Mooney TX-1

TX-1
Role	Training aircraft
National origin	United States of America
Manufacturer	Mooney Aircraft Company
First flight	1982
Number built	1

The Mooney TX-1 or Mooney MT-20 was a prototype American military basic training aircraft of the 1980s. It was a two-seat derivative of Mooney's popular M20 light aircraft, but was unsuccessful, only a single example being built.

Design and development

In late 1982^[1] the Mooney Aircraft Company of Kerrville, Texas flew a prototype of a two-seat military trainer aircraft, the Mooney TX-1. This was based on its popular Mooney M20K four seat light aircraft, but with side-by-side seating for pilot and instructor under a sliding canopy. It was an all-metal low-winged monoplane with retractable tricycle landing gear powered by a single Continental O-360 piston engine driving a two-blade propeller.^[2] The TX-1 was aimed at the basic trainer market, also being suitable for weapons training and light attack missions,^[2] and so was fitted with four hardpoints under the wing.^[3]

Mooney stated that they needed orders for 100 aircraft to lauch production of the TX-1,^[2] but these did not occur, and no production followed.^[1] The prototype's aircraft registration was cancelled in 1989.^[4]

Specifications

Data from Airdata File: Mooney TX-1^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 25 ft 5 in (7.75 m)
• Wingspan: 36 ft 1 in (11.00 m)
• Height: 8 ft 4 in (2.54 m)
• Wing area: 174.79 sq ft (16.239 m²)
• Empty weight: 1,800 lb (816 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 2,900 lb (1,315 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 73 US Gallons (276 L)
• Powerplant: 1 × Continental TSIO-360-GB turbosupercharged flat-six, 240 hp (180 kW) (take-off power)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 239 mph; 385 km/h (208 kn) at 16,000 ft (4,880 m)
• Cruising speed: 185 mph; 298 km/h (161 kn) at sea level
• Range: 940 mi; 1,513 km (817 nmi) at 55% power, no reserves
• Rate of climb: 1,336 ft/min (6.79 m/s)
• Ceiling: Over 30,000 ft (6,100 m)

Armament

• Hardpoints: 4 with a capacity of 1,000 lb (450 kg) total^[3],

See also

Related development

• Mooney M20
  

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• SIAI-Marchetti SF.260
  

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} "BERNHARD C.F. KLEIN COLLECTION: Mooney MT20 TX-1 (N231TM)". 1000aircraftphotos.com. 15 June 2006. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Air International August 1983, pp. 101–102.
3. ^ ^{a b} Flight International 3 August 1985, p.56
4. ^ FAA Registry - Aircraft - N-Number Results: N231TM has Assigned/Multiple Records. Federal Aviation Administration. Retrieved 17 May 2011.

References

• "Airdata File: Mooney TX-1". Air International, August 1983, Vol 25 No 2. ISSN 0306-5634. pp. 100–101.
• Beavis, Simon. "Military Aircraft of the World". Flight International, 3 August 1985, pp. 29–83.