1948 A35 Bonanza

nddons

nddons

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Aug 4, 2007
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Waukesha County, WI
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Stan
The flight school I rent from just got rid of a 182RG and picked up a 1948 A35. Looking at the pictures online (she's not on the rental line yet) I noticed that it has a bench front row seat.

Are these very early Bonanzas ergonomically different from others of a newer vintage? In other words, are they tighter for us larger guys? Having never flown in one, I'd hate to prejudge the entire line if there is any difference on interior front seat room.

Also, on the FAA site, the MFR Year is 1948, but the A/W Date is in 1956. Why would that be? This is N672B.
 
nddons said:
The flight school I rent from just got rid of a 182RG and picked up a 1948 A35. Looking at the pictures online (she's not on the rental line yet) I noticed that it has a bench front row seat.

Are these very early Bonanzas ergonomically different from others of a newer vintage? In other words, are they tighter for us larger guys? Having never flown in one, I'd hate to prejudge the entire line if there is any difference on interior front seat room.

Also, on the FAA site, the MFR Year is 1948, but the A/W Date is in 1956. Why would that be? This is N672B.
Click to expand...


Wow! They went WAY back in years from a 182RG. :yikes:
 
bnt83 said:
Wow! They went WAY back in years from a 182RG. :yikes:
Click to expand...

That's an opinion.

The fact is that the early Bo's are sweet. I'd like to have one but there's a reason I bought a "more modern" 1961 model.


I don't believe they grew or shrunk much over the years. The early ones are lower powered, lighter and have some quirks but I've never met a person who didn't enjoy flying them.
 
bartmc said:
That's an opinion.

The fact is that the early Bo's are sweet. I'd like to have one but there's a reason I bought a "more modern" 1961 model.
Click to expand...


How is that an opinion? :confused:

1948 Bonanza

vs

182RG were certified in 1977.
 
nddons said:
The flight school I rent from just got rid of a 182RG and picked up a 1948 A35. Looking at the pictures online (she's not on the rental line yet) I noticed that it has a bench front row seat.

Are these very early Bonanzas ergonomically different from others of a newer vintage? In other words, are they tighter for us larger guys? Having never flown in one, I'd hate to prejudge the entire line if there is any difference on interior front seat room.

Also, on the FAA site, the MFR Year is 1948, but the A/W Date is in 1956. Why would that be? This is N672B.
Click to expand...

In 1956, all GA aircraft had to be reregistered. Not a big deal unless one forgot to do it.
 
The early Bonanzas had a fixed seat position so you couldn't move the seat forward or back. I really haven't found it to be a big deal though. Sit in it and see what you think, I think there is plenty of space up front.
 
The seat bottom is fixed to the spar box. The seat backs are individually fixed to the pivot point at the base, just behind the seat bottom back edge. The seat back frame uprights have a 3/4" plug end in the bottom of the frame that can be screwed in or out to change the tilt angle of the seat back, but the base stays in the same location. So, it can recline a certain amount.

The rudders have three stop adjustments that still allow for full rudder travel. The most rearward stop is for pilots from 5-2 up to about 5-7. The middle stop for 5-8 to 5-11, and the lowest stop from 6' and up. To change the rudder stop, reach down to the rudder leg standing up and squeeze the adjustment clamp which is spring loaded, then push or pull the rudder to the stop you want, and release. Must be done for each pedal. The rudders on the right will also fold flat to the floor using the same adjustment clamp on the side of the rudder leg.

Pilots who are wide like the bench seat because it gives them more room to spread out. It's not the best system but you should be able to find a comfy spot with the seat back and rudder adjust.
 
Very nice looking Bonanza. I hope you are able to fly it quite a lot. I imagine someone will come along and buy it if it is a nice as it looks.

Scott
 
A nickel's worth of free advice. You can order and install a shoulder harness kit from WagAero for the front seats. I strongly encourage people to have that done. It's not very expensive, and will make all the difference in case of a emer.

Nice looking plane. The gear retract time on the A35 is glacial, so I suggest you be aggressive with the gear switch after takeoff. You have extra HP avail but the gear is quite slow. It will run about 135-140kts @ 8.7GPH @ 8500'. Turn up the engine harder, and the fuel flow goes up pretty quick. It can take autogas if you have the STC.
 
