July 2010 — The Mooney 201 was a product of an earlier fuel crisis, the one that plagued the United States for most of the 1970s. When adjusted for inflation, avgas cost matched today’s $5 per gallon and up, and many pilots prized fuel efficiency matched with speed above all other airplane characteristics.
Mooneys had always been the fastest piston singles when measured in terms of speed versus horsepower. The early 20 series with 180 hp Lycomings could cruise at 140 knots or a little more, which is very good for a four-seat airplane. The later 200 hp versions could top 150 knots in cruise on a good day while burning around 10 gallons per hour.
