What plane could work?

4

4RNB

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4RNB
Hello,

I am taking lessons, dream of owning a plane. My wife and I have recumbent trikes that fold. It would be nice if we could take these with us when we travel. I would like to know what planes to learn about and go see that might easily fit in and out. I've got my eyes on Mooney 20s but fear that rear hatch at 17x20.5 inches would be a very tight fit. Are there others to consider? We would be willing to take rear seats out.

This is similar to our bikes folded: http://www.bicycleman.com/recumbents/trikes/trice/images/trice-q-folded.jpg
Thank you.
 
I fit two folding bikes on the back seat of my 172 very easily, mostly due to the double doors. I'm also never going all that far so 95 kts works for me. Sounds like you are looking for something a bit faster if you are considering Mooneys. What is the rest of your mission like? Speed, cargo (volume/weight), distances, airplane complexity, budget, etc.
 
I've got a Citizen and a Montague folding bike, and I've been able to get both, plus my girlfriend and I, in my Cessna 150:

upload_2016-5-24_10-37-51.png

If I can get two bikes in a C150, I would think a normal 4 place would fit yours okay. The plane I have now, a Cherokee, has removable back seats, which would make loading big objects easier.
 
I'm really quite green at this and can't really answer that question well at this point.
I had no idea 172's had those dual doors, that would be a no brainer to fit, perhaps not even folded.
My plan is to read all I can now, medical exam late June, get PPL as fast as able, then learn about lots of planes and consider a purchase.
I see ads for some Mooneys and 172s in the 20-30K range but was told to expect to spend 50-70K for a worthy ride. Ideally something I could resell without too big of a hit. NO WAY would I buy new without some flight time and the favor of the stock market gods
I'd hope for IFR equipped.
I only looked at Mooney ads because of that rear door..
 
Not sure I would fit in a 150, am 6'6" 280.
Our front wheels also come off:
 
That's the problem with 150's...they can fit more than they can haul in weight.

And no, you wouldn't fit.
 
WHich 172s have double doors?
 
If you really want to haul crap, get a 182.

But I'd guess you can fit folding bikes in a Mooney as well. The M20Fs with the manual gear as killer deals right now if you want some speed.
 
Told you I was green. On land I conjure up an image of what a double door is...very different all these fancy aeronautical terms
When I searched "double door Cessna" this is what I came up with
c207door.jpg
 
Piper Cherokees have a good size baggage compartment and a decent sized door to access it (pic). Any of the 160hp to 180hp fixed gear or 180-200hp Arrows are reasonably roomy (I am 6'4" and 235lbs), carry a decent load (my 160hp had a useful payload of 640 lbs with full fuel), can take you a reasonable travel distance, good flight characteristics for low time pilots, and won't break the bank to buy and maintain.

You will definitely want to test fit your bikes into whatever airplanes you are considering.

464.jpg
 
Cherokee 6-300. Remove the rear seats and you have a truck with wings.
Cessna 210, remove the two rear seats will haul the bikes easy.
 
4RNB, I'm sorry but I think you are going about this backwards. First, get your pilot's certificate. Then take your wife up and go somewhere in a rental plane. If you both really like traveling by air, that is the time to find a plane that fits your bikes and your level of competence as a pilot. Proceed accordingly. This is possible, please don't get discouraged. However, shopping for a bike carrier with wings is not the right entry point into general aviation.

Oh... stick around here, too. You will get lots of advice and some of it will be both relevant and correct. We all wish you the best!

-Skip
 
Skip Miller said:
4RNB, I'm sorry but I think you are going about this backwards. First, get your pilot's certificate. Then take your wife up and go somewhere in a rental plane. If you both really like traveling by air, that is the time to find a plane that fits your bikes and your level of competence as a pilot. Proceed accordingly. This is possible, please don't get discouraged. However, shopping for a bike carrier with wings is not the right entry point into general aviation.

Oh... stick around here, too. You will get lots of advice and some of it will be both relevant and correct. We all wish you the best!

-Skip
Click to expand...

Good advice.
I have a co-worker, who nearly every day walks into my office and asks, "What's the cruise speed of (insert various plane here)?" or "How many passengers can (XXXX) hold?". He has family out east, and he thinks that getting a pilot's license and owning his own plane will be the easy way to visit family. I always explain that visiting family would be a SIDE BENEFIT of having your own plane, but not a good "only reason" to having a plane. I don't think he gets it.
 
They make a bike rack for skywagons.

plane%20in%20air_0.jpg
 
That Skywagon is awesome. Sorry about "double doors", I meant one on each side, as opposed to a bunch of singles that just have the one door. You don't necessarily need to spend 50-70 to get a good plane. I spent a lot less than that and am very happy, but I wanted basic. Of course a $20k Mooney may have a lot of expensive issues associated with it, so do homework on appropriate values for the models that fit your mission. But good advice is get you license, take your wife up in a few rentals to see what you like, then go from there. With those clam-shell type doors in a bigger Cessna or a Maule, you can load up a Sub Zero fridge if you'd like, why even use folding bikes?
 
Grumman Tiger. Rear seats fold down. Takes a little bit of maneuvering to get bikes back there. I've done it myself but it is way easier with two people.
 
I take out the rear seats in my 1973 Cherokee 180. Two bikes fit back there through the front door. I do take the wheels off.
 
I'm only window shopping at this point, curious what to learn about. THanks for the responses thus far.
 
I think more people would buy a new 185 vs the 206. I would've brought the 185 back for sure.
 
I have put an old Dahon in the back of a 150 and mooney C model without issues. You could fit a 2nd in either but may not have room for much luggage.
 
Tom-D said:
Cherokee 6-300. Remove the rear seats and you have a truck with wings.
Cessna 210, remove the two rear seats will haul the bikes easy.
Click to expand...

Cherokee is one of my favorite planes, especially the 6
 
At 6'-6" and 280, if I were you I would be thinking C-182 or similar. Cherokee 6 would be great.
 
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