Lycoming Engines has come up with a program that lets owners of certain Mooneys swap out their Lycoming IO-360 engines for a new Lycoming IO-390-A3A6. Eligible airplanes include Mooneys in the M20E, M20F, and M20J series.
The company is calling the program the Echelon STC. The FAA already has granted Lycoming the type and production certificate for the new engine. This was quickly followed by a supplemental type certificate (STC) that allows its installation in the Mooneys.
The IO-390 is rated at 210 hp, up from the 200-hp produced by the standard-issue IO-360s. The STC includes either a new or rebuilt IO-390 and a SlickStart ignition system. List price of the rebuilt engine is $36,100, according to Dennis Racine, Lycoming’s director of marketing and program manager. The new IO-390 lists for $48,500. For the M20J models, a Hartzell two- ($8,500) or three-blade ($10,000) propeller is also available to add to the STC package. Racine said that tests of the IO-390 in an M20J showed a five-knot boost in cruise speed and a 150-fpm hike in initial climb rate.
Owners can choose among the nearly 50 Lycoming Authorized Service Centers to install the engines. To learn the location of the nearest service center, call 800/258-3279 and ask for Michele Demarest, Lycoming’s Authorized Service Center administrator, or send an e-mail.
Thomas A. Horne
Related Articles
