1970 MOONEY M20C AIRFRAME, 3,144 TT, VERY LIGHT BELLY DAMAGE, GOOD SHIP, CHEAP!

MOONEY CALLED THEIR 180 H.P. MODEL THE M20 IN 1955, LATER THE M20A AND THEN THE M20B, BUT FOR SOME REASON DECIDED TO STOP THE MODEL DESIGNATION CHANGES IN 1962 WITH THE M20C, THE FIRST ALL METAL (PREVIOUSLY WOOD WINGS AND TAIL) 180 H.P. VERSION. 

UNLIKE PIPER, CESSNA AND BEECHCRAFT, MOONEY DID NOT CHANGE THE MODEL LETTER EVERY YEAR OR TWO, SO THEY MADE THE M20C CONTINUOUSLY FROM 1962 THROUGH 1978.

EVEN THOUGH THE MODEL LETTER DIDN’T CHANGE, THE LOOK, FUNCTION AND EQUIPMENT CHANGED GREATLY!   THE LATER MODEL AIRPLANES ARE QUITE DIFFERENT THAN THOSE FROM THE EARLY 1960’S!

MOONEYS HAVE ALWAYS HAD A VERY DESERVED REPUTATION FOR BEING FAST FOR THE AMOUNT OF INSTALLED HORSEPOWER.

MOST PEOPLE ALSO CONSIDER THEM SMALL INSIDE, WITH A CRAMPED BACK SEAT AND OLD SYSTEMS.

THE SIZE INSIDE IS NOT A PROBLEM FOR AVERAGE SIZED PILOTS, BUT BIG PEOPLE ARE NOT ALWAYS COMFORTABLE (I FLY A MOONEY MYSELF, COMFORTABLY, AND I AM 6’1’ AND 205). 

THE BACK SEATS ARE TIGHT ON LEGROOM IF THERE IS A TALL PILOT UP FRON, JUST LIKE THE CHEROKEE LINE UP TILL 1972/73, NO WORSE.

BUT I FULLY AGREE THAT THE DASH LAYOUT AND THE SYSTEMS ON THE EARLY M20C’S ARE WEIRD, AND DESERVE SOME NEGATIVE REVIEWS!

MANY PILOTS WHO HAVE NOT FLOWN THE 1960’S MOONEY ARE NOT AWARE THAT THE LANDING GEAR UP TO 1969 WAS MANUAL, A BIG HANDLE YOU HAVE TO PULL AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME, JUST AFTER TAKEOFF, OR THE GEAR WON’T STAY UP.  I DON’T FLY THIS VINTAGE AIRPLANE REGULARILY ENOUGH TO GET PROFICIENT AT IT, SO I END UP FLYING FOR A WHILE GEAR DOWN, UNTIL I AM CLEAR OF THE AIRPORT AND CAN SLOW DOWN AT ALTITUDE AND TRY AGAIN.  EMBARRASSING AND SILLY.

AND THE FLAPS HAVE THEIR OWN HANDLE, AND YOU PUMP THEM DOWN AS WELL!

THE EARLY DASH LAYOUT IS SO SCATTERED AND POORLY DONE THAT I TOO MADE FUN OF THESE AIRPLANES WHILE FLYING CHEROKEES IN MY EARLY FLYING CAREER.

BUT THIS ISN’T A 1960’S MOONEY!!

EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS ON THIS AIRPLANE INCLUDE THE SQUARED OFF SIDE WINDOWS THAT THIN THE FUSELAGE VISIBLY AND A 1 PIECE WINDSHIELD THAT ELIMINATES THE CENTER POST OF THE OLD AIRPLANES.

INSIDE, THE SEATS ARE NOW 4 COMFORTABLE BUCKETS, NO BENCH, AND THIS AIRPLANE HAS ADJUSTABLE HEADRESTS ON THE REARS AND PROVISION ON THE FRONTS.

THE DASH HAS A 6 PACK LAYOUT, WITH A CENTER CONSOLE WITH BIG-AIRPLANE THROTTLE/PROP/MIXTURE LEVERS, NOT PUSH-PULLS (FAR BETTER FOR FINE ADJUSTMENTS AND EASY TO SEE THE APPROXIMATE POSITION OF EACH ON A QUICK GLANCE).

BUT THE BIGGEST IMPROVEMENTS ARE TRUE ELECTRIC GEAR AND FLAP SYSTEMS, JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER MODERN RETRACTABLE AIRPLANE!!

AN INCREASE IN USEFUL LOAD RATING MEANS YOU HAVE NO ISSUES WITH WEIGHT AND BALANCE, EVEN WITH THE INCREASED EQUIPMENT AND COMFORT.

THIS 1970 M20C HAS ALL OF THE LISTED IMPROVEMENTS AND EQUIPMENT UPGRADES.

TOTAL AIRFRAME TIME IS A LOW 3,144 TT SNEW.

