Tour of Mooney's Retooled Factory-AvWeb

[Cabanaboy]

 

[carusoam]

Still looking for the chute evidence...

There is a steel tube running down the length of the fuselage over head.  Does the old O have one of those?

nice to see the Kerville facility up and running with CNC technology.

The U & V will have a noticeably different side window shape to them.

Best regards,

-a-

[aviatoreb]

Nice video.   I love seeing stuff being built - makes me want one.  Seems like they are doing a good job think through development.

[Cabanaboy]

Much better than mothballs!

 

Edited February 16, 2016 by Cabanaboy

[flyboy0681]

Anybody notice the step on the left side of the aircraft?

[carusoam]

In a side conversation somebody had discussed using motorized steps to put them away when not in use. Similar to the motorized/automated mixture control.

I think a tail mounted video camera should be part of the new design one up top, one out the bottom.  I want to know exactly where my gear, flaps and doors are at all times in my 700AMU baby!

My instrument panel mounted iPad will be recording all flight related data like flight a recorder should.  A collection of weather and T/O and landing performance.  Climb rate, airspeed and any anomalies would be nice.

What engine monitor are they going with the JPI 930 with some nicely designed digital fuel level gauges.  I know a good vendor for that!  This plane is not going to be able to run out of fuel until the pilot pushes a button admitting he knows what he is doing and he is choosing to do it wisely...

Best regards,

-a-

[Openwheeler3]

I'm looking forward to finally being able to tour the factory...

[Hank]

1 hour ago, carusoam said:

Still looking for the chute evidence...

There is a steel tube running down the length of the fuselage over head.  Does the old O have one of those?

nice to see the Kerville facility up and running with CNC technology.

The U & V will have a noticeably different side window shape to them.

Best regards,

-a-

A chute will need (at least) two attachment points, one on each side. Not sure the benefit(s) of attaching shrouds to the center of the roof.

For that matter, I'm not sure the benefit of cramming a chute and rocket inside the airframe anyway. It won't increase the usefulness of the aircraft; anyone who will make a particular flight with a chute that they won't make without the chute is asking for trouble. That's why insurance companies eliminated the discount for ABS brakes on our cars--people knew they could stop better, so they drove faster and carried more speed into curves, and the accident rate did not drop after the new safety device became widespread. Same deal will happen with chutes, plus the idiots who pop a chute cause they ran out of gas or clipped a cloud or got confused and forgot about the "Press for level flight" button.

Now THERE is something Mooney should install, a one touch button to restore straight and level flight. That may actually increase safety and reduce accidents. Get confused, go to straight and level and figure it out. Or play to the lowest common denominator and eliminate the yokes and rudder pedals, just program the plane and sit back to reach your destination. Of course, you'll need to pour your own drinks . . .

[Oscar Avalle]

Nice, now let me win the lottery