Photograph:
Mooney M-10 Cadet VH-JXS (c/n 700025) at Avalon, VIC in March 2005 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Two-seat light training monoplane
Power Plant:
One 67 kw (90 hp) Continental C-90-16F four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 9.14 m (30 ft)
- Length: 6.34 m (20 ft 8 in)
- Height: 2.37 m (7 ft 8 in)
- Max speed at sea level: 183 m/h (114 mph)
- Cruising speed at sea level at 50% power: 132 km/h (82 mph)
- Rate of climb at sea level: 192 m/min (630 ft/min)
- Stalling speed, power off: 74 km/h (46 mph)
- Range at 162 km/h (101 mph) at 70% power at max take-off weight at sea level: 619 km (385 miles)
- Empty weight: 435 kg (950 lb)
- Loaded weight: 660 kg (1,450 lb)
- Baggage allowance: 41 kg (90 lb)
History:
After World War II Mooney Aircraft Corp was formed by two executives of what had been the Culver Aircraft Corp, and A W Mooney, who had commenced designing light aircraft in the 1920s, designing the M-10 Mite, of which some 300 were built, initially at Wichita, Kansas, and later at Kerrville, Texas. Another company, Engineering & Research Corp, built a two-seat cantilever low-wing monoplane known as the Erco 415C fitted with a 48 kw (65 hp) or 56 kw (75 hp) Continental engine, type approval being received in 1940. Some 6,000 examples of the design were built, with a variety of names, including Alon Model A-2 Aircoupe, Fornaire Aircoupe, Ercoupe 415-C-1 etc.
In 1967 the Alon company was taken over by Mooney and the Ercoupe series continued in production for a period as the A-2 with a new spring-steel undercarriage, and as the M-10 Cadet (with the C90-16F engine) with a single fin and rudder in lieu of the previous twin fins and rudders. Fuel capacity was 89 litres (19.6 Imp gals).
In 1991 an M-10 Cadet (c/n 700025 – ex N9534V), built in 1970, was imported and registered in Western Australia. Formerly N9534V, it became VH-JXS on 18 June 1991, later moving to New South Wales. On 14 December 2017 it was cancelled from the civil register and transferrred to the RAA register as 24-8830.