Mooney M20V Acclaim Ultra

The Mooney M20V Acclaim Ultra grew out of the M20TN Acclaim Type S and has a turbocharged Continental TSIO-550-G of 280 hp. The engine is the main difference from the Ovation Ultra: the aircraft reaches 448 km/h and may climb to 7,620 m. Like its sister it has doors on both sides and a Garmin G1000 NXi cockpit.

Cabin: room for two

The cabin of the M20V has the same size as in the Ovation Ultra, about 1.10 m wide and 1.11 m high. You sit low with your legs forward; the pilot and one passenger take the front, and the two rear places become cramped for adults on a longer leg. Two doors, one on each side, make getting in easier.

On board:

• a headset for each passenger, as the engine is loud
• no toilet, galley or cabin attendant
• water and snacks that you bring yourself

Weight sets the limit

Filling the long-range tanks leaves about 170 kg for pilot, passengers and baggage, which covers the pilot and one passenger with a small bag. With two or three passengers the operator takes less fuel and shortens the leg or plans a stop. The hold takes up to 54 kg: soft bags and at most two small cabin cases, while skis or a golf bag need the operator's agreement.

A small dog in a carrier normally flies once the operator has agreed, but it counts in the weight. Within the EU it needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before travel and an EU pet passport; for Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway and the UK dogs also need tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before arrival.

Speed and the rules for single-engine pistons

On the standard tanks the range is about 2,000 km. Landing from 15 m height takes 808 m, so the M20V needs a little more runway than the normally aspirated M20U; most regional airports with a paved runway and AVGAS are within its reach. There is no parachute for the whole airframe as on Cirrus aircraft.

Speed does not change the rules for a piston single:

M20V routes from European hubs

Twenty-eight one-way legs from twelve hubs over land, from Milan Linate - Bologna to Paris - Berlin at 2:47 h. The times assume fast cruise at altitude; lower down, without oxygen, the flight takes longer. Prices are for the whole aircraft with pilot, without airport fees and passenger taxes.

Up to two hours: business cities in a day

Two to four hours: the limit for a small cabin

Most legs take between one and two hours. Zurich - Vienna, Munich - Hamburg, Amsterdam - Berlin, Hamburg - Stockholm and Paris - Berlin go beyond two hours, a reasonable limit for a cabin without a toilet, and with two passengers the aircraft cannot take full fuel there.

The calculator gives an indicative price for the M20V or a similar aircraft on your own route.

What an M20V flight costs

The indicative rate is EUR 1,100 per flight hour for the whole aircraft with pilot and fuel. On short legs the total is above rate times time: Milan Linate - Bologna (1:00 h) starts at EUR 4,000, because the minimum charge, take-off and landing and the flight from the aircraft's base go into every quote.

On longer legs the gap shrinks: Madrid - Lisbon (1:51 h) starts at EUR 5,000 and Paris - Berlin (2:47 h) at EUR 6,000. The price stays the same for one passenger or three.

The price is for the whole aircraft; split between passengers, Hamburg - Copenhagen comes to:

Paying less on a fast single

A same-day return, for example Vienna - Budapest and back within daylight, saves a hotel and a second positioning leg. A reserve date avoids a last-minute change of aircraft in bad weather, and travelling as one or two with light bags keeps the M20V non-stop.

From three passengers, the cost per person is usually lower in a larger aircraft, which is also more reliable on the chosen date.

Empty Legs on the Acclaim Ultra

M20V compared with similar aircraft

People who consider this aircraft usually also look at the normally aspirated Mooney, a Cirrus and turboprops that can fly in cloud:

Your request

Send the route, the date with a reserve date, the number of people and their approximate weight with baggage. In this aircraft these figures decide how much fuel it can take and whether the leg is non-stop. We always try to find the type you asked for, but each case depends on the operator's availability and contract.

Questions about the Mooney M20V

• • How much does an M20V flight cost?

  • Hamburg to Copenhagen (1:14 h) starts at EUR 4,500 and Madrid to Lisbon (1:51 h) at EUR 5,000 for the whole aircraft one way. Airport fees, passenger taxes and positioning come on top.

• • What is included in the price?

  • The aircraft, the pilot and fuel. Airport and handling fees, passenger taxes, positioning and a pilot hotel for a return on another day are listed separately.

• • Why does a short leg cost more than the hourly rate?

  • The quote includes a minimum charge and the flight from the base. Vienna to Budapest (1:04 h) starts at EUR 4,000, while Paris to Berlin (2:47 h) starts at EUR 6,000, so the longer the leg, the closer the price gets to the rate.

• • How can I fly the M20V for less?

  • Return the same day in daylight, travel as one or two with light bags, keep a reserve date and depart near the aircraft's base.

• • Are there Empty Legs on the M20V?

  • Practically never. Small turboprops and very light jets offer them from time to time, at 30-60% below a normal charter, on a fixed date and route.

• • How many people can really fly?

  • There are three passenger seats, but with full long-range tanks only about 170 kg remain for people and bags, pilot included. That means the pilot and one passenger with a small bag; with two or three passengers only on shorter legs.

• • How does the M20V differ from the M20U?

  • The M20V has a turbocharged 280 hp engine and flies faster (up to 448 km/h instead of 365 km/h) and higher (7,620 m instead of 6,096 m). The M20U has a 310 hp engine without turbo and carries more with full tanks. The cabin is the same.

• • Can it fly in cloud or at night?

  • Not with paying passengers. EU rules require a SET-IMC approval for that, and it is given to turbine aircraft only. The flight takes place by day with good visibility.

• • Why can the flight take longer than in the table?

  • The table assumes fast cruise at altitude. Without pressurisation everyone needs oxygen above about 3,000 m, so the pilot often flies lower and slower, and the route may also bend around high ground or open water.