Buying questions - which plane?

"Kyle Boatright" wrote in message
...

"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.

Any advice would be appreciated.

tks.

How good are the approaches into the grass field? Unless they are pretty
good, it won't be comfortable going into or out of that field in the
Commanche, Commander, or Mooney unless you're fairly light. Even then,
you'll need to be on your game, particularly on landing. I don't know
about the Trinidad.

If I was looking at your mission, I'd be thinking C-182, C-182 RG, or
C-206, if only for the short field performance with a decent load...

KB

KB,

Very good points. I've flown into the field several times and am
comfortable landing. Takeoff, I just need to get off the ground without too
excessive of a ground roll in the summertime. Would like to carry enough
fuel to make a 350nm trip with standard reserves.

"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

"Bob Noel" wrote in message
...
In article et,
"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

A couple of things to consider wrt the Commanche

1) Will you be comfortable with (iirc) one fuel gauge that you
need to switch to each of the four tanks to read?

2) Not a lot of room behind the instrument panel for avionics
(at least that's what my avionics shop told me a number of years
ago)

1) Unless they're known for uncommanded fuel venting or leaks, I don't have
a problem with that. I've done it before in other aircraft.

2) The one I'm looking at is allready completely loaded IFR/GPS/AP. Not
much more I think I could add to it, but it will be something I look at
before I buy.

Thanks.

"Thomas Borchert" wrote in message
...
John,

Dont' care about purchase price right now, avionics, etc.


Well, in that case: Cirrus? Lancair?


I've looked at both of those and a Columbia 400 is at the top of my list,
trust me. Just can't afford the sticker price. I just didn't want folks to
start writing about market prices of used airplanes on this thread.

I was flying XC on Wed and I heard a Lancair on the radio and I had to wipe
the drool off my mouth.

"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.

"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.

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

On 7/22/2005 09:08, B. Jensen wrote:


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


English really is a strange language. What I read was that he wanted
to first consider factors other than cost, not that cost wasn't a
factor.


--
Mark Hansen, PP-ASEL, Instrument Student
Sacramento, CA

"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?