Mooney TX-1

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

Last updated November 28, 2024

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 launch production of the TX-1,^[2] but these did not occur, and no production followed.^[1] The prototype's aircraft registration was canceled 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)
Cruise 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]

Notes

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

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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.

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[1000phot-1] 1 2 "BERNHARD C.F. KLEIN COLLECTION: Mooney MT20 TX-1 (N231TM)". 1000aircraftphotos.com. 15 June 2006. Retrieved 17 May 2011.

[AI_Aug83p101-2-2] 1 2 3 4 Air International August 1983, pp. 101–102.

[Flight85p56-3] 1 2 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.

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