Bonanza for Novice Pilot?

Jaybird180

Jaybird180

Final Approach
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Jaybird180
Gulp- I think I may need a Bo. My need for GA has increased and for the foreseeable future is going to continue to increase. I think I need another airplane.

I was in a great partnership in an IFR Capable 1998 C-172S/G and I didn't fly it as much as I thought I would. That and a few other nuisances were the reason I sold my share; the tidy little profit didn't hurt either.

I'm not current. I'll need to refocus so I can get my IR done, and I think I can do that later in the year or early 2017. I'm right at 155hrsTT with most of my post checkride flying being XC mission hours; I'm not a T&G kinda pilot.

I've never been inside any type of Beechcraft, much less flown one. But from what I've read, they seem well suited for my family size and I love the speed and range capability. I doubt I'd use much of it and it would be a shame to waste all that capability.

What do you guys think of a Bonanza for a novice pilot? Easy transition?

I've got time in:
C-172, C-182, DA-20, DA-40, SR-22, Citabria, C-337 (not loggable), PA-28, M20J
 
Pull out your checkbook for your mechanic. My row of hangars at my home base if full of them, beautiful aircraft and a very happy repair shop nearby that specializes in them. Just my opinion.
 
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I can't help but look at J through P model 35s from time to time.
 
Jaybird180 said:
Gulp- I think I may need a Bo. My need for GA has increased and for the foreseeable future is going to continue to increase. I think I need another airplane.

I was in a great partnership in an IFR Capable 1998 C-172S/G and I didn't fly it as much as I thought I would. That and a few other nuisances were the reason I sold my share; the tidy little profit didn't hurt either.

I'm not current. I'll need to refocus so I can get my IR done, and I think I can do that later in the year or early 2017. I'm right at 155hrsTT with most of my post checkride flying being XC mission hours; I'm not a T&G kinda pilot.

I've never been inside any type of Beechcraft, much less flown one. But from what I've read, they seem well suited for my family size and I love the speed and range capability. I doubt I'd use much of it and it would be a shame to waste all that capability.

What do you guys think of a Bonanza for a novice pilot? Easy transition?

I've got time in:
C-172, C-182, DA-20, DA-40, SR-22, Citabria, C-337 (not loggable), PA-28, M20J
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Lucky for you this is PoA! I'm going to proceed to ignore everything you said about why that plane works for you and suggest an *insert aircraft here* of an entirely different mission profile than you requested. I know you weren't asking for suggestions but you would be stupid not to accept my opinion as fact. If you don't accept it as fact you will surely be killed like all Cirrus pilots. :stirpot:
 
Jaybird180 said:
Gulp- I think I may need a Bo. My need for GA has increased and for the foreseeable future is going to continue to increase. I think I need another airplane.

I was in a great partnership in an IFR Capable 1998 C-172S/G and I didn't fly it as much as I thought I would. That and a few other nuisances were the reason I sold my share; the tidy little profit didn't hurt either.

I'm not current. I'll need to refocus so I can get my IR done, and I think I can do that later in the year or early 2017. I'm right at 155hrsTT with most of my post checkride flying being XC mission hours; I'm not a T&G kinda pilot.

I've never been inside any type of Beechcraft, much less flown one. But from what I've read, they seem well suited for my family size and I love the speed and range capability. I doubt I'd use much of it and it would be a shame to waste all that capability.

What do you guys think of a Bonanza for a novice pilot? Easy transition?

I've got time in:
C-172, C-182, DA-20, DA-40, SR-22, Citabria, C-337 (not loggable), PA-28, M20J
Click to expand...

I do not think you will have a problem. That is what I'm looking to move to and I have flown mostly Cessnas. I would recommend going over to beachtalk.com if you really want some bonanza information and on what to get. You might even find someone that will give you a ride in one. But I can tell you for insurance your going to be looking at 5-20 hours of dual needed and your can look to pay around 1500 for the year. That was a quote before I got my IR and had 150 TT on a 54 model V-tail. Now the maintenance on them can be bad so you have to be very detailed in your pre-buy and you have to keep up with it. And if you really dig into it, anything with gear is going to cost you more then a 182 or a 6 seat Cherokee. You'll want to keep it in a hanger for sure. But I think if you want to go somewhere fast and carry 4 people in relative comfort then a bonanza is what you want.
 
Mtns2Skies said:
Lucky for you this is PoA! I'm going to proceed to ignore everything you said about why that plane works for you and suggest an *insert aircraft here* of an entirely different mission profile than you requested.
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haha, that's so true.
 
Jaybird180 said:
I'm thinking of an A-36
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A36 a real good XC machine. You'll probably be required to fly with a CFI for a number of hours by your insurance company, so if it's possible try to find a CFI with Bo teaching experience. The organization above (beechtalk) is a great source of information and Beechcraft (or whatever they call their selves this year:rolleyes:) actually have CFIs that go thru their training program that teaches them to teach. Maybe you can find one on their web site convenient to your location.

Another plane you might like to consider is a Piper Saratoga or older Lance (retracts). They have a cargo bin between the cockpit and firewall which is very helpful getting the plane with CG, capacity around 100 lbs or so. So what I'm saying you could possibly put 6 people in the plane. Cessna 206 (fixed gear) a good one, and a 210 which is a retract.
 
I got into a Mooney with 62 hours, you'll get into a Bo with 155 hours. The first year's insurance is a pain, so is the insurance-required dual.

But Beechcraft annuals and parts cost more, and their gear is much more complex than my simple electric motor. No Mooney will ever have two wheels down and one up without hitting something hard on your first landing attempt, a large steel frame member will have to break first.

