Mooney Aircraft Owners' Events

Mooney Design Changes from M20B To 1962 M20C

This information below came form Bill Wheat at the Mooney factory about 21 years ago, when I owned my first M20B.

One of the problems that I encountered with the "B" model, was the limited rudder travel, making crosswind landings eventful. Paul Loewen at Lake Aero Styling received the following info from the factory and then made the change to my plane.

"Rudder travel may be increased be replacing the 7220 rudder bell crank at the aft tailcone bulkhead with either the 913030 - basic or the 913030-503 (current production) bell crank and by moving the stops accordingly."

Allen Bernstein
M20F N3275F
Sedona, AZ

Engine: No change.

Propeller: Changed to Hartzell 74" Constant Speed HC-C2YK/7666-2 Propeller with Hartzell governor, D-l-4.

Cowl flaps: Reduced flap opening (engine cooling resubstantiated).

Exhaust system: Changed to Hanlon & Wilson exhaust system (lighter weight, more efficient heat muff, and reduced back pressure).

Battery access door: New

New power relay.

New radio speakers.

Landing light: 100 to 250 watt.

Floorboards: redesigned, lightweight floor.

Seats: Redesigned seats with safety belt attachment to seat structure instead of floor. New rear seat back structure.

Interior: New

Instrument panel: New T-formation arrangement of the flight instruments directly in front of the pilot; with radio equipment in the center of the panel. Garwin cluster gauge; combined fuel and manifold pressure gauge.

Wing flaps: Increased maximum flap deflection to 33 degrees and established a take-off setting of 15 degrees.

Empennage: Reduced all skin thickness one gage (and reduced counterbalance weight accordingly).

Engine controls: Changed throttle, mixture: prop pitch, and cowl flap controls to new flexible push-pull controls manufactured by H&E Aircraft.

Rudder: Increased rudder travel to 23 degrees, both right and left. Also added a spring-loaded interconnect between the aileron and rudder controls (where these control tubes cross under the floor). This interconnect gives a slight aileron correction at extreme rudder throw which improves the lateral-directional stability.

Flap control: Changed from a mechanical system to a hydraulic actuating system with a simple hand pump for actuation. New indicator combined with trim indicator.

Trim control: Trim actuator was redesigned to give a new arrangement of drive components in a new housing (which simplified floor construction). Also added a new mechanically actuated trim indicator which also houses the flap indicator.

Control wheel: Changed from aluminum alloy to magnesium alloy.

Nose gear: Strengthened retraction link to accommodate new nose gear loads.

Main gear: No change.

Weight and Balance:
1. Increased gross weight to 2575 pounds and changed aft C.G. limit to sta. 49.0. (See Aircraft Specification No. 243 for C.G. Envelope.)
2. Reduced airframe by 50 pounds. Reduction was accomplished in the following areas:
Windshield and windows, interior, propeller, floorboards, empennage control surface/skins, rear seats, step, fairing, tail skid, trim system torque tubes.

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Revision: 10/28/2010