On Wed, 14 Apr 2010 08:21:31 -0700 (PDT), Ricky
wrote:

A few years since I've flown but I suppose my CFI friend couldn't
tell.

I've flown a Beech Debonair but it's been around 15 years ago as a
student at Le Tourneau University.
I got acquainted with a CFI who's a friend of a friend who said he'd
be able to give me all the ground and flight instruction I'd need, at
a very reasonable rate, to get up to snuff after being on the ground
for several years.
When I learned he used a Beech Debonair I was hesitant...I mean a
complex a/c that I have only a few hours in from long ago? But,
remembering how solid & pleasant the Debonair was back then I took up
the challenge.
Spent several hours at home learning the airplane & normal ground
material needed for a BFR, then it was off to Waco Regional.
Wow! Beecraft Debonair circa 1960-something, what an airplane! Quiet,
solid as a rock in flight, gentle, fast, comfortable, leg room, body
room, forgiving, did I say solid? The instruments & controls laid out
perfectly This airplane could be trimmed & flown hands-off in
virtually any attitude and it just doesn't move. Landings seemed
almost effortless,

Welcome back to the world of the Deb and congratulations.

The Deb and Bo's in general are very easy planes to fly and
particularly, land...BUT they are also very unforgiving of pilots who
get complacent. There is also a reason that almost any Deb or Bo has
an autopilot if flown IFR. They are slippery and when things go wrong
they go wrong quickly and things happen fast.

The Deb has about the same wing loading as a Piper Cherokee 180, or
roughly 17#/ft sq. which give it a great glide ratio and fairly slow
landing speed. It also makes it a great short field airplane. It is
typically capable of shorter landings than many, if not most 172s.

Roger (K8RI)

& I am a Cessna man with the vast majority of my
300 + hours in high wings. It was a whole lot more wonderful than I
remember the Debonair rented out in Longview, TX. years ago.
Anyway, after going through the ringer for about an hour he let me do
pretty much whatever I wanted with this incredible airplane (within
limits, of course). I would almost say this Beech requires less effort
to fly well then any airplane I've flown. Keep in mind that this and
Piper Arrows are the largest planes I've flown (yet!). After another
45 minutes of just having fun we put it down & he gladly signed off my
BFR as well as a checkout in this Beechcraft that I will have some
limited opportunity to fly in the future (funds permitting, of course,
as it is expensive).
What a joy to be back in the sky and in such a wonderful airplane!

Ricky