Mooney Offers Retrofits For Older Acclaims

Mooney brought the first customer copy of its new Acclaim Type S to the show this week, just a week after it was certified and delivered. The airplane will replace the earlier version of the Acclaim, so all Acclaims going forward will have the Type S speed enhancements, which boost the aircraft's top cruise speed to 242 knots. The enhancements will also be made available as a retrofit package later this year, so all Acclaims can achieve the same speed gains, the company said. Pete Wallach, of customer service, also said that the company is extending its three-year warranty on new aircraft to cover up to 1,000 hours of service, a boost from the 600 hours that were covered before. More owners are using the airplane for business and the hours pile up faster, Wallach said, so it was time for an adjustment. Further, from here on, the company will handle all warranty claims for any component of its airplanes, he said.

The Type S retrofits probably won't be made available for Ovation models, Wallach said, because the greatest gains are seen at the higher altitudes. The changes include a streamlined cowling, lighter weight composite gear doors, lighter nose gear, and a new three-blade propeller. The Type S is priced at $599,500.