7 passenger Plus

Fearless Tower said:
Twin Bos are cool, but for the acquisition and operating cost of a Twin Bo, you could have an equally nice Beech 18.

I guess it comes down to whether you need the little wheel up front.
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Correct me if I'm wrong, and I love Beech 18s, but the 18 is 5-10kts slower and burns 2x the fuel, correct? Plus the annual will cost 2x as much, it's harder to handle on the ground (tug), needs an even bigger parking space than the TBone, and has some major ADs to contend with (spar issues, right?).

But man, I still want a Beech 18!
 
bradg33 said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, and I love Beech 18s, but the 18 is 5-10kts slower and burns 2x the fuel, correct? Plus the annual will cost 2x as much, it's harder to handle on the ground (tug), needs an even bigger parking space than the TBone, and has some major ADs to contend with (spar issues, right?).

But man, I still want a Beech 18!
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I’ve looked at some T-bones, but never flown one. Don’t know the fuel burn.

I am sure it is less, but doubt it is half the fuel for the Twin Beech. As far as size, they both take up pretty much the same real estate. The Beech 18 has a 47’ span vs 45 for the Twin Bo. Both require a large box hangar.

Beech 18 annuals aren’t that bad if you get a good one. I suspect that a Twin Bo will be similar. The spar thing isn’t that bad. All the planes flying today have had the spar strap done. Then you just have to do the X-rays which are a pain, but that’s like every 1000 hrs.

It is easier to get parts for the Beech 18 both airframe and engines (they made so many of them in WWII and the engines are much better supported because of that and the fact that the ag folks are still using them).

My guess is the Twin Bo might be a little cheaper in fuel cost and insurance, but you may have a harder time maintaining it due to parts.

The Twin Beech is bigger and more comfortable inside though.

It really comes down to personal preference.

When I was looking to upgrade from the Baron, I was first looking at C340s, AC500s and Twin Bos. I didn’t like the 340 - too cramped. Twin Bos looked really cool and I loved AC500s. But neither would fit in a T-hangar, so I was going to have to pay for a 60 x 60 or pay a huge fee for a community hangar.

That was the tipping point. I’d always dreamed of owning a Beech 18 and I figured if I was going to need a 60 x 60, I might as well go for my dream airplane.
 
bradg33 said:
Correct me if I'm wrong, and I love Beech 18s, but the 18 is 5-10kts slower and burns 2x the fuel, correct? Plus the annual will cost 2x as much, it's harder to handle on the ground (tug), needs an even bigger parking space than the TBone, and has some major ADs to contend with (spar issues, right?)...
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Hmmmm. There's something incongruent about one of us twin owners pointing out how much more expensive it is to own some other twin. :eek::D

Just sayin' ;)
 
If going big, why not consider a Merlin III?

Tim
 
There's a pretty nice Beech 18 on Barnstormers right now.
 
Buy two planes and hire a pilot.
 
The new Diamond DA 62 I believe has a 7 seat configuration.

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Couple of other things to consider are pressurization and A/C. Pretty much musts in my opinion in the family flying you’re planning. I ended up with a 414 and am quite happy with it. I’d challenge a statement that says a piston C4xx is close in costs to a KIngAir. No way. (Unfortunately).

Figure out a way to do a trip in a C4xx.
 
Caravans are remarkably stable in price. Even if you had to borrow most of the purchase price, net over a couple of years of holding time you may come out ahead.
 
Fearless Tower said:
Possibly because I’ve never heard a pilot that has actually flown one speak highly of it.
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There few a few owners over on BeechTalk who talk very highly of it. I know very little about the plane personally.

Tim
 
Lance F said:
Couple of other things to consider are pressurization and A/C. Pretty much musts in my opinion in the family flying you’re planning. I ended up with a 414 and am quite happy with it. I’d challenge a statement that says a piston C4xx is close in costs to a KIngAir. No way. (Unfortunately).