30 seconds to search:

Airport / FBO
Mogas
$4.20—$5.20
average $4.43
C47 Portage Municipal Airport Portage, WI
Air Portage independent
SS $4.39
15-May
update
99C
38 SSE Quam's Marina Seaplane Base Stoughton, WI
Quam's Marina
FS $4.99
02-Aug-2013
update
KHXF
49 ESE Hartford Municipal Airport Hartford, WI
City of Hartford (automated fuel pump) independent
SS $4.199
08-May
update
88C
56 SE Palmyra Municipal Airport Palmyra, WI
Palmyra Municipal Airport / Agen Aviation
RA $3.69
09-May
update
02C
64 ESE Capitol Airport Brookfield, WI
Brookfield Aero independent
AS $4.37
18-May
update
57C
67 SE East Troy Municipal Airport East Troy, WI
Aviator Services LLC independent
SS $4.50
14-May
update
73C
70 SW Lancaster Municipal Airport Lancaster, WI
Lancaster Aviation
SS $4.20
21-May
update
62C
76 SE Cindy Guntly Memorial Airport Franksville, WI
Guntly Aircraft Repair
FS $4.50
02-May
update
C77
79 SSE Poplar Grove Airport Poplar Grove, IL
Poplar Grove Airmotive
EPIC
FS $5.20
28-Apr
update
KAUW
82 N Wausau Downtown Airport Wausau, WI
Wausau Flying Service
AS $4.25
30-Apr
update
 
steingar said:
More where I am than there used to be, but almost all at marinas. Not what I'd call convenient, and good luck hauling 20 gallons of the stuff around.
Click to expand...
why would you haul 20 gallons? Most US states allow you to haul 50 gal regulation-free. And you don't need a big vehicle to do it
 

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JHW said:
why would you haul 20 gallons? Most US states allow you to haul 50 gal regulation-free. And you don't need a big vehicle to do it
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Truck helps, and I don't have one of those. Most folks don't like getting gas on their upholstery.
 
Well, today Mr. Hausch and I attended ground school for this "new" Bonanza. There seem to be some very interesting quirks with such an old plane.

I guess I was never aware that some Bonanzas had an auxiliary fuel talk below or behind the rear seat. Fuel in the cabin? I'm a little uncomfortable about that. Has that been removed at some point in later decades?

Apparently at no time in 66 years did anyone think about putting in shoulder belts.

It was in the shop with the panel being worked on, so we couldn't sit in it, but it has a non-movable bench seat and non-movable rudder pedals. Hmmm. I'm not a one-size-fits-all kind of guy.

It has something called a "swamp cooler." After a little research, it looks like circa 1948 air conditioning! http://www.vintagebonanza.com/air_conditioner.htm
 
nddons said:
Well, today Mr. Hausch and I attended ground school for this "new" Bonanza. There seem to be some very interesting quirks with such an old plane.

I guess I was never aware that some Bonanzas had an auxiliary fuel talk below or behind the rear seat. Fuel in the cabin? I'm a little uncomfortable about that. Has that been removed at some point in later decades?

Apparently at no time in 66 years did anyone think about putting in shoulder belts.

It was in the shop with the panel being worked on, so we couldn't sit in it, but it has a non-movable bench seat and non-movable rudder pedals. Hmmm. I'm not a one-size-fits-all kind of guy.

It has something called a "swamp cooler." After a little research, it looks like circa 1948 air conditioning! http://www.vintagebonanza.com/air_conditioner.htm
Click to expand...

The swamp coolers work, unfortunately, they don't work on the ground. I can't swear to it, but the rudder pedals should be adjustable.

Does it have the wobble pump on it still…???
 
JHW said:
why would you haul 20 gallons? Most US states allow you to haul 50 gal regulation-free. And you don't need a big vehicle to do it
Click to expand...

Actually, I think a lot of states allow 115 gallons without having to jump thru too many DOT hoops. I'm pretty sure that's the allowance here.
 

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bartmc said:
Does it have the wobble pump on it still…???
Click to expand...

No. It appears to now have an elec aux pump. The wobble/fuel selector, well, I am not sure if the wobble remains, but I think there still is some means of manually pumping. Frankly, still a little confused on that part, but will research further if I decide to get some dual in it.

This has been upgraded to an E-225-8 and the hydraulic prop.
 
