Mooney M20J 201

Piston single engine • Low Wing • Retractable gear

Range Map

Origin:

• nm at current load

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Payload vs. Range

Configure weights

Default: 190 lbs

Default: 30 lbs

Occupants
lbs lbs / pax

gal

Fuel on board

lbs

Extra weight

nm

Range

Available Range / nm
Mission capable. Aircraft can handle the current load with full fuel tanks.
Fuel tradeoff required. You'll need to leave gallons of fuel behind ( gal usable for nm range).
Over max gross weight. Reduce payload by lbs to safely operate this aircraft.
Extra weight is the additional payload available with your selected passengers.

Mission Profile

Endorsements & ratings:
  • Complex
160
KTAS
Cruise Speed
835
nm
Max Range
18800
ft
Service Ceiling
4
Occupants
716
lbs
Wet Payload
Used market Only available used

Estimated Ownership Costs

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About the Mooney M20J 201

Type certificated 1976

Overview

The Mooney M20J 201 is the aerodynamically refined 200-horsepower member of Mooney’s M20 family, type-certificated in 1976 and built from 1977 into the 1990s. Its name records its achievement: a careful airframe cleanup by Roy LoPresti let a normally aspirated 200-horsepower Lycoming IO-360 reach 201 miles per hour, and the production airplane trues roughly 160 knots on about 11 gallons an hour.

The 201 sits at the heart of the M20 line, between the simpler short-body M20C and the turbocharged M20K Encore and long-body Ovation and Bravo. It is the efficiency benchmark of the family, prized for cross-country economy that remains competitive with newer airframes on fuel burn, and it is a popular, well-supported choice on the used market. Its closest cross-shops are the Piper Arrow and the Cessna Cardinal RG, both retractable four-seaters of similar power. Choose the M20J 201 when you want one of the most efficient certified four-seat retractable cruisers of its era and you value speed on little fuel over cabin room or flight-level altitude performance.

Key Features for GA Buyers

  • Cruise efficiency. About 160 KTAS from a normally aspirated 200hp Lycoming IO-360 burning roughly 11 GPH, the figure that defined the modern Mooney.
  • Clean, fast airframe. The LoPresti aerodynamic refinement of cowling, windshield, and fairings is what turned the M20F into the 201.
  • Long legs. The 64-gallon fuel load supports more than 800 nautical miles of cruise range with reserves.
  • Used-market support. A popular vintage Mooney with an active type club and broad parts and modification availability.

Trade-offs

  • Tight cabin. The mid-body fuselage seats four but offers limited rear room next to a cabin-class Beechcraft Bonanza.
  • Demanding on speed control. Retractable gear and a slick airframe reward precise approach-speed discipline; the 201 floats if flown fast.
  • No turbo, modest ceiling. Normally aspirated performance falls off in the high teens; for flight-level cruise the turbocharged Encore, Bravo, and Acclaim are the family’s answer.

See Also

Technical Specifications

Dimensions & Weights

Wingspan 35.0 ft
Height
8.33 ft
Length
24.67 ft
Parking area (ft2)
1335.15 ft2
Max Takeoff Weight
2,740 lbs
Max Landing Weight
2,740 lbs
Useful Load
1,100 lbs
Fuel Capacity
Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 64 gal

Performance

Cruise Speed
Source: third-party reference 160 KTAS
Never-Exceed (VNE)
Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 195 KIAS
Max Structural Cruise (VNO)
Source: FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet 174 KIAS
Approach Speed
Source: manufacturer figure 71 KIAS
Stall, Clean (VS1)
Source: third-party reference 63 KIAS
Range
835 NM
Service Ceiling
18,800 ft
Rate of Climb
1030 fpm
Takeoff over 50 ft obstacle
1,550 ft
Landing ground roll
1,550 ft

Engine

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Sources

Where the figures on this page come from. Mooney M20J 201 specifications are traced to published references; estimated values are flagged inline next to the figure.

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