Why so many "U"niforms?

[goalstop]

It seems like a ton of the early Mooney (and Piper for that matter) tail numbers follow the format N####U.  Why is that? Is there any rhyme or reason to early tail numbers? Or am I just seeing trends that aren't there

[takair]

Best I can tell, they are sequential and OEMs often reserve blocks of registration numbers when they are doing high rates of production.  Some will even try to reserve vanity numbers, to include reference to the airframe.  Mooney 201s had a series of those, although I have flown a Cherokee with a 201 number…it was more of an anomaly.

[bmcconnaha]

N1073U here....lol

[carusoam]

16 minutes ago, goalstop said:

It seems like a ton of the early Mooney (and Piper for that matter) tail numbers follow the format N####U.  Why is that? Is there any rhyme or reason to early tail numbers? Or am I just seeing trends that aren't there

In 65, they were all Quebecs… then Victors

The factory pulls a bunch of consecutive numbers from the pile at the FAA… then runs with them…

No more magic than that…

in the mid 70s… the magic was a bunch of numbers that started with N201…

 

See if you can reserve a tail number for your forever-plane…

Best regards,

-a-

[ArtVandelay]

The (78+) Js end in Hotels, generally 4….H.

[Raptor05121]

Most early Cherokees ended in W.
early Mooneys...U
early Cessnas, L
Comanches, P


Just a big block of numbers. They were cranking them out in the 60s.

[Niko182]

Alot of the mid to late 90 mooneys have N91XXX.

[HIghpockets]

My J is a 1988: N5813U

[LANCECASPER]

6 hours ago, Niko182 said:

Alot of the mid to late 90 mooneys have N91XXX.

I used to own a '96 Bravo, N9153Z.

[Jim Peace]

anyone own a NxxFU?

[Mcstealth]

6 hours ago, Jim Peace said:

anyone own a NxxFU?

As a matter of fact, yes. 

https://www.gmaxamericanaircraft.com/inventory/?/listing/for-sale/208398355/1979-mooney-m20k-231-piston-single-aircraft?dlr=1&dscompanyid=6946&settingscrmid=614667

[Aerodon]

6 hours ago, Jim Peace said:

anyone own a NxxFU?

A hangar tenant of mine.

 

 

[Yourpilotincommand]

I’m going to steal this!  Lol

[Teddsgotwings]

On 10/22/2021 at 6:56 PM, takair said:

Best I can tell, they are sequential and OEMs often reserve blocks of registration numbers when they are doing high rates of production.  Some will even try to reserve vanity numbers, to include reference to the airframe.  Mooney 201s had a series of those, although I have flown a Cherokee with a 201 number…it was more of an anomaly.

N201XQ here...1978 M20j 201

[RoundTwo]

On 10/25/2021 at 11:04 AM, Mcstealth said:

As a matter of fact, yes. 

https://www.gmaxamericanaircraft.com/inventory/?/listing/for-sale/208398355/1979-mooney-m20k-231-piston-single-aircraft?dlr=1&dscompanyid=6946&settingscrmid=614667

I’m sure ATC has fun with that.

[ArtVandelay]

FYI,
you can see all the tail numbers by Mooney model here:

https://www.regosearch.com/aircraft/models/us/MOONEY