Use of the Mooney logo

[haymak3r]

Hey everybody!

I was curious if anybody happened to have a contact over at Mooney that could provide me with a yes/no or “let me ask about that” regarding the use of the Mooney logo? I am wanting to get a blockoff plate made up to cover the hole where my fuel gauges etc cluster that is horizontally across the six pack in my J. 
 

Before sending this off to the engraver I would love to get the ok or hell no you cant do that from them. 
 

Thanks!

[carusoam]

I’m sure there are trademarks, sales marks, and other protected intellectual properties…

And any company that has these has to protect them…

So expect the answer to always be no….

 

On the other hand… if you are using it on your Mooney… and not offering these items for sale…

Why would Mooney want to give you a hard time…?

 

Last I looked, Mooney is pretty busy trying to stay afloat…

harassing their fans probably isn’t big in their list of things to do…

Go Mooney!

PP thoughts only, not an IP expert…

Don’t forget… pics are always good…

If they’re really nice, send one to Jonny. He probably needs one for his panel… 

Best regards,

-a-

[haymak3r]

2 minutes ago, carusoam said:

I’m sure there are trademarks, sales marks, and other protected intellectual properties…

And any company that has these has to protect them…

So expect the answer to always be no….

 

On the other hand… if you are using it on your Mooney… and not offering these items for sale…

Why would Mooney want to give you a hard time…?

 

Last I looked, Mooney is pretty busy trying to stay afloat…

harassing their fans probably isn’t big in their list of things to do…

Go Mooney!

PP thoughts only, not an IP expert…

Best regards,

-a-

Yep only for me, a one time thing, and going in to my mooney  

 

and thats how I am thinking about it too. But dont want to get in trouble or anything. I thought about just calling the 800 number but thought to try here first lol. 

[carusoam]

Find @Browncbr1’s pics… there may be examples of Mooney logos in leather…

 

-a-

[KSMooniac]

Just do it.  Personal use, no problem.  Just don't sell it on products without authorization, especially if making a lousy t-shirt and spamming it all over the internet. 

I've had a few baseball caps embroidered with the current/modern logo for my own use b/c I didn't like the caps available.  I'm not selling them, though!  (Last year at OSH I saw a guy on the tram with the exact same cap that I picked, but he had a Piper logo!  Shocked me... he bought his from some group, though.)

[haymak3r]

The only issue is that I am needing an engraving shop do it. I expect that they will be a little hesitant in doing it.

[Niko182]

Are you asking if you can legally put a picture of a mooney logo in your mooney?

Mooney can barely stay in business. I dont think chasing people that make a logo and put it in their own airplane is high on their list. Just do it.

[Browncbr1]

You’re not selling anything, so no one would care.  No damages.  
 

Make it looks nice and put a hidden hinge with back spring to make it into a nice little knee board glove box or chart box.  

[0TreeLemur]

I bought this 1960's Mooney logo off eBay from somebody and put it on our Mooney.  Never gave it a second thought.

 

[47U]

On 9/27/2022 at 5:59 PM, 0TreeLemur said:

I bought this 1960's Mooney logo off eBay from somebody and put it on our Mooney

First off, I’m not trying to start anything…

Have you posted a picture of your C?  I like the darker color… and the vintage logo.

How long was the original Mooney logo decal on the vertical before you removed it… there’s a shadow of where it was, can that be buffed out?

Why are your nav whiskers backwards?  Speed?

[0TreeLemur]

The newer (1970's?) Mooney logo was on for quite some time.  We bought her in 2017.   Sadly, I used solvent to take it off, which damaged the paint.   Had I done my research, I would have just used a heat gun.  Mistake made.   I tried buffing it out, and that didn't help.  She needs a paint job one of these days. 

A prior owner turned the whiskers around, I guess to make it look faster?   I would like to turn them around the right way because it (1) doesn't affect speed, and (2) gets better reception out front where they are supposed to be.   I looked into what it will take to switch it back to forward.  What I read is that this risks opening a can of worms because there is a balun in there that doesn't age well.   If  you mess with it chances are it will break and then  you've got an avionics tech challenge.

There is a decent in-flight photo of '03L on my profile page.  Just click on the Lemur.

 

[RobertGary1]

A legitimate engraver will require a letter on mooneys letter head approving it. The law doesn’t have an exception for personal use of a trademark

[Mooney in Oz]

On 9/28/2022 at 7:15 AM, haymak3r said:

Hey everybody!

