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Mooney factory is open 12/2/19


Deb

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2 hours ago, steingar said:

Fantasy.  Composite construction has to be designed, engineered, prototypes, and certificated.  Big money.  Think about it this  way.  Two companies started out making composite 4 seat certificated aircraft.  Only one of them is still around.  It isn't easy.

Okay. But look now this way: Two brothers with no aviation manufacture background, complete strangers on the scene,  succeeded. And a renown brand like Mooney - if they'd started back in 2004/05 under the leadership of Ms. Jahn - would not, why? They could/should have made it in a progressive way. First non structural parts, then the empennage, and so on. The technique was there already and for long, look at how many sailplane manufacturers did it way before!...

PS: The technique was there, but not the will... "Plastic airplanes" I heard more than a decade ago from Boeing hardliners in another US forum, referring themselves to Airbus...

Edited by Cargil48
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There are no winners in the single engine high performance aircraft game. Sales of the SR22 (turbo and NA) are about 50% of what they once were. And they are the success story. There are so many better places for money to go than into GA in general and complex high performance singles in particular. 

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16 hours ago, Marauder said:

 


Unfortunately that’s the catch. We are not flying “their” products. Today’s Mooney Corporation has, what, maybe 20 customers? What we are to the current Mooney Corporation owners is a liability. We are the customers of American Electronic Laboratories, Butler Aviation, Republic Steel, Morrison Group, Advanced Aerodynamics and several others that I forgot about.

I agree with you that their customer centricity is non-existent. You would think in all my years as a Mooney owner I’d get a letter from Mooney asking “want to check out our new plane?”

I think Stacey from Mooney has been on MooneySpace a few times. Other than that, nada.

Their situation is sad. They are in a competitive market and from what I can tell, have a poor approach to business. Just do the math on their total sales under the current ownership. Their margins have to be pretty slim.


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I agree, mostly with your assessment, with one exception.

Initially,  Dr.Chen made a huge attempt to reach out to us current Mooney owners.

This is from my personal experience.  

At the 2014 Kerrville MAPA convention, and at AirVenture 2014, during his public and press conference presentations to all attendees, he personally thanked us Mooney owners for helping keep the Mooney brand out in the world during the hibernation period between 2009 and 2014.  

We, the Mooney Ambassadors,  the Mooney Caravan, etc ( forgive me anyone I’ve forgotten to mention in this list) were specifically the entities he acknowledged as being most grateful to.

Jerry embraced, and provided public acknowledgment and  financial support of the Mooney Caravan and the Mooney Ambassadors, in various forms throughout his tenure.

He welcomed us, Mooney Ambassadors, to display within the  Osh 2014 Mooney tent, allowing us to help promote and talk about the brand to potential customers....... he did the same with MAPA and Maxwell’s in the tent.

The first 2014 Mooney auctioned off at 2014 AirVenture..... all proceeds were earmarked to fund the Mooney Museum/Learning Center project on the factory grounds, which he proposed and supported.

Again, Dr. Chen welcomed us into his Chino, CA, Planes of Fame Airshow tent/display with the same intent as Osh 2014.  Also requesting my Ovation and one other Mooney to be on display at the tent.

Dr. Chen listened to us Mooney owners suggestions/input/comments with regards to adding a pilot door on the M20.  

Jerry even directed, in homage to the backwards tail, and the legacy of the J model, to implant the tail on the M10 and for the M10 to carry the J designation.

His attempt to acknowledge and support the Mooney base was quite clear.  

These were very, very exciting times with the re-birth of Mooney!!!

Yes, we can all look back and armchair what went wrong.  That’s another subject.

However, I can only believe, based on Jerry Chen’s initial efforts on behalf of all us Mooney owners, his efforts and acknowledgment, and support of us would have continued in various forms.

 

 

 

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4 minutes ago, MooneyMitch said:

I agree, mostly with your assessment, with one exception.

(...)

However, I can only believe, based on Jerry Chen’s initial efforts on behalf of all us Mooney owners, his efforts and acknowledgment of us would have continued in various forms.

 

 

 

Would have continued if??...

