I tend to agree with 27/09.
Sure people have done csu/retract endo's in twins, but if you are trying to chase it in minimum time, then all you are going to do is take away training time that could be better spent on learning the traps of a light single.
Do your CSU retract in a single..if you did your training on warriors, then you cannot go past an arrow for this. It was designed as a natural step up, so you will spend 95% of your flight time learning the systems, not 40 % learning the systems and 60% learning the aeroplane.
Get the CSU/Retract down pat in the cheaper single, then go an complicate it with an extra engine.
I did my CSU/Retract in an Arrow IV whilst holding a GFPT, and then began my twin rating with less than 10 hours private flying after my PPL test.
Travel-Air Versus Partenavia.
Drawing on my very first Central Oz trip here, I was flying a travel-air with light loading, in company of 2 Partenavia's.
The Part might have a big max take-off weight (1990kg IIRC) but its achillies heel is its maximum landing weight, which is 100 kg less...it means a long time burning fuel if you have a problem shortly after takeoff. ( yes i know, most emergencies we say the insurer owns it and land it....but a suddenly ill passenger?)
The travel-air can land at MTOW. I found on this 2 week trip...flying every day (oh how bad can that be), the 2 part's were load shedding to me. On no single day did I i depart below max weight
The Q of doing your initial multi in a travel-air vs a partenavia, is mute unless you have a plan for its immediate use and with proper consultation of the performance charts
Cheers
Jas