Upgrading to a faster plane

I would stay away from the 225 engine. Kind of an orphan. Try to find a fuel injected 470 with a mo-gas STC. The 470 is a great engine, fully supported, and has a belt driven alternator. The deb like the one I linked earlier are the only ones that have them to my knowledge in your price range.
 
Jhernandez04 said:
I plan to get my IFR rating in whatever plane I buy, is this not a good IFR platform?
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It works, /G is better. The wing leveler is Ok, but an autopilot with GPSS and at least altitude hold is better. GPS and Autopilot are big ticket items that will wash away any value in the nicest 40K Bonanza. I tried to buy a 40K Bonanza, I wound up spending considerably more, but much less than had I bought the plane in that link and had my panel installed in it. It was slightly less than a year when I started shopping until my plane found me. I got a little psycho with my shopping for the last 4 months of the hunt.
 
bartmc said:
It works, /G is better. The wing leveler is Ok, but an autopilot with GPSS and at least altitude hold is better. GPS and Autopilot are big ticket items that will wash away any value in the nicest 40K Bonanza. I tried to buy a 40K Bonanza, I wound up spending considerably more, but much less than had I bought the plane in that link and had my panel installed in it. It was slightly less than a year when I started shopping until my plane found me. I got a little psycho with my shopping for the last 4 months of the hunt.
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Well im not psycho yet.....
 
Jhernandez04 said:
I plan to get my IFR rating in whatever plane I buy, is this not a good IFR platform?
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It looks pretty basic by today's standards -- you CAN fly IFR in it but the question is whether it will meet your needs. There's not much use for rho-theta RNAV today (I assume that's what the Collins is -- a quick google search turned up very little info on it). Why is the DME inop? If you want an A/P, you want more than a wing leveler. I suspect Ed's right -- add $15 or so for a 430 installed. Even better, a 430W.

I don't know anything about the airplane itself as I never seriously considered a Bo.
 
AdamZ said:
Yeah you were what? 16? 17? Age makes a HUGE difference.
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17. In my advanced age I've decided not to do such flights anymore. My daily flyin limit is now 6 hours and I'll stop for te night. Unless I'm still feelin pretty good.
 
Jhernandez04 said:
I plan to get my IFR rating in whatever plane I buy, is this not a good IFR platform?
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it looks to meet IFR requirements and actually has a 2nd glideslope. As others have mentioned, upgrading will be expensive.

I don't know much about Bonanzas, but an autopilot on my mooney would run 10-15k, a 430W install around 9K (used). A GPSS (links GPS to autopilot) can run 3 grand or so. If you can find a plane with AP and 430 GPS, it saves you 15-20 grand down the road. Also, I didn't see an engine monitor listed. That isn't 100% necessary, but I really like having one.

The bad thing about my autopilot (STEC) on certified planes is that the STC has your plane's serial #. I can't simply sell it to you and let you install it. You have to send it back to the company and recertify it ($$$). I don't know much about the Century that is listed on the plane you linked.

Lots of things to think about when buying a plane. A good deal now could cost you lots of $$ down the road.
 
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I don't know about the later V-35, but with all my 'Bo experience being in a '55 E-35 I can't remember anything resembling an autopilot. I do remember being my old man's autopilot on a million cross countries and the joys of throwing the yoke over to the other side as a little kid and suddenly being in control over the rockies on a bumpy summer day......I also remember hours of VOR naving from coast to coast.......I remember how horrible the attitude gyro and turn and bank indicator was and how in later years I got scared watching my million hour old man shoot an ILS to KPDX.....and I remember my most memorable flight, as a 28 year old carrier qualified jet aviator, when the old man finally after probably 20 years let me land the damned thing......and I remember bouncing 2/3 of the way down the runway fiddling with the stupid throttle lock and forgetting how to flare. And every time I go on the road on a ccx in any airplane, I remember the smell of that ancient E-35, and landing at random FBOs around the country, and I remember that time with my folks that I will probably never relive aside from in my memories. I'm not sure what value if any this post has, but I guess the old Bonanza makes me feel a little nostalgic.
 
schmookeeg said:
Rotten. Try this:

http://www.controller.com/listingsd...NANZA/1964-BEECHCRAFT-S35-BONANZA/1271611.htm

If you want low-SMOH, Garmin IFR-capable GPS, 2-ax autopilot, AND a reasonable plane, you're gonna have a hard time at 60k. This one at least has 500hrs left on the engine -- plenty of time to save the 20k for that MOH.

$0.02

- Mike
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now you're cookin with gas. That's nicely equipped and a reasonable price, and the airframe should be relatively light weight even with the 3-blade prop.
 
DavidWhite said:
17. In my advanced age I've decided not to do such flights anymore. My daily flyin limit is now 6 hours and I'll stop for te night. Unless I'm still feelin pretty good.
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Old man. 10 hour days are fine in my old age.
 
DavidWhite said:
17. In my advanced age I've decided not to do such flights anymore. My daily flyin limit is now 6 hours and I'll stop for te night. Unless I'm still feelin pretty good.
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Depends for me, on the flight, the conditions and whether there is a co-pilot. I have done 6 he's a few times, 2 stops is different than 4, and another pilot helps to keep you entertained, and not hand flying it all. But I always know I will be tired after 6
 
That S has been on it's belly a few times, and maybe into a fence or something. If it was fixed right that shouldn't be a problem, but I'd want it out to Cruisair in CA for a good check over. The radios look fine, and it's got all the rest of the stuff. It would be a one check does it all, cause you don't 'upgrade' much from an S35.

Offer $60k, send it out to Ramona, and have him go over it from tip to tail then fly your butt off.
 
