Mooney Airplane Company
Encyclopedia
The Mooney Aviation Company, Inc. (MAC) (formerly the Mooney Aircraft Company) is a U.S.
manufacturer of single-engined general aviation
aircraft. Mooney has been a leader in civil aviation even though the company has gone bankrupt and changed ownership several times. Among its achievements were the first pressurized single-engine piston-powered aircraft (M22 Mustang
), production of the fastest civilian single engine piston-powered aircraft in the world (M20TN Acclaim Type S), the first production aircraft to achieve 201 mph (323.5 km/h) on 200 hp) (M20J 201
) and the fastest transcontinental flight in a single-engine, piston-powered production aircraft (M20K 231). All Mooney aircraft have the signature vertical stabilizer
with its vertical leading edge
and swept trailing edge
that gives the illusion of being forward-swept.
Mooney Aircraft Corporation was started in 1929 by Albert and Arthur Mooney with funding from Bridgeport Machine Company of Wichita, Kansas
. Mooney Aircraft went bankrupt in 1930. The Mooney brothers worked for other aircraft companies from then through World War II
. In 1946, Albert started Mooney Aircraft, Inc. with Charles "Pappy" Yankey in Kerrville, Texas
. The next year Arthur joined the company.
The first aircraft produced by the new Mooney company was the small, single-seat, Mooney Mite M-18. It was designed to appeal to the thousands of fighter pilots leaving military service (some thought the Mooney Mite looked so much like the Messerschmitt Bf 109
that they called it the "Texas Messerschmitt".
The Mooney Mite established some of the design concepts still used by Mooney today. The model Mooney M20
entered production in 1955 and outwardly resembled a scaled-up Mite. Mooney is still producing variants of the M20 today.
In 1953, before funds were put in place for production of the M20, Mooney's financial backer, Charles Yankey, died of a stroke. In 1955, Albert Mooney sold his stock in the company to Harold Rachal and Norman Hoffman then left the company to work for Lockheed Corporation
. Shortly after, Arthur left Mooney to work for Lockheed too.
In 1965, the company became the U.S. distributor for Mitsubishi
aircraft and began selling Mooney Mu-2
operating as Mooney-Mitsubishi Aircraft Inc. In 1967 Mooney acquired production rights to the Ercoupe from Alon Aircraft Company and produced a slightly updated version as the Mooney M10 Cadet. The M10 became the final Ercoupe variant, and production ended in 1970.
Mooney went bankrupt again in early 1969 and was sold to American Electronics Labs then to Butler Aviation, which ended operations in 1971. For about three years Mooney failed to produce any aircraft. In 1973 Republic Steel Corporation acquired the rights and tooling for Mooney and resumed production in 1974. The company continued aggressive product development, working on yet another pressurized single-engine aircraft to compete with the Cessna 210
. The turboprop Mooney "301" eventually became the TBM700
and is now produced by Socata Aircraft
.
In 1984 Mooney merged with the French
distribution firm Alexander Couvelaire. In July 2001 Mooney was the victim of yet another bankruptcy and the company was acquired by Advanced Aerodynamics and Structures, Inc. (AASI
) in 2002. AASI resurrected Mooney under the name Mooney Aircraft Company, Inc.; a division of Mooney Aerospace Group, Ltd.
In 2004, MASG (AASI
) sold off the Mooney assets to Allen Holding Finance in May, and filed for bankruptcy on June 10. In December 2004, MASG restructured and reacquired MAC (Mooney Aircraft Company) back from Allen Holding Finance.
In November, 2004, Gretchen L. Jahn joined Mooney, becoming the first woman recruited to be CEO of a U.S. aircraft manufacturer. Jahn served for two years as a turnaround specialist, rebuilding Mooney's sales and dealer network, and after-sales service activities. She also oversaw the development and introduction of the M20TN Acclaim and the Garmin
G1000-equipped Ovation2 GX and Bravo GX. In June, 2005, Mooney added a second shift and 50 new workers to boost production.
On April 4, 2006, Mooney Airplane Company announced the release of the M20TN Acclaim
at the 2006 Sun 'N Fun fly-in at Lakeland, Florida. The M20TN also features the Garmin G1000
glass cockpit
, four heated leather captains chairs with lumbar support, a range in excess of 1,650 nm (400 miles greater than the Bravo GX), and a top speed of 242 knots (474.3 km/h) which is also 30 knots (58.8 km/h) faster than the Ovation 2. At the time of its introduction the Acclaim was the fastest single-engine piston-powered production aircraft in the world.
