Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1965 Mooney M20E Super 21 / Chaparral

Ask nearly any Mooney owner to name their favorite aspects of the early M20s, and they will invariably call attention to the manual gear and flaps. Despite being a complex airplane by definition, with flaps, a constant-speed prop, and retractable gear, the gear and flaps are among the simplest and most reliable designs to ever enter production. Both are actuated via levers in the center of the cockpit, and both eschew electric motors, hydraulics, limit switches, solenoids, and all of the standard complexity in favor of basic mechanical linkages.

Efficiency is another aspect of the M20 that many owners will tout. With many returning roughly one mile per hour for each horsepower, the airframe is notably clean. With additional fairings and speed mods, one M20E owner reports cruise speeds of 155-160 knots…while burning only 10 gallons per hour.

The example here sports a clean, attractive paint scheme, which they rate 9/10. The excellent condition is likely due at least in part to the fact that it was repainted in 1995 and cared for properly since then. The blue and white colors reportedly replaced the original brown and orange scheme that the airplane wore from the factory.

No photos of the interior are available, but the seller reports a condition of 7/10, noting that it was last replaced in 1980. It has since been refaced in blue, and shoulder harnesses were wisely added at some point.

The panel has seen some upgrades over the years, as well. A Garmin GNS430W GPS/NAV/COM modernizes the radio stack a bit, with a King KX155 handling backup duties. A Stratus Appareo transponder provides ADS-B in and out functionality, ensuring you can access any airspace and also providing real-time traffic information.

With 4,465 hours of time on the airframe and 980 hours on the 200-horsepower Lycoming IO360A1A since factory overhaul, plenty of life remains in this Mooney. Indeed, the previous owners have even taken care of some larger maintenance items, such as fuel tank resealing and new brakes. 

For a quick, efficient cross-country machine under $100,000, this Mooney checks a lot of boxes and will likely serve its next owner well for many years.

Learn about Mooney M20 ownership here.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance and quickly calculate your monthly payment using the airplane finance calculator. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.