Today’s Top Pick is a 1998 Beechcraft B36TC Bonanza.

Beechcraft’s Bonanza has always been a top choice among traveling airplanes. The late 1960s development of the stretched, six-seat A36 model made life even better for pilots transporting people and cargo. A number of aftermarket and factory turbocharging options have been available for the aircraft over the decades, but many consider the final version, the B36TC, the best.

A few things set the B36TC apart from earlier turbocharged Bonanzas, including a longer wing and changes to the turbocharger installation to aid engine cooling. All together, the improvements led to an airplane that gives pilots more flexibility when planning and conducting flights. One of the aircraft’s biggest advantages is the ability to operate more consistently at high altitudes. Whether taking off at high field elevations or cruising in the flight levels, turbocharging keeps the power up in situations that would be marginal for naturally aspirated piston aircraft.

This B36TC has 2,208 hours on the airframe and 436 hours on its 300 hp Continental TSIO-520 engine and McCauley 3-blade propeller since overhaul.

The panel features a Garmin G500 PFD and MFD with synthetic vision, GTN 750 GPS/Nav/Com, GNC 255 Nav/Com, GMA 35 audio panel, GI 275 engine monitor, GI 275 standby attitude indicator, GTX 330ES transponder, Bendix-King KFC150 autopilot with yaw damper, and L3 WX500 Stormscope.

Additional equipment includes a digital air conditioning system, D’Shannon baffle kit, standby vacuum system and gyro, seven-place oxygen, dual toe brakes, USB charging ports, Rosen sun visors, electric pitch trim and LED beacon, strobes, nav, landing and taxi lights.

Pilots looking for a spacious aircraft with speed and useful load that make it well-suited for family or business travel should consider this 1998 Beechcraft B36TC Bonanza, which is available for $559,900 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

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The post This 1998 Beechcraft B36TC Bonanza Is a Fast, Flexible ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1978 Beechcraft F33A Bonanza.

When people think about Beechcraft Bonanzas, they often conjure images of the original V-tail design. Others prefer the stretched fuselage of the utilitarian A36. For many pilots, though, the F33A, with its shorter fuselage and conventional “straight” tail is the one to have.

For generations F33As like the aircraft for sale here have been considered the top of the line among high-performance, four-seat retractables. Pilots of Piper Comanches, Rockwell Commanders (including yours truly), and others in the same category typically wind up comparing their aircraft with F33A Bonanzas and saying things like, “Mine is almost as fast.”

This 1978 F33A Bonanza has 3,354 hours on the airframe and 1,153 hours on its Continental IO-520-BA engine since factory remanufacture. The engine is equipped with GAMI injectors and a Beryl D’Shannon baffle kit. The McCauley three-blade propeller has 328 hours since overhaul. 

The panel features a Garmin GNS 530W GPS/Nav/Com, Apollo SL40 Com, Collins 351 Nav, Apollo SL10-M audio panel, Garmin GTX 335 ADS-B transponder, S-Tec 50 autopilot, and JPI EDM700 engine monitor. Additional equipment includes a standby vacuum system, Door Steward gas springs, and Whelen LED landing and taxi lights. The aircraft was repainted in 2021 and its interior reupholstered in 2023.

Pilots looking for a longtime leader among high-performance piston singles that is an ideal platform for cross-country travel should consider this 1978 Beechcraft F33A Bonanza, which is available for $239,900 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Textron Aviation Presents 75th Bonanza, Virtual Exhibit at Sun ’n Fun
• FLYING Magazine: Hartzell Earns STC for Three-Blade Bonanza Propeller
• FLYING Magazine: Air Compare: Beechcraft A36 Bonanza vs. Bonanza V-tails
• Plane & Pilot: Beechcraft Model 33 Bonanza/Debonair
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• AVweb: Used Aircraft Guide: Beech 33 Debonair/Bonanza

The post This 1978 Beechcraft F33A Bonanza Is a Definitive High-Performance ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Recent years have seen a general drift toward longer spans and higher aspect ratios. The Beechcraft Bonanza has a span of 33.5 feet and an aspect ratio of 6.2; the Cirrus SR22, which might be seen as today’s Bonanza, has a span of more than 38 feet and an aspect ratio of 10.1. The trend is generally toward greater aerodynamic efficiency, partly in response to fuel costs and partly because the increasing use of turbocharging leads to higher cruising altitudes, where longer wings are more at home.