Mooney was a publicly traded company after emerging from bankruptcy under symbol MNYG (OTC BB) until October, 2006 when Mooney Aerospace Group arranged financing to buy out public shareholders.
In the fall 2007 Mooney announced the arrival of its newest model, the M20TN Acclaim Type S. The Acclaim Type S adds 5 knots (9.8 km/h) to the Acclaim's top speed, up to 242 knots (474.3 km/h). Mooney achieved this performance gain through aerodynamic tweaks to the Acclaim's airframe.
The reasons for the cutbacks and layoffs cited by the company include the weak US economy and the high price of fuel inhibiting sales.
On 5 November 2008 the company announced that it was halting all production and had laid off 229 of its 320 employees, due to an excess unsold inventory of aircraft as a result of the late-2000s recession. Virtually all the laid-off employees were on the production line. The company said all other operations would continue and that all customer support and existing customer orders would be filled.
In carrying out the lay-offs the company did not comply with the notification requirements of Texas law. In a statement Mooney said:
In a third round of lay-offs in December 2008 the company let go an additional 40 workers leaving only about 50 employees at work. The company had 25 unsold aircraft at its factory in December 2008.
On 19 November 2010, Mooney started a new round of lay-offs, intending to reduce company staff from 53 to less than ten employees by 1 January 2011. The remaining staff will be employed maintaining the company's physical facilities, its type and production certificates and providing parts technical support to aircraft owners. The company is continuing negotiations with potential investors to allow production to resume. Company Chief Financial Officer Barry Hodkin stated, "We are not shutting down. However, we cannot continue to subsidize the company at the level we have in the recent past. We have been in discussions with potential investors for more than 18 months and will continue to work with them. If things change then the scope of this layoff could change".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
manufacturer of single-engined general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
aircraft. Mooney has been a leader in civil aviation even though the company has gone bankrupt and changed ownership several times. Among its achievements were the first pressurized single-engine piston-powered aircraft (M22 Mustang
Mooney M22
-References:*Green, William and Pollinger, Gerald. The Aircraft of the World. 1965. Macdonald & Co. Ltd. isbn : none.*Simpson, Rod. Airlife's World Aircraft. Airlife Publishing Ltd. 2001. isbn 1-84037-115-3....
), production of the fastest civilian single engine piston-powered aircraft in the world (M20TN Acclaim Type S), the first production aircraft to achieve 201 mph (323.5 km/h) on 200 hp) (M20J 201
Mooney M20
The Mooney M20 is a family of piston-powered, propeller-driven general aviation aircraft, all featuring a low-wing and tricycle gear, manufactured by the Mooney Airplane Company.The "M20" was the twentieth design from Al Mooney, and his most successful...
) and the fastest transcontinental flight in a single-engine, piston-powered production aircraft (M20K 231). All Mooney aircraft have the signature vertical stabilizer
Vertical stabilizer
The vertical stabilizers, vertical stabilisers, or fins, of aircraft, missiles or bombs are typically found on the aft end of the fuselage or body, and are intended to reduce aerodynamic side slip. It is analogical to a skeg on boats and ships.On aircraft, vertical stabilizers generally point upwards...
with its vertical leading edge
Leading edge
The leading edge is the part of the wing that first contacts the air; alternatively it is the foremost edge of an airfoil section. The first is an aerodynamic definition, the second a structural one....
and swept trailing edge
Trailing edge
The trailing edge of an aerodynamic surface such as a wing is its rear edge, where the airflow separated by the leading edge rejoins. Essential control surfaces are attached here to redirect the air flow and exert a controlling force by changing its momentum...
that gives the illusion of being forward-swept.
History
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
. Mooney Aircraft went bankrupt in 1930. The Mooney brothers worked for other aircraft companies from then through World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1946, Albert started Mooney Aircraft, Inc. with Charles "Pappy" Yankey in Kerrville, Texas
Kerrville, Texas
Kerrville is a city in Kerr County, Texas, United States. The population was 20,425 at the 2000 census. In 2009, the population was 22,826...
