Beechcraft Bonanza 36 / A36 / G36 vs Mooney M20R Ovation (1994-2008)
Head-to-head — specs, at a glance.
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Beechcraft Bonanza 36 / A36 / G36
**This page's specifications describe one airplane: the 300 hp Continental IO-550-B A36**, serials **E-1946, E-2104 and E-2111 through E-3635** — 1,526 of 3,450 A36 serials, built from 1984 to 2005. It is the largest single block on the certificate, and the only one with both a freely available handbook and a manufacturer's specification sheet. The 285 hp IO-520 airplanes that came before it are in the variants table with their own figures, and everything on this page that differs between them says so.
- +Six-seat capacity with double cargo doors — most versatile single-engine piston aircraft
- +176 KTAS cruise speed with 920 nm range — genuine cross-country performance
- +Excellent parts availability and mechanic familiarity — still in production as G36
- !Spar carry-through cracks are the single most significant structural concern for A36 models
- !Higher annual operating costs ($20k–$30k/year) and expensive overhauls limit affordability
- !Aging fuel cell bladders and landing gear actuators on mid-to-high-time airframes require planned replacement
Mooney M20R Ovation (1994-2008)
The 1994 Mooney M20R Ovation was a major step up in performance for the M20 line -- the first Mooney with a 6-cylinder Continental IO-550-G engine producing 280 HP, replacing the M20J's 200 HP Lycoming IO-360. The Ovation airframe stretched the cabin and added a taller cabin door on top of the M20J's redesigned long-body layout, and it is the naturally-aspirated counterpart to the turbocharged M20K/M20TN line -- same basic engine family strength as the Acclaim, no turbocharger, no manual-wastegate or dual-turbo complexity to manage.
- +1,300 NM range — longest non-turbo Mooney
- +190 KTAS cruise at 75% power — 20 KTAS faster than M20J
- +1,243 lbs useful load — strong payload for class
- !IO-550-G cylinder sensitivity — requires borescope inspection on all six
- !Complex cabin door seal design — water intrusion risk if deteriorated
- !Limited dealer support — Mooney's production history affects regional availability
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