While living in San Diego, I had joined Plus One Flying Club. Great club: 1000 members, 60 airplanes at 4 San Diego airports. Lots of choice, lowish rates, plenty of nice flying days.

One day, the lovely Mrs. Steed and I flew to Las Vegas to visit friends. Nice trip, severe clear all the way there and all the way back. Getting to 11.5 in a 172 was a chore, but the flight was smooth and uneventful. It was, however, a 2.5 there and 2.6 coming back.

After landing at Montgomery, my charming wife ran off to the bathroom, then came back and helped me button up the airplane. It was then that she said the words that instantly made me the envy of married pilots the world over. She said, "Sweetheart, when we buy an airplane . . . could we buy a faster one?"

Why, yes. Yes we could.

We had just spent 3 years in Italy where GA is dead. I can show you the future of user fees. It's Italy. In 3 years I saw exactly TWO GA airplanes in the sky. I asked an Italian pilot about renting a plane. He laughed. Said he did all his flying in Arizona and while it was possible, flying a 172 in Italy would cost north of $500/hr. Exorbitant rent, breathtaking fuel prices, landing fees, TRACOM fees, taxes and who knows what else. Not even worth investigating.

So when we got to San Diego, I found Plus One and started flying again. I also found Miramar College which has an A&P program. Did I mention the Lovely Mrs. Steed? She sent me to school.

While California schools have their challenges, and many are dropping classes left and right, the Aviation Maintenance Program at Miramar is surviving. If the stars align you can get through in 2 years, many take longer.

I got there and found I was sitting up front with a small group of like-aged individuals. We later found out that the kids in the back had termed us The Silverbacks. I like to think this was a mark of respect for our age and accumulated wisdom.

All the while I'd been perusing various aircraft choices in our price range.

Because you're here, you know what and why I quickly winnowed the choices to a Bonanza or Debonair. Having done so I checked out in a club Deb, and made a few trips around Southern California.

ABS and BeechTalk, of course were wonderful resources, but then I found that ABS was hosting a Service Clinic at Romona, just 30 miles up the road. I contacted Bob Ripley and he put me in touch with Bob Olsen who was conducting the Clinic. He kindly invited me up to shadow him around as many inspections as I could stand. What an eye-opener. Detailed, specific, important inspection points. A great confidence builder.

Last July we moved north and are now in Silverdale, Washington, and flying out of Bremerton, 22NM west of Seattle. As some money was coming loose in the new year, it became time to start shopping in earnest. Having read every issue of Trade-a-Plane and the ABS mag, and screen of EBay and Barnstormers, I thought I had a pretty good handle on values and possibilities. We looked for a '60 to '68 P-V or Deb.

And the locations factored in. While teaching here, I only have weekends to kick tires. An airplane in Florida may be a great deal, but it's $2000 away. And that's just the search. There's still getting it back.

Then we saw the ad for a V-35 in Ephrata. Low TT and low hrs on a new engine. Old radios but a new interior. Worth a look.

N3706Q was sitting in an old WWII B-17 hangar in Ephrata. Rather than the usual stick of t-hangars, Ephrata has two huge, old, beautiful hangars used for bomber training 70 years ago. Now the port authority has them and you can park your plane there for $135 a month.

We went over the Cascades once to see, then went back to do the pre-buy and participated in the Annual. Sent $ to escrow and closed today.

It has some issues: no intercom (?), no shoulder harnesses, and a fuel stain on the right lower spar, but the price was adjusted and these are things that I can take care of and sign off.

We're just waiting for a nice VFR day to fly it back here and get started. I've got an instrument ticket but flying an unfamiliar aircraft through possibly icing conditions over the mountains doesn't seem prudent.

I've signed up for the BPPP online, am halfway through the written portion, and have contacted a flight instructor.

I'm sure I'm at the point where I have so little time that I don't know what I don't yet know, but with a cautious approach, it should be OK. Baby steps or Fortune Favors the Bold, take your pick. I'm a little of both.

