I wanted to learn about Beechcrafts. So I joined this forum. My son and son in law are working toward thier Pilots license and would like help them get thier first plane. I have been told a beech is the way to go. So here I am doing research. @ what point should we start looking?

Welcome to BT, James.

Now - looking's not cheating.

Hi James,
Welcome!
The looking is a near full time occupation at this stage.
DONT test fly until you are ready to buy. Our Bo's have a way of sneaking up on you. Once you've flown one, everything else is.. well.... Meh!

James,

There about 30,000 of us on this forum who LOVE to spend other peoples money!

I say let the search begin. Two newbe pilots....whats the budget and what do they hope to do with the plane ? There are two V tails listed in Peddlers that are stunning examples of Beech excellence. There is rhetorical debate concerning whether these planes are good for training. Many of us, me included, say, "Buy your last plane first". While in training, you will never spend more time with an instructor and flying your eventual plane will save huge money from trading up and you will have far greater time flying that plane with an instructor than if you trade up later.

Just an opinion....

James,

The first thing to do is decide what you want to do with the plane.

Local sight seeing?
Long cross countries?
How many people?
What sized people?
How much baggage?
VFR or IFR?
How much money are you willing to spend?
Do you want to land on grass/dirt strips?
How long is the runway at your home airport?

Plan on about $10,000/year just to keep a plane (hangar, insurance, annual, subscriptions, registration). You might get by for less but that should put you in the ballpark.

Fixed gear will be cheapest insurance.

Tailwheel usually works best for unimproved fields.

High wing will be best for sight seeing.

Bonanza's are nice but if you want a V tail check the CG limits for your expected load.

Nothing is more efficient than a Mooney M20J (201) but check the useful load. That's what I have and love it. Yesterday my wife, once passenger, and I flew S50-BFI-BOI-EUL-S50; over 700 NM with 4 traffic patterns and burned 47 gallons in spite of the 30 knot headwinds coming home. Difficult to get into but fine once in. Precise landing airspeed required. If you try to land fast you may end up porpoising and ding the prop. Several members on the mooneyspace.com forum bought their first Mooney with under 100 hours total time.

Best of luck,

Bob

Welcome to BT James!

Probably I think, start looking after they get licensed and have rented a bit. Then they will get a better idea of what they like themselves.

I would guess there already is some looking going on.

Well, if you want to see the slow, crusty, old end of the Bonanza spectrum I fly my 1949 A35 Bonanza out of Caldwell.