After weeks of rumors surrounding a possible new airplane design from Mooney International, the recently resurrected legacy airplane manufacturer announced at Airshow China 2014 in Zhuhai that it is developing a line of two-seat airplanes named the M10 series.
The new series will start out with the M10T and M10J models, both powered by Continental diesel engines. Both will also feature the same sleek composite fuselage design with the trademark forward canted vertical stabilizer that makes identifying Mooney airplanes easy.
The M10T is targeted at the global training market. It will have fixed gear and a 135 hp Continental CD-135 engine. The M10J will be the top of the line of the series with retractable gear, a 155 hp CD-155 engine, and greater creature comforts than its sibling. If Mooney can live up to the targeted 170 knot cruise speed and 1,000 nm range that it has set for the M10J, this airplane could be a game changer.
The M10 series will be marketed globally, with an emphasis on the Chinese training market. Mooney declined to provide pricing information, saying only the the models will be “competitive.” The Kerrville, Texas, company, which was bought earlier this year by Chinese investors, did not announce where the M10T and M10J will be built.
The M10 name recalls the original M10 Cadet of the 1960s and 1970s, and is a direct follow on to the M20 series, which has spanned more than half the alphabet with various sizes and power plants. The M20TN Acclaim Type S is the fastest single-engine airplane currently in production.
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