Two fastest production
singles make AirVenture debut
By James Wynbrandt
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Dennis Lightbown
is shown the Mooney Acclaim aircraft by Mark Woods, team
representative for Mooney. Photo by Phil Weston |
The two fastest
retractable single-engine piston aircraft in production are making their
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh debut this year, and both are at the Mooney
Airplane Company’s Pavilion (205-207 and 212-214 in the Main Aircraft
Display area). The turbo-normalized Acclaim, powered by a 280-hp
Continental TSIO 550-G, has a top cruise speed of 237 knots, and the
normally aspirated Ovation3, propelled by a 310-hp Continental IO
550-G/AP, boasts a top speed of 197 knots. Both models were introduced
earlier this year, and this is the first time they’ve been displayed
together. The response, according to the company, has been enthusiastic.
"We’ve had
probably the highest traffic count of any show I can remember, and I’ve
done this for 29 years," said David Copeland, vice president of
sales and marketing for the Kerrville, Texas-based company.
While Mooneys have always
been renowned for speed and economy, other manufacturers have tried to
wrest bragging rights for the fastest production single in the last few
years, and the company says these two new models settle the score in its
favor.
"Our nearest
competitors have claimed their airplanes are the fastest single
available, but we have already demonstrated that the Acclaim and
Ovation3 are faster," said Copeland.
The first Ovation3 was
delivered to its new owner here at the air show. Meanwhile the Acclaim,
already in production, should receive certification by the end of the
year, according to the company, and it may even pick up a few knots in
the process.
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Gretchen Jahn with
her Mooney Ovation 2 aircraft she used to win the Air Race
Classic. Photo by Phil Weston |
"We introduced (the
Acclaim) at 230 knots, and we’ve confirmed 237 knots, and we’ve got
about 15 percent of the (certification) program left to go, so the final
numbers will be very exciting," Copeland said.
The take-off roll for
both aircraft is less than 1,000 feet. Besides being fast, the new
models have long legs. The Acclaim has a range of 1,445 nautical miles
with IFR reserves and 1,650 nautical miles with long-range tanks, and
the Ovation3 can cruise 1,860 nautical miles with reserves and 2,400
nautical miles with optional long-range tanks. Useful load is 1,015 and
1,107 pounds respectively.
The company points to
some other strong features that it hopes will keep Mooney ahead of the
flock, like the standard all-glass Garmin G1000 integrated avionics
suite and the optional air conditioning and TKS anti-icing systems.
"We continue to ‘raise
the bar’ at Mooney," said Copeland. "It is rare to announce
and begin deliveries of a new model in the same calendar year. But to
introduce two new models within 60 days of each other is virtually
unheard of."
Mooney has additional
news to share with attendees. The company has received ISO 9001:2000 and
AS9100B:2004 certification, attesting to compliance with international
quality standards covering product design, manufacturing, sales, and
support.
"This was a valuable
effort because it provided us with an improved framework to further
refine and measure the effectiveness of our processes, including
continuous improvement and the systematic prevention of any
nonconformities," said Robert Collier Jr., Mooney’s director of
quality assurance.
In other news, last month
Mooney CEO Gretchen Jahn, flying a Mooney Ovation2 GX with teammate
Carol Foy, took first place in the 2,400-mile transcontinental Air Race
Classic.
"This event is one of the highlights
of my year every year, but this year will obviously be a memorable
one," said Jahn. "I am especially pleased to represent my
colleagues and fellow employees at Mooney in this way, and Carol and I
owe them a special ‘thank you’ for building us such a great
airplane. They certainly deserve a great deal of credit for contributing
to this victory."