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3 hours ago, MooneyMitch said:

I agree, mostly with your assessment, with one exception.

Initially,  Dr.Chen made a huge attempt to reach out to us current Mooney owners.

This is from my personal experience.  

At the 2014 Kerrville MAPA convention, and at AirVenture 2014, during his public and press conference presentations to all attendees, he personally thanked us Mooney owners for helping keep the Mooney brand out in the world during the hibernation period between 2009 and 2014.  

We, the Mooney Ambassadors,  the Mooney Caravan, etc ( forgive me anyone I’ve forgotten to mention in this list) were specifically the entities he acknowledged as being most grateful to.

Jerry embraced, and provided public acknowledgment and  financial support of the Mooney Caravan and the Mooney Ambassadors, in various forms throughout his tenure.

He welcomed us, Mooney Ambassadors, to display within the  Osh 2014 Mooney tent, allowing us to help promote and talk about the brand to potential customers....... he did the same with MAPA and Maxwell’s in the tent.

The first 2014 Mooney auctioned off at 2014 AirVenture..... all proceeds were earmarked to fund the Mooney Museum/Learning Center project on the factory grounds, which he proposed and supported.

Again, Dr. Chen welcomed us into his Chino, CA, Planes of Fame Airshow tent/display with the same intent as Osh 2014.  Also requesting my Ovation and one other Mooney to be on display at the tent.

Dr. Chen listened to us Mooney owners suggestions/input/comments with regards to adding a pilot door on the M20.  

Jerry even directed, in homage to the backwards tail, and the legacy of the J model, to implant the tail on the M10 and for the M10 to carry the J designation.

His attempt to acknowledge and support the Mooney base was quite clear.  

These were very, very exciting times with the re-birth of Mooney!!!

Yes, we can all look back and armchair what went wrong.  That’s another subject.

However, I can only believe, based on Jerry Chen’s initial efforts on behalf of all us Mooney owners, his efforts and acknowledgment, and support of us would have continued in various forms.

 

 

 

Jerry's efforts sounded like a 1 man crusade. And maybe that is the issue. A company needs to have customer concentric culture to compete in today's market. Especially in highly competitive markets. It's great that he was this way, but obviously it didn't get translated down to his organization. I think it was Bob B and I who were looking over an Acclaim's cowl pretty closely at Sun N Fun (We were taking notes of the cowl openings to compare to Sabremech's cowl). No one from Mooney walked up to us. Heck, Bob & I could have been dropping gold bars as we walked around and they still wouldn't have noticed...

Don't get me wrong. I have loved my Mooney for the 28 years I have owned her. But when it comes to feeling love from the factory, I just don't see it. Heck, Lycoming has sent me more stuff over the years than Mooney has. :(

 

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16 minutes ago, Marauder said:

Jerry's efforts sounded like a 1 man crusade. And maybe that is the issue. A company needs to have customer concentric culture to compete in today's market. Especially in highly competitive markets. It's great that he was this way, but obviously it didn't get translated down to his organization. I think it was Bob B and I who were looking over an Acclaim's cowl pretty closely at Sun N Fun (We were taking notes of the cowl openings to compare to Sabremech's cowl). No one from Mooney walked up to us. Heck, Bob & I could have been dropping gold bars as we walked around and they still wouldn't have noticed...

Don't get me wrong. I have loved my Mooney for the 28 years I have owned her. But when it comes to feeling love from the factory, I just don't see it. Heck, Lycoming has sent me more stuff over the years than Mooney has. :(

 

Again, I agree with you.  

It’s all quite sad.  

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Ive read several optimistic posts and articles in the (fake) news.  But someone i met in CA yesterday said that after the late August layoff (which was not posted) and the early November furlough of the remaining 50+ employees not all returned and since the reopening several have quit. It’s unlikely the skills remain to produce aircraft service aircraft and maybe make certain parts. I hope they do find someone to buy into this facility but fear it won’t be to build or support Mooneys!  Anyone heard anything?