The two airplanes I’ve built, Melmoth and Melmoth 2, are (or were—the first Melmoth was destroyed in an accident long ago) broadly similar, with low wings, T-tails, bubble canopies, retractable gear, and the same 200 hp Continental 360 engine and Hartzell constant-speed prop. The first Melmoth was aluminum, with 2+1 seating; the second is composite and seats four. Both were built with long-distance travel in mind and have lots of internal tankage: Melmoth’s wing and tip tanks held 155 gallons; Melmoth 2’s completely wet wings hold 142 gallons. The two Melmoths, with the same engine, propeller, empty weight, and cabin cross-section, differ significantly in one aspect: wingspan. The first began life with a wingspan of 23 feet and went through 21-foot and 28-foot iterations before its eventual demise. Melmoth 2 has a wingspan of 36 feet but only a little more wing area—106 square feet to the first Melmoth’s 93. (For comparison, the wing areas of most commercial four-seaters range from 145 to 180 square feet.) The first Melmoth’s aspect ratio was 5.75; Melmoth 2’s is 12.6.

Span and area are entangled with one another in the sense that structural strength and stiffness (not to mention space for retracting landing gear) require a certain wing thickness, and that in turn implies a minimum chord (the distance from leading to trailing edge), because airfoils shouldn’t be too thick. So you can’t just increase span willy-nilly without at some point having to increase chord and area as well. However, increasing the wing area, which was originally selected to permit a certain landing speed at a certain weight, adds drag and makes the airplane heavier.

Increased wingspan—other things remaining the same—rewards you with better efficiency and climb rate, and improved high-altitude performance. The first Melmoth had a maximum lift-drag, or L/D, ratio of about 11.8 and a “Breguet range”—a fictional, greatly exaggerated number that ignores takeoff, climb, and varying engine efficiency and assumes that you always fly at a low and ever-decreasing ideal speed—of 3,000 nm. Melmoth 2, with half again the span, has an L/D ratio of 17 and a Breguet range of 3,600 nm, despite carrying 8 percent less fuel. Rate of climb is less strongly influenced by span than L/D and range are, but Melmoth 2, climbing at 1,800 fpm at full power and a typical weight of 2,200 pounds, betters the original Melmoth by about 20 percent.

Note that I said “half again the span” and added nothing about aspect ratio. That is because, contrary to widespread belief, aspect ratio actually does not enter into it. Aspect ratio is generally thought of as the quintessential measure of efficiency, but if you could double an airplane’s wing area (thereby halving the aspect ratio) without increasing its parasite drag, the L/D ratio and Breguet range would remain the same. But you can’t increase wing area without increasing drag and weight, and that’s why aspect ratio becomes important: It’s a measure of how little wing area you can have with a given span.

Curiously, and I think unexpectedly for most pilots, altitude also does not enter into it. You might intuitively suppose that thinner air would make the airplane more efficient, but in fact neither the maximum L/D ratio nor the maximum range is affected by altitude.

You will object that at 8,000 feet you will go faster, with the same fuel flow, than at 2,000 feet. True. But that is because your indicated airspeed is lower. If you flew at the same indicated airspeed and fuel-air ratio at both altitudes, you would find your fuel flow is greater at the high altitude. The reason is that drag at a given indicated airspeed is the same at all altitudes, but the power required to overcome it is proportional to the square of the true airspeed, not the indicated airspeed. At the bestrange speed, the miles per gallon is at a maximum, however, and is unaffected by altitude except to the extent the engine’s efficiency might vary at different settings of manifold pressure and rpm.

• READ MORE: Do Flaps Make Lift?

“Best range” and “best efficiency” are not seen in normal flying. Under actual cruising conditions, Melmoth 2 is not that different from the original Melmoth. The reason is that maximum L/D and the Breguet range assume speeds that are quite low—around 40 percent above the clean stalling speed—and remote from those we actually use. At real-world speeds, 65 percent or 75 percent power, the differences shrink. Melmoth 2 will cruise at 170 knots at 12,500 feet using about 8.5 gallons an hour—about 60 percent of rated power; the first Melmoth would burn about 9.6, around 70 percent power, at the same weight and altitude. So you see that despite a 50 percent improvement in best L/D, the practical benefit of the longer wing is much smaller.

