Reports out of the USA are hinting that Mooney Aircraft may have shut down this week. It is not known if the situation is permanent.
Local paper The Kerrville Daily Times reported on Tuesday that the company has "furloughed" all its employees and shut down the manufacturing plant in Kerrville, Texas. No statement has yet come from Mooney International.
It is the second time the company has taken this action in the past two years, with the plant also closed for a period in 2017.
Mooney initially ceased making new aeroplanes in 2008, but was revived by new Chinese owners in 2013, with manufacturing established in Kerrville. The first aircraft under the new ownership rolled out in 2014.
Since then, Mooney has reported sales of only 34 new M20 Ovation/Acclaim aircraft. By comparison, the struggling Beechcraft Bonanza achieved sales of 147 aeroplanes and Cirrus shipped 1722 of the market-leading SR22/T.
Mooney also flirted with the training market in 2014, announcing plans for the diesel-powered M10T and M10J models. A proof-of-concept aircraft was flown in 2015, both projects were canceled two years later.