Buying questions - which plane?

John Doe wrote:


My wife wants speed, speed, speed. I'm not as concerned about speed as I am
performance. I need short field performace as one of our primary fields is
a 2500' grass strip at 2000' DA. I'd also like to climb up into the teens
if needed to get over minor w/x.

I'm a M20J owner and big fan of the model, and it will meet your speed
requirements, but for flying off grass, the field had better be smooth. The gear
doors hang down so low that you're going to munch one the first time you drop
one of the main gear into a small hole.

Dave

----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==----
http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups
----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =----

"Dave Butler" x@yy wrote in message
...
John Doe wrote:


My wife wants speed, speed, speed. I'm not as concerned about speed as I
am performance. I need short field performace as one of our primary
fields is a 2500' grass strip at 2000' DA. I'd also like to climb up
into the teens if needed to get over minor w/x.

I'm a M20J owner and big fan of the model, and it will meet your speed
requirements, but for flying off grass, the field had better be smooth.
The gear doors hang down so low that you're going to munch one the first
time you drop one of the main gear into a small hole.


Thanks Dave, I am too. I've got about 400 hours in Mooneys and always
enjoyed it. I've looked at a couple of M20J and they're in the running.

Seems like the 2500' grass is a major gating factor in this one.

Perhaps add a 'Bo to the consideration and definitely the big Cessnas.

The really difficult is to making accurate assessment of your needs and
the priorities. For example, my mission profile has changed
considerably over 8 years as my "primary fields" have too. In
retrospect, the only part of my mission that hasn't changed has been my
home field. Everything else can change and compromises made given the
a/c I have.

John Doe wrote:
Ok,

First time plane buyer, I've been looking for some time now.

I've narrowed it down to a few, looking for some big picture comments
pro/con on these:

Commanche 250 or 260
Commander 114
Mooney M20J
Socata TB20 Trinidad

Dont' care about purchase price right now, avionics, etc. Looking for
performance/maintenance/operating costs/issues people know of.

We will normally be loaded with myself, wife and son (400lbs) Plus weekend
bags (100lbs max).

My wife wants speed, speed, speed. I'm not as concerned about speed as I am
performance. I need short field performace as one of our primary fields is
a 2500' grass strip at 2000' DA. I'd also like to climb up into the teens
if needed to get over minor w/x.

Any advice would be appreciated.

tks.

"Maule Driver" wrote in message
. com...
Seems like the 2500' grass is a major gating factor in this one.

Perhaps add a 'Bo to the consideration and definitely the big Cessnas.

The really difficult is to making accurate assessment of your needs and
the priorities. For example, my mission profile has changed considerably
over 8 years as my "primary fields" have too. In retrospect, the only
part of my mission that hasn't changed has been my home field. Everything
else can change and compromises made given the a/c I have.

You're right. The good news is, about 5nm away from the grass strip is a
5500' paved. I sure would like to land on the grass though.

You seem to want a low wing. Bonanza's do pretty good on rough and
short fields. Mooney's don't. Another piece of advice. Get it equipped
with the avionics you will be happy with. IFR GPS and autopilot.
Upgrading avionics is expensive and you don't get the money back at
sale.

For high wing a Cessna 182 is hard to beat. The RG's do ok on grass.
Gear is an anethema, but if you want to go fast, you need it.

If you are going to go up high, you are going to have to have oxygen
for everyone. Kind of a hassle. Pressurized is the way to go, but it's
BIG bucks. But a pressurized Bonanza would do everything you specify,
if you have the money.

"Doug" wrote in message
oups.com...
You seem to want a low wing. Bonanza's do pretty good on rough and
short fields. Mooney's don't. Another piece of advice. Get it equipped
with the avionics you will be happy with. IFR GPS and autopilot.
Upgrading avionics is expensive and you don't get the money back at
sale.

For high wing a Cessna 182 is hard to beat. The RG's do ok on grass.
Gear is an anethema, but if you want to go fast, you need it.

If you are going to go up high, you are going to have to have oxygen
for everyone. Kind of a hassle. Pressurized is the way to go, but it's
BIG bucks. But a pressurized Bonanza would do everything you specify,
if you have the money.


I wasn't aware that there was any such thing as a pressurized Bonanza.

Mike
MU-2

On Fri, 22 Jul 2005 17:09:46 GMT, "Mike Rapoport"
wrote:


"Doug" wrote in message
roups.com...
You seem to want a low wing. Bonanza's do pretty good on rough and
short fields. Mooney's don't. Another piece of advice. Get it equipped
with the avionics you will be happy with. IFR GPS and autopilot.
Upgrading avionics is expensive and you don't get the money back at
sale.

For high wing a Cessna 182 is hard to beat. The RG's do ok on grass.
Gear is an anethema, but if you want to go fast, you need it.

If you are going to go up high, you are going to have to have oxygen
for everyone. Kind of a hassle. Pressurized is the way to go, but it's
BIG bucks. But a pressurized Bonanza would do everything you specify,
if you have the money.


I wasn't aware that there was any such thing as a pressurized Bonanza.

How about a P-Baron with one engine caged?

"Mike Rapoport" wrote in message
nk.net...

I wasn't aware that there was any such thing as a pressurized Bonanza.

Mike
MU-2

Beechcraft did build two prototype turbine powered pressurized single engine
airplanes. They called it the "Lightning 38P" and one of the prototypes did
go into flight testing on June 14, 1982. The project was scrapped because
it was deemed economically unfeasible. I think if they had developed it
years later it would have had a market. The prototype was being advertised
for sale last year for $300,000, no engine or instrumentation.

Allen

"John Doe" wrote in message
nk.net...
Ok,

First time plane buyer, I've been looking for some time now.

I've narrowed it down to a few, looking for some big picture comments
pro/con on these:

Commanche 250 or 260
Commander 114
Mooney M20J
Socata TB20 Trinidad

Dont' care about purchase price right now, avionics, etc. Looking for
performance/maintenance/operating costs/issues people know of.

We will normally be loaded with myself, wife and son (400lbs) Plus weekend
bags (100lbs max).

My wife wants speed, speed, speed. I'm not as concerned about speed as I
am performance. I need short field performace as one of our primary
fields is a 2500' grass strip at 2000' DA. I'd also like to climb up into
the teens if needed to get over minor w/x.

One addition: Short field Take off performance desired is to load the plane
with the family (as above) and carry enough fuel for a 350nm trip plus
standard reserves.

tks

John Doe wrote:

Ok,

Dont' care about purchase price right now, avionics, etc. Looking for
performance/maintenance/operating costs/issues people know of.

If cost isn't a factor, buy a Cirrus.

BJ