don’t want to hijack your thread, but I ran the numbers on my strutted 210 versus having the nearly identical fixed-gear airplane (206), and I’m money ahead even with the extra maintenance costs of retractable gear.

My calculation went like this: ignore local joyrides and just buzzing around and $100 hamburger runs, tally up only trips where I was “going somewhere” — the kind of flying where faster cruise speed makes a difference. With the total hours in cruise, figure out the fuel used. Now take the same fuel burn rate but figure it for the increased time spent in the slower airplane (fixed gear). Also add the extra cost for engine reserve based on the same delta in hours. (fuel and overhaul reserves are my two biggest recurring expense items)

When I compare that to the delta in cost of my maintenance, I am money well ahead with the retractable gear. That includes the hydraulic mule I built, and purchase of the tall jacks needed to swing Cessna 210 gear. To be fair, I don’t know what the delta in cost would be for insurance.

Your mileage may vary, of course. If all you do is joyride around your local area, speed may not matter as much as having a simpler plane with easier maintenance.

For me, it’s settled. Very glad I ignored all the hysteria and fearmongering about 210 gear and just made the plunge.

Now back to Cherokee Sixes and Lances

Mark

My insurance on my lance 120k hull is 1700 a year. Had it since new, also have had a Saratoga, 2 2hps, a 6x and 6-300. My lance since new has been 155-157knot airplane. This is at roughly 62%-64% power. The 6x would do similar speeds, but would have to burn closer to 18.5 gph, while the lance was 14.5 as with the 2hps. The 79 6-300 is a great airplane and similar speeds as the 6x. My buddies 6-300 that is a 68, at my same power settings is a 130-132 knot airplane, that’s more then 20knots and has less fuel, so the range suffers on his on long trips. I hope this helps.

And average annual costs?

(Scratch that. No such thing as average)




Ron

the other thing tou have to consider with fixed gear is the cost to the wheel pants. The fully enclosed wheel pants that a piper needs to go faster, are time time consuming to remove and install. You'll do that at annual, and of you have one other occasion during the year that you need to remove them, the cumulative time is probably on par with how long it takes to jack & inspect the retractable gear at annual.

Now I'm miffed. All this time ATC will occasionally call my Lancair a "Lance". I usually just let it slide, but now that I know how SLOW they are, I'll have to start correcting them.

I get called Lance-Air often and let it slide.

I always correct them when they call my Tiger a Cherokee. LOL

I flew a buddy’s Six 300 back from Ohio several years ago and fly a buddy’s Lance around since I can’t seem to link up with him to finish his private training and the difference in speed between the two is negligible. 145KTAS is what both will do.

I have about 100-150 hours in the Lance and it’s a good airplane for what it is, but if were in the market for that type of airplane, I would have just gotten the Cherokee. The Lance came about because it was available and it’s dirt simple and bulletproof. I flew it down to Shreveport, LA with my wife and mother for the first of our three baby showers and it was a great traveling machine for that distance. I’ve done Florida day trips from NC several times in it, too.