OzzyBlue
Filing Flight Plan
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2019
- Messages
- 10
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OzzyBlue
G’day everyone, I’m hoping for a bit of advice on my next aircraft purchase.
For background, I’ve been flying for a little over a year. Have 300+ hours and am almost finished commercial and IFR ratings. I fly on the west coast regularly with the average one way trip being 500+NM. I mostly land on 3000ft paved runways, often at 4000ft or so altitude. Lots of mountain flying and prefer 13-17k cruise altitudes. Mission usually includes my wife and 3yo daughter plus a lot of luggage. I’ve owned three planes (beech B19, Cessna 205) and I’m currently flying a Cessna T210k which does most of what I need, but not all so I’m in the search for my next 3-5+ year plane and the equation is doing my head in a bit lol.
Needs:
6 seats with 1200lbs+ usable (higher the better), 90+ gallon tanks, solid IFR platform, factory oxygen, full deice (fiki preferred), turbo powered, 180-200+ knots, single engine, ability to fit into 40’ hangar
Wants:
Super comfortable and roomy interior for family, easy access, factory A/C, high wing would be nice
Budget: around $500k
My T210k checks most most of the boxes but I don’t see it as a long term prospect. It doesn’t have the loading ease that I’d like and it’s slower than I’d like long term. I flight plan on 150knots and I never see close to the published speeds, POH says 187knots TAS which is beyond wishful thinking.
I’d thought I’d end up buying a newer T206h but after speaking to a few owners, their speeds are no better or less than I’m getting now so that’s not exciting.
I looked at and ruled out the Bonanza. Wife doesn’t like it and I find it a bit cramped.
Then I found the Piper matrix and kinda fell in love. It does everything I need it to, looks great for the family, fast, stable etc etc. i also looked at an older Malibu. I’m open to it but not convinced the extra weight and cost associated with pressurization is worth it. In any case, that airframe is too wide for my hangar and I don’t want to tie down or relocate.
I then looked at the Saratoga II TC which looks pretty good comfort and speed wise but the useful load is dismal. Most that are up for sale have sub 1000lbs which is a non starter. I can’t find an STC to increase that so again, moving on
So I’m now seriously looking at a mid 1980’s Saratoga SP. Older than I’d like but Useful load is excellent (most have 1400lbs +), comfort and loading ability looks great and published speeds are ok. I figure I can get into one for mid to high 200k and upgrade Avionics etc to make it more modern.
So that’s where I’m at and I simply have two questions:
1) am I missing anything that I should be looking at?
2) are there any Saratoga SP owners out there that can give me actual numbers on their air speeds? I definitely don’t want to go slower than I am right now.
Thanks in advance!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
For background, I’ve been flying for a little over a year. Have 300+ hours and am almost finished commercial and IFR ratings. I fly on the west coast regularly with the average one way trip being 500+NM. I mostly land on 3000ft paved runways, often at 4000ft or so altitude. Lots of mountain flying and prefer 13-17k cruise altitudes. Mission usually includes my wife and 3yo daughter plus a lot of luggage. I’ve owned three planes (beech B19, Cessna 205) and I’m currently flying a Cessna T210k which does most of what I need, but not all so I’m in the search for my next 3-5+ year plane and the equation is doing my head in a bit lol.
Needs:
6 seats with 1200lbs+ usable (higher the better), 90+ gallon tanks, solid IFR platform, factory oxygen, full deice (fiki preferred), turbo powered, 180-200+ knots, single engine, ability to fit into 40’ hangar
Wants:
Super comfortable and roomy interior for family, easy access, factory A/C, high wing would be nice
Budget: around $500k
My T210k checks most most of the boxes but I don’t see it as a long term prospect. It doesn’t have the loading ease that I’d like and it’s slower than I’d like long term. I flight plan on 150knots and I never see close to the published speeds, POH says 187knots TAS which is beyond wishful thinking.
I’d thought I’d end up buying a newer T206h but after speaking to a few owners, their speeds are no better or less than I’m getting now so that’s not exciting.
I looked at and ruled out the Bonanza. Wife doesn’t like it and I find it a bit cramped.
Then I found the Piper matrix and kinda fell in love. It does everything I need it to, looks great for the family, fast, stable etc etc. i also looked at an older Malibu. I’m open to it but not convinced the extra weight and cost associated with pressurization is worth it. In any case, that airframe is too wide for my hangar and I don’t want to tie down or relocate.
I then looked at the Saratoga II TC which looks pretty good comfort and speed wise but the useful load is dismal. Most that are up for sale have sub 1000lbs which is a non starter. I can’t find an STC to increase that so again, moving on
So I’m now seriously looking at a mid 1980’s Saratoga SP. Older than I’d like but Useful load is excellent (most have 1400lbs +), comfort and loading ability looks great and published speeds are ok. I figure I can get into one for mid to high 200k and upgrade Avionics etc to make it more modern.
So that’s where I’m at and I simply have two questions:
1) am I missing anything that I should be looking at?
2) are there any Saratoga SP owners out there that can give me actual numbers on their air speeds? I definitely don’t want to go slower than I am right now.
Thanks in advance!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