Figure out a way to do a trip in a C4xx.
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If a King Air cost the same to operate as a 421/414, nobody would ever buy a 421/414! My big issues with King Airs are the extended pedestal that makes it difficult to get in the cockpit and the 5 year items. But, like all owners, I’m partial the the airplane that I currently own! :D
 
How about a commander. Fits the budget and the size. It’s a fast flying bus!! Unpressurized piston twin. Pain to hangar, but size they gots given their price points.
 
Lance F said:
I’d challenge a statement that says a piston C4xx is close in costs to a KIngAir. No way. (Unfortunately).
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Whoever said that?

King Air is more capable but hardly cheaper to operate. We’ve done the math. The one airplane that beats them all in capability and cost to operate is a PC-12. But most folks don’t have the money to acquire a Pilatus...so they buy what they can and spend the money to make it work.
 
tspear said:
There few a few owners over on BeechTalk who talk very highly of it. I know very little about the plane personally.

Tim
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Interesting. I wonder if that’s because they keep them in the hangar and don’t actually fly them?

I kid, but I’ve honestly never seen a privately owned Merlin. Every one I see is either military owned or DoD contractor. The guys I know that used to fly them did not speak highly of them.
 
N747JB said:
If a King Air cost the same to operate as a 421/414, nobody would ever buy a 421/414! My big issues with King Airs are the extended pedestal that makes it difficult to get in the cockpit and the 5 year items. But, like all owners, I’m partial the the airplane that I currently own! :D
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I would take a C-425 over any King Air all day long..!!!
 
Fearless Tower said:
King Air is more capable but hardly cheaper to operate. We’ve done the math. The one airplane that beats them all in capability and cost to operate is a PC-12. But most folks don’t have the money to acquire a Pilatus...so they buy what they can and spend the money to make it work.
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Seems most King Airs in the EMS role are still flying because they are paid for.

I have done the math as well, and yes, the PC-12 can do the same as a King Air in EMS roles at much less the cost. The only thing the King Air can do better than the PC-12 is flying with one engine shut down....:lol::lol:
 
Fearless Tower said:
I kid, but I’ve honestly never seen a privately owned Merlin. Every one I see is either military owned or DoD contractor. The guys I know that used to fly them did not speak highly of them.
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I had the misfortune of flying in a few Metroliners years ago. I think they belonged to Conquest Airlines, which was based in Austin and flew to mostly Texas destinations. There was nothing pleasant about boarding the Aluminum Tampon in Houston heat and humidity, praying takeoff and climb to flight levels would occur before you passed out.
 
drotto said:
The new Diamond DA 62 I believe has a 7 seat configuration.

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I was standing next to one in FL and that thing is tiny!
 
Fearless Tower said:
Interesting. I wonder if that’s because they keep them in the hangar and don’t actually fly them?

I kid, but I’ve honestly never seen a privately owned Merlin. Every one I see is either military owned or DoD contractor. The guys I know that used to fly them did not speak highly of them.
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Probably former Duke owners.
 
If you really want vintage, I saw a very nice looking Sabreliner getting ready to depart from Teterboro yesterday.
 
Fearless Tower said:
If you really want vintage, I saw a very nice looking Sabreliner getting ready to depart from Teterboro yesterday.
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I had a good friend in high school whose dad "The Colonel" flew CT-39As out of Kirtland AFB. I always liked hearing his stories about flying the brass around.
 
Fearless Tower said:
If you really want vintage, I saw a very nice looking Sabreliner getting ready to depart from Teterboro yesterday.
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And my BiL was their director of Mx until they were bought out and went Tango Uniform recently. He could maintain it for you! Still has his A&P and still has his clients that require he supervise all their inspections. So he flies around to various shops that do Sabreliners and directs traffic.
 
There's a Saberliner based at MKC that flies from time to time. Seems like it flies, then it undergoes constant maintenance until the next flight. Rinse, repeat.
 
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