The rudder pedals have a spring loaded latch on the left side of the rudder arm. Pinch them in, and adjust as needed. The seat back, but not the bottom has plug stops on the bottom of the folding seat back that can be adjusted for rake.

The swamp cooler should be removed and investigated so that you have the right wicks in there, and that they aren't all moldy. Four snaps and the swamp box comes off with the two rubber hoses in back pulled off. There is a drain valve on the rear wall of the baggage bay to drain the swamp cooler of water. It takes a one gallon jug poured into the upper vent to make it work. They provide very cool air once you reach about 5000' and higher. There is a fresh air vent forward of your left knee, turn the center knob out for more air. There are two fresh air vents on the front firewall in the upper corner. They are opened by sticking your toe under the latch and pulling your foot back, and closed by pushing on them with your foot.

No airplane(except military) had shoulder harnesses in 1948. The best addition is the one's from Wag Aero for $250 per side plus install. They are four point, and non retracting. You can also get inertia style from BAS for more money. I don't care for the BAS inertia reel but I'm weird.

Aux tanks are either 10, 18, or 20 gallon and sit behind the rear seat. They are filled from a neck in the left side of the fuselage behind the wing. There is a drain directly below the tank, and the selector valve below your left knee, which is also the manual fuel pump. There is a panel switch on the left side labelled "aux fuel" which you lift up to have the gauge read the fuel in that tank. The switch next to it is for left or right. Make sure the switch for the gauge matches the tank you are running from. It's a common problem for Bonanza pilots to not learn the fuel system. Mistakes are often costly(with no shoulder harnesses, sometimes fatal).

Models from 1955 and later offered two wing aux tanks. They were not an option and cannot be installed on the 1948 models.

I strongly suggest getting a vintage Bonanza book from one of the experts. Go here, and read as well. http://www.vintagebonanza.com/. Also, get some instruction so you don't go damage that fine plane.
 
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nddons said:
Well, today Mr. Hausch and I attended ground school for this "new" Bonanza. There seem to be some very interesting quirks with such an old plane.

I guess I was never aware that some Bonanzas had an auxiliary fuel talk below or behind the rear seat. Fuel in the cabin? I'm a little uncomfortable about that. Has that been removed at some point in later decades?

Apparently at no time in 66 years did anyone think about putting in shoulder belts.

It was in the shop with the panel being worked on, so we couldn't sit in it, but it has a non-movable bench seat and non-movable rudder pedals. Hmmm. I'm not a one-size-fits-all kind of guy.

It has something called a "swamp cooler." After a little research, it looks like circa 1948 air conditioning! http://www.vintagebonanza.com/air_conditioner.htm
Click to expand...

Nice meeting you today, Stan.

On the aux tank question, I think the E35 in 1954 was the last with the factory fuselage aux tank option. According to "Those Incomparable Bonanzas", the F35 was the first to offer aux wing tanks.

The book disagrees with what I think they said in the class about UL. It says "weight available for people and baggage, standard tanks full.... 817 lbs.". With 40 gal std fuel, that is a UL over 1k. It is possible she's gained weight over the years, but we'll see what comes with further research...

Since the FAA has made it easier to retrofit shoulder harnesses, I hope SCA does so.

Have you sat in any Bo's yet? I've heard others complain of "low headroom", but, at 5'9" (in thick socks), it is not something I have noticed.

If we meet up for coffee or an adult beverage some time, I will lend you this book if interested.
 
jhausch said:
Nice meeting you today, Stan.

On the aux tank question, I think the E35 in 1954 was the last with the factory fuselage aux tank option. According to "Those Incomparable Bonanzas", the F35 was the first to offer aux wing tanks.

The book disagrees with what I think they said in the class about UL. It says "weight available for people and baggage, standard tanks full.... 817 lbs.". With 40 gal std fuel, that is a UL over 1k. It is possible she's gained weight over the years, but we'll see what comes with further research...

Since the FAA has made it easier to retrofit shoulder harnesses, I hope SCA does so.

Have you sat in any Bo's yet? I've heard others complain of "low headroom", but, at 5'9" (in thick socks), it is not something I have noticed.

If we meet up for coffee or an adult beverage some time, I will lend you this book if interested.
Click to expand...

Likewise, Jim. I'd like to look at that book, and doing that over a beer would be great.
 
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