When I designed the first Melmoth, I was strongly influenced by John Thorp and his T-18 homebuilt, whose wing I copied almost exactly. Thorp, who also designed the original rectangular-wing Piper Cherokee, used to say that low aspect ratio wings perform better than theory would lead you to expect, and he was adamant there was no reason to taper the wings of any airplane weighing less than 12,000 pounds. When I designed Melmoth 2, however, I was more influenced by Burt Rutan’s derisive observation that if I intended to fly long distances, I had certainly chosen the wrong wing to do it. Aesthetics, too—hence the long, slender, tapered wing of Melmoth 2, of which Thorp might have disapproved.

For efficiency—the least fuel burned for the most work done—a large wingspan is necessary. But Melmoth 2’s long wing cost it the rollicking roll rate I enjoyed so much in the first Melmoth. Melmoth 2 rolls more like an Airbus. Sometimes, I think I would pay for the extra fuel just to have the rolls back.

This column first appeared in the November 2023/Issue 943 of FLYING’s print edition.

The post The Importance of Wingspan Can’t Be Underestimated appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1965 Piper PA-24-260 Comanche.

Piper introduced its PA-24 in 1957, in part as a reply to the Beechcraft Bonanza, the sleek, fast, and futuristic all-metal, four-seat retractable that had entered the market 10 years earlier. The new Piper was very much in line with the Bonanza, but a big departure for the company, which was still turning out Cub-derived, high-wing, rag-and-tube machines at the time. Streamlined, modern, and attractive, the PA-24 took its place as Piper’s flagship model.

If there was a downside to the PA-24, for Piper, at least, it was manufacturing cost. This was, after all, a complex airplane with a lot of parts. Its beautiful, tapered wing, for example, cost more to produce than the constant-chord “Hershey bar” wing of the newer, simpler PA-28 series. The latter had gained popularity by the time the airplane for sale here rolled off the assembly line.

Piper steadily improved the PA-24 with more horsepower, more windows, and a redesigned interior. But when the adjacent Susquehanna River flooded the company’s Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, factory in 1972 and damaged the tooling for PA-24s, Piper ended the model’s production and focused on its more profitable PA-28s.

This 1965 PA-24-260 has 5,210 hours on the airframe, zero hours since overhaul on its Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 engine, and 370 hours on the Hartzell propeller since overhaul. The panel includes a Garmin GTN 650 GPS/Nav/Com/MFD, TKM MX300 Nav/Com, GTX 345 transponder, GMA 350 audio panel, and JPI EDM700 engine monitor.

Pilots looking for a sharp, fast, four-seat traveling airplane with modern looks and vintage appeal should consider this 1965 Piper PA-24-260, which is available for $129,900 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Piper’s History Found on the Bank of the Susquehanna
• Plane & Pilot: Piper Comanche
• Plane & Pilot: Piper Comanche 400: A Muscle Car On Wings
• Plane & Pilot: 1958 Piper Comanche 250

The post This 1965 Piper PA-24-260 Comanche Is a Sleek, Handsome ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1963 Beechcraft P35 Bonanza.

In order to fully appreciate the significance of Beechcraft’s V-tail Bonanzas, one must think back to 1947, when the first production models rolled out. The speedy, low-wing, all-metal machine must have looked like a spaceship compared with the squadrons of slow, high-wing, fabric-covered aircraft that made up much of the general aviation fleet. Suddenly serious personal air travel seemed less like a dream to many people and more like something they could realistically pursue.

While the Bonanza line evolved and expanded through the decades to include models with conventional or “straight” tails, such as the F33A and stretched-fuselage A36, the V-tail 35 series airplanes never lost their charisma and mid-century cool factor. A V-tail still looks great taxiing up to the fuel pumps at your local airport, and they remain great cross-country performers.

This 1963 Beechcraft P35 Bonanza has 8,307 hours on the airframe, 547 hours on the engine since new, and 45 hours on the propeller since new. The panel includes a Bendix/King KMA24 audio panel, KLN 35A GPS, KY 97A comm transceiver, TKM MX11 comm transceiver, Narco nav receiver, Narco glideslope receiver and indicator, ADF, S-Tec 60 autopilot, and Stratus Appareo transponder with ADS-B.

