TYPE: Four-seat lightplane.
PROGRAMME: Wood-winged M20 prototype first flew 10 August 1953; some 700 of early series built before design translated into all-metal with M20B, introduced in 1961. Progressed through several further subvariants, of which M20M announced 2 February 1989 as TLS (Turbo Lycoming Sabre, with 201 kW; 270 hp TIO-540-AF1A); Bravo introduced in 1996, followed by Bravo DX on 2 April 2003.
CURRENT VERSIONS: Bravo DX: Introduced at EAA Sun 'n' Fun at Lakeland 2 April 2003. Features Garmin avionics suite including GNS 530/430, GDL 49 Nexrad weather uplink, GTX 330 Mode S transponder and Bendix/King KFC 225 autopilot/flight director, 3.28 m³ (115.7 cu ft) oxygen system, Precise Flight speedbrakes, and six-way adjustable leather seats as standard; Honeywell K1825 electronic HSI, TKS anti-icing system and electric 17,000 BTU air conditioning system optional.
CUSTOMERS: Total of 315 TLS/Bravos delivered by June 2001 halt of production. Deliveries resumed in July 2002. Da Kine, Hawaii Inc of Hood River, Oregon, became the first customer for a Mooney Airplane Company-built aircraft (a Bravo), with an order announced on 25 July 2002. Three delivered in first nine months of 2003.
COSTS: Standard IFR equipped US$434,950 (2003).
DESIGN FEATURES: High-efficiency touring aircraft, originally designed by Mooney brothers. Low wing and mid-mounted tailplane; flying surfaces of characteristic Mooney 'reversed' configuration with unswept leading-edges and sharply forward-swept trailing-edges.
Wing section NACA 632182-215 at root, 641181-412 at tip; dihedral 5° 30'; incidence 2° 30' at root, 1° at tip; wing swept forward 2° 29' at quarter chord.
FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and manual. Sealed gap, differential ailerons; fin and tailplane integral so that both tilt, varying tailplane incidence for trimming; no trim tabs; electrically actuated single-slotted flaps; electric rudder trim; Precise Flight speed brakes. Control surface movements: ailerons +14° 30'/-8°, elevator ±22°, rudder ±24°, flaps -10° T-O and -33° landing.
STRUCTURE: Single-spar wing with auxiliary spar out to mid-position of flaps; wing and tail surfaces covered with stretch-formed wraparound skins. Steel tube cabin section covered with light alloy skin; semi-monocoque rear fuselage with extruded stringers and sheet metal frames.
LANDING GEAR: Electrically retractable levered suspension tricycle type with airspeed safety switch bypass. Nosewheel retracts rearward, main units inward into wings. Rubber disc shock-absorbers in main units. Cleveland mainwheels, size 6.00-6 (6-ply), and steerable nosewheel, size 5.00-5 (6-ply). Tyre pressure, mainwheels 2.07 bar (30 lb/sq in), nosewheel 3.38 bar (49 lb/sq in). Cleveland hydraulic single-disc (double optional) brakes on mainwheels. Parking brake.
POWER PLANT: One 201 kW (270 hp) turbocharged Textron Lycoming TIO-540-AF1B flat-six engine, driving a McCauley B3D32C417/82NRD-7 three-blade, metal propeller. Two integral fuel tanks in inboard wing leading-edges, with a combined capacity of 363 litres (96.0 US gallons; 79.9 Imp gallons), of which 337 litres (89.0 US gallons; 74.1 Imp gallons) usable. Two-piece nose cowling is of glass fibre/graphite composites construction.
ACCOMMODATION: Cabin accommodates four persons in pairs on individual vertically adjusting seats with reclining back, armrests, lumbar support and headrests; side armrests removable in rear seats. Front seats have inertia reel shoulder harnesses. Dual controls standard. Overhead ventilation system. Cabin heating and cooling system, with adjustable outlets and illuminated control. One-piece wraparound windscreen. Tinted Plexiglas windows. Rear seats removable for freight stowage. Rear seats fold forward for carrying cargo. Single door on starboard side. Compartment for 54 kg (120 lb) baggage behind cabin, with access from cabin or through door on starboard side.
SYSTEMS: Dual 70 Ah 28 V alternators, dual 24 V 10 Ah batteries, voltage regulator and warning lights, together with protective circuit breakers. Oxygen system, capacity 3,259 litres (115 cu ft), with masks and overhead outlets, standard. TKS known ice protection system and air conditioning optional.
AVIONICS: Standard equipment (Bravo) comprises Garmin GNS 530 nav/com/GPS, GNS 430 with GI 106A indicator, transponder/encoder, two-axis autopilot, and slaved HSI. Goodrich WX-500 Stormscope and SkyWatch optional. Bravo DX avionics as under Current Versions, above.
EQUIPMENT: Standard equipment includes attitude indicator, IFR directional gyro, two electric fuel quantity gauges, electric OAT gauge, CHT and EGT gauges, Precise Flight speed brakes, push-pull tube-actuated flight control system, annunciator panel; navigation lights, wing-mounted dual landing/taxying lights, internally lit instruments with rheostat; sound-damping composites interior, vertically adjusting front seats, wing jackpoints and external tiedowns, fuel tank quick drains, auxiliary power plug, heated pitot tube, polished propeller spinner, epoxy polyimide and conversion anti-corrosion treatment, external polyurethane paint finish, dual static ports with drains, and alternate static air source.
