Mooney Airplane has almost doubled the size of its light-aircraft family with the launch of glass cockpit versions of its Ovation2 DX and Bravo DX piston singles. The Kerrville, Texas- based company is following the lead of manufacturers such as Cessna, Cirrus Design and Diamond Aircraft, which have begun offering glass cockpit types to boost the appeal of private flying and stimulate sales.
The aircraft will feature the Garmin G1000 primary flight display system, which integrates primary flight instruments, navigation and communication into two 26cm (10.4in) high-resolution displays. Mooney says the overall panel size in the new GX types require about 13mm of additional height and the lighter avionics will increase the aircraft's useful weight by 16.3kg (36Ib).
Certification and first deliveries are planned for the third quarter. Mooney expects the GX versions to account for 80% of total orders.
Source: Flight International