Pilots looking for an economical way to get into an iconic high-performance light aircraft should consider this 1963 Beechcraft P35 Bonanza, which is available for $100,000 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Air Compare: Beechcraft A36 Bonanza vs. Bonanza V-tails
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• Plane & Pilot: Plane Facts: Beech Bonanzas
• Plane & Pilot: Early Bonanzas to be Featured at EAA AirVenture 2022

The post This 1963 Beechcraft P35 Bonanza Is an ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick with Serious Cross-Country Chops appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The early Bonanza 35s started off as four-seat single-engine piston designs with reasonable cargo carrying space—but always more attuned to the business trip or family cruise as opposed to hauling a lot of stuff. That would come later, as Beechcraft built on the model’s popularity. The V-tail versions spoke to greater aerodynamic efficiency—and attracted the pilot looking for a distinctive ride. Yet the company went back to the conventional tail with the 36 model series that would take its place starting in 1968—as well as that of the 33 models. Why that happened is just one element of determining which Bonanza would be right for you. With more than 17,000 Bonanzas of all flavors built—and a high percentage still flying—there’s quite a selection to choose from, and they retain great value on the market to this day, more than 75 years later.

Design and Evolution

The first Bonanza, the Model 35, came with a 165 hp engine that was quickly upgraded to 185 hp for a minute on takeoff. At an original max gross weight of 2,550 pounds, it weighed at least 1,000 pounds less than its Model 36 brethren that followed. With a stall speed of less than 50 knots, the early 35s could get in and out of short runways, and still cruise along at 140 to 150 knots. With the C35 model in 1951, the tail was improved, with an increased chord and adjusted angle of incidence, and a bump in horsepower to 185 max continuous and 205 hp for takeoff.

The J35 gained fuel injection, and another increase in horsepower up to 250—with a resulting nearly 170-knot cruise speed. In 1982, the P35 model saw an update in the instrument panel to accommodate the (improving) avionics of the day, with the analog gauges in a standard six-pack configuration as opposed to being all over the place. A third cabin window had shown up in the N35, and the Continental IO-520 was introduced with the S35—at 285 horsepower and a zoom almost to180 knots in cruise.

In the 1980s, the 35s underwent extensive wind-tunnel testing after a handful of inflight breakups. The FAA determined the design didn’t meet current airworthiness standards, so an AD was issued to strengthen the tail. The 35’s relatively small CG range also garnered attention.

For the A36 series, the fuselage remained similar but was stretched to accommodate a third pair of seats. This was not accomplished with a “plug” but in a legitimate extension of 10 inches and more forward placement on the wings. Both elements helped to increase the CG range from that of the 35s, though it still warrants close attention, as it can be loaded forward enough to be difficult to land well—as well as too far aft with even more dire consequences.

The 36 returned to a standard empennage configuration, with a conventional vertical fin and horizontal stabilizer and elevator. Later versions include club seating and a cargo door that can be removed to leave the gap open in flight—making it a great platform for aerial photography.

Up front, the original model transitioned first to the Continental IO-520-B 285 hp engine, and then as the A36 with Continental’s IO-550-BB at 300 hp and the higher takeoff weight that it afforded. Aftermarket up-grades continue to be a popular way to breathe new life into a well-loved Bonanza of either model series.

Market Snapshot

As of early May 2023, there were a lot of Bonanzas of all flavors on the market. Taking a look at Aircraft For Sale’s piston single section, two of the V-tails ranged from $49,000 to $169,000—14 years apart and several upgrades making up the price differential. Those represent other market outlets well, where there were a total of 54 V35s available, with a range of $45,000 for a run-out model to $280,000 for one newly equipped with a Garmin flight deck. Average asking price was $141,960. The total time ran from roughly 1,590 hours to 7,150 hours, with an average of 4,934 hours.

On the A36 side, prices climb to reflect the six-seat configuration and newer model series, with 23 on the market, ranging from $209,000 to $565,000 on the top end for a turbo-normalized model. The average asking price came in just over $300,000. Total time was a bit lower as well—though some folks have obviously flown the heck out of their A36s.

