Choosing a single engine aircraft
This weekend we will sit together with a party of three friends to start discussion on purchasing a single engine aircraft to share.
Our mission profile so far:
- stationed at an airport with paved runway
- as fast as possible small hauler for one to max three
- mainly for fast business trips throughout Europe
- range wished 1,000+ nm for possible returns without refuel
- no kids, but occasional carriage of SLF in form of a girlfriend
- under 2,000kg due to airfields frequently visited restrictions
- IFR capable
- able to operate safely on 1,600ft gras for vacation trips
- purchase most probably new
- wish: piston Mogas capable or Jet-A1 engine, turbine an option
We came up with a first list 'o head scratches:
- Cessna TTx (short gras strips?, castering nose wheel -, Avgas)
- Cessna 182 Skylane (slow)
- Cessna 206 (too big, range cries for long range tanks)
- Cirrus SR22 (short gras strips?, castering nose wheel -, Avgas)
- Mooney Acclaim Ultra (short gras strips?, Avgas)
- Bonanza G36 (quite big & heavy for purpose, gras strips?)
- Bonanza F33A (nice, but only old, same Qs as G36)
- Lancair Evolution (perfect, BUT: no IFR as experimental and over 2,000kg)
- PC-6 (slow)
- Diamond DA40 (our consensus - quite ugly flying sperm)
- Piper Matrix (looks good, but too big, a small 4-seater Matrix would be perfect)
Perfect would be a certified Lancair Evolution under 2,000 kg, why don't they do that?
Any suggestions, comments?
Last edited by Fly4Business; 4th Mar 2016 at 13:17.