Beech duchess comments?

I've contemplating buying my first plane.

C182 is almost perfect for what Iwant to do with the plane.
alas the last few flights have had some significant overwater legs.
CRQ-AVX-SBA
I also want to be able to comfortably return home after dark.

Thus I was thinking about a light twin, something like a barron or
C310 would be nice, but getting a really nice one is probably
streching my budget.

I'll usually be carrying about 400 lbs of people, pilot and bags.

I see a bunch of duchess for sale around the same price as a similarly
equipped 182.


The simple engines with 2000 TBO and no boots, hot [props etc...
should make the costs a bit lower than the 310 or B58

Any comments from people that have owned one?

Any comments from anyone that uses one in a flight school (seems to be
the most common MEL trainer)

Paul

Well I have to tell ya you need to justify why you want that second
engine. Personally If I was you I would be looking at a nice older
A36/F33 or 210. Less fuel burn better usefull load{than the seminole or
duchess not the barron or310} and faster. A 182 is also a great choice
all in all I have had a 182 at max gross and took off from marathon fl
on a high Density altitude day and only got like 2-3hundred FPM climb
But it took it and I made sure the cg was well with in control range.
Though a 182 is no were near as fast it is a truck. Another thing to
think about is the insurance! What is your time like do you have a
bunch of multi time already? Instrument rated? There are many factors
in this major undertaking.
If you decide that you are going to be doing a bunch of night or over
water flight then maybe a light twin would be a safer option. I know
many people that won't fly singles just because the want that back up
motor. I personally dont subscribe to such thinking I know many people
that miss manage twins and just aren't up to the higher work load. That
being said I would much rather have an older barron than a duchess,
seminole or a 310 anyday. You might want to look at an Aztec they can
be had for descent prices today and will take much more weight and that
extra power per side is so much nicer than what you get with a
duchess/seminole. They are just a much better put together aircraft.
Again that is just one mans opinion and I am sure you will get much
advise on this thread. Well if you want to talk some more and need
someone to play devils advocate just drop me a line.
or I have helped many people answer these
questions and since I am not a broker or salesman I will not try to
push you towards what they are selling!

Matt Tiberii
Com asel amel inst
CFI CFII 1500+ time
wrote:
I've contemplating buying my first plane.

C182 is almost perfect for what Iwant to do with the plane.
alas the last few flights have had some significant overwater legs.
CRQ-AVX-SBA
I also want to be able to comfortably return home after dark.

Thus I was thinking about a light twin, something like a barron or
C310 would be nice, but getting a really nice one is probably
streching my budget.

I'll usually be carrying about 400 lbs of people, pilot and bags.

I see a bunch of duchess for sale around the same price as a similarly
equipped 182.


The simple engines with 2000 TBO and no boots, hot [props etc...
should make the costs a bit lower than the 310 or B58

Any comments from people that have owned one?

Any comments from anyone that uses one in a flight school (seems to be
the most common MEL trainer)

Paul

I'll echo Matt's post.

I'll also be happy to tell you why we turned in our leased 182RG, bought an
Aztec and are willing to pay $250 per hour to operate it. I can give you
our current insurance rates and pilot times as well as reasons that we chose
the Aztec over other twins. I can also tell you what we had to do to get
rated and qualified for the insurance.

The groups have heard my story before and I'm sure they don't need a nap.
Jim
CFI/CFII/MEI

Feel free to email me... remove the nospams

I would stay away from a duchess, sorry. If you really think you need a twin
I'd echo what the others have said and be thinking Aztec or maybe a Baron
(but I'd look at the Aztec first).

My flying buddy had a Duchess about 10 years ago. It was a great plane. He
now has a Barron, the Barron is nice real nice the only problem is fuel. I
hate going on long trips because it cost to much. I would give up the 20
knotts and fly the Bonanza. I understand your thinking flying over water and
at night. I fly at night I dont mind it to much in the Bonanza with the
autopilot I fly a Cherokee 180 also and I dont feel as comortable at night.
I was thinking maybe a twin comanche.
"kontiki" wrote in message
...
I would stay away from a duchess, sorry. If you really think you need a
twin
I'd echo what the others have said and be thinking Aztec or maybe a Baron
(but I'd look at the Aztec first).

Hey Guys,
Well it is nice to know that there are actually a few things we agree
on out there! One more thing well actually a a few more things. Think
annual costs! Single versus Multi your probably talking a min of
500-1000 more just for the annual at a reputable shop not to mention
the fact that when you start having stuff go wrong ie 35-65 g for a new
motor 5-15g for a new prop jack and retract tests hoses. This stuff
really adds up pretty fast. Also just to help stear you clear of a
twin commanche though it is one if not the best of the group
performance wise as far as economical and fast the parts have all but
dissapeared for them. Try to stay away from any of the commanches just
for that one fact alone. Parts is parts and if you cant find any your
in a whole with no airplane not to mention if there ever was an
accident it would probably be a total loss and that is why they are so
hard to insure now!
I say A36 would more than fit your needs. I know of a few people that
have actually gone back to bonanza's and sold their barrons. just for
fuel burn alone. To be truthfull with you also the baron is just as
fast as the baby barons{55's) and not much slower than the big ones
58's. With the exception of a few special models {58p and the E55} both
are faster.
Well I could literally talk airplanes all night.{why am I not out
playing in the air right now} Have a great day all.

