BeechTalk - BT - Why are there so many Twin Cessna vs Beech Barons for sale

Username Protected · **Posted:** 27 Mar 2018, 18:44

Controller.com has over 210 Cessna 340 and 414/421 aircraft for sale, versus 144 Beech Barons of various types. There are only 21 T310/310 aircraft for sale.

This is the most Twin Cessnas for sale I’ve ever seem on this website.

Just wondering why there are so many Twin Cessnas for sale, and why there is such a big disparity in the number of Cessna and Beech twin aircraft for sale.

Butch

Username Protected · **Posted:** 27 Mar 2018, 19:11

We would have to know the fleet size for each model to come up with a comparison, but of the twin Cessnas, the 310 is the most economical to operate, and therefore owners hang onto them.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 27 Mar 2018, 19:12

Turbines

Username Protected · **Posted:** 27 Mar 2018, 19:25

Twins produced:

Beech Barons - 6,691+

Cessna 310 - 5449

Cessna 340 - 1,351

Cessna 414 - 1,070

Cessna 421 - 1,961

Source Wikipedia.

Butch

Username Protected · **Posted:** 27 Mar 2018, 19:47

Username Protected wrote:

Turbines

Or basicmed :lol:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 27 Mar 2018, 20:33

If the Baron and 310 fleet sizes are similar, but there are 7x the number of Barons for sale, then the question is why so few 310's? Or so many Barons?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 27 Mar 2018, 23:12

Username Protected wrote:

Turbines

Or basicmed :lol:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 27 Mar 2018, 23:21

Username Protected wrote:

If the Baron and 310 fleet sizes are similar, but there are 7x the number of Barons for sale, then the question is why so few 310's? Or so many Barons?

Damn good question. Someone needs to do some homework on the FAA website and see how many 310's remain on the registry with a current registration compared to Barons.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 30 Mar 2018, 08:39

You have to have a pretty unique mission to look at a 340 or a 421/414. The smaller twins fill a hole. The 310/58/55 are ‘simple’ birds that fit in normal hangars (sans 310R), have agreeable fuel burns and aren’t threatened by a new AD every 6 months. Besides the 58P, those twins also don’t require recurrent.

Once you go to a big pressurized twin, your whole life changes. Big hangars, recurrent training, 30+ gph burns, etc. Lots of cost, at that point, single engine turbine is the better road to take.

I guess some people see the value, but if I was looking at $300k+ 421’s, I’d probably just jump to a MU2. TBM, King Air, or TP piper would also be better decisions imo. If you’re paying for a bigger hangar and going to recurrent, burn jet A.

I have to imagine that’s what’s going on and that’s why you see so many of them for sale. Same with the 58P, they’re pretty cheap, insurance/recurrent are somewhat choking them out I think. The prices reflect that.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 30 Mar 2018, 14:10

I agree that over the last three years there are more pressurized twin Cessnas for sale which I believe is related to things already mentioned and the aging pilot population that is getting out of serious flying. The cost of maintaining these planes is too much to justify for casual flying. I would also add that maintaining these planes requires a level of knowledge, commitment and patience beyond the average GA plane due to their age and complexity. In addition the insurance requirements are much higher for a pressurized twin compared to a non-pressurized twin. I also wonder if the newer private pilots ever consider getting a twin rating and instead are going from a Cirrus to a Vision Jet or TBM or Meridian instead of a twin.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 30 Mar 2018, 18:59

Username Protected wrote:

You have to have a pretty unique mission to look at a 340 or a 421/414. The smaller twins fill a hole. The 310/58/55 are ‘simple’ birds that fit in normal hangars (sans 310R), have agreeable fuel burns and aren’t threatened by a new AD every 6 months. Besides the 58P, those twins also don’t require recurrent.

Once you go to a big pressurized twin, your whole life changes. Big hangars, recurrent training, 30+ gph burns, etc. Lots of cost, at that point, single engine turbine is the better road to take.

I guess some people see the value, but if I was looking at $300k+ 421’s, I’d probably just jump to a MU2. TBM, King Air, or TP piper would also be better decisions imo. If you’re paying for a bigger hangar and going to recurrent, burn jet A.

I have to imagine that’s what’s going on and that’s why you see so many of them for sale. Same with the 58P, they’re pretty cheap, insurance/recurrent are somewhat choking them out I think. The prices reflect that.

Well stated.