I see a lot of us have "progressed" in complexity of aircraft.

Sometimes a Bo owner progresses to a Baron. A NA Baron to a P Baron...or an Aerostar...

or a Baron to a 340/414....

Sometimes to a MU2....Or a King Air.


Now....how often do we see someone go "back down the hill"? I have. Been at Pressurized Twins, then back to NA twins, singles, back up, etc.



I am trying to see if *anyone* has gone "back down" from an MU-2 to a Baron/Bo/etc.


I don't recall anyone....


So, is that Nirvana?



(asking for a friend)

I wouldn't call it a downgrade, but I went from a Mooney to a Pitts when I stopped flying to places and just wanted to fly. That's my hesitation of jumping to something pressurized. I don't have enough long legged travel needs to justify it.

My next plane will likely be a Stemme motorglider.

Stan,
Been living that. Tail draggers...

Now TBM is gone and I’m back in a Mooney after it was my original step up to the TBM earlier in history. Life is good.

First plane was a Grumman Traveler: Fun to fly, reasonably fast and very efficient.

Upgraded to a Commander 114 (turbo-normalized): Comfortable cross-country cruiser with 160-165 kt speed, great for Dallas to El Paso, or Dallas to Knoxville to visit parents. Three of the parents passed away, and Mom moved to be with us, so...

Downgraded to an older Citabria 7ECA: Great tailwheel introduction airplane, cheap to own / operate, but not very comfortable for more than 2 hours at a time, and absolutely impossible for Young Eagles missions (kids can't see out - at all!), so...

Cross-graded (is that even a word?) to a RANS S-6ES Coyote II experimental-category Light Sport: Rotax engine reliability and economy, slightly faster cruise than the Citabria, very comfortable seats (Oregon Aero memory foam), and amazing visibility in a side-by-side config. STOL performance at bargain price. Perfect for flying grandkids and other Young Eagles, and turns those $100 hamburger flights into $50 hamburger flights. Perfect plane for an old retired fart whose wife isn't interested in flying.

Consider a Pipistrel instead. IMO, it's a much better airplane and much less expensive.

Stan,

Between you and Gresham it seems as though you’ve owned at least one of everything, and two or more of some aircraft!

[Yes, I’m jealous]

So it seems that you’re in a better position than most to answer your own question.

But perhaps it depends on how one defines nirvana? Are airplanes like motorcycles, in that no one airplane is good for a wide variety of missions? So multiple aircraft are needed to sate one’s desires?

Or does one define nirvana differently? Perhaps finding the *right* aircraft means having it for a very long time and being happy with it as it meets one’s needs and desires?

That’s for you to decide. If money were no object (but it seems as though it always is) I’d have multiple aircraft. A high speed pressurized traveling aircraft, a high wing low and slow tail dragger, a war bird and goodness knows what else.

In the meantime my A36 Bonanza has served us well now for nearly 31 years. We’ve upgraded the engine, interior, avionics and added a turbo. But at the end of the day there she is, still doing a great job of getting us where we want to go in speed and comfort.

Nirvana? I don’t know. But I like her better than anything else I’ve flown....

Enjoy the search!

MU-2 is at a sweet spot where the acquisition cost / operating cost are both attractive because the historical safety record was poor, then to fix that the required training / insurance requirements became high.

For a highly experienced and proficient but budget conscious pilot it might be unbeatable in the turbine category.

It’s fairly common for a pilot to have ambivalence between the capabilities they want and the price that comes with those capabilities. Pilots usually try to optimize for the airplane, some moving up and down the ladder over and over. The other approach is to figure out how to make more $ or care less about spending it

I'll be one that re-gressed I have Only flown, and owned One airplane, a 1947 Bonanza At my age, nobody in their right Mind would turn Me loose, with a more expensive, more powerful Machine...................I'll be going Backwards from Here Fellas
A Cessna 170 be Proud to Own one

My Bonanza? is Likely My Nirvana

Went from a Mooney m20J for 5 yrs to an Mu2. Had the Mits for 16yrs. Progressed to a CE500 and then a Falcon DA10. My current ride is Lancair IVp. Just as fast as the Mits on 20 gal/hr. Kids are getting bigger, may get a 210,310 or A* next. Would love an Eclipse or Epic, just out of my $ range.

We go full circle in life. Started with Cubs, prolly end with Cubs (but clipped-wing, fer sure!).
When we no longer need to go anywhere in particular, or impress anyone, nothing beats seeing the world slowly slide by with doors wide open, and a nice, fat tire to enhance the view.

Tom

I am not allowed to participate in this thread.

C182->T210->C185.

First airplane->sophisticated button pushing airplane with lots of systems to maintain->yoke and rudder airplane-> upgraded it to have buttons to push and knobs to twirl.

Started with what I could handle. Enjoyed a travelling machine for a time, but looking back I always wanted an amphib. It was always the dream. No regrets though, enjoyed each one. Since buying the 185 I missed the avionics the T210 had, so I put that capability in the 185. Almost have it all now. Wheels, skis, floats, amphib floats, autopilot.

I don’t try to justify this airplane, and I plan to own it until I can’t find my way to the airport anymore. I still have visions of owning another travelling machine, but won’t do it unless I can make a real business case for it, and it has to be in addition to the 185.

This is in my mid fifties. Life circumstances matter in this discussion, and I believe correlates with age. Kids, ambition, career, business, grandkids, prosperity or lack of prosperity all factor in.

I sold my first travel air to a guy who was moving out of a 421.

My progression was

C172 in my twenties
T210 in my forties
Aerostar in my mid-fifties

I doubt that the Aerostar will be my 'retirement toy' airplane, too expensive. So yeah, I'll probably downgrade when I stop working.

My $0.02

Mark