. The next year Arthur joined the company.
The first aircraft produced by the new Mooney company was the small, single-seat, Mooney Mite M-18. It was designed to appeal to the thousands of fighter pilots leaving military service (some thought the Mooney Mite looked so much like the Messerschmitt Bf 109
Messerschmitt Bf 109
The Messerschmitt Bf 109, often called Me 109, was a German World War II fighter aircraft designed by Willy Messerschmitt and Robert Lusser during the early to mid 1930s...
that they called it the "Texas Messerschmitt".
The Mooney Mite established some of the design concepts still used by Mooney today. The model Mooney M20
Mooney M20
The Mooney M20 is a family of piston-powered, propeller-driven general aviation aircraft, all featuring a low-wing and tricycle gear, manufactured by the Mooney Airplane Company.The "M20" was the twentieth design from Al Mooney, and his most successful...
entered production in 1955 and outwardly resembled a scaled-up Mite. Mooney is still producing variants of the M20 today.
Lockheed Corporation
The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace company. Lockheed was founded in 1912 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995.-Origins:...
. Shortly after, Arthur left Mooney to work for Lockheed too.
In 1965, the company became the U.S. distributor for Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
aircraft and began selling Mooney Mu-2
Mitsubishi MU-2
The Mitsubishi MU-2 is one of postwar Japan's most successful aircraft. It is a high-wing, twin-engine turboprop, and has a pressurized cabin.-Design and development:...
operating as Mooney-Mitsubishi Aircraft Inc. In 1967 Mooney acquired production rights to the Ercoupe from Alon Aircraft Company and produced a slightly updated version as the Mooney M10 Cadet. The M10 became the final Ercoupe variant, and production ended in 1970.
Mooney went bankrupt again in early 1969 and was sold to American Electronics Labs then to Butler Aviation, which ended operations in 1971. For about three years Mooney failed to produce any aircraft. In 1973 Republic Steel Corporation acquired the rights and tooling for Mooney and resumed production in 1974. The company continued aggressive product development, working on yet another pressurized single-engine aircraft to compete with the Cessna 210
Cessna 210
The Cessna 210 Centurion is a six-seat, high-performance, retractable-gear single-engine general aviation aircraft which was first flown in January 1957 and produced by Cessna until 1985.-Design and development:...
. The turboprop Mooney "301" eventually became the TBM700
Socata TBM
|-See also:-References:* Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0 7106 2537 5....
and is now produced by Socata Aircraft
Socata
Socată is a traditional Romanian soft drink made from the flowers of the European elder shrub, Sambucus nigra . The European elderberry also grows spontaneously in North America....
.
In 1984 Mooney merged with the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
distribution firm Alexander Couvelaire. In July 2001 Mooney was the victim of yet another bankruptcy and the company was acquired by Advanced Aerodynamics and Structures, Inc. (AASI
Aasi
The Aasi are a clan of the Chadhar tribe Jats and Rajputs, found in Punjab, Pakistan.They are found mainly in the districts of Sargodha, Chiniot, Mandi Bahauddin, and Sarai Alamgir Tehsil of Gujrat District. In Chiniot District they mostly inhabit the left bank of the river Chenab in Chiniot Tehsil...
) in 2002. AASI resurrected Mooney under the name Mooney Aircraft Company, Inc.; a division of Mooney Aerospace Group, Ltd.
In 2004, MASG (AASI
Aasi
The Aasi are a clan of the Chadhar tribe Jats and Rajputs, found in Punjab, Pakistan.They are found mainly in the districts of Sargodha, Chiniot, Mandi Bahauddin, and Sarai Alamgir Tehsil of Gujrat District. In Chiniot District they mostly inhabit the left bank of the river Chenab in Chiniot Tehsil...
) sold off the Mooney assets to Allen Holding Finance in May, and filed for bankruptcy on June 10. In December 2004, MASG restructured and reacquired MAC (Mooney Aircraft Company) back from Allen Holding Finance.
