What do y’all know about Travel Airs?

I watched a coupl'a videos on them the other day, coincidentally, but have never flown one.
 
Depends, is the beach big enough to take off from? *rimshot*

I've always thought the predecessor to the Baron looked like a nice airframe. Used to know a guy that had one, but have no personal experience with it.
 
It's essentially a G35 Bonanza with two engines and a conventional tail. The airframes were built on the same assembly line.
 
Some good friends of mine have a Travel Air and have had it for a long time. Does about 155 KTAS on 16 GPH combined ROP as I recall. Interior is a standard 35/55 Bonanza/Baron size.

A very nice flying airplane, gives you the fun of two engines but they're 4-cylinders so maintenance isn't so bad. I enjoyed flying it. OEI performance, not so good, but about what you'd expect from a piston twin with 4-cylinder engines.
 
I did my commercial in one and have maintained or flown several since. It's a Bonanza with two little Lycomings. The "Simmonds" fuel injected models (from memory, I think it's 1960 and 1961) are unobtanium and to be avoided. The earlier carbs or the later bendix injection are just fine.

They really behave like a H35-N35 bonanza and are delightful. The second engine costs you about 3-4 gph over the single. They'll wring out high 150s or low 160s knots if you run em hard. I've seen plenty with way-over-TBO lycs (like 3500 hours), so they go the distance if cared for.

Condition is ALL over the map, worse than Bonanzas in my opinion. There are plenty of trainers out there that have been abused their whole lives, and show it. There are also some amazing creampuffs out there.

Insurance dislikes them if you're considering them as a commercial trainer. For personal plane I think they'd do great. Slower but more comfortable (IMO) vs a Twinkie which is its nearest competitor.
 
I owned one for several years, one of the most comfortable, easy to fly light twin. I had the Stec 30 which made long trips easy. Fuel burn on a cross country was 22 gph total with a cruise above 150 KTAS. For your local burger run you could get the burn down to 14 gph. Parts could be a little high.really I have no complaints and enjoyed the airplane completely,
 
I was kicking around the idea of buying one to teach out of. Well insurance strongly suggested not instructing in one. They also were only wanting to insure it for 40% of the sellers asking price. $11k to insure for flight instruction. I’m kicking that idea down the road for now. I have been told they make excellent personal planes though.
 
texasclouds said:
I was kicking around the idea of buying one to teach out of. Well insurance strongly suggested not instructing in one. They also were only wanting to insure it for 40% of the sellers asking price. $11k to insure for flight instruction. I’m kicking that idea down the road for now. I have been told they make excellent personal planes though.
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They only really like Seminoles or Duchesses. Find one on controller and quote it out -- guessing 7k or so. Hopefully the pilot bust will see some of those prices come back down out of the stratosphere once the training contracts dry up.
 
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