The trends in one's aircraft acquisition in general terms is probably best if the complexity of the aircraft matches the trend in the pilot's mental acuity; or at least some older pilots wish it would have.

1946 Taylorcraft BC12D
1952’ish Cessna 170B
1968 Cessna 177
1975 Beech V35B
1982 Beech 58TC (no likey)
1984 Beech 58
1982 Cessna 414A
1985 Cessna 425

Next? Thinking about a B200.

After that? Infinity....and beyond!

Doug, is your 340 on the market? I know of someone looking for a nice, not perfect, one.

Feel free to PM me.

George

While there is a tendency for pilots to step "up", I think its not unusual for people's missions to change. Bigger and faster doesn't mean more fun to fly.

My father did a T210 -> baron -> C185. The baron was his go far / fast plane but then stepped back to something for local fun.

Happens all the time.

Rgs
Patrick.

Went from a 58 to a 150.

Love flying the 150, probably my last airplane.

I went from Maule to twin comanche to single Comanche to N/A 600A Aerostar with a RV-9 as a backup. I fly the Aerostar the same amount as the -9. My Aerostar has been a dream and very low maintenance cost. Yes it burns 24-28 gph cruise but I’m clipping along at 200-215 kts too. The -9 is a 6-8 gph plane at 140kts to 160kts. Maybe one day I’ll part with the Aerostar but man is it a fun flying plane. I’ll probably keep it just to look at it and let the executor of my estate part it out. By then flying will be like free speech is today,,,, not popular (is that the politically correct to say it?).

Moved up from a T34B (Navy) ending up in a Boeing 777 (American Airlines) and now back down to a Piper ArrowIII and a Twin Cessna 310R. Lots of in between. Way down to way up to way down again.

My first airplane purchased was a 35-C33 debonair in 1988. Thirty two plus years ago.
Put 1700 hours on it... and then put it in the hangar for some "restoration" type work.

Bought our '76 A36 to fly as a "temporary" airplane in 2003. Flew 1900 hours or so on it and it's still our "temporary" airplane.

The 36 really fit our mission well for years and several things happened... all negative to get the debonair back flying... and unfortunately the project has set for several years.

Now we're seldom flying with more than two seats filled anymore. So I recently asked the wife about selling the A36 and throwing some of that money at the 33.
Her answer was NO.. which surprised me. She loves the barn doors and all the room.

However, I'm looking at retiring (slowing down?) before much longer.... mission changes more... saving a little money... flying on mogas in the debonair.... maybe harder to get insurance on the 36 in a few years .... and all those start pushing the argument back to thinking about flying the 33 again..

A lot of words to say... bought Beech 33--> added 36---> sell 36--->fly 33----> give 33 to the grandchildren..... COULD be my TOTAL lifetime aircraft ownership progression.
Not as interesting as some ....but I'm fine with that.

Leldon

Leldon,
Your post has great ironies. I was out of flying since 2009; most notably B2OSH 2007.

I had an E33. I am back, and can't decide what I want. I have an A36 buddy who backs the greater utility of a 36. I have a buddy who had an E33, but switched over to the 36. He misses the 33, but his traveling companions appear to favor the largeness of the 36.

So, I am feeling pushed to a 36(not with invalid reasons); just pushed. "You'll really like those barn doors." But who likes to ride backwards? Ok, switch the seats around, but you cant board through the barn doors.

I am looking for useful load, which is generally greater in the older lighter aircraft. It appears 33s and 36s can have UL of almost 1,300 or more, if configured properly.

My son is grown, and still a dependent, but working on his instrument rating. He might like bigger, but I am not sure. Leaning very strongly.

Let me ask you: which airplane do you like to the most? Which is your favorite? I can't answer that question, as I have only driven an E33.

Who doesn’t?

We’ve had our A36 for nearly 31 years and have only turned the middle seats around once or twice.

Many of my family members and friends like sitting in the middle row facing backwards so they can stretch out. They find it super comfortable.

I’ve never had anyone complain about sitting backwards.

??

John,
I could compose a long post on the pros and cons of each... but simply...

The A36 is the overall better airplane..

that is my opinion.. and also the opinion of the marketplace where equal equipped 36's will command a price several thousand dollars more than a equally equipped 33.

Leldon

My aircraft progression:

Cessna 150
Cessna 172
Cessna 182
Beech Debonair
Cessna 310
Cessna 402C
Navajo Chieftain
Lear Jet
Douglas DC-8
Boeing 727
Boeing 747
Cessna 182

Almost full circle; almost like we started out in diapers and end up in diapers.

I never considered ingress and egress ergonomics when I bought my first plane 32 years ago. I've been flying high-wing Cessnas since then (172 to T210) and still hadn't thought much about ergonomics, honestly.

Then I got my multi in a rented Piper Aztec. I thought it a fine procedure trainer and comfortable enough once seated, but getting out was really awkward. I'm a big tall guy, and climbing out onto the wing (which is above the seat height) while not being able to stand straight up was really uncomfortable. It made me realize that I can't consider an Aztec as a future airplane; a decade from now, I won't be more flexible or significantly shorter than I am today.

The Aerostar I chose has excellent pilot-seat ergonomics, among many other wonderful attributes. I will eventually be priced out of it as a retirement airplane, but certainly think the pilot ergonomics would be viable into my seventies. Not so sure about workload and systems complexity; hopefully I won't ever need to downgrade due to cognitive decline, but that's as legitimate a risk for some pilots as physical decline.

My $0.02

Mark

Mine was C172 > CT210 > Aerostar 601P > Aerostar SS700 > MU-2. I also bought a Husky A1 many years ago on which I run 31" tires in summer and skis in winter. I'm assuming I'll eventually find it difficult to justify an MU-2 after retirement, but it would be hard to give up the family "private airliner." I doubt I'll ever sell the Husky...low and slow in all the backcountry places is just too much fun. I'm also a partial owner of four BE-90's as part of my business, but they have always struck me as more like a bus and not particularly noteworthy or exciting (I understand that the aviation market disagrees with me and they certainly serve a purpose), but they are gone with retirement for sure.