navion Rangemaster

[Chuck Dillon]

Hello, anyone here own or even flown a Navion Range master? I have been looking online at several, but have yet to fly one or talk to anyone that has.

I am hoping to buy an aircraft within the next six months and seeing as I cannot afford a Piper Matrix! (LOL). I have to scale down.

Thanks
Chuck

 

[SCCutler]

I sat in one, talked at length with the Owner.

Very roomy, he said it was strong-like-bull, built that way, that parts were not (much of) a problem.

You sure wouldn't see yourself comin' and goin' much, would you?

 

[Pilawt]

I flew one in 1971-72, when the FBO I worked for operated it briefly. It was the 260-hp 'G' model. It's been too long ago to remember the details, but generally I recall it was solid, docile, easy to fly. The airplane is tall; you look down on almost everyone else on the ramp. The five-seat cabin is big enough to rent out for weddings and bar mitzvahs, but the tank-slit windshields limit visibility. It is unusual in that its one cabin door is on the left side. That seems to make a lot of sense, because the PIC can ensure all the passengers are safely in before he closes the door, and he doesn't have to lean over someone else to do it.

It isn't fast, but with that humongous range (107 gallons, ~ 12 gph) you can skip fuel stops and get to the destination sooner than many much faster airplanes.

Below is my only photo of N2434T. As you can see, we had a pretty eclectic fleet. Sadly, 34T was destroyed in a fatal wreck in Nevada a few years ago.

Attached below is an advertising photo for an early 1960 model. Most Rangemasters had a slightly taller, reshaped rudder.

 

[cameronbm]

I've flow both G & H models. As mentioned, the interior is comfortable for 4, but the 5th seat is for small children only and does encroach on the baggage area (I think that's the biggest reason you don't find many planes with the 5th seat). I've never found the visibility to be that limited.

Navions feel heavy on the ground - they are big, tall and take some oomph to steer while taxiing. Off the ground, they lose that heavy feel and fly like they are on rails. They are very stable in the air (this is the same stable you get by lying on the ground with your arms and legs spread). The only thing likely to catch a transitioning pilot is that once the flaps and wheels are down, Navions go down (as in now, as in fast, as in like a brick). When landing, Navions come in steep and you have to watch the power - its not hard to land one if you watch your speed and don't get behind.

The hardest thing about transitioning to a Navion is figuring out the hydraulic system. Wheels and flaps are hydraulic and the system is activated by a central switch. Forget to throw the switch & the wheels won't go up (they will free-fall to down and lock).

You may want to post your query over on www.navionpilots.org or www.navionsociety.org.

Bruce