Anyone have Cessna 206 experience?

Michigan_Flyer

Well-Known Member
One of my private students is dead set on buying a 206 for his first airplane. I have never even seen one up close. Does this sound at all feasable, or safe? How complicated is a 206 to fly, especially for a low time pilot?
 
I would be shocked if there was an insurance company that would even offer him coverage. Especially if he doesn't have his PPL yet. Even if he did have it, being low time, he better have some deep pockets and know someone in the insurance biz.
 
The 206 is nothing but a 182 on steroids.

Bigger engine, Welded down gear,and a lot more gas per hour.

Searching back through the dim recesses of memory I think somewhare around 150 kt.

Heavy on the nose during landing.
 
Something I did forget to say was, one guy on my field supposedly had to take 2 seats out of his before the insurance company would even talk to him about it. He had his PPL, but less than 100 hours. He was that dead set on buying a new 206. Not long after, he sold that one and bought a TC, and about a year later sold the TC, got his multi and bought a Baron. This thing was incredibly nice, but the guy didnt even have his instrument yet.

My point is, I suppose you could do it, but why?
 
If he has the money, that plane is a great all around performer. Fixed gear, nothing too complicated, just fill it up and go. Easy and docile to fly, I don't think it'll be too much for him to handle after 10-20 hours post ppl. Unless you have serious doubts about him in whatever he is currently flying.
 
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My point is, I suppose you could do it, but why?

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I would go for it. If the guy has the money and wants to continue training, I think it is better to do it in the airplane that you want to fly on a continuous basis.

So my question is, if you could do, why wouldn't you? I don't want to the insurance answer either. I am sure this guy has enough to pay for insurance if he can afford a $350,000+ airplane.
 
I bet he can’t get coverage until he has 200hrs or some other number in the ball park. Kind of like some of the cirrus models out there. You cannot get insured until you have 200hrs and are working on an instrument rating. The 206 is not hard to fly, but new pilot, 300hp, and here is the kicker 6 seats alarms insurance companies.

It’s not always a question of being able to pay for coverage. He may simply be uninsurable until he meets minimum requirements for the underwriters no matter how big his checkbook is. I would be interested to know the answer to this.
 
Good plane, but expensive. Both to purchase, and operate, for what you get.

If he is doing training now in a 182, then a 206 would be a fairly easy move. If he is in a 172, go take him out in a 182 for 5 hours or so, to get him really familiar with how it lands/handles different than the 72. Then let him know the change to the 206 will be about that much more. I'd strongly recommend getting into a 182 as soon as possible if not already though, so he gets used to everything happening at a faster pace. Not overflying patterns, learning how to slow down and decend a high performance plane. Throw some friends of his in the back, and do landings when he first gets it in addition to just doing it with the 2 of you up front. Move people around to show how CG changes effect performance. Discuss extensively issues of a too forward CG if he wants to go fly it solo sometime

Good for you, you get to teach him a lot about knowing how to do W&B, and HP procedures. And, fly with him a lot in it, since he'll likely need a lot of time for insurance reasons.
 
Another example of how liability insurance has ruined GA. Would that plane be NEAR that expensive if the pilot didn't need to have outrageous insurance and Cessna didn't need to have liability insurance for people that sue them for pilot error?
 
Yeah, insurance for a low-timer might be tough with 6 seats and a big engine.

As far as flying the 206, it's pretty easy to fly, overall, and there aren't very many tricky things about it. Compared with a trainer, it's big, heavy on the controls and very stable (makes a super instrument ship, if he goes on to do his IFR rating in the plane). Possible gotcha for a low-time guy who is new to the 206: using 40 degrees of flaps creates huge amounts of drag - airspeed can drop off quickly and the plane can develop a big sink rate. A good checkout/training program and a little practice would probably prevent any major problems.
 
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So my question is, if you could do, why wouldn't you?

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I think it's WAY too much airplane for most new pilots. Build a couple of hundred hours in something more reasonable before jumping in on a $300k aircraft.

Rich people throw money at all kinds of things, so if he wants to do it, it's his money. I think it's rediculous.
 
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So my question is, if you could do, why wouldn't you?

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I think it's WAY too much airplane for most new pilots. Build a couple of hundred hours in something more reasonable before jumping in on a $300k aircraft.

Rich people throw money at all kinds of things, so if he wants to do it, it's his money. I think it's rediculous.

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With the right training, it's not so far-fetched. I know if I had the money, I'd be flying alot more airplane than a Skyhawk!!

I'd encourage him to get the 206!! It's another way to encourage the growth of general aviation. Another airplane sold, and another pilot required (by insurance) to get more training.
 
Well, yeah, I can agree with that to a certain point, but my worry as his CFI would be cutting him loose in it. Maybe I am thinking the wrong way about it though. If he bought the aircraft while still getting his PPL he would be very familiar and comfortable with it. I was thinking more along the lines of him getting his PPL in a 172 and then buying this aircraft, getting checked out in it in a few hours and flying it alone with less than 60 hours and 10 in type. That just sounded really scary to me, and I can't understand why someone would want to do that.
 
Sure, but a 206 is a 206, new or old. I'm assuming we were just using the new figures since that was the aircraft in my example from the beginning.

Look, honestly it's his money and he can piss it down the street for all I care. I just thought it wasn't that great of an idea. For a second there I thought this was one of those rare forums where you could give your opinion without having to defend it until death.
 
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For a second there I thought this was one of those rare forums where you could give your opinion without having to defend it until death.

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i wasnt coming down on anyones opinion at all. All i was noting was that you guys assumed he was getting a new one, and insurance may be different for a new versus old one. and you assumed he was filthy rich because he was getting a new one which may or may not be the case

no need to get defensive
 
There is a camera operator crew member at our company who got his PPL in a 150. Once he had his PPL, he started flying dead legs in our 206's when he wasn't working the camera gear. I think he has about 170 hours now, and almost all of that is C-206 time except for the first 50+ hours of PPL.

From what I have personally seen, he has always flown the 206 extremely well and with a high comfort level. It's a lot more airplane than a trainer, but I don't think that it's an outrageous idea to transition to a 206. It's a simple fixed-gear airplane, generally very stable and forgiving, a good hauler and a good performer.

If your student plans on hauling lots of people and equipment around, a 206 would be a good choice versus being tempted into an over-gross or under-perform situation with a 172 or even a 182. I don't know if this guy would take risks like that, but it's something to think about.
 
Loved the 206. The first cargo company I started with had 6 PA-32-300s, 2 PA-32R-301s, 2 C-207s, 2 PA-31-350s, and one each T-207 and TU-206G; flying out of Chandler, Arizona.

Started out in the turbo 206 and the Cherokee 6s, loved them both, though I was a little partial to the Cherokee. The 206 was a fine aircraft, carried a good load, and was easy to handle...really just a large 182.

unrelated sidenote: Interesting thing about one of our PA-32s. It was, at one time, owned by a SF 49ers football player, and painted in the teams red/gold stripes over white paintjob. Neat plane.
 
Another thought; If the student is looking to you for "expert" advice, would it not be a good idea if you were to at least fly one for an hour or so prior to advising him on the pros and cons?

Truly, there is nothing that dificult about flying them, just different.
 
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