Photos: Mooney Factory Tour

Flying recently had the opportunity to see the recent updates at Mooney's factory in Kerrville, Texas. Check out the images from the place where the new Mooney M20V Acclaim Ultra is being built.

The Continental TSIO-550G engine that powers the M20V Acclaim Ultra gets mounted at the end of the main assembly building. Pia Bergqvist

The Acclaim Ultra's new composite fuselage allowed for the addition of a door on the left side of the fuselage. Both doors are a full 4 inches wider than the original M20 door. Pia Bergqvist

The wire harness that organizes all of the electrical cables required for the Garmin G1000 avionics suite is put together in the center of the main assembly hangar. Pia Bergqvist

The number 33 identifies the fuselages rolling down the production line that represent the M20V-series Acclaims. Pia Bergqvist

In addition to the center part of the fuselage, there are a few pieces on the airframe that are made of composite, such as this dorsal fin. Pia Bergqvist

Metal sheets that were cut and shaped at the factory are carefully wrapped around the wing structure. Pia Bergqvist

The metal sheets that make up the wing are cut and shaped inside a building Mooney calls the Hammer House before they are moved to the final assembly building. Pia Bergqvist

The new composite fuselage section is wrapped around a protective metal roll cage. Pia Bergqvist

The landing gear system is linked to allow for the wheels to retract and extend simultaneously. Pia Bergqvist

Mooney recently invested somewhere between $250,000 and $300,000 just in new lighting at the factory, an improvement that helps with the fine detail work. Pia Bergqvist

One of several new computerized machines is a Flow waterjet, which makes precision cuts through ultra high pressure water directed into programmed patterns. Pia Bergqvist

While there is still a lot of equipment at the Mooney factory that has been in use since the 1950s, several new computerized machines have been added particularly for processes that involve harmful materials. Pia Bergqvist

It is not difficult to distinguish between the new sophisticated equipment and the machines that have been employed at the factory for many decades. Pia Bergqvist