I appreciate the accumulated wisdom so freely dispensed here and hope to donate my share when possible.

Excellent, fun to read post. Keep writing....

George,

What a wonderful story and gorgeous plane. My a36 is an 84 and I wish I had curtains! Very smart not fly over desolate mountain terrain in questionable wx in a unknown plane. Sounds to me you have got it going on .....lovely supportive wife, wonderful new education and now a wonderful new bird to care for and enjoy. Awesome!

George, that's a great story and a great looking airplane. You will love flying it.

(Posted before.) Ten years ago I was searching for a plane, looking at C and P brands only. One day after a rental flight in a C172 my wife spotted a V-tailed Bonanza taxiing. She said: "I've always thought those were the best looking planes. Are they fast?" I said "Yep, they are the fastest planes." She looked at me and said "Well, if they're the prettiest and fastest why would we buy anything else?" Within a month we owned a Bonanza.

Great story, George, and a beautiful plane... Welcome to BT. I myself am new to the club and recently bought an A36TC, that I love.. My girlfriend's best friend lives out your way and we get out to the Seattle area occasionally, so maybe I can see your new bird in person one day!
Look forward to hearing more from you.

Congratulations George, looks like you found a keeper. Stay out of the ice.

George,

Great story.

Obviously you should add shoulder harnesses in at least the front seats.

Everybody has diferent ideas about avionics; you need an intercom and an approach certified GPS to start I would think.

As for the fuel leak, when these airplanes sit without flying, it is very common for the fuel bladders to get brittle & leak. Usually leak near the top first, but they can split open completely. Investigate the fuel bladders carefully.

Good luck with it & enjoy.

George, great post, thank you!

For the record, I live photos of shiny beechcraft in old wooden hangars

George,

That is a great story and you told it so well.

Congrats on your new plane.

+1

Congratulations, but please view the shoulder harness as equal in importance to the left wing. Install them before you do anything else.

George,

Great story and well written. Congrats on the plane and good luck getting it home.

Tim

I would look into the bladders first. Then shoulder harnesses.

When the bladders start leaking at the top (because they dry out there first) some pilots will just not fill them up. Sounds ridiculous but that was the condition of my Deb when I bought it in 1995. The guy who sold it to me said it was wasted money to replace the bladders, just don't fill them up all the way. Put 30 or 35 gallons in each side instead of 40.

My airplane was in a hangar being worked on when the bladder on one side went completely. Dumped 30 gallons of 100LL on the floor. If that had happened in flight, the aircraft would have quickly went to a serious out-of-ballance condition and if that tank had been selected the engine would have stopped.

When a person sells an airplane, it is likely because he hasn't been flying much. Because people get attached to airplanes, sellers often have it sitting around for awhile before the wife complains or just financial realism sets in & he sells. These fuel tanks dry out if the fuel is not swished around frequently.

So a fuel leak on a newly purchased Bonanza is a red flag about possible deteriorated bladders. Happened to me. Happened to others.

Now those bladders may be just fine, that's why I said investigate, not replace. But I would be nervous.

Other typical things that should be looked at if a Bonanza has been sitting around include magnesium ruddervators or elevators, landing gear struts, and the usual things like tires & airframe corrosion.

Now the fact that the airplane is in a hangar helps alot. If the hangar is heated & air conditioned & dry that helps even more. Mine was outside when I bought it.

+1 and great story for the both of you! I missed that before, Max.

Guys,
Thanks for the advice. My priorities are 1) to purchase the shoulder harnesses (front seats) and install them as soon as possible. 2) purchase an intercom and install or get it installed 3) investigate the fuel leak. I'll check the vent nipples, and cover bolt torques, but I'm resigned to becoming an expert at shoving a cat through a mouse hole. These bladders are 18 and 20 yrs old, so it's time.
All three of these things will be concurrent. And soon. I figured I'd fly with the radios for a year before I let you spend my money on a repanel.
Right after BPPP this (BeechTalk) has to be the best resource any of us could have about any facet of flying these beauties.
Thanks.