On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 06:26:39 -0500, Al Marzo
wrote:

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 02:43:48 GMT, Roger
wrote:

On Sat, 23 Oct 2004 22:01:49 -0500, Al Marzo
wrote:

Expect to spend anywhere from about $5.5K for a piano keys up (Hammock

No one goes with the piano keys any more. Just conventional switches
which look a lot nicer.

A too-typical Beech owner. Thinks everyone has an extra 3 to 4K to
**** away! FYI, lots of piano key up conversions are still being
done.

Probably so, but I haven't seen any. The ones I've seen have been
getting away from the old ugly piano switches.


Aviation, Ennis, TX) conversion to about $8K (Air Research, Sandy

Having the instruments moved to the conventional layout is a
relatively small job.

Yea, right. That's why it takes 5 grand to do the job!


It doesn't. It can be done in an afternoon if all you are doing is
changing to the standard T configuration. They figured on mine with
the current cut outs they wouldn't even have to do any metal work.
I haven't had it done as I kinda like the old lay out.

The 5 grand is a major panel rework and would cost as much in a Cessna
or Piper.



The complete new panel is about 8 grand and that is with all new
wiring.

Didn't I say that?

No, we were talking about changing to the standard T, or I was.


\
River , OR) for the full change. You'll have wiring and instrument
issues that you never thought of before. So maybe you should look at

What issues? They are a mess under the panel, but I haven't seen any
old planes that aren't. Instruments are instruments. There isn't
that much to go wrong and they are relatively easy to get at. Note I
said *relatively* easy. One thing to remember is they do not have an
alternate static port which should be added.

There's always a mess under the panel, unless you don't think it's an
issue to deal with. Instruments are instruments? Yes, and with
anything else in an old airplane (earlier than 1962) when you remove
things, you find other things to do. Easy job? I guess repairing a
gear up on a Bonanza is a relatively easy job, too!


Easier than a Mooney. :-))


P models and up, or planes that already had this conversion done.

Remember too that the straight tails do not have any speed
limitations. Like the V-tails though they do tend to have a higher
barf factor in the back seat.

What speed restrictions? The red line? Or are you talking about the
1947 to 1950 models that haven't had the restriction lifted yet? And
for your info, oh great guru of wannabe Bonanza owners, the fuse makes
the wiggle, not the tail. try sitting in the back seat of that
economy model you own for a flight through some afternoon Texas air.

I think I said that. They all wiggle.


Now with that said, I suggest yo do a bit more research and if a
Bonanza or Bonanza derivative (Debonair, the Bonanza look alike with
the Piper tail) is how you want to tell the world that you've arrived,

Ahhh... The Deb is the forerunner of the F-33 Bo. It definitely does
not have a piper tail. It did have the Travel air or military tail to
begin. Unfortunately all the Bo versions have Magnesium elevator
skins.

Sorry, it looks more like the tail of a Piper than that of a Bonanza.
Let's take a poll. When someone mentions Bonanza, and you envision it
in your mind, what do you see? Yup, that's right Hoss, a V Tail!

I think of the new ones. They discontinued the V-tail I believe in 84
and went to the straight. The A-36 started out life with the V-tail.


contact the American Bonanza Society (www.abs.org) and ask any
questions you can think of to the people who are the most
knowledgable about them and are always willing to help. You may very
easily purchase one that looks nice and clean and spend $20K on your
first annual, even after some schmuck A&P does a "prebuy".


I haven't spent that much on mine (on annuals) in over 10 years and I
take it to a Bo specialist and follow a progressive maintenance
program. Unfortunately he passed away last winter so now I need to
find a new mechanic.

The only way to maintain an old complex aeroplane is to have some type
of program in effect, whether it be put together professionally or by
someone with a good understanding of the machine. You really need to
take your head out of the sand and see what some folks who do not have
the benefit of a Bonanza experienced mechanic are getting stuck with.

I think that is true of any older airplane. You need some one who
knows them specifically. Just like flying them. Go to Bo specific
training and they even brace the yoke so you can't use the ailerons
when doing stalls. You calculate the proper speed for every landing
and takeoff and are expected to fly them None of the high speed
finals Bo pilots like. You find you really can land an F33 or old
V-tail shorter than a 172.

Too bad about losing your guy, lots of down and dirty knowledge goes
away daily. Suffice to say that I'll bet your next annual will be
nice and expensive with a new pair of eyes looking at it. Run up to
Ennis, it's only a hop and a skip. Let them do the next one and see

Ennis?

what happens.

I'm going to go down to Kalamazoo Air. They specialize in Bonanzas.
and it's only about 30 minutes from here.


After about 12 years the paint is getting to the point where it could
use some help. 45 years old and still less than 4000 hours TT and
I've put a third of them on it.

There's a place in Ennis that does that work too.

Going to an F-33 would raise the price to at least $140,000 while Debs
can be found from $60 and up in good shape, (less for those that could
use some help) but they are 40 to 45 year old airplanes. I'm seeing
Debs listed in the $80K to $100K plus range now. I keep thinking of
having a new panel installed and the avionics upgraded to state of the
art even though I'd never get the money back. It's just a great plane
to fly. Tip tanks give me about a 1200 mile range. (raises the total
gas on board to 100 gallons) if you can stand to sit there that long.

The longest leg I've flown was 5 1/4 hours. I had 40 gallons left in
the tanks. Which is another thing to think of. Those early bladder
tanks have no baffles and that means a lot of gas is listed as
unusable. You can run the tanks dry, but you can have 11 gallons left
in the last main that is useable. Pull the nose up steep and it'll
quit. The same for slips. It's limited to 20 seconds and they aren't
joking as the tank will unport and the engine will quit.


There are no Debs at 60 that are flyers. People like the cheap model

I wouldn't sell mine for that.

because they're afraid of the tails, but don't realize what they don't

You don't get very far into the years before there aren't any cheap
models. They came out in 60 although mine is listed as a 59, and by
62 most were coming with all the options making them as expensive as
the Bo. They stuck with the name, but finally changed it to F-33 Bo
in 72, or at least I think it was 72.

get. Ever heard of cowl flaps? What about emergency escape windows?

Mine is number one off the assembly line and it has cowl flaps.
I doubt there are many left that are stock. It takes a full page
just to list the mods. As far as escape windows? Neither Piper or
Cessna have them and I've never worried about them. OTOH I sure would
like to have shoulder harnesses.


Are you using auto gas at all?

Nope. I don't think there is an STC available for the 260 HP, IO-470N

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com