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On 12/6/2019 at 3:28 PM, DXB said:

Piqued my interest to learn the connection between the Saudi shooter and the Mooney factory 

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On 12/5/2019 at 4:58 AM, Cargil48 said:

Correct!... Now imagine this beauty reborn in composite construction, for 2 adults and 2 kids (or lots of baggage) as the "short version" of a new line of Mooneys! Priced somewhere between $550-$600 with an injected 220hp engine and built-in O2 system...

@Cargil48 With all due respect.  Making your airplane all composite would take at least the two children out of the back (it’s heavier), your paint scheme would have to change (composites and high skin temps don’t agree ... ask Beech) and for get the 6-figure price; it’s going to 7-figures.

I LOVE your current airplane and paint scheme!  It’s a great bird!

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18 hours ago, Blue on Top said:

@Cargil48 With all due respect.  Making your airplane all composite would take at least the two children out of the back (it’s heavier), your paint scheme would have to change (composites and high skin temps don’t agree ... ask Beech) and for get the 6-figure price; it’s going to 7-figures.

I LOVE your current airplane and paint scheme!  It’s a great bird!

I would love to open a debate on this subject. Not to discuss who said what, or to see who is right or wrong, but to debate the subject more in an academic way. Especially the weight problem. I will open a thread about it, is it okay?

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It’s not just Mooney that is having trouble making a buck in aviation

Rolls-Royce Cuts Expected Orders On Short Notice

The Financial Times (12/16, Subscription Publication) reports that on short notice, Rolls-Royce told suppliers that it is cutting expected orders. The move could cause significant tension within the supply chain and exacerbate existing troubles at Rolls-Royce.

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On 12/5/2019 at 11:19 AM, Cargil48 said:

Okay. But look now this way: Two brothers with no aviation manufacture background, complete strangers on the scene,  succeeded. And a renown brand like Mooney - if they'd started back in 2004/05 under the leadership of Ms. Jahn - would not, why? They could/should have made it in a progressive way. First non structural parts, then the empennage, and so on. The technique was there already and for long, look at how many sailplane manufacturers did it way before!...

PS: The technique was there, but not the will... "Plastic airplanes" I heard more than a decade ago from Boeing hardliners in another US forum, referring themselves to Airbus...

Instead of starting large,  Someone should start small.  Mooney Seats and Carb Boxes.   High dollar items.  Pretty much every Mooney seat is going to fail, but they are design marvels in being light and simple.  And Go.

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4 hours ago, Yetti said:

Someone should start small.  Mooney Seats and Carb Boxes.   High dollar items.  Pretty much every Mooney seat is going to fail, but they are design marvels in being light and simple.

If someone would design a 26G seat for the Mooney (without adding significant weight), they would be multi-millionaires … after they coughed up a $1M+ for the required testing.

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I love the optimism for Mooney Airplanes but is it realistic that the company can be revived after so many owners-investors have failed over the last several decades to do this. Maybe b.o.t can elaborate but isn’t it the case that the M20 can not be sold at a profit. Also isn’t it the case that the market isn’t there either. Factory is open. Lights are on. Where’s the $ coming from to pay the bills and where’s the plan. 

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41 minutes ago, chinoguym20 said:

I love the optimism for Mooney Airplanes but is it realistic that the company can be revived after so many owners-investors have failed over the last several decades to do this. Maybe b.o.t can elaborate but isn’t it the case that the M20 can not be sold at a profit. Also isn’t it the case that the market isn’t there either. Factory is open. Lights are on. Where’s the $ coming from to pay the bills and where’s the plan. 

 @chinoguym20 From my viewpoint (which may or may not be accurate) … and I can't say everything that I would like to on MS.  From what I saw,  money was never a problem at either location (TX or CA) … until investor schedules/deliverables were not met.  Both of those were totally unrealistic.

Do I personally believe that Mooney can be turned around?  YES!!!  Without laying out a complete plan for them on MS, yes.  A couple minor beginnings have been brought up here, along with some of their downfalls.  The storied and iconic book, "Who Moved My Cheese" is the nail on the head.  Mooney hasn't meaningfully looked for new cheese.  I need to stop.

Bottom Line:  I would love, love, love to turn them around :).  Looking for the $100M to get us going … smartly and leanly. 

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