In November, 2004, Gretchen L. Jahn joined Mooney, becoming the first woman recruited to be CEO of a U.S. aircraft manufacturer. Jahn served for two years as a turnaround specialist, rebuilding Mooney's sales and dealer network, and after-sales service activities. She also oversaw the development and introduction of the M20TN Acclaim and the Garmin
Garmin
Garmin Ltd. , incorporated in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, is the parent company of a group of companies founded in 1989 by Gary Burrell and Min Kao , that develops consumer, aviation, and marine technologies for the Global Positioning System...
G1000-equipped Ovation2 GX and Bravo GX. In June, 2005, Mooney added a second shift and 50 new workers to boost production.
Mooney M20
The Mooney M20 is a family of piston-powered, propeller-driven general aviation aircraft, all featuring a low-wing and tricycle gear, manufactured by the Mooney Airplane Company.The "M20" was the twentieth design from Al Mooney, and his most successful...
at the 2006 Sun 'N Fun fly-in at Lakeland, Florida. The M20TN also features the Garmin G1000
Garmin G1000
The Garmin G1000 is an integrated flight instrument system manufactured by Garmin typically composed of two display units, one serving as a primary flight display, and one as a multi-function display...
glass cockpit
Glass cockpit
A glass cockpit is an aircraft cockpit that features electronic instrument displays, typically large LCD screens, as opposed to the traditional style of analog dials and gauges...
, four heated leather captains chairs with lumbar support, a range in excess of 1,650 nm (400 miles greater than the Bravo GX), and a top speed of 242 knots (474.3 km/h) which is also 30 knots (58.8 km/h) faster than the Ovation 2. At the time of its introduction the Acclaim was the fastest single-engine piston-powered production aircraft in the world.
Mooney was a publicly traded company after emerging from bankruptcy under symbol MNYG (OTC BB) until October, 2006 when Mooney Aerospace Group arranged financing to buy out public shareholders.
In the fall 2007 Mooney announced the arrival of its newest model, the M20TN Acclaim Type S. The Acclaim Type S adds 5 knots (9.8 km/h) to the Acclaim's top speed, up to 242 knots (474.3 km/h). Mooney achieved this performance gain through aerodynamic tweaks to the Acclaim's airframe.
2008 Production Halt
On Monday 16 June 2008 Mooney announced that it would lay off 60 employees and cut production from eight aircraft per month to five. Mooney CEO Dennis Ferguson said:The reasons for the cutbacks and layoffs cited by the company include the weak US economy and the high price of fuel inhibiting sales.
On 5 November 2008 the company announced that it was halting all production and had laid off 229 of its 320 employees, due to an excess unsold inventory of aircraft as a result of the late-2000s recession. Virtually all the laid-off employees were on the production line. The company said all other operations would continue and that all customer support and existing customer orders would be filled.
In carrying out the lay-offs the company did not comply with the notification requirements of Texas law. In a statement Mooney said:
In a third round of lay-offs in December 2008 the company let go an additional 40 workers leaving only about 50 employees at work. The company had 25 unsold aircraft at its factory in December 2008.
2010
In April 2010, after 18 months with no aircraft production, the backlog of unsold aircraft was cleared and the company announced that it intended to resume aircraft production in the near future, subject to the market gaining "a little more momentum".On 19 November 2010, Mooney started a new round of lay-offs, intending to reduce company staff from 53 to less than ten employees by 1 January 2011. The remaining staff will be employed maintaining the company's physical facilities, its type and production certificates and providing parts technical support to aircraft owners. The company is continuing negotiations with potential investors to allow production to resume. Company Chief Financial Officer Barry Hodkin stated, "We are not shutting down. However, we cannot continue to subsidize the company at the level we have in the recent past. We have been in discussions with potential investors for more than 18 months and will continue to work with them. If things change then the scope of this layoff could change".
Products
- Mooney A2
- Mooney M10Mooney M10-External links:* *...
- Mooney Mite M-18
- Mooney M20Mooney M20The Mooney M20 is a family of piston-powered, propeller-driven general aviation aircraft, all featuring a low-wing and tricycle gear, manufactured by the Mooney Airplane Company.The "M20" was the twentieth design from Al Mooney, and his most successful...
- Mooney M22Mooney M22-References:*Green, William and Pollinger, Gerald. The Aircraft of the World. 1965. Macdonald & Co. Ltd. isbn : none.*Simpson, Rod. Airlife's World Aircraft. Airlife Publishing Ltd. 2001. isbn 1-84037-115-3....