THIS AIRCRAFT SUFFERED DAMAGE WHEN IT LANDED WITH THE LANDING GEAR TUCKED UP IN THE WELLS.  NO GEAR FAILURE, THE PILOT JUST FORGOT!

AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THERE WAS SOME SCRAPING.  WHAT YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED AT IS HOW LITTLE SCRAPING THERE WAS!!

THIS AIRPLANE HAD BEEN EQUIPPED WITH A 3 BLADE PROPELLOR (THE DAMAGED ENGINE AND PROPELLOR HAVE BEEN REMOVED, CAREFULLY, NOT CUT, AND ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS LISTING).

THE TWO DOWN BLADES OF THE PROP ACTED AS A TRIPOD, WHICH KEPT THE LOWER COWL AREA UP MORE THAN IS USUAL AND REDUCED THE BELLY DAMAGE TO AN ABSOLUTE MINIMUM.

TH MAIN BELLY SKINS ON A MOONEY ARE SCREW ON INDIVIDUAL PANELS, WHICH ARE EASILY REMOVED, WHICH IS CONVIENIENT BECAUSE TWO PANELS, A SQUARE ON AND A THINNER RECTANGULAR ONE ARE CRAPED (SHOWN OFF IN PHOTO)

WHATS NICE IS THAT THE SKINS FORWARD OF THAT MID-BELLY POINT AND ALL THE WAY AFT, ARE NOT DAMAGED!!

THERE IS SOME SCRAPING ON THE FAIRING ALONGSIDE THE BELLY ON 1 SIDE, BUT THE OTHER ISN’T SCRAPED.

ALSO THE INBOARD FLAP HANGERS, WHICH SOMETIMES TAKE DAMAGE, WERE NOT SCRAPED!

THE FLAPS WERE NOT EXTENDED, SO THEY WERE NOT DAMAGED.

THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO THE WINGS, AILERONS, GEAR OR MAIN GEAR DOORS!

NO DAMAGE TO THE TAILCONE OR TAILFEATHERS FROM THE INCIDENT, BUT SOMEBODY DINGED UP THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE RIGHT ELEVATOR WHEN THEY TRIED TO LIFT THE AIRPLANE , SO THE TRAILING EDGE HAS A WAVE.

NO DAMAGE TO THE HORIZONTALS, THE OTHER ELEVATOR OR THE VERTICAL OR RUDDER.

THERE IS SCRAPING ON THE NOSE GEAR DOORS, BUT NO DAMAGE TO THE GEAR ITSELF.

NO FIREWALL OR BOOTCOWL DAMAGE

NO DAMAGE TO THE COWLING.

THE ENGINE MOUNT IS UNDAMAGED AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THE PHOTO THAT LINES, HOSES, ELECTRICAL COMPONANTS, ETC. ARE INSTALLED AND UNCUT!  THE AIRBOX IS INCLUDED AS WELL AS LOTS OF HARDWARE!

THIS IS A GREAT PROJECT, REALLY NOT A LOT MORE THAN AN ENGINE AND PROP INSTALLATION, VERY LITTLE AIRFRAME REPAIR REQUIRED!

THE ENGINE YOU CHOOSE CAN BE FRESHLY OVERHAULED IF YOU WISH TO SPEND THE MONEY, OR INSTALL A MID TIME TO SAVE SOME. 

2 BLADE OR 3 BLADE PROPS FROM HARTZELL AND MCCAULEY WILL FIT AS WELL!

THE FLIGHT AND ENGINE INSTRUMENTATION IS ALL INSTALLED, AS ARE THE RADIO TRAYS, WIRING AND GLIDESLOPE/VOR INDICATORS, BUT THE RADIO PANEL UNITS ARE NOT INCLUDED.

SIMILAR KING NAV-COM, GARMIN GPS-COMM, KING DME AND NARCO TRANSPONDERS CAN BE PURCHASED SEPERATELY, FROM US OR OTHERS, NOW OR IN THE FUTURE.

OR CHOOSE WHAT YOU REALLY WANT, WITHOUT PAYING FOR WHAT YOU DON’T!!

THIS AIRPLANE IS LOCATED AT THE PRATT KANSAS AIRPORT.

WE WILL PAY THE STORAGE FEES FOR UP TO 30 DAYS FROM THE END OF THE AUCTION AND YOU CAN EXTEND THE RENTAL IF YOU NEED MORE TIME.

SOLD WITH AIRFRAME LOGBOOK SINCE DAY 1, (5/20/1970), UP TO THE PRESENT, AS WELL AS 337’S, AD COMPLIANCE SHEETS, SB AND STC. PAPERWORK.

AND THE FAA BILL OF SALE!

AND THE FAA AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE!

THIS IS A GOOD STRAIGHT AIRFRAME TO BUILD YOUR DESIRED AIRPLANE FROM!!

GOOD BIDDING!