FLYING’s travel editor Jonathan Welsh took a close look at the Bonanza models when searching for his latest airplane. “Concerning Bonanzas, my shopping revealed a wide range of prices and equipment. In general, though, Bos seem to always cost a bit more than you think they should.”

Welsh found that “the A36 is easily the most sought-after model, mostly because it has six seats, and prices have jumped in the past few years. My wife and I found a 1977 model about four years ago, with less than1,000 hours on the engine, dated avionics, and it listed for $175,000. Today I see similar planes priced around$250,000—sometimes with run-out engines.

“I think you can argue that the V-tails are the best prospects, if you like the styling. They seem to be priced lower overall,” perhaps because lots of potential buyers remain spooked by the unusual design, and what Welsh points out as “the largely false notion that the tail surfaces could break away at any moment.”

It comes down to mission—and aesthetics. “For some pilots the V-tails are absolute classics and represent something special in the evolution of aircraft design,” says Welsh in conclusion.

“[They represent a] nice combination of performance and retro-cool emotion. And they do look great on the ramp.”

Flight Characteristics

Some airplane designs are optimized for maneuvering—like a Pitts or an Extra—and others for cross-country cruising. Though they have common heritage with the T-34 Mentor, the Bonanzas fall solidly in the second camp, with stately handling characteristics that make for a reliable IFR platform. Like many piston singles from the era meant to be flown by civilian pilots of varying backgrounds, the control responsiveness follows a standard progression, with rudder actuation taking reasonable pressure, pitch control feeling relatively heavy with a tendency towards straight and level, and aileron response more sprightly, yet in no way twitchy.

Differences between the V-tail 35 and A36, however, exist and are significant to show up on a comparative level. First, actuation of the V-tail’s ruddervator configuration feels traditional, though the airplane was designed to be easy to maneuver. “It’s a sportier feel,” than theA 36 models, says Ben Younger, who owns a 1972 V35B. “It’s a more fun airplane to fly from that perspective.”

Another difference in flight characteristics between the models is the implementation of an approach flaps setting on the A36. As compared to the 35s, this makes slowing down while going down a bit easier—and they can be deployed at roughly the same point as the landing gear from a speed standpoint (about 150 knots, depending on the model), balancing the pitch-up and pitch-down forces.

Early models of both lines feature a non-standard gear retraction piano-key-style switch that can be difficult to distinguish from the flap switch right next to it. You can tell a pilot of these models by the phrase they utter before bringing up the flaps after landing—“these are the flaps”—to ensure that the gear switch isn’t brought up by accident.

Ownership

“The gotchas always have to be how the airplane was maintained, not necessarily the difference between the models,” says Younger of the pre-buy process for approaching any Bonanzas in either model run.

One key item to check into during the pre-buy inspection—the swage buckles. They’re found underneath the floorboards and provide structure for the aileron cable runs. On certain V models, condensation can collect and drip onto them, corroding them severely to the point of breakage. Sometimes you will find these with just safety wire holding them together, according to one owner who is familiar with another pilot who suffered a failure of one in flight, leading to a dramatic left-aileron-only situation. The good news is that this is now an airworthiness directive, and thus required to be regularly checked.

Other updates include the windshields on older model 35s that aren’t sloped, and that most owners have wanted to replace over time. The electrical system may also need attention—there was a change from a 14V to a 28V system at V35B serial numbers D-10097and D-10120 and after, in 1978. Updated avionics—and a better engine start—may demand a move to the higher-load system. Under the cowl, there’s the ability to move into the IO-550 from a previous powerplant for 35s and older 36 models under STC.

Once upgrades and any outstanding ADs have been addressed, annual inspections run in the moderate range. “My annuals will be as little as $4,000 now,” says Younger, but that’s after significant investment he’s made in upgrading not only what’s in the instrument panel, but also windows, wiring, and other parts behind the scenes.

The American Bonanza Society (bonanza.org) forms an important hub for owners to tap into, both during the research process and acquisition, through pilot proficiency and maintaining the airplane. With nearly 10,000 members, the organization offers de-tailed backgrounds on all models, as well as meetings, training programs, and an active forum. Its Bonanza Pilot Proficiency Program (known affectionately as the “B-Triple-P”) is justifiably famous in the general aviation community for its depth of training for both new and veteran Bonanza pilots.

