Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Email: Richard from Calif

Jack, Dave, and Jeb,

You have a great podcast and I want to express my thanks to all of you for participating in it. I travel frequently on business and your podcast is a life saver on those long airline flights. In podcast 24 you started to discuss whether a new low time pilot should purchase an airplane with or without retractable gear. This conversation was sidetracked by Fun 'N Sun, but I hope you will come back to discussing the merits of various aircraft. I am a low time pilot who got my private certificate relatively late in life. Like many, I am time challenged and have come to the conclusion that the only way I will be able to fly more than 15 hours a year is if I purchase an airplane and use it to commute for my shorter business trips. I have concluded that a partnership or flying club would not work for me. I am looking to all of you for airplane advice and the answers to a few questions.

Here is my background:

I have 72 hours. I learned to fly a Beech Skipper (BE77) and have most of my hours in that make/model. The rest of my time is in a 1964, a 1970 and 1999 Cessna 172. Maybe is is because I learned on the Skipper, but for a number of reasons I won't go into here, I liked the Skipper much better than any of the Cessnas. After eliminating a number of aircraft for reasons of range, performance, price, etc, I have decided to search for an IFR equipped 1970 or later Cherokee or a Beech Sundowner.

Here is some specific information around your discussion on whether a first airplane should have retractable gear. I came across a Mooney M20C that I liked. I called AOPA insurance to see if I could even get insurance on this aircraft. Here is the result: They would insure me for 40K hull and 1M liability for $2050/year under the condition that I receive 15 hours of dual instruction in this airplane after which I perform 10 hours of solo prior to carrying any passengers. By comparison, I could insure a Beech Skipper for the same amount for $680/year and fly it immediately.

It would be helpful to me and probably many other listeners if you could answer these questions

Jeb: In looking at Sundowners, I have been told that Beech is not very good at supporting some of its older models. Has this been an issue for you with your Bonanza and if so has it been a major one? Is this a problem with any other manufacturers?

All: In looking at Pipers and Beech Musketeers one question is evident to me. Why would a manufacturer come up with what seems to be an otherwise excellent design, only to destroy it by designing only one door? I live in Souther California and 2 doors or an opening canopy is a very good thing in the summer.

All: Am I overlooking something or is there some advice you have for me and your other listeners in searching for a first aircraft?

Thanks and keep up the good work. It is much appreciated

Richard

1 Comments:

Blogger DeltaWhiskey said...

If you like the Beech Skipper, check out the Diamond line of aircraft. (http://www.diamondaircraft.com) My dad trained on a Skipper, and went for a "big skipper", a Diamond DA40 and we love it!

The DA20 gets respectable performance(125-135kts), gets awesome fuel burn, is not complex, but only holds two people. You can pick up a nice used one for well under $100,000.

If you need a larger aircraft, the DA40 is really a wonderful, fun-to-fly, all-around great utility aircraft. It's not a slouch (135kts), good fuel burn (8-9gal/hr), and decent payload. Insurance is reasonable, because it's not complex. The composite airframe is also very durable and low-maintenance.

Also, if you own your own business, there are tax advantages for purchasing a new aircraft versus a used aircraft, if the aircraft is used primarily for business. It may be that a monthly payment+maintenance+upkeep on a new aircraft may not be that much more than maintaining an older aircraft that nickel and dimes you to death.

12:02 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home