Type designator

[201Steve]

If you look at the FAA’s list of AC type designators, Cessna for example, has a type designator for each of its models. C172, C177, C182 etc. 

Mooney has only two. M20p and M20T. It only separates itself between turbo and non-turbo. 
 

Why are some exactly specific and some more of a catch all?

 

[mcarterak]

I'm not positive, but probably because all of those Cessna types are on different type certificates. The Mooneys are all on 2A3. 

[EricJ]

They're mostly interested in determining the typical speeds and capabilities of the aircraft so they don't ask you to do something you can't.   Cessna's performance vary widely across the different models, Mooneys don't have nearly as much variation.    The main differentiator between Mooneys in a large sense is whether they have turbos or not, which affects performance at altitude.    If you're an M20P they're not going to send you to the flight levels, for example.

[N201MKTurbo]

I always file as an M20T even though the registration database says it is an M20P. Only once did a controller question that, because of the call sign. I told him I had an after market turbo and he said OK.

[carusoam]

For Mooneys…

We have two different windows of operation….

1) Fast with good climbing ability…. And…

2) Faster with incredible climbing ability …

When ATC knows you have the turbo Mooney… you can get services most appropriate for your needs…

 

Why anyone at Cessna would want to load the system up with a variety of slowness…. From wicked slow, to kinda slow, to almost not slow…. To twin jet… 

Makes no sense to me…

Best regards,

-a-

[201Steve]

The variance between a C172 and a C182 is similar, in my mind, between an M20C and a Mooney Ovation, for example. 

[Fly Boomer]

8 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said:

I always file as an M20T even though the registration database says it is an M20P. Only once did a controller question that, because of the call sign. I told him I had an after market turbo and he said OK.

You were filing for the flight levels?

[N201MKTurbo]

9 minutes ago, Fly Boomer said:

You were filing for the flight levels?

No, but they won't hesitate to assign you 15 or 16 thousand if you are M20T.

I was telling them I was an M20P on my vacation two weeks ago, because the o-ring on my wife's oxygen setup broke, so I couldn't use the turbo anyway.

[M20F]

12 hours ago, mcarterak said:

I'm not positive, but probably because all of those Cessna types are on different type certificates. The Mooneys are all on 2A3. 

I suspect this to be the correct answer. 

[Shadrach]

On 9/5/2022 at 9:30 PM, EricJ said:

They're mostly interested in determining the typical speeds and capabilities of the aircraft so they don't ask you to do something you can't.   Cessna's performance vary widely across the different models, Mooneys don't have nearly as much variation.    The main differentiator between Mooneys in a large sense is whether they have turbos or not, which affects performance at altitude.    If you're an M20P they're not going to send you to the flight levels, for example.

True most of the time. I’ve been offered altitudes above FL200 in my NA F model on several occasions. 

[Shadrach]

13 hours ago, 201Steve said:

The variance between a C172 and a C182 is similar, in my mind, between an M20C and a Mooney Ovation, for example. 

For a controller? Not really. Anything between 150 and 200kts is pretty much in the same category. 

[Hank]

58 minutes ago, Shadrach said:

For a controller? Not really. Anything between 150 and 200kts is pretty much in the same category. 

That doesn't describe a C-172 or 182. Even my M20-C is faster than a similarly loaded 182, but not quite 150 KTAS.