BeechTalk - BT

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Sep 2018, 21:39

Hi everyone,

I am a fairly low-time PPL preparing for my IR check ride and will follow up with a Multi and then start on a Commercial. I am looking at buying my first airplane. Everything up to now has been primarily in rented Cirrus SR22 G3 and G5. (My wife likes the idea of the parachute.) I bought and flew hang gliders in the late 70’s starting at the age of 15 and fell in love with flying. However, life has a way of changing even the best laid plans as they say. So, I did not get my PPL until fairly recently.

I feel that I have a good understanding of and respect for risk and tend to be very cautious in that respect.

My missions since getting my PPL have been and for the foreseeable future will be over water. Bahamas, etc.

I have sailed over 24,000 nm blue water, open ocean and know that I am absolutely not interested in ditching even with a parachute.

Therefore, I am thinking in terms of a twin. The Duke B60 looks like a good fit. I have researched the C421C, C340A, etc., but the Duke seems to be a great solution from the view point of available hangars at my local field, usable load, range, etc. (Plus, it is sexy.)

My thoughts are to start with the best one I can find at the right price, upgrade the avionics to glass if necessary and fly with a mentor pilot until I am fully up to speed and competent in all aspects of the airplane. Maybe, later upgrade it into a Royal Turbine if it works out.

I will hopefully not bother you with a million naive questions, but any input, suggestions, waive offs would be greatly appreciated.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 06 Sep 2018, 10:10

H Leif and welcome to BT. Enjoy shopping for your twin! :thumbup:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 06 Sep 2018, 11:30

Thank you John.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 06 Sep 2018, 12:33

Those pressurized twins are very capable! It will take a strong commitment to training to step into a pressurized twins as a first airplane, and you may find it more difficult to get insurance.

I think most people who want a twin as a first plane would look at a "trainer twin" like a Duchess, Seminole, or Travel Air. Those has easy handling and lower fuel burn, while keeping the twin engines.

But you will love a Duke or 421 if you have the skills and budget!

Username Protected · **Posted:** 06 Sep 2018, 18:35

Username Protected wrote:

Hi everyone,

I am a fairly low-time PPL preparing for my IR check ride and will follow up with a Multi and then start on a Commercial. I am looking at buying my first airplane. Everything up to now has been primarily in rented Cirrus SR22 G3 and G5. (My wife likes the idea of the parachute.) I bought and flew hang gliders in the late 70’s starting at the age of 15 and fell in love with flying. However, life has a way of changing even the best laid plans as they say. So, I did not get my PPL until fairly recently.

I feel that I have a good understanding of and respect for risk and tend to be very cautious in that respect.

My missions since getting my PPL have been and for the foreseeable future will be over water. Bahamas, etc.

I have sailed over 24,000 nm blue water, open ocean and know that I am absolutely not interested in ditching even with a parachute.

Therefore, I am thinking in terms of a twin. The Duke B60 looks like a good fit. I have researched the C421C, C340A, etc., but the Duke seems to be a great solution from the view point of available hangars at my local field, usable load, range, etc. (Plus, it is sexy.)

My thoughts are to start with the best one I can find at the right price, upgrade the avionics to glass if necessary and fly with a mentor pilot until I am fully up to speed and competent in all aspects of the airplane. Maybe, later upgrade it into a Royal Turbine if it works out.

I will hopefully not bother you with a million naive questions, but any input, suggestions, waive offs would be greatly appreciated.

Leif,

You could really not do much better than to consider Conrad Dahl’s 1975 King Air for sale. It is a true beauty and has the reliability of turboprop engines. Please buy it so I can stop thinking about it! There is a current thread on it nearby.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 06 Sep 2018, 18:35

Username Protected wrote:

Hi everyone,

I am a fairly low-time PPL preparing for my IR check ride and will follow up with a Multi and then start on a Commercial. I am looking at buying my first airplane. Everything up to now has been primarily in rented Cirrus SR22 G3 and G5. (My wife likes the idea of the parachute.) I bought and flew hang gliders in the late 70’s starting at the age of 15 and fell in love with flying. However, life has a way of changing even the best laid plans as they say. So, I did not get my PPL until fairly recently.

I feel that I have a good understanding of and respect for risk and tend to be very cautious in that respect.

My missions since getting my PPL have been and for the foreseeable future will be over water. Bahamas, etc.

I have sailed over 24,000 nm blue water, open ocean and know that I am absolutely not interested in ditching even with a parachute.

Therefore, I am thinking in terms of a twin. The Duke B60 looks like a good fit. I have researched the C421C, C340A, etc., but the Duke seems to be a great solution from the view point of available hangars at my local field, usable load, range, etc. (Plus, it is sexy.)

My thoughts are to start with the best one I can find at the right price, upgrade the avionics to glass if necessary and fly with a mentor pilot until I am fully up to speed and competent in all aspects of the airplane. Maybe, later upgrade it into a Royal Turbine if it works out.

I will hopefully not bother you with a million naive questions, but any input, suggestions, waive offs would be greatly appreciated.

Leif,

You could really not do much better than to consider Conrad Dahl’s 1975 King Air for sale. It is a true beauty and has the reliability of turboprop engines. Please buy it so I can stop thinking about it! There is a current thread on it nearby.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 06 Sep 2018, 18:51

Welcome Leif!
I’ll second the Conrad’s King Air com,nets. Doesn’t get any better and doesn’t need any work.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 07 Sep 2018, 02:11

Welcome to the family. :bud:

We go over the water all the time. Love our Baron, but we also carry inflatable vests, USCG vests, and a raft.

Even with out them, there are plenty of small keys and shoals to set down next to if you have an emergency.

I agree, twins give much more confidence over the water. My wife won’t step foot on a single.

Check the aircraft for sale section and ping our members. Plenty of good airplanes for sale.

Warren

Username Protected · **Posted:** 07 Sep 2018, 07:14

Thank you Jesse, Kevin, Luc and Warren for your welcome and advice!

I appreciate it very much.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 07 Sep 2018, 07:43

Username Protected wrote:

Leif,

You could really not do much better than to consider Conrad Dahl’s 1975 King Air for sale. It is a true beauty and has the reliability of turboprop engines. Please buy it so I can stop thinking about it! There is a current thread on it nearby.

Kevin:

Go ahead and buy Conrad’s C90. I’ll buy your A36. And I’ll sell my plane to another BT’er currently looking for a cream puff like mine.

jh

Hello from SE Florida