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Mooney M 18 Mite performance and specifications
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Description |
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The M-18 Mooney Mite is a low-wing,
single-place monoplane with tricycle landing
gear. It is mainly of fabric-covered wood
construction designed for the general
aviation market and offering extremely low
operating costs. It has a wingspan of 26.8
feet, a length of 17.7 feet, an empty weight
of 520 pounds, a maximum weight of 850
pounds, and a range of 350 miles or more. |
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Origins |
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Mooney Aircraft, Inc. was formed in 1946 in
Wichita, Kansas by Albert W. Mooney and
Charles G. Yankey, both former
executives of Culver Aircraft Corp. The
company certified its first aircraft, the
single place Mooney Mite (M-18), in 1948,
which was awarded Civil Aeronautics
Authority Approved Type Certificate 803. |
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Models |
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A total of 283 Mites in
five different
models were built between 1948 and 1955: the
M-18 (1948); the M-18L (1949); the M-18C
(1950); the M-18LA (1951); and the M-18C-55
(1955). 126 Mites were powered by 65 hp
Lycoming O-145-B engines, and 157 powered by
65 hp Continental
A65-8 or A65-12 engines. |
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Performance |
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In 1953, the M-18C and the M-18LA were
marketed as the "Wee Scotsman" to capitalize
on the Mite's unmatched operating economy,
which was less than a penny a mile. At two
miles per hour per horsepower, the Mite was
said to be the most efficient airplane of
its day. The Mite at one time held the
records for speed, range and altitude in its
category. It has a glide ratio of 15 to 1,
and is able to land or take off in less than
300 feet and climb at over 1000 feet per
minute. Improvements in the performance of
the aircraft eventually gave the M-18 a top
speed of over 130 m.p.h. and a service
ceiling of 19,400 feet. |
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Conclusion |
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Factory production of the Mite ended in
early 1956 when the Mooney Corporation
turned to the four-place M-20. However, in
1972, the Mooney Mite Aircraft Corp. was
formed by Fred Quarles of
Charlottesville, Virginia, who bought the
Type Certificate and planned to market the
M-18X as a homebuilt aircraft. Plans and
kits are no longer available. |
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Evaluation |
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The Mite is a fast, responsive and
economical airplane. Although uncomfortably
small for some pilots, it is a delightful
performer and much-loved by the select few
who own them.
| Horsepower: 65.0000 |
Gross Weight: 850 lbs |
| Top Speed: 123 kts |
Empty Weight: 575 lbs |
| Cruise Speed: 109 kts |
Fuel Capacity: 12.00 gal |
| Stall Speed (dirty): 37 kts |
Range: nm |
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| Takeoff |
Landing |
| Ground Roll: 750 ft |
Ground Roll 600 ft |
| Over 50 ft obstacle: 1000 ft |
Over 50 ft obstacle: 1000 ft |
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| Rate Of Climb: 1000 fpm |
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| Ceiling: 19400 ft |
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