After Dr. Jerry Chen took over Mooney Aircraft Co. in 2013 and secured the investment money to restart production at the Kerrville, Texas-based factory, which had been dormant for more than five years, the company has proven its intent to bring back the legacy aircraft brand. Last night at an event at the Gillespie County Airport in Fredericksburg, Texas, Mooney unveiled a completely revamped version of the fastest single-engine piston in the world – the M20V Acclaim Ultra.
The cabin of the Acclaim Ultra is now enclosed by composite material. The empennage and wings remain metal and the cowling was already made of composite in the Type S. However, the new section of skin is a major change as it incorporates a second door on the left side of the fuselage, providing the pilot easier access to the left seat and a quicker escape in an emergency situation. Both doors are longer than the previous version, allowing for easier access to the rear seats and better visibility with wider windows.
The cockpit of the M20V is also a huge improvement over the previous Acclaim, matching the luxurious styling with that of the recently announced all-composite M10J. Ergonomics was key in the design of the panel, which features oversized soft-touch switches and a keypad for the Garmin G1000 system.
What has not changed is the 280 hp Continental TSIO-550-G engine. Mooney says the performance numbers are not expected to change with the Acclaim Ultra upgrades, with the top speed remaining at 242 knots. The typical useful load will be right around 1,000 lbs and the range with the extended 100-gallon tanks can be stretched to 1,275 nm at a cruise speed of 175 knots. With the standard 89-gallon tanks, the Ultra can cruise up to 1,100 nm.
New Acclaim Ultra airplanes are already rolling down the production line in Kerrville, Texas, and Mooney expects to receive the sign off from the FAA for the upgrades in the second quarter of this year. The price tag fully equipped is $769,000. The non-turbocharged Ovation will also get the upgrades and the new designation M20U Ovation Ultra for a price of $689,000.