On the other hand, A-36s are nice machines. That's what the previous owner of my Mooney moved into. Seems like it was 160-165 knots and ~14 gph; I run 140 knots and 9 gph.

Happy shopping, and whatever you end up with, get good training and fly safe!
 
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Since you've got time in an SR-22, and a Mooney, the transition into a Bo shouldn't be too painstaking. Very smooth and stable machine, and most of all a great XC airplane. As others have mentioned the insurance requirements to fly PIC can be a pain, but thats part of any HP aircraft. 155 hours is certainly not too little to make the jump into a Bo. GL!
 
They are nice.... I have a V-35A and the first ride I had in one was on the way home after the purchase.

The big question is....what is your budget?

After a few hours they become the easiest planes to fly and land. Yup easier to land than a Cherokee or a Cessna IMHO.
 
mscard88 said:
A36 a real good XC machine. You'll probably be required to fly with a CFI for a number of hours by your insurance company, so if it's possible try to find a CFI with Bo teaching experience. The organization above (beechtalk) is a great source of information and Beechcraft (or whatever they call their selves this year:rolleyes:) actually have CFIs that go thru their training program that teaches them to teach. Maybe you can find one on their web site convenient to your location.

Another plane you might like to consider is a Piper Saratoga or older Lance (retracts). They have a cargo bin between the cockpit and firewall which is very helpful getting the plane with CG, capacity around 100 lbs or so. So what I'm saying you could possibly put 6 people in the plane. Cessna 206 (fixed gear) a good one, and a 210 which is a retract.
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2nd the Beechtalk forum; those are the guys with the expertise. Have you sat in one? They look snug from a shoulder room aspect.
 
Not that snug. I'm a big guy, was always comfortable with another big guy up front. But I'm not real real big. ;);)
 
They are perfectly comfortable and for what it's worth, comparing a Bo to a Cherokee of any type is comparing apples to oranges. The Bo doesn't fly like a van. As others posted, go to www.beechtalk.com and also the American Bonanza Society (bonanza.org). I got my dual with an ABS certified instructor and it was well worth it. It's a beautiful plane to fly and hard to land poorly. I just wish they had Lycomings...
 
Jaybird180 said:
What do you guys think of a Bonanza for a novice pilot? Easy transition?
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Good choice. Obtain competent transition training. Get your IR in the plane right away. Depending on the ins Co, they may require 25hrs before you can take passengers, between initial checkout and IR, you won't have any idle time. First year insurance is going to be higher than what you were used from the 172, no different from any other transition to a complex plane.
 
Bo's ain't exactly fire breathing dragons, spend some time in it with a CFI and I'd wager you'll be fine.

I'd also get a V tail, if you're going to get a bo might as well get a bo
 
James331 said:
Bo's ain't exactly fire breathing dragons, spend some time in it with a CFI and I'd wager you'll be fine.

I'd also get a V tail, if you're going to get a bo might as well get a bo
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I've got a v-tail but if he has a growing family the aft CG could be an issue. A36 is better as a load hauler.
 
retpd2001 said:
Pull out your checkbook for your mechanic. My row of hangars at my home base if full of them, beautiful aircraft and a very happy repair shop nearby that specializes in them. Just my opinion.
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They're no worse on maintenance costs than other airplanes of comparable complexity. From a mechanic standpoint, I actually think a Mooney might be more expensive to maintain because they are harder and more annoying to work on, which equates to more time spent trying to inspect and resolve problems.

Hank S said:
I got into a Mooney with 62 hours, you'll get into a Bo with 155 hours. The first year's insurance is a pain, so is the insurance-required dual.
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For what it's worth, Mooney insurance seems to be disproportionately high compared to Bonanza insurance. It is on the order of close to double based on what I've seen.

I got into a Bonanza with very little complex time and no bonanza time and no instrument rating for a very reasonable sum. I don't think the op will have a problem getting insured right now, premiums are cheap and insurers are willing to take risks.
 
Figured my first plane would be a Mooney but lately I've gotten comfortable with the idea of a F33A. Seems like a real nice airplane.
 
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Turbine version too, at least there used to be.
 
I have only one flight in an A36 but two landings and it is the easiest airplane to land of any of the 10 types I have flown. Both my landings were amazing for having never flown the type.
 
Mtns2Skies said:
Lucky for you this is PoA! I'm going to proceed to ignore everything you said about why that plane works for you and suggest an *insert aircraft here* of an entirely different mission profile than you requested. I know you weren't asking for suggestions but you would be stupid not to accept my opinion as fact. If you don't accept it as fact you will surely be killed like all Cirrus pilots. :stirpot:
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I'm going to follow this up with: he just needs to get a Beech 18. And just to include the Henning effect....it should be one on floats!
 
Whatever happened to the guy who had this obsession to convince anyone who asked about any aircraft that what they needed a was a C210 ? Italian name from New Jersey iirc.
 
I have a J35 and love it. I moved up from a Cherokee 140 and at first the transition was like drinking from a fire hose but with some time with a CFII with a lot of Bo experience I became comfortable flying it in short order.
 
3rd vote for beech talk.

Might also consider "those incomparable bonanzas" by Larry ball. In nearly 70 years there have been so many different variations and STCs that just getting a handle on the base model is challenging. I've seen same model year BOs that looked and performed like different aircraft.

One thing is for sure- don't go fly one with your checkbook in your back pocket.
 
Glen R said:
Sure. Ferraris and Fords both have 4 wheels and get you to the same place.
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He's said he needs it for his family. You carry your family around in a Ferrari? o_O
 
GRG55 said:
How big is your family. An A36 is not a 6 place airplane if you actually want to use it cross country.
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Wife and 3 little ones. MIL seems to be with us a lot and has taken more than a few day trips with us.
 
Saratoga


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