Cross Country Aircraft

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Stets656

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Ben
Looking for an aircraft for personal/business use. Will mostly be used for medium to long range cross countries. (Anywhere from 900 to 1300 miles). Max price point is 250k. Like it to be at least 180 knots, (190-200 knots would be ideal) range that can make these trips without a fuel stop and can hold 3 people and a decent amount of baggage. Doesn't have to be glass, has to be a somewhat decent IFR platform. Is there anything out there that fits this bill within the price range?
 
Older Malibu?
 
A couple singles:
Mooney Ovation
Cirrus SR22

If you are multi certified it opens a lot of doors:
Cessna 310
Baron 55/58
That price range you can find a Cessna 340 if you want pressurized
 
How much are you willing to spend per year on fuel, maintenance, hangar, etc.
Cirrus, multi engine, turbos...all cost $$.
The Ovation is probably the lowest...
Do you expect to fly in bad weather (IFR, FIKI?)
 
teejayevans said:
How much are you willing to spend per year on fuel, maintenance, hangar, etc.
Cirrus, multi engine, turbos...all cost $$.
The Ovation is probably the lowest...
Do you expect to fly in bad weather (IFR, FIKI?)
Click to expand...

IFR is a must, FIKI is not a deal breaker. Multi engine is probably a no go, just because you don't get that much in return for what your paying.
 
Now that I think about it, range isn't a deal breaker, the longer the better tho.
 
Range is tough, Mooney may come closest...
but with that much fuel you won't carry 3 and a lot of baggage.

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Stets656 said:
I think it's a little slow and just out of range, max cruise speed is like 182.



Do they go for that cheap?



Can only imagine what the maintenance and operating costs are...
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If 182 is too slow and a twin operating costs are too much you are going to have an impossible criteria I think. The ovation would be closest but at 190 knots you won't have the range you are looking for. The only think that can complete this with the people on board is a twin that you feel doesn't get you "much in return for what your paying".
 
gsengle said:
Range is tough, Mooney may come closest...
but with that much fuel you won't carry 3 and a lot of baggage.

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yea, lets bump the range down to say 600 miles minimum.
 
Now an Ovation is looking much better...


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Radar Contact said:
If 182 is too slow and a twin operating costs are too much you are going to have an impossible criteria I think. The ovation would be closest but at 190 knots you won't have the range you are looking for. The only think that can complete this with the people on board is a twin that you feel doesn't get you "much in return for what your paying".
Click to expand...

I changed my criteria
 
Main goal is to make it from Wisconsin to South Florida in a reasonable amount of time. However, making a fuel stop somewhere along the trip is probably a win win for everybody that is flying in the airplane.
 
Stets656 said:
Looking for an aircraft for personal/business use. Will mostly be used for medium to long range cross countries. (Anywhere from 900 to 1300 miles). Max price point is 250k. Like it to be at least 180 knots, (190-200 knots would be ideal) range that can make these trips without a fuel stop and can hold 3 people and a decent amount of baggage. Doesn't have to be glass, has to be a somewhat decent IFR platform. Is there anything out there that fits this bill within the price range?
Click to expand...
You want to spend up to 7 hrs nonstop flying somewhere?
 
Bellanca Viking 17-31ATC (With turbo)

I find myself suggesting this plane a lot :idea:

Mooney would also be good.
 
Just thinking out loud but I personally didn't put to much emphasis on range when plane shopping. At sub 200 knots a 1,000 NM trip is 5+ hours in the air. That just isn't for me. 3-4 hours tops is my leg stretching / bladder time frame. I know they make the portable urinals but I don't even plan to use them. They're for "emergencies" only.

For a 1,000 mile trip I'm making one stop even in a 200 knot plane, especially with pax. Solo, I guess it would depend on how quickly I needed to get there.
 
arkvet said:
Just thinking out loud but I personally didn't put to much emphasis on range when plane shopping. At sub 200 knots a 1,000 NM trip is 5+ hours in the air. That just isn't for me. 3-4 hours tops is my leg stretching / bladder time frame. I know they make the portable urinals but I don't even plan to use them. They're for "emergencies" only.

For a 1,000 mile trip I'm making one stop even in a 200 knot plane, especially with pax. Solo, I guess it would depend on how quickly I needed to get there.
Click to expand...

Agree. I wonder how many of the new plane shoppers have ever spent over 3 hrs FLYING a GA aircraft?
 
Rcmutz said:
Agree. I wonder how many of the new plane shoppers have ever spent over 3 hrs FLYING a GA aircraft?
Click to expand...

I don't know but I've taken my Ovation nonstop New England to/from FL nonstop more than once, fastest was 5 hours. Over 1000nm. Used 65 gallons. Good tailwind that time.

Best speed mod there is is skipping a fuel stop... saves an hour, which is a 16% gain on that flight or roughly 33kts+


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gsengle said:
I don't know but I've taken my Ovation nonstop New England to/from FL nonstop more than once, fastest was 5 hours. Over 1000nm. Used 65 gallons. Good tailwind that time.

Best speed mod there is is skipping a fuel stop... saves an hour, which is a 20% gain on that flight or roughly 40kts+


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Can't skip a fuel stop when your coming from the northern midwest, wish I could
 
Bonanza is looking pretty good right about now. How far you think I can get with 5 people?
 
Not very....


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ktup-flyer said:
It's a 180-190kt airplane
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I know that's what the book says in the flight levels however, in my years of flying them experience it's not to be expected. 170-180 is best you can hope for. If someone else has actually achieved those numbers that would be impressive. Also to carry full fuel those 3 passengers better average 160 lbs each. The book says 16 gph and that it's more like 18 to keep the TIT's under 1650.
 
Anybody have any insight on the A36, A36TC, or B36TC?
 
Mooney Bravo fits the requirements.
 
Fwiw, my Ovation with TKS (which means it's a slower one) is very happy at 175kts on only 13gph around 5 or 6k feet


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A36 with some tip tanks, would give you a shot with 3 people. Or a t210 with long range tanks (aftermarket on non Pressurized versions I think). That long of a trip you are going to have some bladder filled hungry PAX, I'd look at a regular t210 or an a36 and plane a stop for food fuel and potty.
I don't have a ton of time in a36's but i remember the CG get weird quick when loading up the third row and baggage. t210 is as close to "if it fits your good" as it gets. There is a 210 on controller.com now claiming 120 gallons of fuel with 860 pounds left for people and luggage. At 12k you can go full power burning 100PPH (177knots) and go a little over 1100 miles. Care to put oxygen on everyone and it gets a little better. Do keep in mind 5 hours at 12k will be flat exhausting.
 
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