Jhernandez04 said:
I'll be doing my checkride within the month (50.1hrs) so im excited about that but I'm going to sell my cherokee 235 and will be searching for a plane that has better efficiency and speed. So this means complex/retract. Im fine with that.

My question is about the Beechcraft 35 aircraft and its v-tail. Are they as dangerous as everyone (locals) acting like? So far none of the naysayers have been owners. I want as close to 170kts as possible with around 1100lbs of useful with a fuel burn less than 15p/h.

So, is it debonair, bonanza or Comanche? And why?

Thank you for your time.
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Go for the Deb.
 
DavidWhite said:
17. In my advanced age I've decided not to do such flights anymore. My daily flyin limit is now 6 hours and I'll stop for te night. Unless I'm still feelin pretty good.
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Wait until you get a job as a pilot. Part 135 limits are 8 hours single-pilot and 10 if you are part of a crew.
 
Everskyward said:
Wait until you get a job as a pilot. Part 135 limits are 8 hours single-pilot and 10 if you are part of a crew.
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I think it'd be different once I start getting paid - but right now I fly for fun and flying for more than 6 hours just isn't very fun for me.
 
DavidWhite said:
I think it'd be different once I start getting paid - but right now I fly for fun and flying for more than 6 hours just isn't very fun for me.
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If you don't find 8-10 hours in a day fun, a pilot job will drag on.
 
DavidWhite said:
17. In my advanced age I've decided not to do such flights anymore. My daily flyin limit is now 6 hours and I'll stop for te night. Unless I'm still feelin pretty good.
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Did I just miss something.....did Mr. David White just refer to his 'advanced age'???
 
OrangeOkie said:
Over 5000 hrs on the frame. Not the ideal situation when you can buy a low time frame and engine in a Viking for the same money. Did you watch the video?:wink2:
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Mmm I've done some research into this and spoken to a knowledgable source or two and I believe a high time AF that's been flown and well cared for is not an issue,and certainly preferable than a low time AF that has not been flown.

To the OP, can I ask why you have ruled out the Comanche? It's really a great plane seems to meet your mission and from what I've seen can be had well equipped for equal yo or less than the Bo's.
 
The only two things that can't be changed are TTAF and damage history. Whether it's a quality issue or a value issue can be debated, but in no case is it a positive.

AdamZ said:
Mmm I've done some research into this and spoken to a knowledgable source or two and I believe a high time AF that's been flown and well cared for is not an issue,and certainly preferable than a low time AF that has not been flown.

To the OP, can I ask why you have ruled out the Comanche? It's really a great plane seems to meet your mission and from what I've seen can be had well equipped for equal yo or less than the Bo's.
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AdamZ said:
Mmm I've done some research into this and spoken to a knowledgable source or two and I believe a high time AF that's been flown and well cared for is not an issue,and certainly preferable than a low time AF that has not been flown.

To the OP, can I ask why you have ruled out the Comanche? It's really a great plane seems to meet your mission and from what I've seen can be had well equipped for equal yo or less than the Bo's.
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I like Comanche's too, but my reason for going with a Bo over a Comanche was that, 1) There's a lot more Bonanza's to sort through, most seem to be better equipped than their Comanche counterparts. That was just my observation. 2) The AD list on the Comanche caused me to take pause. 3) Piper has abandoned the Comanche, I know owners say parts are out there etc... etc... etc... But I've heard at least a few things are getting to be more problematic to fix/overhaul. Had a Comanche come a long that fit my mission, I wouldn't have ran away from it. It just seemed easier to find "my plane" in the Bonanza classified section.
 
I thought Bonanza parts had a reputation for being double their Piper or Cessna counterparts. Has this changed or just overstated? In my shopping I figured that in annuals the Beech would be about 1.5x compared to the others.
 
masloki said:
I thought Bonanza parts had a reputation for being double their Piper or Cessna counterparts. Has this changed or just overstated? In my shopping I figured that in annuals the Beech would be about 1.5x compared to the others.
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Other way around. Parts prices are about the same (that is to say, brands P, C, B, and M are all equally outrageous) but over the long haul the beech will use less parts than the others.
 
AdamZ said:
Mmm I've done some research into this and spoken to a knowledgable source or two and I believe a high time AF that's been flown and well cared for is not an issue,and certainly preferable than a low time AF that has not been flown.

To the OP, can I ask why you have ruled out the Comanche? It's really a great plane seems to meet your mission and from what I've seen can be had well equipped for equal yo or less than the Bo's.
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I ruled them out when I found the Viking, but due to needing to be hangered I cannot persue the Viking and the Comanche is right back in the mix.
 
Jhernandez04 said:
I ruled them out when I found the Viking, but due to needing to be hangered I cannot persue the Viking and the Comanche is right back in the mix.
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You should rule out the viking because it is a pig, not because it needs a hangar. ALL airplanes need a hangar. When you get your Comanche or Bo/Deb, do yourself a favor and put it under roof
 
JHW said:
Other way around. Parts prices are about the same (that is to say, brands P, C, B, and M are all equally outrageous) but over the long haul the beech will use less parts than the others.
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Having heard the longstanding stories of how Beechcraft parts are expensive and being a Cessna owner myself, I believe you on the parts cost, but what about a Beech makes the use of parts less?
 
JHW said:
You should rule out the viking because it is a pig, not because it needs a hangar. ALL airplanes need a hangar. When you get your Comanche or Bo/Deb, do yourself a favor and put it under roof
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Well when I work in south Texas for two weeks at a time it's not able to be hangered.... Try finding some hanger space ;)
 
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