Welcome to Beechtalk, Steven. You're on the right track looking for a Bonanza. The F33 is a bit lighter on the controls and feels sportier, but the model 36 sure has a bunch of utility with the extra length and the double doors in back. It's certainly a preference issue. They're all very high quality airplanes and it really shows as soon as you begin taxiing out for the first flight. I fly my B36TC anywhere from 250 to 500 hours per year and I'm very well pleased with it. I concur with the advice I'm seeing here... find a good Bonanza and add the AC Systems air conditioning system to it. The factory system seems to be a continuous problem, cannot be used for takeoff, has a performance penalty, only provides cold air (when it works) for the front and has a large bulge in the spar cover in front of the pilot's seat right where you want to put your feet some of the time. Even though the plane will need to be down for a week or so getting the air conditioning installed, the AC Systems air conditioning is really worth it. The reasons... the AC Systems air conditioning is a much, much better system... extremely reliable and trouble free, weighs less, has automatic climate control that regulates heat and cool automatically, is approved for all phases of flight including takeoff, has no demonstrated performance penalty and distributes very cold air through the entire cabin, not just out of the instrument panel... oh and there's no bulge in the spar cover in front of the pilot's seat. AC Systems phone number is 615-587-3492. The owner is Arnold Blankenship. I believe he has installed about 30 systems in Bonanzas alone, now. The one in my B36TC has been working trouble free for over 1,000 hours now. My company builds the components for the system so I'm extremely detailed about it's peformance.

I concur about the amazing utility of the model 36. I managed to get our Yamaha ATV in the back of our B36TC by removing all four rear seats and then taking the tires off of the ATV... amazing.

Steven, I like to keep my planes as light as possible. I don't like to carry around unnecessary weight. But I love to have payload options, and my wife, like yours, would not let me buy a plane without air. My former Bo had add-on air. It monopolized some of the cabin space but was great in FL and NV. My current Bo has factory air and I love it.

I agree with all the advice on the A36. If weight is not your dilemma but space is you will love the A36. As so many have lauded, the barn doors are truly amazing. I put my dad's scooter in with ease with or without six seats. The back seats fold down level with the rear luggage compartment. I've even slept back there several times.

When I go to remote places without rental cars as I have in Nevada, Utah, Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Tennessee, West Virginia, and even Virginia, your home state, I often carry one or two collapsible 49cc, 30 mph, 130 mpg, mini-bikes. Each are capable of, and have carried two adults in a pinch, with all the street legal equipment.

With a big family I have carried as many as eight including six adults and two sub 2 year olds in arms. (I don't recommend this, it was a short flight, and doubt I will do it again.) But the six seats have often come in handy. Since all seats can be removed via hand clips you can quickly reconfigure as your mission requires. The rear club seating provides great room for passengers and center seats can be turned forward when six forward seats serves better.

Of course you can adjust weight with fuel or take fewer passengers if yours are larger then mine, but at least you leave yourself the option. And for those two, three or four person trips with a huge volume of luggage, camping gear or other equipment, pop out the seats as necessary and open those double doors. It doesn't get any easier.

From what you describe I would strongly recommend as my brothers here have, that you research the A36.

BTW, I've landed at Blue Ridge on Angel Flights. You have a nice airport, with a lot of hangars for an airport of its size!

And welcome to Beech Talk!

My 2c....

Agree with the others on the merits of the model 36. I've had two of them, along with short Bonanzas and Barons.

Here's what you get with the shorter plane (V35, F33A) that you don't get with the 36:
Lighter handling, a bit more sports car like.
Better ice handling.
Probably a cheaper purchase price.
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Operating costs are virtually the same.

FYI I just posted this pick in a thread that referred to using a stretcher rig in a Bo, but it certainly illustrates the huge opening that "barn doors" provide for gear.