Speed Vs. Dollars

@ATN_Pilot - what's your useful load in that? I could look it up, but you seem proud of your pending purchase!

I've been flying a friend's C210 alot lately and really love that airplane. It's a D model (1964, I think?) I love the speed and relatively high useful load, but it seems like he gets hosed on the annual (like 3k). He's offered me a share in it, but haven't pulled the trigger yet.
 
BaronPete said:
@ATN_Pilot - what's your useful load in that? I could look it up, but you seem proud of your pending purchase!

About 950 if I remember right. Basically full fuel, three people, and a couple of bags. You'd be taking off a bit of fuel to go with four people, but you wouldn't want to go far with four people, anyway. You'd be cramped in the back seat.
 
That's the one! Your Google-fu skills are impressive. ;)
It would've been the one I bought. Out of curiosity how much did you pay?

I've been looking and considered the C models, they certainly are a value in comparison to the J's. 160 vs. 140 knot cruise speed though, and smaller inside an already small cabin.

I also keep going back and forth and looking hard at the Twin Comanche.
 
wheelsup said:
It would've been the one I bought. Out of curiosity how much did you pay? I've been looking and considered the C models, they certainly are a value in comparison to the J's. 160 vs. 140 knot cruise speed though, and smaller inside an already small cabin. I also keep going back and forth and looking hard at the Twin Comanche.

I got it for $48k. A little more than the average C, but the Garmin, fuel computer, and two axis autopilot made it well worth a few grand more. Putting at STEC-30 in a plane that only has a wing leveler is an $18k proposition, I came to find out. Ouch! Better to find a plane that already has it.

I ended up going for it because of the fuel efficiency you mention. You can get it well under 9gph if you're not in any hurry. Cessna 172 fuel burns at any extra 30 knots is hard to beat.
 
1968 M20C with updated panel and fuel bladders. Finished the pre-purchase inspection last week, and I'm having the seller fix a few small items that they found, so I should be picking it up either this weekend or the next, depending on whether they're done in time to have the title company get us the registration paperwork.

And just as another example of how great JC is, @PhilosopherPilot is going to do my checkout flight to make the insurance company happy. How many internet forums you know where people do that sort of thing for each other? Awesome.

Don't thank me until I do the flight. I think about 30 hours should do it! :)

It should be a fun day. I love Mooneys. It's too bad you don't live in Savannah. I need a buddy with an airplane. (That's the best way to have an airplane.)
 
Got to thinking about a common conundrum in GA:

It is less expensive (sometimes) over a given distance to fly a faster airplane than a slower one. Relative to the most common airplanes in the rental fleets (172s, 152s, Arrows, Archers, DA-40s, some Mooneys and assorted Cirri) I'm wondering if anyone has ever done a basic "average performance" chart/tool/spreadsheet that gave quick comparisons about the least-cost rental for a given distance.

I realize that there are a lot of variables that have an effect on cost, but I'll give you an example. I used Skyvector just to do a quick calc:

Flying from, say, JYO to VGT at 115kts GS is about 15 and a half hours in the air. The rental rate on a 172 for that is $140 an hour so, $140 x 15.5 = $2170.

Same trip at something that does maybe 140kts GS, but rents for $180 an hour, $180 x 12.75 hours = $2295.

Slightly more money, but less time in the air, etc...

I think you get my point. Wondering if anyone has worked something like this up? Maybe I will if no one else has. Seems like pretty straightforward spreadsheet work.....

I also realize that not everyone values their time spent the same way. But that does have an impact, obviously.

Well, sure, you can easily calculate "specific speed", and it'll sometimes be cheaper to fly a faster bucket, but when you're flying the types mentioned, you usually WANT more time in the air. Right??
 
I got it for $48k. A little more than the average C, but the Garmin, fuel computer, and two axis autopilot made it well worth a few grand more. Putting at STEC-30 in a plane that only has a wing leveler is an $18k proposition, I came to find out. Ouch! Better to find a plane that already has it.

I ended up going for it because of the fuel efficiency you mention. You can get it well under 9gph if you're not in any hurry. Cessna 172 fuel burns at any extra 30 knots is hard to beat.
Welcome to the club. What is with you airline guys wanting to always fly with autopilots?! What ever happened to days of Lindbergh! :)
 
Please note that Todd didn't "like" or respond to my post about Cassut's. Because he's a girly man.

161497_800.jpg
 
LoPresti had alot to do with refining the airframe over the years. Regardless they are relatively fast, economical airplanes. Does the M20C have the Johnson Bar?
 
LoPresti had alot to do with refining the airframe over the years. Regardless they are relatively fast, economical airplanes. Does the M20C have the Johnson Bar?

It does! At first I wasn't sure how I would like it, but after flying it and seeing how easy it is to operate with none of the mx worries, I'm a convert.
 
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