A Message from the CEO

I want to welcome everyone to Mooney’s new website. You’ll notice that rather than focusing on the sale of new planes, this website has its focus on you, the Mooney Community. It’s my firm belief that Mooney owners and pilots have remained true to the Mooney brand despite a factory that hasn’t always reciprocated. Well, it’s time that Mooney return the favor and this website is a first step. This is not to say that we won’t be designing and building new planes. We will. But we need to walk before we fly and that’s likely to take a minute. So, in the meantime, we want to re-engage all of you and let you have a seat at the table as we figure out our future.

I remember the first time I ever saw a Mooney. I was just learning to fly a Piper Cherokee at my home base in Great Barrington, MA and someone had parked a Mooney there for the night. I remember asking my instructor, “What’s that?” He replied: “Why that’s a Mooney… the tail is on backwards.” “Look at that,” I thought, “the tail is on backwards. I really want one of those!” Several years and a few hundred hours later I bought a J Model. Somehow, many more years and many more hours later, I ended up with an Acclaim and became a part owner and CEO of Mooney. So friggin’ weird!

If you’re reading this, you likely have your own story about the first time you saw a Mooney, your first flight in one and perhaps if you’re fortunate, your purchase of one. And you’ve probably had to answer the question “What’s with the tail?” at least once.

As Mooney advocates, owners and pilots, we all share a love of this incredible flying machine. We’re a tribe, us Mooney folk and we understand one another on an instinctual level. When I’ve run across other Mooney pilots filling up or taxiing and they see I have a Mooney, there is a reflexive tip of the cap to one another as if to say: “That’s right, we fly a Mooney… cause, well, it’s just better!” In fact, I toyed with the idea of making that our new tag line: “Mooney… ‘cause all the others suck!” But in deference to maintaining Mooney as a premium brand, I opted against it. But I know it’s what we’re all thinking.

Going forward, this space will be taken up by a monthly blog we’re calling “Mooney Notams” which will have stories about Mooneys, Mooney technical support and tips and advice for flying our beloved planes. You’ll also notice that we have a social networking portal. Sign up and connect with one another. We’re not trying to compete with the good folks at MooneySpace, but we want a vehicle to get involved in your conversations. It’ll also make it easier for us to steer our plans in the right direction.
There’s a lot to do at Mooney and slowly but surely, we’re making progress. Parts are flowing (we’re working to get more of ‘em and faster) and the next generation of planes is on the drawing board. I feel the weight of a great responsibility not to let any of you down. We’re searching for the resources and the partners to make Mooney live up to its potential and I promise I’ll do everything in my power to make sure that happens.
Stay safe!
Jonny