Looking for Next Plane

I am looking for suggestions from the peanut gallery on my step-up aircraft.
I am IFR certified with about 500 hours PIC.

I currently own a 1968 Cherokee 180D. Good, sturdy bird and has served me
well. It's great for sightseeing and taking folks for rides, but slogging
along through extended cross-countries can really take it's toll. The Mrs.
tolerates flying as long as we are going somewhere.

What I am thinking about is something with more speed (who doesn't!) but
still has reasonable maintenance costs. The typical trip for us is around
600 NM, usually just me, the wife and a small dog. She likes to sit in the
back seat (1st row of the First Class section) and spread out her comfort
items. I like her to sit in the back so I can spread out my pilot junk.

I'm not afraid of moving to a complex aircraft, but I'm also not made of
money.

Any suggestions???

Thanks

Mike

mbremer216 wrote:

I'm not afraid of moving to a complex aircraft, but I'm also not made of
money.

Any suggestions???


There is no substitute for speed in terms of convenience and efficiency.

You are not made of money so that rules out the two viable fixed gear
airplanes (AFAIK) that will give you speed (SR22 or Columbia) so you
are going to have to go with a retract.

Second thing you need to decide is what in your opinion is "fast"?
If fast is 140Kts then a 1970's model Piper Arrow is an option.

If 160Kts is more your idea of fast then take a look at Piper Commanche,
Mooney or maybe a Beech Bonanza. The later the model year of
these airplanes the more they will cost.

In a previous article, "mbremer216" said:
What I am thinking about is something with more speed (who doesn't!) but
still has reasonable maintenance costs. The typical trip for us is around
600 NM, usually just me, the wife and a small dog. She likes to sit in the
back seat (1st row of the First Class section) and spread out her comfort
items. I like her to sit in the back so I can spread out my pilot junk.

I just wish Piper made a plane that was as wide and comfortable as a PA32,
but in a 4 seater. My wife and I both love that extra width compared to
the PA28 family.


--
Paul Tomblin http://blog.xcski.com/
"The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the
instruments of tyranny at home." - James Madison

mbremer216 wrote:
I am looking for suggestions from the peanut gallery on my step-up aircraft.
I am IFR certified with about 500 hours PIC.

I currently own a 1968 Cherokee 180D. Good, sturdy bird and has served me
well. It's great for sightseeing and taking folks for rides, but slogging
along through extended cross-countries can really take it's toll. The Mrs.
tolerates flying as long as we are going somewhere.

What I am thinking about is something with more speed (who doesn't!) but
still has reasonable maintenance costs. The typical trip for us is around
600 NM, usually just me, the wife and a small dog. She likes to sit in the
back seat (1st row of the First Class section) and spread out her comfort
items. I like her to sit in the back so I can spread out my pilot junk.

I'm not afraid of moving to a complex aircraft, but I'm also not made of
money.

Any suggestions???

Thanks

Mike

Do you like low-wings better than high-wings? Low maintenance and
insurance costs pretty much rules out a retractable. Something like a
206, Cherokee 235, etc., might be your best bet. However, it is hard to
turn a 600 nm trip into less than a 4 hours trip with a fixed gear,
normally aspirated airplane - at least not one that costs less than $200K.

Matt

....and with a pilot's port side door.

--
Jim Carter
Rogers, Arkansas
"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...
In a previous article, "mbremer216" said:
What I am thinking about is something with more speed (who doesn't!) but
still has reasonable maintenance costs. The typical trip for us is around
600 NM, usually just me, the wife and a small dog. She likes to sit in
the
back seat (1st row of the First Class section) and spread out her comfort
items. I like her to sit in the back so I can spread out my pilot junk.

I just wish Piper made a plane that was as wide and comfortable as a PA32,
but in a 4 seater. My wife and I both love that extra width compared to
the PA28 family.


--
Paul Tomblin http://blog.xcski.com/
"The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the
instruments of tyranny at home." - James Madison

kontiki wrote:

Second thing you need to decide is what in your opinion is "fast"?
If fast is 140Kts then a 1970's model Piper Arrow is an option.

As is a Beech Sierra.

mbremer216 wrote:

What I am thinking about is something with more speed (who doesn't!) but
still has reasonable maintenance costs. The typical trip for us is around
600 NM, usually just me, the wife and a small dog.

If you want to stick to Pipers, something in the PA28-235 line would be
a good choice. For a little more, move up to an older PA32-300. That
will give you a few more knots and a lot more room. I'm partial to the
PA32-300's myself, but the operating cost is significantly higher than a
PA28-180. I don't have as much knowledge about PA28-235s, but it would
be a relatively simple transition from a -180.


-m
--
## Mark T. Dame
## CP-ASEL, AGI
## insert tail number here
## KHAO, KISZ
"Each of nature's organisms, when frightened or confused, reacts in a
characteristic way: Deer flee, blowfish swell up, and government
emits pieces of paper."
-- Bill Stone

mbremer216 wrote:

Any suggestions???

Mooneys are made for exactly that mission.

On May 16, 3:21 pm, "mbremer216" wrote:
I am looking for suggestions from the peanut gallery on my step-up aircraft.
I am IFR certified with about 500 hours PIC.

I currently own a 1968 Cherokee 180D. Good, sturdy bird and has served me
well. It's great for sightseeing and taking folks for rides, but slogging
along through extended cross-countries can really take it's toll. The Mrs.
tolerates flying as long as we are going somewhere.

What I am thinking about is something with more speed (who doesn't!) but
still has reasonable maintenance costs. The typical trip for us is around
600 NM, usually just me, the wife and a small dog. She likes to sit in the
back seat (1st row of the First Class section) and spread out her comfort
items. I like her to sit in the back so I can spread out my pilot junk.

I'm not afraid of moving to a complex aircraft, but I'm also not made of
money.

Any suggestions???

Thanks

Mike

Mooney

On May 16, 5:46 pm, Matt Whiting wrote:
mbremer216 wrote:
I am looking for suggestions from the peanut gallery on my step-up aircraft.
I am IFR certified with about 500 hours PIC.

I currently own a 1968 Cherokee 180D. Good, sturdy bird and has served me
well. It's great for sightseeing and taking folks for rides, but slogging
along through extended cross-countries can really take it's toll. The Mrs.
tolerates flying as long as we are going somewhere.

What I am thinking about is something with more speed (who doesn't!) but
still has reasonable maintenance costs. The typical trip for us is around
600 NM, usually just me, the wife and a small dog. She likes to sit in the
back seat (1st row of the First Class section) and spread out her comfort
items. I like her to sit in the back so I can spread out my pilot junk.

I'm not afraid of moving to a complex aircraft, but I'm also not made of
money.

Any suggestions???

Thanks

Mike

Do you like low-wings better than high-wings? Low maintenance and
insurance costs pretty much rules out a retractable. Something like a
206, Cherokee 235, etc., might be your best bet. However, it is hard to
turn a 600 nm trip into less than a 4 hours trip with a fixed gear,
normally aspirated airplane - at least not one that costs less than $200K.

Of course depending on how much you fly the high fuel burn/low cruise
speed of the 206 and 235 will cost you as much as the insurance
difference would in a retract.

-Robert