Fast Single

[jbqc]

Thinking of changing aircraft, I have a Mooney M20J needing engine soon.

Choices are Spend £25K + and keep what I have or change to something else.

Other Mooney, Beech, TB20, any other suggestions in the £100K range. IFR and not less than 150 knots cruise.

JB

[cblinton@blueyonder.]

Bonanza every time mate, style, range, fast and loads of room.:ok:

[Flyin'Dutch']

Any of those would be an improvement over a Mooney.

The only 2 redeeming features of a Mooney are the looks and the speed.

But I dislike the cramped cockpit, the awful seat position, ridiculously far away rudder pedals, the lack of prop clearance and the terrible landing gear.

All of course MHO and maybe a matter of an acquired taste but they don't float my boat.

FD

[jbqc]

After 10 years and 1200 hours in one you get used to it, and what else does 160 knots on 40 litres.

I think I need a change though but cant afford a new anything.

Bonanza seems a bit thirsty and I usually fly alone or just 2 up

JB

[TonyR]

Been flying a TB20 4 years now, fast and stable 150 knots on 50 litres, nearly 7 hours range.

If you are tall you need a GT (2000 on)

Parts prices are a bit scary, but they are farley simple to work on when you get to know them.

When we fly to France in the TB the customs seem to like us better than when in anything from the US

[E1453]

The Bonanza may not be so thirsty. My A36 flies fine, with 2 up, full tanks, at 150KTAS with 8 gph fuel flow, at 12500ft. WIth just 10gph, it makes 165KTAS at 10.000ft. And I don't make it lean of peak, because I still don't have the GAMIjectors.

The parts are, of course, expensive. The price tag, is also expensive.

[jbqc]

E1453

Sounds almost to good for an A36.

A lot of my flying is in France and although I fly airways in bad weather, I like to potter along at 2000 ft down to Dover and on to wherever.

What is the fuel burn at 2000 ft and 150 knots IAS, I also would rather pay extra for fuel than engine bits so I tend not to over lean

John

[Flyboy-F33]

My F33A burns around 14 USG per hour at low levels, that is at 65% with a TAS of around 160kts. at 55% the fuel burn drops to around 11-12 per hour.

I must admit, the fuel flow figures for the A36 do seem on the low side, but I dont up to 12 feet that often to confirm it.!

GG

(ps...Mine is for sale at the moment....1850 TTAE 500hrs on engine & prop) email if interested [email protected]

[E1453]

I usually fly 500nm straight legs, the only turn is on the traffic pattern, so I always choose to cruise beetween 10 to 12,000ft.

For a long range cruise, at 150KTAS at 12,000ft, I just leave the throttle at firewall, rpm at 2100 and mixture at peak EGT.

If you are among those that still think that a lean mixture is harmfull to your engine, you need urgently to read John Deakin's columns at AVweb.com.

I'm just waiting the next overhaul to install my GAMIjectors so I can go even leaner, may be 25 to 50 F lean of peak.

Thank god the new engines and some new POH are coming with a recomendation for lean of peak operation as the best economy setting (like the Cirrus).

[jbqc]

I have owned 5 aircraft in 33 years and have managed to get all my engines to beyond TBO, I know a few pilots who would over lean and I have seen the bills so I think I'm going to continue with the way I manage my engine.

John

[IO540]

The obvious choices for a fast new single, for mainly UK non-airways flying, today are

Socata TB20
Cirrus (only N-reg so need FAA licenses to get full use)
Diamond DA40 (diesel option)

The above are below say £250k+VAT.

I fly the TB20. A great aircraft. But composites are the future, without question. Just make sure you can get the avionics you want (a problem in the Diamond and to a lesser degree in the Cirrus) and that you can get reasonably local servicing and warranty work.

Above that, a very interesting one is the Grob 140 at 1.2M Euro, available later this year, they reckon...

After that, it's a lot more money for pressurised turboprops...

[jbqc]

SR22 sounds fine but I cant afford a new one. I have had partners in the past but I am away for 2 - 3 weeks in every 6 - 8, with the a/c so I have to go it alone.

I had thought about a diesel but lets see how they do for 4-5 years first.

Might just go with another mooney, fast and quite cheap to run and great for 2 up. and I'd miss the owners club.

John

[flyingfemme]

How about a 210? A touch on the thirsty side but plenty of room for four and bags. You have choices of turbo'd, pressurised, de-iced for getting places and they are undervalued - compared to a Beech. The older ones are not so well equipped but very good value.

[big.al]

There's a nice looking Rockwell Commander 114 for sale advertised in Flyer. Never flown one and don't know the operating costs or fuel burn per hour, but I remember that the seller is looking for £135k. Been on sale a while - perhaps they'd take an offer?

From memory it has G530/G430 and Stormscope plus all the fancy toys I'll never be able to afford....