Jay Honeck wrote:



How can retractable gear *ever* be "a wash" with fixed gear? There's just a
lot more "stuff" in there to be maintained.

It won't ever be a wash but $1000 a year is ridiculous for maintenence.
Even if you fly a Cessna RG. My Bo is in the shop now because I am
catching up on a few things while I don't need it. The gear springs are
being replaced($25 each) and new snow/ice covers are being installed($30
each). That'll be about it for a long time. If the gear motor needs to
be overhauled that's $500. Beech reccommends that every 4000 hours.




Whoops -- forgot one more thing: Soft field capability. I know several
Comanche owners who won't fly into Amana's grass strip, which is an awful
shame. We fly in there -- and several other excellent grass strips -- all
the time.

That's just pathetic. Not being able to go offroad would have been a
deal killer when I was looking at the Bonanza.