Skip to content

SINGLE-ENGINE PISTON

Mooney M20

One model from FAA type certificate data sheet 2A3. Every figure below is quoted from the sheet. Open any “Source” to see the words it comes from.

THE DATA SHEET

Authority
Federal Aviation Administration (United States)
Sheet
Type Certificate Data Sheet 2A3
Revision
52
Date
December 9, 2010
Holder
Mooney (DRS lists the holder as Mooney Aviation Company Inc)
Licence
US Government work, public domain (17 U.S.C. 105)

Open the sheet on the FAA Dynamic Regulatory System (opens in a new tab)

Earlier revision. This is revision 52 of the data sheet. A later revision exists that we have not checked yet.

Performance figures (stall speeds, take-off and landing distances, climb, cruise and fuel burn) are in the aircraft's flight manual (POH/AFM), which we cannot reproduce. Always use the flight manual for the aircraft you fly.

This is a United States Federal Aviation Administration sheet. We show it as a US certification document, not as an Australian or New Zealand rule. Units are the sheet's own: pounds, US gallons and quarts, and knots or mph as stated.

How we copied the sheet. Quotes are from our stored text copy of the sheet, taken from the text layer of the FAA's online viewer. We rebuilt lines from the text positions, joined wrapped lines, marked wide gaps between table cells with |, removed page headers and footers, and replaced symbol-font characters with the symbols they print as. Check the original sheet before relying on any figure.

Models not shown. The sheet covers 15 models, from the M20 to the M20TN. We include the M20J. Its never-exceed and cruising speeds, weight and C.G. range depend on serial number, so several of its figures are left out.

SPEC SHEET

Mooney M20: M20J

The sheet's heading for this modelModel M20J, 4 PCLM (Normal Category)

Source for the model heading

IX. Model M20J, 4 PCLM (Normal Category); Approved September 27, 1976

Compare the M20J with another aircraft

Engine

Engine
Textron-Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D, IO-360-A3B6D or IO-360-A3B6
Source for Engine

Engine | Textron-Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D or IO-360-A3B6D or IO-360-A3B6.

Rated power
200 hp
Source for Rated power

Engine Limits | For all operations, 2700 r.p.m. (200 hp)

Engine speed limit
2,700 rpm
Source for Engine speed limit

Engine Limits | For all operations, 2700 r.p.m. (200 hp)

Propeller

Left out. The sheet lists propellers as equipment items, not in this model's section.

Fuel and oil

Fuel capacity

Left out. The sheet does not state total capacity. Its figure excludes unusable fuel, so we show it as usable fuel.

Usable fuel
64 US gal≈ 242 L (converted)Note 1 says unusable fuel is not included in the fuel capacity, so this figure is usable fuel.
Source for Usable fuel

Fuel Capacity | 64 gals. (Two integral tanks in wings at +48.4) See NOTE 1 for data on unusable fuel.

Read with Note 1 (notes applicable to all models):

must include unusable fuel (not included in fuel capacity) as follows:

Oil capacity
2 US gal≈ 7.6 L (converted)
Source for Oil capacity

Oil Capacity | 2 gal. (-11.5)

Weights and loading

Maximum weight

Left out. The sheet gives two values by serial number and modification.

Seats
4
Source for Seats

No. of Seats | 4 (2 at +34.0 to +39.0, 2 at +70.7)

Baggage limit
120 lb≈ 54.4 kg (converted)The sheet also allows a small load further aft.
Source for Baggage limit

Maximum Baggage | 120 lbs. (+95.5), 10 lbs. (+119)

C.G. range

Left out. The sheet gives two sets of limits by serial number and modification.

Airspeed limits

Never exceed speed (Vne)

Left out. The sheet gives two values by serial number and service bulletin. We left it out rather than pick one.

Maximum structural cruising speed (Vno)

Left out. The sheet gives two values, by serial number and service bulletin. We left it out rather than pick one.

Manoeuvring speed (Va)
118 kt IASThe sheet gives mph with knots in brackets. We show the knots.
Source for Manoeuvring speed (Va)

Airspeed Limits | Maneuvering......................................... 136 m.p.h. (118 knots) IAS

Maximum flap extended speed (Vfe)
full flap110 kt IAS
Source for Maximum flap extended speed (Vfe), full flap

Flaps extended (full flaps) .................... 127 m.p.h. (110 knots) IAS

Reference

Datum
5.00 inches aft of the centerline of the nose gear support bolts (fuselage station 0.00)
Source for Datum

Datum | For M20J, datum is 5.00 inches aft of the centerline of the nose gear support bolts and is fuselage station 0.00.

Certification basis
CAR 3, effective November 1, 1949, as amended to May 18, 1954, with later additions
Source for Certification basis

Certification basis | Model M20J CAR 3, effective November 1, 1949, as amended to May 18, 1954,

COCKPIT

The M20J limits on an airspeed indicator

Where the sheet gives them in knots, the dial shows Vne as a red line, the caution range from Vno to Vne as a yellow arc, a green tick at Vno and white ticks at the flap limit speeds (Vfe). The sheet gives flap limits, not instrument markings, and the stall speeds where the green and white arcs start are not in it.

PANEL LAYOUT

Classic six-pack

These are example panels drawn by us. They do not show the panel fitted to any Mooney M20. Only the airspeed markings come from this model's data sheet.

  • 406080100120140VfeAIRSPEEDKNOTSAirspeed indicator
  • 2020101010102020Attitude indicator
  • 01234567891013hPaALTFEETAltimeter
  • LRTURN COORDINATOR2 MINNO PITCH INFORMATIONTurn coordinator
  • N36E1215S2124W3033Heading indicator
  • 0.5.5111.51.522UPDOWNVERTICAL SPEED1000 FT/MINVertical speed indicator
  • 05101520253035RPM×100Tachometer
  • 075150OIL°COil temperature
  • 060120OILPSIOil pressure
  • EEFFLRFUELFuel quantity
  • 0510SUCTIONin HgSuction gauge
0 kt

What the dial shows

  • White tick: Vfe, full flap, a flap limit speed110 kt IAS
    Source for the white tick, full flap

    Flaps extended (full flaps) .................... 127 m.p.h. (110 knots) IAS

  • Marks are drawn at the sheet's speeds in knots IAS.
  • There is no red line because we have no never exceed speed in knots from this sheet.
  • There is no yellow arc and no green tick because we have no Vno in knots from this sheet.
  • White tick marks the flap limit speed (Vfe) the sheet gives. The sheet gives flap limits, not instrument markings, so the flight manual says where this aircraft's white arc ends.
  • The low ends of the white and green arcs are stall speeds. They come from the flight manual, so we have left them unmarked.

The other instruments are drawn at rest and are not linked to this aircraft. Learn what each instrument shows in the cockpit explorer.

For learning only. Not for flight planning or use in flight. Figures are certification limits from Federal Aviation Administration, Type Certificate Data Sheet 2A3, Revision 52, retrieved 31 October 2026. Conversions marked “converted” are our own arithmetic. No manufacturer images are used. The instruments are drawn by us. Back to all aircraft.