The ABS is leading one critical charge for potential Bonanza 35-series pilots: the Maciel Ruddervator Prizeto help source an alternative solution to the magnesium-alloy ruddervator skins used on the 35’s empennage. Textron Aviation no longer produces the skins, and appears unwilling to invest in an alternate solution, though it may have released information to potential candidate companies to produce a supplemental type certificate (STC) for a replacement, according to the ABS.

Insuring a pilot in a Bonanza typically follows a straightforward path—for the non-instrument-rated pilot, premiums can rise steeply. But the airplane has enjoyed a relatively low overall accident rate com-pared to others in the class—with the danger lying in pilots who take it into poor weather on cross-country flights. Still, with an IFR ticket, most pilots can expect between $2,000 and $4,000 per year on a mid-range hull value on the 35s, with slightly more on the 36s, reflecting the higher hull value.

Our Take

The specter of losing the leaded avgas required to run the engines found in most of the Bonanza fleet hangs closely depending on where you live—but it will come to roost for all in the U.S. by 2030. Unleaded fuel testing is taking place under the auspices of several associations, including tests in a Beechcraft Baron with similar high-compression Continental IO-550 engines as are found in much of the late-model Bonanza A36 fleet.

Aside from this concern, the Bonanza model line forms an excellent choice of cross-country cruiser—and depending on your mission and your pocketbook, it makes for a solid choice. If you only need up to four seats, and you’re comfortable with the prospect of an STC looming in the event you need to reskin the ruddervators, the 35 line offers great value. But if you need up to six seats—and you want less concern regarding parts down the road—the A36 is still well supported by the manufacturer and will likely retain its value for years to come. It comes at a premium price, but the A36 remains at the top of many a pilots’ wish list.

“Impeccable Flying Qualities…A Star in the Market”

When the Bonanza Model 35 came out, its modern lines were unmistakable. FLYING’s then editor-in- chief Richard L. Collins drew it plainly, in a review in the August 2007 issue: “I have flown every model of the Bonanzas and some stand out as milestone V-tails. The first is the straight Model 35. There is no question that the airplane had some problems with wing skins and center sections, but there is also no question that the Bonanza 35 is the most revolutionary piston airplane ever built. Everything since has been evolutionary. Nobody came close to the Bonanza at the time, and it compares favorably with the best that are being built 60 years later.”

Of the Model 36 that followed, Collins had more glowing praise in a June 2000 report. “The Bonanza 36 is one of the more coveted airplanes in the general aviation fleet.” He went on to confirm its steadfast design. “For a long time, traditionalists scoffed at the 36, feeling that the V-tail was the only true Bonanza. That has changed now, and the 36 is the Bonanza that is out there every day, doing the work, upholding the Bonanza tradition.”

This feature first appeared in the June 2023/Issue 938 print edition of FLYING.

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Today’s Top Pick is a 1966 Piper PA-24-260 Comanche.

Piper introduced the PA-24 Comanche in 1958 in a bid to compete with the Beechcraft Bonanza. The move marked a turning point for the company known at the time for turning out versions of the same fabric-covered, high-wing taildraggers it had designed during the 1930s. The all-metal PA-24 certainly was a departure from the Cubs in which so many pilots learned to fly. Its streamlined, aesthetically pleasing airframe fast-forwarded Piper into modern times.

PA-24s came in a number of flavors, ranging from the initial 180 hp models to 250 and 260 hp versions like the aircraft for sale here. Some PA-24s had turbochargers. The 260s are the most desirable and practical for most buyers, though Piper briefly built a 400 hp model with a 720-cubic-inch, 8-cylinder Lycoming engine that has become a legend.

This PA-24 has 6,678 hours on the airframe and 732 hours on the engine. It received new paint in 1998 and a refurbished interior in 2007. The panel includes a King KX-155 nav/comm with glideslope, Narco 120 comm radio, Garmin GTX 335 transponder, fuel flow and totalizer, and 6-cylinder EGT.

