Mooney Plans to Publicly Debut The Ovation Ultra In July
Aircraft manufacturer Mooney International, known to pilots for designing fuel conscious and speedy aircraft, such as the classic Mooney M20, has just announced the first flight of their brand new four-seat retractable gear Ovation Ultra, to the delight of Mooniacs (as some Mooney aficionados have dubbed themselves) everywhere.
Mooney’s Chief Test Pilot, Mike Miles, took the new Ovation Ultra, which conforms to FAA certifications and currently carries serial number 32-0001, on a roughly sixty-minute flight, leaving from Kerrville Municipal Airport on runway 30. Miles reported that the performance and handling of the aircraft were excellent. The new aircraft will continue on additional test flights, and will soon be painted, at which point it will be the first official FAA certified Ovation Ultra.
This new Ovation model, as well as Mooney’s new Acclaim model, will be the first Mooney aircraft to incorporate a composite cabin shell, rather than the all metal design of the predecessors. This new shell removes the need for several riveted metal panels, which in turn allows for tighter tolerances for doors, larger windows, and reduced cabin noise. Both aircraft will also have dual-tone leather seats and a center mounted keyboard that will interface with the aircraft’s standard Garmin G1000 avionics. These models will also both sport a pilot’s side door, something that pilots have been requesting for a long time.
More importantly, Mooney has stayed true to their tradition of speed with both aircraft. The turbo-charged Acclaim will have a top speed of 242 knots at altitude, which, according to AOPA, makes it the fastest FAA-certified piston single that is currently in production. The normally aspirated Ovation will cruise along with a top speed in the mid-190 knot range.
Mooney plans to publicly debut both the Ovation Ultra and their new Acclaim at this year’s upcoming EAA AirVenture in OshKosh, WI, July 25th – 31st.
Featured Image: Mooney
