Cody Fleck here. I have a 182RG I started flying on August 7th 2013 in a 172. I flew it 3 days in a row, loved it. So on August 11th I went and purchased a very nice 182RG. I just got my license in November 26th of 2013. I have right at 100 hours today as I am writing this. I am going to write my IFR test next week Wednesday and have about 30 hours "under the hood" right now and want to get my IFR asap.

with that said I need to upgrade to a twin or really fast single!! the wife really wants a twin, she feels much more comfortable with the twin engine, even though statistically I have shown her its not necessarily safer. I am thinking along the lines of a Piper Seneca 3;4 or 5. Or maybe a Baron 58. Or even faster and bigger to a Cessna 340A. I have toyed with the idea of a Piper Meridian but just cant get by the fact it could barely haul my family of 5 over 300 miles. Also have been looking at buying a TBM 850 then also leasing it back to a local charter service here.

most of my missions are within 500 miles and only one or two people. I fly a lot for work, at least twice a week. however I will want to fly the family a few times a year 1000+ miles. with my RG I regularly see 160 knts plus unless im bucking a huge head wind up in the skies of North Dakota. I have less time than I have money, even though I dont have much money!! point is, speed is of a great concern, and of course so is hourly costs! safety being my utmost important factor, DUH!!!!

Being I am such a low time pilot I was recommended to not get a twin unless it was counter rotating props. they tell me the others literally flip if not at blue line! which scares me bad!!!

What help can anyone provide me in buying a new plane????

my email is cody@truckstrailersandmore.com

Make your wife happy. If she supports your $$$$$ in flying, life is good. Get a twin and train in it. Pressurization is too much plane for a new pilot. Pick your budget and get a nice baron58. Get a year or two behind that then think about the next thing.

Assuming you're serious and unless you're planning to hire a pilot to fly the airplane I recommend you stick with the 182 for a while, at least until you finish the IR. You could move from there to a light unpressurized twin but you'll be paying through the nose for insurance (like $8-10k for the first year per $100,000 hull value on some of the planes you mentioned) and it will likely require considerably time to become comfortable and safe.

While counter-rotating props are nice they are no panacea WRT maintaining control if you lose one engine, all CR does is make it so the loss of either engine by itself is harder to deal with than the other. Typically most multi engine GA pilots gained at least a few hundred hours of time in a moderately fast retractable airplane (i.e. Bonanza, Mooney, etc) prior to switching to a twin.

BTW, there is considerable debate over the safety value of a twin versus a single with similar performance.

Hello Cody. Welcome to BT. I am new to BT, Beech products and to twin ownership.

I used to own a Mooney M20J 201 that I used for commuting to work, family travel and fun flying around the local area.

After 3 years of owning the Mooney, I decided it was time to upgrade to something that was more of a "most" weather machine and one I could put the family in and feel comfortable flying at night, low IMC and traversing unfriendly terrain knowing that if in the extremely unlikely event that something happened to an engine, I still had one more to get us on the ground safely. Not to mention the anti/de icing equipment, onboard radar, etc.

With regards to your worries about a twin engine airplane suddenly becoming a single engine at the worst possible moment............training and allowing yourself nice safety margins is the answer.

My transition into the B55 has been nothing short of world class fun! I fly for a living but jumping into my own airplane and pushing 600hp worth of throttles forward on the runway is AWESOME. (just don't look at the fuel flows until reaching cruise)

If we've got a TBM budget, the insurance/training on an NA twin won't be a major issue. A 100 hr pilot needs to take on 100 hour missions regardless of plane. Building time in a baron with decent wx and sunlight is plenty reasonable

Welcome Cody!
I have had a Seneca III myself, and of all the versions, this was my favourite. And I think it had the better useful load also. However, if I was to get a new Seneca V, it would do me as useful load would not be limiting for me. And I love the Garmin panel.

It can be done. My first plane was a twin. I had about 25hrs of multi time when I bought it. Wasn't easy getting insurance initially, but I opted to go for no hull, which made it possible. AOPA helped me find an underwriter. My first years insurance was $2100, liability only. Then when you get more experience, you can add hull.

Today I pay only $1700 for my Aerostar, which is pressurised, much faster and more complex. No hull still. I'll get around to it eventually.

