General Aviation

Mooney M20c

Manufacturer: MOONEY

The Mooney M20C is a short-body, four-seat, retractable-gear member of the Mooney M20 family. Introduced in 1962 as the Mark 21 and later sold as the Ranger, it combined the M20B airframe with detail improvements and a 180 hp Lycoming engine.

Aircraft Facts

Type Key
mooney-m20c
Class
General Aviation
Registry Count
1,257
Example Registration
N101T

Specifications

Production Start
1962
Production End
1978

Aircraft Overview

History

Mooney introduced the M20C Mark 21 in 1962, building 1,653 examples through 1967. The M20C Ranger replaced the Mark 21 in 1968 and remained in production through 1978, with a further 530 built. The Ranger became one of the principal short-body M20 models before its production ended in 1979.

Design

The M20C Mark 21 uses a 180 hp Lycoming O-360-A1D engine and a 2,575 lb gross weight. Improvements over the M20B included greater control-surface deflection, better engine cooling and exhaust scavenging, a new instrument-panel layout, and a 33-degree maximum flap angle. Electrically retracting landing gear became optional in 1965, when a single-axis Positive Control autopilot was also made standard.

Variants

The original M20C Mark 21 was replaced by the Ranger in 1968. Ranger changes included a one-piece windshield, fixed cowl flaps, an entrance step, and removal of the dorsal fin; electrical flaps and landing gear became standard in 1969. The fixed-gear M20D Master and the 200 hp M20E Super 21 were closely related derivatives of the M20C design.

Operations

Like other M20 models, the M20C served private owners as a fast, efficient general-aviation airplane. Its M20D derivative was marketed as a basic trainer with fixed landing gear, while the retractable-gear M20C remained a personal and cross-country aircraft.

Notable Facts

  • The M20C was introduced in 1962 as the Mark 21.
  • The M20C Ranger replaced the Mark 21 in 1968.
  • The Mark 21 used a 180 hp Lycoming O-360-A1D engine.
  • The M20C gross weight was 2,575 lb.
  • The M20C had a 33-degree maximum flap angle.
  • Mooney built 1,653 Mark 21s and 530 Rangers.

Variants

  • M20C- 1,257 registrations - Example N101T

Machine-Readable Resources

Sources