Best aircraft to fly 4 up with baggage to Bermuda

luvflyin said:
Yeah. It was just a punchline. I wasn't thinking of "flight planing" based on longest fairway.
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But you're right, more golf courses per capita than anywhere else in the world! A few cricket pitches too if you're really feeling sporty...
 
Bill Jennings said:
Looking at Wade airport on Gmaps, the GA ramp is all jets. Not a piston aircraft in sight. That sums it up right there.
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Check out KGPI on a holiday weekend, winter or summer. It looks the same. No room for us lowly piston guys as the jet jockeys have the ramp overflowing and stacked 3 deep.;) :D
 
Bill Jennings said:
Best bet. Lose an engine on a piston twin mid-way and you're still swimming.
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Not so. I regularly fly my NA Aztec from the east side of the Continental Divide, where I live, across the rocks to the west coast. You can bet I pay VERY close attention the single engine ceiling and climb performance for the conditions on each trip.

Radar Contact said:
Huh? Mine will easily carry the OP required 4 plus bags over 900nm at 175+kts and if I lose an engine it will maintain 7000.
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My calcs for the Aztec are similar.
Assuming 4 people plus baggage = 900 lb payload
At 10,000 ft I cruise at 160 kts TAS at 24 gph all in (if I am willing to lose 7 kts TAS to 153 it burns 22 gph)
160 gallons of fuel is another 960 lbs (there's 177 gal usable capacity)
If the OAT is +15C the single engine service ceiling at the half-way point is 6500 ft. with about 3.5 hours remaining to tanks empty in that configuration.

The Aztec is still a popular charter hauler around the Carribean islands, but I too wouldn't be doing any 900 nm over water non-stops in a piston airplane either.

If the OP wants to regularly traverse the Carribean, perhaps he should invest in one or the other of these: :cool: :)

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iamtheari said:
I do not understand the business case that justifies saying that operating costs are not a concern but purchase price is, and a purchase price of $150,000 at that. ... Any plane that a sane man would trust his family aboard for that trip will either cost more than $150,000 to buy (and
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Your analysis is spot on. But I learned that people who ask such questions usually are not for real, they often can't afford a decent Skyhawk, often aren't even pilots.
 
olasek said:
Your analysis is spot on. But I learned that people who ask such questions usually are not for real, they often can't afford a decent Skyhawk, often aren't even pilots.
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Whatever happened to the guy who needed a freighter capable of hauling cars in and out of 2000ft gravel strips ? He had just sold a 'courier business' and knew everything there was to know about air freight.
 
DA-42 and DA-62 are out of your price range, but those are perfect for the mission. The DA-62 can maintain altitude on 1 engine
 
weilke said:
Whatever happened to the guy who needed a freighter capable of hauling cars in and out of 2000ft gravel strips ? He had just sold a 'courier business' and knew everything there was to know about air freight.
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I forgot about that guy! Interesting thought exercise though, other than ex military planes there really aren't many (any?) that will fit that mission... Although if money was no object the MIL26 may fit the bill?

Zhunter said:
DA-42 and DA-62 are out of your price range, but those are perfect for the mission.
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I thought of the DA62 as well... with a range approaching 1,500 nm and burning JETA it's a solid choice. Twin engine, with decent performance on one engine... BUT... you're still flying an unpressurized plane where weather, winds, payload, etc. are going to dramatically reduce your range profile

If this person is serious about frequent hops to Bermuda and wants to go private I think you need to go jet. As much as I love the TBM and he utility of the PC12 is awesome the idea of flying for so long overwater on one engine would be a deal break for me!
 
For Bermuda, you really need a kerosene burner (turboprop or jet) and that might be a challenge with your budget.

There is no AVGAS in Bermuda. Anyone who flies a piston there must have it shipped in advance which gets rather expensive.
 
I'd go with this.

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Aerostar. A few Aerostar owners have already done it. It can maintain in the high teens on a single engine (actual altitude depends on engine model, everything from 290HP to 350HP per side).
With the aux tank, gross weight increase, pressurization increase I flew multiple times over 1100nm at 27-28K. Great plane.
Shipping the avgas there will likely break the bank. It is a thirsty bird.

This is what you really want:
http://www.dornierseawings.com/

Tim
 
The OP's mission is utterly unreasonable in anything short of a jet. Actually, its just plane unreasonable. Airplanes have to obey the laws of Physics just like the rest of us.
 
steingar said:
The OP's mission is utterly unreasonable in anything short of a jet. Actually, its just plane unreasonable. Airplanes have to obey the laws of Physics just like the rest of us.
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Are you trying to say the physics change with jet money?

Tim

Sent from my LG-TP260 using Tapatalk
 
Let's see, multi-engine; 2,000 mile range; 18,000 lb useful load....

Yep, he clearly needs a B-17. Even more range if you don't carry a whole lot of weight in bombs, guns, and ammo. :)
 
deyoung said:
Let's see, multi-engine; 2,000 mile range; 18,000 lb useful load....

Yep, he clearly needs a B-17. Even more range if you don't carry a whole lot of weight in bombs, guns, and ammo. :)
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If you're going that route then may as well get a -29 for the pressurization...
 
So did this guy buy a plane and make the trip?
 
Wayne877 said:
Hi there, I have business in Bermuda and need to go a few times a year. I can do this and combine vacation time with the family. I just don't want to have to rely on scheduled flights.
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You'll need something that runs on Jet-A as there is no 100LL in Bermuda. That means something more than $150K... a lot more.

Sailboat?
 
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