The Mooney M20F is a high performance airplane for a Cessna price.

Introduced in the second half of the 1960s, the Mooney M20F is another entry in Al Mooney’s classic M20 lineage. Designed to be flown by a single pilot and with room for three passengers, the Mooney M20F is a popular bird wherever it goes, thanks to its sleek low-rider look and instantly recognizable forward-swept vertical stabilizer.

Over the years, the Mooney M20F has vindicated its reputation as a real airplane that delivers good performance at a very appealing entry cost. Beyond that, it keeps owners happy by having predictable maintenance costs and good dispatch reliability. The M20J eventually replaced the M20F version, and the M20 family’s production ran until 2019 when the last unit was rolled out.

Mooney M20F / Specs
The Mooney M20F is a single-engine aircraft powered by an injected four-cylinder Lycoming IO-360-A1A engine outputting 200 hp. This retractable-gear aircraft can seat three passengers plus the pilot, but it is perhaps best known as the go-to IFR and commercial rating trainer thanks to its good speed, IFR equipment, and retractable gear.

The Mooney M20J has an empty weight of 1640 lbs, with a gross weight of 2740 lbs and a useful payload of 674 lbs with full tanks, or 757 lbs with tanks 75% filled. Fuel capacity is 64 gallons, distributed between two rubber bladder wing tanks. Of the 64, only 54.8 gallons are usable. This equates to around 5 hours of endurance without accounting for reserves.

A unique feature of the Mooney M20F compared to most general aviation aircraft is that it uses a throttle quadrant similar to those usually found on business jets or airliners instead of the traditional push/pull handles. The pilot opinion on this feature is divisive. Many Mooney M20F owners swear by the choice and prefer the more robust feeling the quadrant gives. On the other side, there are plenty of voices that dislike how large the quadrant is and miss the traditional handles.

00:00-17:20 - About the M20/Pre Flight
18:00-22:47 - Engine Star/Take Off
25:35-27:18 - Landing
27:19-30:00 - Debrief


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