AdamZ
Touchdown! Greaser!
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2005
- Messages
- 14,869
- Location
- Montgomery County PA
- Display Name
Display name:
Adam Zucker
So as the title said I've been thinking about starting this thread for the past 12 years, since March 4, 2003 to be exact. That is the day that I passed my Private check ride. I've been waiting to post a thread when I FINALLY purchased a plane. So now I’m posting that I have a brand spanking new to me J35 Bonanza!
The journey to this purchase was a long one. It started out wanting to simply get into an Archer, such a great venerable plane. Over the years I’ve been all over the place when it came to what I wanted. The dreams included Archers, 182s, Comanche’s, Cardinals (fixed and retract) Actually had a prebuy done on a 177RG about 2 years ago. Lancair 360s and Tigers. I have at one time seriously considered a cirrus, club, 182 club, Cardinal club and an Archer Club. I've also tried to start a club on my own far too many times to count. All attempts ending in disappointment and frustration.
I've been beyond fortunate to have met great friends on POA especially Gary Shelby who made his Cherokee 140 available to me. Without his friendship and generosity I wonder if I’d have been flying for the past 8 years.
I think one of the reasons I didn't end up joining a club is that I live only 2 miles from my local airport and many of the opportunities were at fields further away. Ironically had I not lived within biking distance to an airport some of those other opportunities would have looked much more attractive. I know many here on POA travel further than 30 minutes to a club or plane. But I knew if I was to buy a plane or join a group I’d want to be able to say at the last minute gee I think I ‘ll go flying and drive two miles and go do it. So as things would progress that’s what happened.
So the journey to a plane was not an easy one, I saved like crazy, didn't travel much or spend lavishly, someone has a tagline on here that they drive old cars so they can afford to fly old airplanes. That describes me pretty well.
For years I’d search all the sites my wife refers to as airplane porn, Barnstormers, TAP , Controller, Global Plane Search, ebay etc. It got to the point where my wife said “Will you just buy a damn plane already” …..Well ok honey if you insist! I actually called on a few and some owners offered to fly the plane to me. I wouldn't let them as I didn’t want to have them burn AvFuel until I was absolutely sure their plane was of interest to me and I wasn't out for a free airplane ride.
I had some requirements they included an approach capable GPS, Auto Pilot, 180hp minimum, reasonable speed and a decent useful load. I also wanted something that was reasonably easy to get to via commercial airline or a comfortable flight in the Cherokee. Finally in late summer or early fall I saw a Bonanza listed on ebay within a 2 hour drive from me and based at an airport I had flown into numerous times. I’m not keen on bidding for a plane I have not inspected, but the plane looked clean in the listing and I was able to get the owners phone number so I called. The plane was owned by a woman and her late husband and now it was time to sell. The woman had her Private and had a good knowledge of planes. Unfortunately her price was too high for me but we had a nice talk and I wished her luck and invited her to call me if she could not sell and lowered her price.
Jump forward a couple of months and I got a call from the woman. The buyer she had backed out as he could not get a loan. Sadly her price was still too high for me so we had a nice chat and I again wished her luck and invited her to call me again if her price came down. About a month later another call from the seller. Long story short after a few more months and consultation with Ted DuPuis our resident engine guru and Spike King of the Bonanza Pilots I decided to make an offer, I Figured hey if you want it just make an offer. At this point I went to look at it and it was a clear COLD day with temps topping out around 4F. I think it was even colder in the hangar and I could not really even look at it the way I wanted to as it was so freaking cold. I was concerned about insulting her but the worst she could say was no, so I called her later that week and she said yes.
Now the only issue was to get it to the Mechanic we wanted to do the prebuy. She had a friend who flew the plane every few weeks since her husband died to keep it up to snuff and he agreed to fly it to the A&P we chose. Problem was the Wx. It was horrible in February! Then one day on my way to Court I get a call. He is at the airport with the plane and where should he park it, uhhh uhhhh that caught me by surprise. He obviously had a window that he wanted to take advantage of.
When the A&P first saw it It made me feel good to hear he gasp and say “ This is a magnificent Bonanza” He called over another pilot who has a Bo and a T34 who was equally excited. When they popped the cowl they both whispered ‘Beautiful it has the heavy duty case WOW’ So I was pretty sure I made the right move.
So long short was there were some minor issues that we adjusted the price for and I closed last Saturday and started my transition on Sunday. I have to confess I think the plane took off a minute before I did. About 20 minutes into the first flight I did think to myself, “Adam you fool, what have you done”? “ This is nothing like the Cherokee there is Sooooo much to learn! The fuel management in the older Bos is a bit of a pain but I’m told I’ll get used to it. I felt like I strapped on a Rocket! Buy the end of the first 2.5 I started to feel like “hey I’m going to get this and I’m having a hell of a lot of fun” Having a check out CFI that is President of the North East Bonanza Society is beyond helpful. Knowing how to instruct is one thing but intimately knowing the nuances of a particular type and model is so beneficial I can’t put it into words.
All in all it’s been a great experience. The seller was forthright, knowledgeable and easy to work with, the A&P was very good and the CFII fantastic.
So a bit about the Bo. It has the updated Deshannon panel so all the piano keys are gone. Avionics include a 530, GNS330 with traffic, GNS 440 Audio panel, JPI engine monitor, Narco MK12 Nav 2. Brittan B5 Auto Pilot . Deshannon thick glass all the way around, dual vent windows, Dual AND Single Yoke, IO-520 with the heavy duty case and 218 SMOH and a new prop and a bunch more. My wonderful wife is already asking me about where we are going to go.