Cody,

First, welcome to BT.
Second, you need to include pics your existing plane. We like pics of any plane, even non Beech ones.
Third, if you set your mind to it, and you put in the required training, you can get a twin piston, a jet or whatever you want. Depending on your goals this may cost more or less; but it takes a massive commitment on your part and also a commitment from your instructor(s).

For example, in two and half years I went from starting lessons, purchasing a used Cirrus SR20, getting my PPL, my IR, selling the Cirrus, getting my multi, buying an Aerostar and completing the transition to the Aerostar.

If you decide to go this route you need ensure your instructor focuses on two very different tasks. First and by far the harder task is Air Decision Making (ADM). There is a common perception that pilots build experience overtime and this enhances ADM and this is somewhat true. In a compressed schedule, you do not have the potential experience base to draw upon, so learning this skill is very critical. The second task is the fundamental flying skills, and here you need to focus on flying the plane precisely with an extensive emphasis on emergency management.

If you want to talk in more detail; give me a ring. seven zero three eight five five one eight four five.

Tim

Tim's point is good. I would recommend staying far away from anything requiring complex adm in the first year. Just concentrate on becoming a good vfr pilot.

Assuming you're serious and unless you're planning to hire a pilot to fly the airplane I recommend you stick with the 182 for a while, at least until you finish the IR. You could move from there to a light unpressurized twin but you'll be paying through the nose for insurance (like $8-10k for the first year per $100,000 hull value on some of the planes you mentioned) and it will likely require considerably time to become comfortable and safe.

While counter-rotating props are nice they are no panacea WRT maintaining control if you lose one engine, all CR does is make it so the loss of either engine by itself is harder to deal with than the other. Typically most multi engine GA pilots gained at least a few hundred hours of time in a moderately fast retractable airplane (i.e. Bonanza, Mooney, etc) prior to switching to a twin.

BTW, there is considerable debate over the safety value of a twin versus a single with similar performance.

What is so complex about a pressurized cabin? Everyone told me a RG was to complex to learn in. Heck I soloed it at 11 hours. Got my license in it at 42 hours.
HOW CAN PRESSURE BE SO MUCH HARDER????

What is so complex about a pressurized cabin? Everyone told me a RG was to complex to learn in. Heck I soloed it at 11 hours. Got my license in it at 42 hours.
HOW CAN PRESSURE BE SO MUCH HARDER????

I also didn't get the "big deal" about pressurization. Why did I have to go to a 2-day initial school? Why do I need to go to recurrent training? Why is my first year insurance 5x what I think it should be?

Two part answer:
For the plane, there is no good reason. Pressurization you can learn everything you need to know in 2 hours. It's not even like the complex endorsement where if you forget to put the rollers down, you make an expensive mistake RIGHT now. With the pressurization controller, you notice your ears popping, or hear the cabin as louder than normal, or get a cabin altitude light, and have time to fix it before it becomes "important" generally.

For the capability that the plane provides (and the associated temptation to use it), I think you'll be better off making some mistakes and "I'll never do THAT agains" in a safer, simpler airplane.

I jumped from a straight 182 into a 58P. It's absolutely doable (and the 58P is awesome, BTW!). But, I took the transition seriously, went to school, went to weather school, studied the POH on my own (I knew more about the systems than the ground school instructor on several occasions). And I'd made 10 years of mistakes in the 182, and in my 50 hours of renting a PA-44 to prepare my case for the insurance company.

I can see myself in your posts, and am sympathetic. There's nothing wrong, IMO, with making the leap you're proposing, but it is a leap. 210 knots at FL230 is a different ballgame from 160 at 12,500. If you're going to make the jump, take it seriously. And be prepared to get absolutely bent over the first year on your insurance... It gets better once you have 100 hours in type, so make sure to get your money's worth that first year and get your 100 hours in!

You: Uh hi, I'd like to get a quote for my new Cessna 421.

Ins Co: Sure, how much time do you have?

You: 100 hours.

Ins Co: That's great, 100 hours in type, you won't need any transition time.

You: No, 100 hours total.

Ins Co: Oh, click.

Not that bad. They asked what was my transition plan. I said transition class (four days) and then fly with an approved mentor pilot between 50-100 hours till he passes me off. No issue, a little pricey though.

Tim