Matty/huck
com asel amel inst
CFI CFII 1500 TT
Aluckyguess wrote:
My flying buddy had a Duchess about 10 years ago. It was a great plane. He
now has a Barron, the Barron is nice real nice the only problem is fuel. I
hate going on long trips because it cost to much. I would give up the 20
knotts and fly the Bonanza. I understand your thinking flying over water and
at night. I fly at night I dont mind it to much in the Bonanza with the
autopilot I fly a Cherokee 180 also and I dont feel as comortable at night.
I was thinking maybe a twin comanche.
"kontiki" wrote in message
...
I would stay away from a duchess, sorry. If you really think you need a
twin
I'd echo what the others have said and be thinking Aztec or maybe a Baron
(but I'd look at the Aztec first).

Jim Burns wrote:
I'll echo Matt's post.

I'll also be happy to tell you why we turned in our leased 182RG, bought an
Aztec and are willing to pay $250 per hour to operate it. I can give you
our current insurance rates and pilot times as well as reasons that we chose
the Aztec over other twins. I can also tell you what we had to do to get
rated and qualified for the insurance.

The groups have heard my story before and I'm sure they don't need a nap.
Jim
CFI/CFII/MEI

I'd take an Aztec over a Duchess any day of the week. Simply put, they
just fly and land better.

The Duchess is a very nice handling twin, with an excellent
electrical dual bus system. It has real redundancy although
it does not have automatic load shedding. The engines are
nearly bullet-proof. Two cabin doors and good sized baggage
door make loading nice. There is no nose baggage
compartment. You can install radar. It has plenty of
elevator and rudder and is very easy to recover. Beech
actually did the full spin test series, but decided not to
certify for intentional spinning. But it will recover if
you're ham fisted enough to get into a spin.

The airplane pretty decent single-engine performance for a
non-turbo light piston twin. The engine nacelles are trim
enough it flies well on either engine. The Piper light twin
carries the fuel in gigantic nacelles tanks, Piper didn't
want to change the Cherokee much, as a result there is a lot
of drag between the nacelles and fuselage. Piper also did
not increase the size or arm on the tail, so it doesn't have
the range the Duchess has.

The Baron will be much more expensive to operate whether
you're talking insurance, fuel or maintenance.

The only bad thing about the Duchess is no nose baggage and
only four seats. The aft compartment is big.

I'd like to have two of them, one factory standard and one
on amphibious floats and 220 hp engines.



--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

wrote in message
...
| I've contemplating buying my first plane.
|
| C182 is almost perfect for what Iwant to do with the
plane.
| alas the last few flights have had some significant
overwater legs.
| CRQ-AVX-SBA
| I also want to be able to comfortably return home after
dark.
|
| Thus I was thinking about a light twin, something like a
barron or
| C310 would be nice, but getting a really nice one is
probably
| streching my budget.
|
| I'll usually be carrying about 400 lbs of people, pilot
and bags.
|
| I see a bunch of duchess for sale around the same price as
a similarly
| equipped 182.
|
|
| The simple engines with 2000 TBO and no boots, hot [props
etc...
| should make the costs a bit lower than the 310 or B58
|
| Any comments from people that have owned one?
|
| Any comments from anyone that uses one in a flight school
(seems to be
| the most common MEL trainer)
|
| Paul

kontiki writes:

I would stay away from a duchess, sorry. If you really think you need a twin
I'd echo what the others have said and be thinking Aztec or maybe a Baron
(but I'd look at the Aztec first).

My only plane has been an Aztec and I have difficulty imagining any
other plane being as good for me but for someone only hauling 400
pounds it seems like a terribly inefficient way to travel. O.k., so
all of the old twins are going to be terribly inefficient but
*especially* the Aztec.

Wouldn't a Seneca be a bit more appropriate and less expensive than a
Baron?

--kyler

As a confirmed twin driver let me play spoiler here... I am always
amazed at the way we worry about the boogy man -a single over water -
and ignore the true and present danger - a single over land where the
obstructions WILL kill you... It is flying a single over trees and
cities, and junk yards, and power lines, and fence lines, and rocks,
and abutments, that scares the crap out of me... That is why I fly a
twin...
Most water landings are survived and if they die it is from being
unable to stay afloat... Simply wearing an automatic inflating PFD
while flying over water will eliminate the immediate drowning
problem... These are small, comfortable, and not horribly expensive
thanks to the volume of the boating market - unlike airplanes...

denny