The Untold Story of the PFM 3200 and the Mooney M20L

When Porsche set its sights beyond the racetrack, it wasn’t chasing lap times, it was chasing altitude.

In 1985, the engineers from Stuttgart reimagined the legendary 911 flat-six engine for the skies.

The result was the Porsche PFM 3200, an aviation masterpiece that powered the Mooney M20L, one of the most extraordinary experiments in the history of flight.

Born from the 911. The Porsche PFM 3200 Engine

At its heart, the Porsche PFM 3200 shared DNA with the iconic 911 Carrera engine.

A 3.2-liter, six-cylinder boxer built for endurance and smoothness, re-engineered for aviation with electronic ignition, digital propeller control, and the precision only Porsche could deliver.

It wasn’t just a car engine adapted for the sky; it was a full reinvention of what a Porsche engine could be.

The goal? To show the world that German engineering excellence could conquer both tarmac and turbulence.

The World Flight — Porsche Takes to the Skies

In July 1985, pilots Michael Schultz and Hans Kampik took off in a Mooney M20 fitted with the Porsche PFM 3200 engine.

Their mission: to fly around the world and prove that this new aircraft engine was as reliable as it was revolutionary.

Over six months and 100,000 kilometers, the Porsche-powered Mooney circled the globe from Europe to Asia, across the Pacific, through the Americas, and back home to Germany.

Six hundred flight hours later, they landed in Donaueschingen, having written one of the most underrated chapters in Porsche history.

The Mooney M20L — A Sports Car with Wings

After the success of the world tour, Porsche and Mooney introduced a production version: the Mooney M20L PFM.

Only 41 aircraft were ever built between 1988 and 1989, each powered by the Porsche PFM 3200 engine.

Sleek, fast, and elegant. It was the perfect blend of Porsche sophistication and aviation ambition.

But despite its innovation, the market wasn’t ready. Maintenance was complex, and pilots were skeptical of its all-electric ignition system.

Still, for those who knew, the M20L PFM wasn’t just an aircraft. It was a 911 with wings.

Legacy of the Porsche Plane

Today, only a handful of Porsche-powered Mooneys remain airworthy.

They are a living tribute to a time when Porsche dared to dream beyond the road.

The Porsche aircraft engine remains one of the brand’s most fascinating and lesser-known chapters, proof that Stuttgart’s obsession with precision has no limits, whether on asphalt, water, or sky.

Blog posts