Partly depends on how many flight hours these guys already have. If you have several pilots trying to jam a thousand hours each on an old $60k twin, there are gonna be a lot of pricey MX issues along the way. Or almost certainly. Not so much with a complex hi performance single. Or, not as much.

I owned a Cutlass [172RG] for ten years and had it in a flight school where I taught and used it [along with everyone else] for commercial/CFI training. TBO 2000 hr. and we went through three engines during that time. All went over TBO, but a couple of IO470s on an old twin would cost many times what the Cutlass engine did.

Now, if these guys only need a few hundred hours apiece, maybe different story, I don't now. Depends on the "old twin."

I'll let ya know how it goes sir.

182RG might be a decent one?
Lycoming and has enough power to operate in the mountain areas in summer.

Are you going to get a decent 182RG for $60k?

Perhaps, in that ballpark.
No?

I see them *listed* for mid-high $60s to $150k.
I have them insured for $60k up to $155k!

For the mission described: Mooney. Will run rings around the Arrow and tough as a two dollar steak.

I'm prejudiced: never flew but one airplane I liked less than the Arrow.

No, wait , make that two.

Jg

Having owned a school that took quite a few rotary wing folks through military competency and transitioned them to fixed wing, this is my suggestion:

Call around to some of the schools near Army bases heavy with rotors. Additionally, call a few of the twin schools. There is a good chance that you could negotiate block time in several aircraft including a twin to build some AMEL time in, let them deal with any surprise maintenance, and not have to try and sell a plane when a 121, 135, or 91k operation offers you a sweet deal. The other sad irony is that you could pick up a good early model TravelAir with mid-time almost bulletproof Lycoming O-360 engines for just a smidge over $60k, fly the pants off of it while sipping 6GPH per side with the engines pulled back. As much as I love the TravelAir I also love the Twin Comanche and there a few more of them out there. One of my loves when I worked for Gulfstream was the GA-7 Cougar; only about 40% of the 190 built are still flying and parts can be are hard to find. Though I would not consider it a trainer, flying the AA-5B Tiger, with the canopy slid back a few inches with my CFI grinning, was a really neat experience. ...but as much as I love the Twin Comanche and Comanche 250, I am NOT a fan of the forward CG and weight limits in the Arrow.

As much as you love your buddies, this does not tie you down into aircraft ownership AND owning a potential hangar queen with friends is a good way to lose a friendship.

Yes, that school might make 10% on the block rate but your money could be sitting in the stock market appreciating as long as it keeps going up.

Good luck!