# Mooney's taking off again **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 9, 2014, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mooneys-taking-off-again/678384 "2014-01-09T19:33:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mooneys-taking-off-again/678384/1 "2014-01-09T19:33:37Z")
[Mooney Back In The Airplane Business](http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Mooney-Back-In-The-Airplane-Business221235-1.html) > [@](#): > > The assembly line stopped in 2008 and everything was left in place, including all the partly built aircraft, the certifications and production certificate. The company went from 460 employees to nine and stayed in business by supplying parts for the existing fleet and keeping the plant and its inventory safely mothballed. The new owners are Chinese, and China is expected to be a big market for General Aviation aircraft. The new airplanes, one a month in creasing to two a month, will be built in Texas. I always liked the Mooney, with its funky ‘backwards tail’. My mom had a boyfriend in the '70s who had one, and I got a ride in it once. (Front seat, too!) I used to think I wanted one, since they are fast for their power. I think nowadays, if I were to get an airplane in that class, I’d rather have a 6-seat Bonanza. More comfortable. It’s good to see Mooney coming back, even if production will be too low to make them ‘affordable’. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mooneys-taking-off-again/678384/2 "2014-01-09T19:45:42Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I always liked the Mooney, with its funky ‘backwards tail’. My mom had a boyfriend in the '70s who had one, and I got a ride in it once. (Front seat, too!) I used to think I wanted one, since they are fast for their power. I think nowadays, if I were to get an airplane in that class, I’d rather have a 6-seat Bonanza. More comfortable. I got a ride in one once; Seattle to Minneapolis in one day, in the back seat. I was smaller back then. And my uncle owns a recent six-seat Bonanza. I got a little front-seat time in that this past summer. Very nice. But you’re right, it’s nice to see a classic name get back into the business. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mooneys-taking-off-again/678384/3 "2014-01-09T20:30:07Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > And my uncle owns a recent six-seat Bonanza. I got a little front-seat time in that this past summer. Very nice. I don’t know if you saw the thread, but Textron is buying Beechcraft. So Beechcraft and Cessna will be the same company. I wonder if A) Textron will keep making the Bonanza; and B) Whether they’ll keep the Continental engine (since Textron owns Lycoming). ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2014, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mooneys-taking-off-again/678384/4 "2014-01-09T22:25:51Z")
When I was a kid, back in the 80s, my dad sold components to Mooney. One weekend somebody at the plant, I’m not sure if it was an executive or just an engineer my dad worked with, invited the family out. We got a personal tour of the factory, and my brother and I took home some nice posters. After the tour our host had a barbecue at his nearby ranch. Doesn’t have much bearing on this thread, but that’s my Mooney story. Too bad we weren’t able to go up in one, but I’m betting my mom squashed that idea.