an up-to-the-minute testament of the amazing progress Mooney has made to date – on July 14, 2016, the company signed a teaming agreement with Jeppesen to provide that company’s outstanding PilotPak data services bundle to all purchasers of new Mooney aircraft – including a complete subscription for a full year following delivery.

“It has been an incredible year – a pretty close to perfect one, in fact” said Tom Bowen, Chief Operating Officer of Mooney International. “Not only are we on the cusp of certifying the best M20 models ever – the new Ultras – but we also have the next generation M10 family well into flight test. And to cap it off, we now have Jeppesen and their outstanding data services as teammates. It’s all a wonderful testament to the hard work of everyone involved, and most importantly, the amazing support of our customers” he said.

(Images provided with Mooney news release)

FMI: www.mooney.com