Mooney Celebrates Anniversary, Stands Firm

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The company is not currently building airplanes, but Mooney had a presence at AirVenture 2013 to recognize the 60-year anniversary of the M20 and two pilots who set records in Mooneys, and to say the company isn’t going anywhere. The company says it is still working to support the roughly 7,000 aircraft it produced that are still in service and says it “continues to discuss new investment opportunities with interested parties.” Mooney’s CFO, Barry Hodkin, said, “Nobody is quitting on the Mooney brand. It’s among the most respected aviation brands in the world.” Hodkin said he is optimistic about the company’s future, and hopes to see it return to production.

At AirVenture, the company provided a forum for record setting-pilot Jack Wiegand, who became the youngest person to fly solo around the world in a Mooney Ovation 2 GX, because of its “balance between speed and efficiency,” according to the company. Also appearing in cooperative support was Lee White, head of Toyota Racing, who flew a Mooney 231 to national and world speed records in 2000. Of some 11,000 Mooneys built since the 1950s, some 7,000 Mooney airplanes are still in service. There are still more than 50 Mooney service centers in operation, supplying parts and services to Mooney owners. According to Hodkin, “We’re definitely looking at getting back in the game.”

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