Pilots looking for a fast, attractive four-seater with good range and a generous dose of mid-century modern charm should consider this 1966 Piper PA-24-260 Comanche, which is available for $125,000 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com

• FLYING Magazine: Piper’s History Found on the Bank of the Susquehanna
• Plane & Pilot: Piper Comanche 400: A Muscle Car On Wings
• Plane & Pilot: 1964 Piper Comanche 250 PA-24-250
• Plane & Pilot: Comanche 180

The post Piper’s Comanche Is a Streamlined, Mid-Century Modern ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1967 Beechcraft V35 Bonanza.

When Beechcraft’s original V-tail Bonanza debuted in 1947, it must have looked like a spacecraft compared with the fabric-covered, strut-braced machines that made up much of the fleet. The sleek, all-metal Bonanza raised pilots’ expectations regarding the performance potential of general aviation aircraft and drove the industry toward more advanced materials and construction methods.

Today the V-tails remain popular even though they have been out of production for 40 years. This is especially true of later models like this 1973 example. Their all-around performance and comfort make them strong candidates for personal transport and long-distance travel. Their tails also help them stand out on the ramp. You are unlikely to mistake a V-tail Bonanza for any other aircraft.

The Bonanza for sale here 5,810 hours on its airframe, 422 on the engine and 645 on the propeller. Its updated panel includes a King KMA 24 Audio Panel, Avydine IFD 550 GPS/Nav/Com, King KX 155 Nav/Com, Avydine AXP 322 Transponder Garmin G5 EFIS, Garmin G5 HSI and an EDM 900 engine monitor.

Pilots who want to reach destinations quickly while making a strong style statement without giving up practicality should consider this 1967 Bonanza, which is available for $124,500 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Financial Group. For more information, email info@flyingfinancial.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Used Airplane Report: Bonanza vs. Baron
• FLYING Magazine: Hartzell Earns STC for Three-Blade Bonanza Propeller
• Plane & Pilot: The Ultimate V-Tail
• Plane & Pilot: Tanking The Bonanza
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: V-Tail Bonanza

The post Today’s Top Aircraft For Sale Pick: 1967 Beechcraft V35 Bonanza appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1946 North American Navion.

Variety is a big part of what makes general aviation interesting. There are so many differing types of aircraft on the market that shoppers usually can find a model that not only suits their basic mission profile but also expresses something about their values and personalities. These include many older designs that offer good value on the used market like this 1946 North American Navion.

North American’s Navion comes from a good aviation family that includes classics like the P-51 Mustang and the AT-6 Texan advanced trainer. The Navion was among the first modern GA aircraft to emerge after World War II. The sleek example offered here rolled off the assembly line a year ahead of the first Beechcraft Bonanzas. This 70-something machine was years ahead of its time compared with rag-and-tube machines that made up most of the market in those days.

This vintage aircraft has numerous upgrades from a 285 hp Continental IO520BB engine with 923 hours and a 99.5-gallon fuel capacity to a modern panel that includes a Garmin GNS 530, Garmin Glide Slope, Garmin GTX 330 Transponder with Traffic, EDM 700 Graphic engine monitor, FuelScan 450 fuel flow computer, autopilot, and four-place intercom.

If you are looking for a historic aircraft that will start conversations at any vintage fly-in and can be used like a newer model, this Navion is worth considering. It is available for $120,000 on AircraftForSale. You can arrange financing of the airplane through FLYING Financial Group. For more information, email info@flyingfinancial.com.

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The post Today’s Top AircraftForSale.com Pick: 1946 North American Navion appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

“Hey, Fernie…what happened here? I didn’t ask you to do this.”

“I know,” he replied.

“So, why’d you do it?”

“Because it was driving me f–king nuts.”

This was when I learned that while obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may be a pathology you do not wish in your life partner, consider yourself blessed to find it in your A&P. Fernie Nunez is the owner of New Mexico Aero Services. I met him a few years ago while stuck in New Mexico during the pandemic.

He’s a Bonanza specialist who studied under Bob Ripley at one of the American Bonanza Society Maintenance Academy workshops. Incidentally, Bob has been doing my annuals for years, but the trip down to Griffin, Georgia (6A2), is a stretch for me. As I am always on either coast, I decided to make a change that factored heavily on convenience. Ripley is known as Mr. Bonanza and has a waiting list for new customers, so this was no light decision.

