Hello everyone. I have a Cirrus 22T and travel from Minnesota to Arizona often. I just sold the Cirrus and I am looking for something faster and better. I like something pressurized, twin engine and turbo, good for long distance and IFR. I am trying to research all the different kinds of Beechcrafts to see what will fit my usage. I dont know much about them but have been told the 58P would problem fit. Any help would be great. Thanks

Welcome! Obviously, you need a Duke.

A Duke? Sounds good. Where do I find this help?

Welcome, You may want to search for past Duke discussions like this recent one.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=215300&hilit=DUKE&view=unread#unread

The mention of Dukes will always bring us back to this video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnCT24qod4M

That said they are great planes. The 58P is also a contender. Given you are already flying pretty fast in the SR22T, it will be hard to see a significant change in trip time unless you really move up like a MU2.

Why not SETP? As mentioned before, you’re pretty fast in a SR22.

Pressurization and higher is great as you get over a lot of weather. But you probably need to be looking at some form of turboprop as a 58p or such sounds like a half measure.

Or you could go Duke and just be cool!

Ok No Duke. I dont need to look cool that bad. I am trying to stay away from a turboprop due to cost.

I've had my 58P since May...it's been perfect for what I want to do.

What’s your fuel burn like?

If you want pressurization and speed, I’d go turbine, even single engine it will be less likely to have a issue compared to a twin piston

Also a pressurized turbo piston twin has a LOT going on compared to a cirrus

TBM, Pilatus, piper, turbine C210, etc

This is the typical thread drift on BT when someone starts talking about getting a nice P-Baron or equivalent.

Question: "Hi, I want a pressurized piston twin. What models should I be looking at?" Left unsaid is that their budget tops at about 500k, because that's enough to buy an excellent pressurized piston twin.

Response: "You need a turbine single!" Left unsaid is the location of the winning lottery ticket, since prices start at a minimum of $900k for 210s and quickly run north to factory-built turbine singles at $2M+.

It happens every.
single.
time.

There’s a reason

He’s kinda in the no man’s land in his mission, that cirrus is great for that role, but real world the next step up would be a simple single engine turbine


What’s the advantage of a P baron?

Two engines? If one craps out how safe is he going to be managing it, and Murphy is a jerk, you know it’ll be night time IMC with ice when it does
I’m also guessing he’s not going to FSI/CAE/etc every 6mo for recurrent training

Speed? SR22 ain’t that slow, basically no gain or loss

Ice? SR does great here

Dispatch? SR wins here hands down

Safety? We’ll the major cause of GA aircraft accidents is the pilot, I’d say the cirrus is easier to manage / fly, has the BRS if things go sideways


The only advantage would not having to have stuff stuck up your nose when going to altitude, and even there pressurized pistons are not nearly as good as planes using bleed air for that task

If I was his CFI I’d say stick to the cirrus until you’re ready to enter the turbine world

Serious question: would you advocate that someone who flies a P-Baron switch to a Cirrus, or would you suggest that they're close enough in overall pluses and minuses that there's no point in switching from one to the other, in either direction?

Serious question: would you advocate that someone who flies a P-Baron switch to a Cirrus, or would you suggest that they're close enough in overall pluses and minuses that there's no point in switching from one to the other, in either direction?

I plan for 35 gph, but I don't have digital monitors so LOP isn't an option yet.

For the OP, I think you can plan on around 210-215 KTAS up high on a little more than twice the fuel your SR22 burns per hour. The 58P is probably the least expensive pressurized twin to operate but it does have a couple downsides. One is the relatively low cabin pressure differential (worse on the earliest year models) another is the loss of the big double doors on the unpressurized B58. Then there's the 10,000 life limit before they turn into a pumpkin.

Like any Baron it's pretty much a 4 person airplane although on a short trip you can do 2 adults and 4 kids or squeeze 6 "normal sized" people. There are three variants, 1976-1977 has 3.7 PSI pressurization, from 1978 forward that went up to 3.9 PSI giving you an 8000 ft cabin altitude a bit less than 1000 higher above sea level. From 1984 on the instrument panel and control wheel setup changed from the throw-over yoke to a true dual wheel setup with a lot more room on the panel for instruments and avionics. The dual pointer 3" engine instruments were replaces with two columns of smaller single pointer "turbine style" gauges as well.

The 58P does allow for a comfortable cabin altitude in the mid to upper teens, fits through a 40 foot hangar door, is built with legendary Beech quality, and is almost as nice to fly as a B58 (i.e. pretty nice). Most have air conditioning 190 gallon fuel tanks, and known ice (boots, hot props, and a hotplate on the windshield).

If you'd like more details on the many production changes over the years, get yourself a copy of Larry Ball's book "From Travel Air to Baron, How Beeh Created a Classic"

Where in Minnesota are you located? I have a friend with a 58P at KFCM that he's finishing up an avionics upgrade on. He or someone else in your area with a 58P might be willing to take you for a flight.