Matchmaker, Matchmaker... Make Mine A Mooney?

If you're having difficulties finding your one true love -- of the winged variety, that is -- Mooney Airplane Company may just have the matchmaking program for you.

At a Wednesday morning press conference at Lakeland 2007, Mooney formally announced its "Mooney Match" program -- a concept that, appropriately, was originally unveiled on Valentines Day this year.

"We couldn't pass up such an obvious opportunity to introduce a program that is designed to introduce a program that is designed not only to match customers with the right airplane, but to bring potential buyers with compatible usage profiles and geographic locations together, as well," said Mooney VP of Sales and Marketing David Copeland.

If that sounds like a pitch for a fractional ownership program, you're right... but Mooney says it aims only to bring potential buyers together, and then present those candidates with a joint-ownership agreement for them to consider. Customers would be responsible for establishing their own contract.

"We do the legwork to bring customers together, and we'll even provide then with assistance in creating the partnerships," Copeland said. "Joint ownership differs from fractional share programs in several key ways. Partners in the aircraft are recognized as owners by the FAA and their names appear on the aircraft registration. They share jointly in the tax advantages and spread the operating costs equally."

"Mooney Match" will run through the end of the year... and may be extended, depending on response.

"Our aim is to leverage all aspects of the program to benefit the partners," Copeland said. Eat your heart out, Match.com...

FMI: www.mooney.com