Meeting a relative

[N204TA]

I flew into Kerrville today and saw a beautiful, highly modified 68 M20F on the ramp.  It took me a minute to realize that the N-number was one digit different than my original one.  I checked the data plate and, sure enough, their S/N is one higher than mine.  What a cool coincidence and right across the runway from Mooney, too.

Have you ever seen another Mooney that came out of the factory about the same time as yours?

Edited September 10, 2024 by N204TA

[C.J.]

  On 9/10/2024 at 2:04 AM, N204TA said:

Have you ever seen another Mooney that came out of the factory about the same time as yours?

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Yes, and oddly enough it was on 2/3/2024, my M20C's airworthiness date + 59 years. Its S/N was 33 numbers later and it's based at KLKR, just 85nm away.

[Igor_U]

  On 9/10/2024 at 2:04 AM, N204TA said:

Have you ever seen another Mooney that came out of the factory about the same time as yours?

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Years ago I bumped into the owner who had and F 2 serial numbers higher then mine. At the time wo both drove a black SAAB. 

[AJ88V]

That's really fun.  Nice for you to meet your airplane's sister!

Digging around, I found that you can search the FAA database by Serial Number

https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/SerialNumberInquiry

It looks like planes on both sides of mine are still flying!

[EricJ]

  On 9/15/2024 at 12:13 AM, AJ88V said:

That's really fun.  Nice for you to meet your airplane's sister!

Digging around, I found that you can search the FAA database by Serial Number

https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/SerialNumberInquiry

It looks like planes on both sides of mine are still flying!

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Very interesting.   My J model is 24-0077.   The registration for 24-0076 says the year of manufacture was 1976.   Mine says it was 1977.   That's some interesting hijinks at the factory, and suggests mine was the first '77 201, whatever that's worth. 

[0TreeLemur]

Not met, but heard on the radio during an IFR trip a couple of years ago.   I checked in with Denver center while flying M20C N2903L, and was warned "N2903L be aware that N2905L is on this frequency".   Did some research after I returned home, and found that N2903L and N2905L had airworthiness dates 2 days apart.  N2904L was exported to Switzerland.

[Paul Thomas]

  On 9/15/2024 at 1:15 AM, EricJ said:

Very interesting.   My J model is 24-0077.   The registration for 24-0076 says the year of manufacture was 1976.   Mine says it was 1977.   That's some interesting hijinks at the factory, and suggests mine was the first '77 201, whatever that's worth. 

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Manufactured years and model years are different. My "84" was built and sold in 83. I thought I was buying an 83 until I realized it had everything the 84 models got and then learned about the model year vs. manufactured years.

The serial number before mine is off by one on the N#; it appears they were going sequentially when they could. The serial number after mine off my 4 on the N#. The former doesn't appear to be flying anymore and the latter was exported to Australia.