Too small/cramped. If you're going pressurized piston twin get a 421.

For his mission of 1-2 people an aerostar would be luxurious. Take a few seats out if desired.

I think a b55 would be his best choice. Colemill conversion would be icing on the cake but might put a nice one out of the budget.

Too small/cramped. If you're going pressurized piston twin get a 421.

$200 ought to get a decent 601

Ok, I'm following this one...

Not sure about the OP - but a partnership in a Twin or a Chute seems to be in the back of my mind as my family "discovers" the travel side of GA.

I guess the point of evaluation is the number of hours spent in actual (IMC) would dictate the Twin or the Chute - at least in my demented logic. Another way of saying: if I'm seriously turning hours in the soup, I think the Twin guys have sold me. If become "just a periodic family flier" (say 100 hours a year and some IMC) then the Chute guys have my attention.

Interesting thread ...

IMC with ICE protection is important too if your latitude dictates that this is always a concern. The twin is superior in this case due in part to superior climb performance.

Using the search function.

Mike

Adam, ever been in one? Roomier than a PBaron. I've owned both. Sure, the 421 is bigger. Different bird, different mission.

Tony, that's just not true. 150k gets you a nice ship with mid-time motors and nice P/I & avionics.

Guys, I have 300 hours in the PBaron, about 500 in the A*. I'm 5'10", 220lbs., broad shouldered stocky; 34" waist. When I owned the Beech I was 185lbs., 32" waist. My dad and I (he's a big bastard, built like a coke machine) fit fine side by side in the A*, in the PBaron, not so much.

Tell you what else- SE performance on the A* is MUCH better.

OP- if you're ever on the East Coast or MidWest, drop me a line and I'll take you for a ride. If you don't have the means for a MU2, the A* is as good as it gets for four adults.

Craig,

I'm an Aerostar fan but at the low end of the price scale you're not going to find the quality of maintenance, equipment, P&I, etc that you're going to find on an unpressurized twin. And the ops cost WILL be higher. The OP clearly has a budget he wants to stay within. A 200K pressurized anything is going to cost way more to own than a similarly priced un pressurized airplane.

I too love Aerostars. You could probably find a decent 601P for under 200K. They are quite small inside but are a blast to fly. The maintenance on the Aerostar is higher than the pressurized twin Cessnas. The worst thing with the Aerostar is the lack of qualified shops to work on them. You can easily find people to work on a Baron or Cessna.

Sat in one before I bought my Baron, I couldn't fit in the pilot seat, and I can fit in a 152.

If you can fit in a Mooney you can fit in any twin. I'd bet that the Aerostar has just as much cabin width as a Baron. Other than a P Baron, I think it would be very hard to find an air conditioned Baron for under 200k. BTW, if the smaller cabin is ok, the P Baron is pretty nice. I'd still rather have a big roomy pressurized twin Cessna. You and your passengers will get spoiled real quick in a 421 or 414. They are like flying 1st class on Delta.

Later model Mooney's have fully articulating seats. I have way, way more headroom in my Mooney than in the Baron.

If it's turbulent in the Baron I have my seat way back like a bunch of hoodlums in a drive by!!!

I probably could not afford/justify the operating expense of an Aerostar or pressurized twin cessna. Nor do I think I would need it. 80% of the time I will be the sole occupant...