Beech Sport

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jimwomble

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jimw
What's wrong with a Beechcraft Sport. Already know that compared to a Cherokee 140 they are slower, have less useful load, and maybe more difficult to land. Pluses are they are maybe $5000 cheaper, its a Beech, later ones have 2 doors, and built like a tank. Anything else?
 
jimwomble said:
What's wrong with a Beechcraft Sport. Already know that compared to a Cherokee 140 they are slower, have less useful load, and maybe more difficult to land. Pluses are they are maybe $5000 cheaper, its a Beech, later ones have 2 doors, and built like a tank. Anything else?
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I compared them heavily before getting my Cherokee 140...I don't think your "minuses" are that evident, or there at all. Some PA28s are heavier, some Beech Sports are faster, etc. I consider them more-or-less the same...Cherokee has one door, Sport has two...other than that, pretty much the same.
 
Sports are more demanding of speed control on final, pipers very forgiving. Sports will float if fast and like any other plane does not like being forced to land. The gear have compression rubber donuts, PIO that nose gear about 3 times in a forced landing and it snaps. No braking with full flaps, you will flat spot the tires.

I really enjoyed my time with the Sport/ Sundowner/Sierra.
 
BillTIZ said:
Sports are more demanding of speed control on final, pipers very forgiving. Sports will float if fast and like any other plane does not like being forced to land. The gear have compression rubber donuts, PIO that nose gear about 3 times in a forced landing and it snaps. No braking with full flaps, you will flat spot the tires.
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I'm surprised to hear that.
 
Sports are a fun, solid built plane. Maintenance is for the most part straight forward and not expensive to maintain. It's slow and the climb rate fully loaded is like a friend said "like a Beaver on floats at max gross weight".

They are very responsive, with a rock solid O-320 engine. You do need to be spot on with speeds when landing or it will float. I like the trailing link gear. If you do a weight and balance you need to follow the procedure to "T".

I use mph for everything, outer ring of airspeed indicator. Cruse 2450rpm, 120mph. Yesterday I held 700fpm up to 6,500ft. 60gal fuel, useable 56gal. Most days I get 8.5gph, I use 10gph for flight planning. A solid 5hr flight duration with reserve.

Mine is a 1974 model with two doors, and has the spin kit installed. Very docile in a stall. Heater works great (my wife likes that), and it has remarkability good visibility for a low wing aircraft.

Flown my Sport from the Gulf of Mexico to Alaska, 4 days flying 10hrs a day...:)

I must say if I were looking for a small Beech single I would go with the Sundowner with the 180hp O-360. Same plane just 180hp vs 150hp.
 
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If you want comfort,go with the beech,built like a tank also.
 
jimwomble said:
What's wrong with a Beechcraft Sport. Already know that compared to a Cherokee 140 they are slower, have less useful load, and maybe more difficult to land. Pluses are they are maybe $5000 cheaper, its a Beech, later ones have 2 doors, and built like a tank. Anything else?
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Hard to land??? not so much, I was 15 and learning to fly in a Beech Sport, ? It was easy to land and I soloed that bird with six hours of dual.
 
Saying its slower than a Piper Cherokee should get you a long way down the "what's wrong with it" checklist.
 
strangebird said:
Hard to land??? not so much, I was 15 and learning to fly in a Beech Sport, ? It was easy to land and I soloed that bird with six hours of dual.
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It all depends in what and how you are trained. Piper pilots allowed to have lack of speed control on final will have a tougher time in a Sport/Sundowner.
 
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