BeechTalk - BT

Username Protected · **Posted:** 23 Jul 2010, 14:56

Username Protected · **Posted:** 23 Jul 2010, 15:20

So much for 'the US sucks as manufacturing location'.

Sounds like they are really planning to push ahead with that aircraft. A shame that these kinds of moves allways require corporate welfare to happen.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 23 Jul 2010, 15:37

Not to be a party pooper, but looking at the 500 makes me think Piaggio Avanti, Beech Starship, Gulfstream Peregrine, Questaire Venture, Lopresti Fury ...

Username Protected · **Posted:** 23 Jul 2010, 15:52

I'll reserve my comments about the comparison, but hear you loud and clear. I have unverified reports of about 20 being sold, and I think they need roughly 10-15/yr to be viable at a cool $2m.

Im sure you all know of the Extra 300 and its capabilities. We had the pleasure of building an experimental engine for http://timweberairshows.com/ who is sponsored by Gieco insurance.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 23 Jul 2010, 16:47

The guys told me about this when I took the demo flight. Said the official announcement would come about now....and sure enough.

One thing is for sure, they've got a much better chance at making a run at it with production in the US.

Oh, also, the Avanti made it. Still making and selling them successfully. Although I think the program did hick-up until Piaggio took it over. The EA-500 will find a market I think.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 23 Jul 2010, 17:21

Maybe Cessna should buy them being high wing and not particularly attractive.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 23 Jul 2010, 22:09

Username Protected wrote:

Maybe Cessna should buy them being high wing and not particularly attractive.

I wouldn't be suprised if that happens down the line. They may do the same as they did with the Columbia, pick up the entire project after a bankruptcy for pennies on the dollar.

The Extra is almost as ugly as a P210, would be a worthy successor

.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 24 Jul 2010, 00:25

Given the choice between a Meridian and an EA-500 I would pick the Extra on all merits: looks, price, performance, utility. If Beech made something in the class then it's a no brainer, but sadly they do not make such an offering. I think the Extra fits a unique enough of a niche and is a frugal enough airplane to make it work....BWTHDIK

Username Protected · **Posted:** 24 Jul 2010, 01:29

Do you guys REALLY think this is an horrendously ugly airplane? I don't think it even makes the quarter finals of ugly.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/7Med7pTC0nU[/youtube]

Username Protected · **Posted:** 24 Jul 2010, 08:29

Tyler

Did you ever make a pirep post on the Extra 500 Flight?

Paul,

Yes, I think it's really ugly. I'd take a Meridien first.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 24 Jul 2010, 08:37

Username Protected wrote:

Do you guys REALLY think this is an horrendously ugly airplane? I don't think it even makes the quarter finals of ugly.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/7Med7pTC0nU

That is the lamest video ever. No mention of performance specs? 6 minutes of "ugly" shots? WTF?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 24 Jul 2010, 10:09

I would take the Meridian with a Can built PT6 before this ugly bird. Im sure the Allison 250 runs out of steam at 20k? Who flown it so we can get a pirep?
I dont see any G1000 or Avydine R9?
Have you seen the way those gears retracts ? Talk about german engineering? :scratch:

Username Protected wrote:

Given the choice between a Meridian and an EA-500 I would pick the Extra on all merits: looks, price, performance, utility. If Beech made something in the class then it's a no brainer, but sadly they do not make such an offering. I think the Extra fits a unique enough of a niche and is a frugal enough airplane to make it work....BWTHDIK

Username Protected · **Posted:** 24 Jul 2010, 10:20

Quote:

That is the lamest video ever. No mention of performance specs? 6 minutes of "ugly" shots? WTF?

You looked at the whole thing? I figured it was going to be all the same after two minutes...it's just the first thing I found with decent camera work.

The lack of performance data on the website is the most worrisome thing about the whole deal. This was published in Flying recently:

Quote:

The current price of the Extra 500 is $1,495,000, and for that you get a turboprop single, if all goes as expected, that can cruise at 220 knots true at 15,000 feet burning 207 pounds per hour, which equals about 31 gallons of jet-A. Climb to the ceiling of 25,000 feet and the speed rolls back to about 210 knots, but fuel flow plummets to 134 pounds per hour, or about 21 gallons. With 1,179 pound maximum fuel capacity (176 gallons), that means you could cruise for seven hours or a little more under IFR.

I think it's best to think of this as a kind of pressurized version of the Allison-engined turbine Bonanza rather than a TBM/Pilatus competitor.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 24 Jul 2010, 11:43

Quote:

I think it's best to think of this as a kind of pressurized version of the Allison-engined turbine Bonanza rather than a TBM/Pilatus competitor.

Exactly. As for ugly, I think it looks far too much like an F-8 (the last real fighter plane) for anyone to ever call it ugly w/o risking a fat lip. The gear looks a whole lot like the gear design on an F/A 18 or an F-8 both of which are designed in the USA and hell for stout enough to survive carrier landings. I do wonder what happens when that carbon fiber fuselage needs repair after a lightning strike....

RAS

Username Protected · **Posted:** 24 Jul 2010, 11:46

Yes, I watched the whole video. ZERO performance data.

Extra Aircraft Moving to Montrose, CO