If you’re interested here is a link to a few pics.
https://picasaweb.google.com/PilotE...authkey=Gv1sRgCOrX3YClqPat1wE&feat=directlink
The journey to this purchase was a long one. It started out wanting to simply get into an Archer, such a great venerable plane. Over the years I’ve been all over the place when it came to what I wanted. The dreams included Archers, 182s, Comanche’s, Cardinals (fixed and retract) Actually had a prebuy done on a 177RG about 2 years ago. Lancair 360s and Tigers. I have at one time seriously considered a cirrus, club, 182 club, Cardinal club and an Archer Club. I've also tried to start a club on my own far too many times to count. All attempts ending in disappointment and frustration.
I've been beyond fortunate to have met great friends on POA especially Gary Shelby who made his Cherokee 140 available to me. Without his friendship and generosity I wonder if I’d have been flying for the past 8 years.
I think one of the reasons I didn't end up joining a club is that I live only 2 miles from my local airport and many of the opportunities were at fields further away. Ironically had I not lived within biking distance to an airport some of those other opportunities would have looked much more attractive. I know many here on POA travel further than 30 minutes to a club or plane. But I knew if I was to buy a plane or join a group I’d want to be able to say at the last minute gee I think I ‘ll go flying and drive two miles and go do it. So as things would progress that’s what happened.
So the journey to a plane was not an easy one, I saved like crazy, didn't travel much or spend lavishly, someone has a tagline on here that they drive old cars so they can afford to fly old airplanes. That describes me pretty well.
For years I’d search all the sites my wife refers to as airplane porn, Barnstormers, TAP , Controller, Global Plane Search, ebay etc. It got to the point where my wife said “Will you just buy a damn plane already” …..Well ok honey if you insist! I actually called on a few and some owners offered to fly the plane to me. I wouldn't let them as I didn’t want to have them burn AvFuel until I was absolutely sure their plane was of interest to me and I wasn't out for a free airplane ride.
I had some requirements they included an approach capable GPS, Auto Pilot, 180hp minimum, reasonable speed and a decent useful load. I also wanted something that was reasonably easy to get to via commercial airline or a comfortable flight in the Cherokee. Finally in late summer or early fall I saw a Bonanza listed on ebay within a 2 hour drive from me and based at an airport I had flown into numerous times. I’m not keen on bidding for a plane I have not inspected, but the plane looked clean in the listing and I was able to get the owners phone number so I called. The plane was owned by a woman and her late husband and now it was time to sell. The woman had her Private and had a good knowledge of planes. Unfortunately her price was too high for me but we had a nice talk and I wished her luck and invited her to call me if she could not sell and lowered her price.
Jump forward a couple of months and I got a call from the woman. The buyer she had backed out as he could not get a loan. Sadly her price was still too high for me so we had a nice chat and I again wished her luck and invited her to call me again if her price came down. About a month later another call from the seller. Long story short after a few more months and consultation with Ted DuPuis our resident engine guru and Spike King of the Bonanza Pilots I decided to make an offer, I Figured hey if you want it just make an offer. At this point I went to look at it and it was a clear COLD day with temps topping out around 4F. I think it was even colder in the hangar and I could not really even look at it the way I wanted to as it was so freaking cold. I was concerned about insulting her but the worst she could say was no, so I called her later that week and she said yes.
Now the only issue was to get it to the Mechanic we wanted to do the prebuy. She had a friend who flew the plane every few weeks since her husband died to keep it up to snuff and he agreed to fly it to the A&P we chose. Problem was the Wx. It was horrible in February! Then one day on my way to Court I get a call. He is at the airport with the plane and where should he park it, uhhh uhhhh that caught me by surprise. He obviously had a window that he wanted to take advantage of.
When the A&P first saw it It made me feel good to hear he gasp and say “ This is a magnificent Bonanza” He called over another pilot who has a Bo and a T34 who was equally excited. When they popped the cowl they both whispered ‘Beautiful it has the heavy duty case WOW’ So I was pretty sure I made the right move.
So long short was there were some minor issues that we adjusted the price for and I closed last Saturday and started my transition on Sunday. I have to confess I think the plane took off a minute before I did. About 20 minutes into the first flight I did think to myself, “Adam you fool, what have you done”? “ This is nothing like the Cherokee there is Sooooo much to learn! The fuel management in the older Bos is a bit of a pain but I’m told I’ll get used to it. I felt like I strapped on a Rocket! Buy the end of the first 2.5 I started to feel like “hey I’m going to get this and I’m having a hell of a lot of fun” Having a check out CFI that is President of the North East Bonanza Society is beyond helpful. Knowing how to instruct is one thing but intimately knowing the nuances of a particular type and model is so beneficial I can’t put it into words.
All in all it’s been a great experience. The seller was forthright, knowledgeable and easy to work with, the A&P was very good and the CFII fantastic.
So a bit about the Bo. It has the updated Deshannon panel so all the piano keys are gone. Avionics include a 530, GNS330 with traffic, GNS 440 Audio panel, JPI engine monitor, Narco MK12 Nav 2. Brittan B5 Auto Pilot . Deshannon thick glass all the way around, dual vent windows, Dual AND Single Yoke, IO-520 with the heavy duty case and 218 SMOH and a new prop and a bunch more. My wonderful wife is already asking me about where we are going to go.
If you’re interested here is a link to a few pics.
https://picasaweb.google.com/PilotE...authkey=Gv1sRgCOrX3YClqPat1wE&feat=directlink
Last edited:
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