I was curious if anybody happened to have a contact over at Mooney that could provide me with a yes/no or “let me ask about that” regarding the use of the Mooney logo? I am wanting to get a blockoff plate made up to cover the hole where my fuel gauges etc cluster that is horizontally across the six pack in my J. 
 

Before sending this off to the engraver I would love to get the ok or hell no you cant do that from them. 
 

Thanks!

I am not familiar with US IP laws, but to me this is no different to applying Mooney logos following a full strip and repaint or a new panel following an avionics upgrade.

Not withstanding that Hector (Aero Comfort) for a period of time manufactured and provided Mooney with OEM interiors, I’d be surprised if he has Mooney’s or any other aircraft manufacturer’s permission to add embroidered logos to private customer interior upgrades.

[RobertGary1]

On 9/28/2022 at 11:32 PM, Mooney in Oz said:

I am not familiar with US IP laws, but to me this is no different to applying Mooney logos following a full strip and repaint or a new panel following an avionics upgrade.

Not withstanding that Hector (Aero Comfort) for a period of time manufactured and provided Mooney with OEM interiors, I’d be surprised if he has Mooney’s or any other aircraft manufacturer’s permission to add embroidered logos to private customer interior upgrades.

As long as you purchase that Mooney sticker from Mooney you are good. 

[Pinecone]

Companies can be a bit nuts.

I bought a small duffle bag with a car company patch sewn to it.  They told me that once the ones that had were gone, there would be no more, as the car company had put a cease and desist on them.

The strange thing was, they were buying the patches from a licensed vendor and just sewing them onto the bag.

[WAFI]

The phone call to Mooney alone would be more harmful "in the sense of wasting someones time" than just engraving a logo on a panel.

I own my plane and if I wanted to put a Gulfstream logos embroidered on the seats, I'm not asking.

[WAFI]

I would bet my bill fold someone didn't get written permission for this one....

[Hank]

Just now, WAFI said:

I would bet my bill fold someone didn't get written permission for this one....

I sure hope he didn't taxi away from that spot!!  

[ArtVandelay]

I sure hope he didn't taxi away from that spot!!  

I assume it must leak oil/fuel like a sieve if it needs all that straw.

[Skates97]

On 9/28/2022 at 9:33 PM, 0TreeLemur said:

The newer (1970's?) Mooney logo was on for quite some time.  We bought her in 2017.   Sadly, I used solvent to take it off, which damaged the paint.   Had I done my research, I would have just used a heat gun.  Mistake made.   I tried buffing it out, and that didn't help.  She needs a paint job one of these days. 

 

I don't know if the heat gun would have helped. I had a similar logo on mine and tried taking it off with a heat gun, it didn't accomplish anything. Tried solvent, that thing wasn't coming off. I ended up using a rubber eraser wheel which did a pretty good job but there was still a little hint that it was there. She's getting painted right now so it's "all the way gone" now.

[haymak3r]

They made a 'slight' change to be comfortable with it. I sort of like the blended color like that. So accepted it.

[LANCECASPER]

On 9/30/2022 at 8:12 AM, WAFI said:

I would bet my bill fold someone didn't get written permission for this one....

 

I would take that bet, provided you filled up your billfold. Mooney, the owner of the logos and trademarks, sent that one to the paint shop for that paint job. That is Acclaim Serial #2. Either Tejas in San Marcos or Corrigans in Hondo (the two shops Mooney was using back then) had permission from Mooney to paint it.

[WAFI]

12 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

I would take that bet, provided you filled up your billfold. Mooney, the owner of the logos and trademarks, sent that one to the paint shop for that paint job. That is Acclaim Serial #2. Either Tejas in San Marcos or Corrigans in Hondo (the two shops Mooney was using back then) had permission from Mooney to paint it.

Dang it… This sounds like insider betting now. LOL

 

[LANCECASPER]

2 hours ago, WAFI said:

Dang it… This sounds like insider betting now. LOL

 

I'll PM you my address so you can send the billfold filled with cash . . lol

[Caz]

I would be shocked if the engraving company would do it without an authorization letter.   As a former owner of a print-shop I will tell you that we were extremely picky about copyrighted material.  Better to err on the side of caution than find yourself defending what you did.   Most likely Mooney has a standard form that they can send you with a few clicks and will happily do so.

Edited October 2, 2022 by Caz