• READ MORE: The Final Airplane in This Life of Mine?

While I was stuck, Fernie installed a crankshaft gasket (my third) that managed to seal properly. Finally. I’d seen other mechanics use microwaves and hot water to make the gasket pliable. Some said a prayer. Fernie had a specialized tool and a healthy dose of compulsion. Done and dusted. Another time, in a perfect example of confirmation bias, I told Fernie I had a fuel leak in the cabin as well as fading brakes. Turns out those issues were one and the same, and your faithful author can’t discern the smell of 100LL from brake fluid. With the size of my schnoz, this is troubling. Fernie removed the brake master cylinders and rebuilt them both (no co-pilot brakes on my bird). After throwing a few problems like these at Fernie and seeing them thoughtfully solved, I felt comfortable giving him a shot at the annual.

I dropped the airplane off in late December and was about to call an Uber to take me back down the hill to Albuquerque, where I was flying commercial back home for the holidays. Fernie told me he’d be happy to fly me there.

“Didn’t know you were a pilot.”

“Yup. Commercial, multi, instrument.”

“Oh…”

I flew us there in the left seat and watched him taxiout and depart. I had never let anyone fly that airplane. Not with me in it, and certainly not without. Trust is that witches brew of finite data points, mixed with gut feelings and a dice roll.

Fernie stayed in close contact with me over the break. There were things he could not control in this back-ordered, shipping-delayed world we now live in. A throttle cable would take a week. An aux fuel pump rebuild, 10 days. In years past, I have had minor squawks that Bob didn’t have time to fix during the annual. This is normal. He runs a busy shop.

If it’s not a safety-of-flight issue, then I come back and make an appointment later. This is where Fernie’s OCD diagnosis can pay dividends. He attacked every squawk I could throw at him. Leaving anything unresolved gives him agita. 

Returning to Moriarty after the holidays, I found Fernie had addressed every single item I had on my exhaustive list. When I arrived in the morning to pick her up, Fernie told me the Bonanza had an additional hour on the tach. He had flown it and tested every system, making sure everything worked as it should. The first flight after an annual is always the most dangerous. Things have been futzed with. The interior has been removed, bolts undone, then re-torqued. My Electroair ignition system was finally installed correctly—the remaining mag firing the top plugs with the Electroair firing the bottoms (it had been backward for some time).The new aux fuel pump whirred loud and true. The landing gear was rigged properly. These are not small things. Fernie’s willingness to be the first up after all of this work is confidence-inspiring, to say the least.

• READ MORE: Redefining What it Means to Be a ‘Lazy Pilot’

But there was also a smile creeping out from the corner of his mouth. The truth is, it doesn’t really take an hour to check all these things. He just loved the airplane and wanted to stay up there a bit longer. He had one of his employees, Dustin, with him. They both just love airplanes. Still. The love has not waned, and I believe it finds its way into the work, making mine that much better cared for. 

I took a trip this past weekend to KSLC, Salt Lake City International. I had a United flight booked, but a few hours before departing, I checked in online. It was then I was told that my snowboard bag would cost $400 round-trip to make the journey with me. It was 2 inches too long. It was 4:30 p.m. at this point, but I was so annoyed that I canceled the flight, drove straight to Burbank, and fired up my airplane. It was going to be a night flight over mountains. I made sure the route followed Victor airways and filed IFR, but still… What gave me extra courage was knowing Fernie had completed my annual. Following that, I trusted her to get me there, and she did.

Back during the pandemic, there was one issue Fernie could not fix. My new Whelen taxi light kept rotating in the housing, causing the name to turn 15 degrees askew. Mind you, this had zero impact on the pattern, direction, and efficacy of the light. Like my wing walk, it just drove Fernie nuts. It was fixed when I came to pick up the airplane in January. I got a five-minute explanation of how there was no retaining tab, but he had fashioned one himself to seat it permanently in the housing. I was overcome with joy and tried to hug him goodbye, but he wasn’t having it. All good. OCD swings both ways. I’ll gladly trade a no-cuddle policy for a perfectly-working airplane. All day. Every day.

This article was originally published in the April 2023 Issue 936 of  FLYING.

The post The Unexpected Perks of an OCD Annual appeared first on FLYING Magazine.