BeechTalk - BT

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Apr 2011, 11:06

I'm a long-time lurker and have decided it's time to come out in the open. I've been flying a DA40 for the last two years and have plans to move up to a Bonanza. My mission now includes trips to the east coast from Albuquerque, which is really too far for the Diamond. Plus I'd really like to be able to carry 4 people and luggage on trips around the Southwest and maybe even to the east coast. I'm about to pull the trigger on a B36TC purchase with plans to upgrade the panel and then fly it to Ada. Pretty exciting stuff.

This forum is GREAT! Thanks to all of you frequent posters for sharing your knowledge with us newbies.

Bill

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Apr 2011, 11:27

Hi Bill,

Nice choice in planes. Can't wait to hear more about the conversion. Take lot's of pictures.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Apr 2011, 13:50

Welcome to BT!

The guys from Ada flew a TN B36 to the recent midwest BT meet near Chicago. That looked like the ultimate single Beech to me. Good luck, and keep us updated with pictures.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Apr 2011, 14:41

Nice! Are you going to TN the TC or add GAMIS?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Apr 2011, 16:24

Thanks for chiming in. Sounds like a sweet plane. We look forward to seeing some pics and hearing all about it.

-MO

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Apr 2011, 18:13

Mike, sorry I wasn't more clear about that. The plan at Ada is to get the 550TN.

My DA40 has wings even longer than the B36 and my wife has made several comments, to myself and others, that looking out at that long wing is very reassuring. I was originally looking at the A36TN but she sat in an A36, looked out at the wing, and sort of went "hmmm". This wasn't a scientific analysis, of course, just her gut reaction. After spending far too much time reading BeechTalk I got the idea of getting a B36TC with an engine near end-of-life and just biting the bullet. She's definitely happy with the longer wing of the B36, and I'm happy to keep her happy.

Bill

Username Protected · **Posted:** 12 Apr 2011, 23:03

Username Protected wrote:

Mike, sorry I wasn't more clear about that. The plan at Ada is to get the 550TN.

My DA40 has wings even longer than the B36 and my wife has made several comments, to myself and others, that looking out at that long wing is very reassuring. I was originally looking at the A36TN but she sat in an A36, looked out at the wing, and sort of went "hmmm". This wasn't a scientific analysis, of course, just her gut reaction. After spending far too much time reading BeechTalk I got the idea of getting a B36TC with an engine near end-of-life and just biting the bullet. She's definitely happy with the longer wing of the B36, and I'm happy to keep her happy.

Bill

Smart man!

Username Protected · **Posted:** 13 Apr 2011, 04:52

Hello Bill and welcome. B36TN, now that's going to be real nice! :thumbup:

PY

Username Protected · **Posted:** 13 Apr 2011, 08:20

Welcome Bill, that's going to be a spectacular transportation machine. :thumbup:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 13 Apr 2011, 09:32

Username Protected wrote:

Mike, sorry I wasn't more clear about that. The plan at Ada is to get the 550TN.

My DA40 has wings even longer than the B36 and my wife has made several comments, to myself and others, that looking out at that long wing is very reassuring. I was originally looking at the A36TN but she sat in an A36, looked out at the wing, and sort of went "hmmm". This wasn't a scientific analysis, of course, just her gut reaction. After spending far too much time reading BeechTalk I got the idea of getting a B36TC with an engine near end-of-life and just biting the bullet. She's definitely happy with the longer wing of the B36, and I'm happy to keep her happy.

Bill

My original plan was to do this. Back in 2008 I suppose B36 prices weren't where they needed to be because once I bought the B36 and did all the conversion (avionics too) I was priced higher than a new G36. So, I bought a new G36.

Have B36's dropped a lot?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 13 Apr 2011, 09:52

I only started looking at prices a couple of months ago so I don't know what they were like before. I started looking at G36s and G36TNs, which is a pretty small group of planes, and almost made an offer on one but called too late. After changing my attitude a little I found that if I was willing to give up the G1000 I could save a lot by buying a B36 and upgrading the engine and avionics. It's a huge big deal to talk about a 97AMU engine conversion, but once I factored out adding wing tips and O2, and factored in my wife's preference for long wings, it seemed like the right choice. With all the latest Garmin avionics and a new 550TN the cost will be at least 100AMU less than a 2007 G36 that hasn't traveled to Ada yet.

Bill

Username Protected · **Posted:** 13 Apr 2011, 09:55

Bill, how much time is on the engine in the B36?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 13 Apr 2011, 11:17

Only 1400 hrs on the engine, but it was overhauled previously after 800 hours. One of my reasons for doing the big conversion to a 550TN is that it seems pretty difficult to manage the power (and heat) in the factory TC engine in a way that gets it anywhere near TBO. As the price of 100LL goes up the lower fuel burn in the TN engine doesn't hurt the analysis, although I know that will never pay for the conversion.

Bill

Username Protected · **Posted:** 13 Apr 2011, 11:27

Username Protected wrote:

Aircraft: DA40, G36 wannabe

Gonna' fix that?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 13 Apr 2011, 11:42

Oh, yeah. Is that better?

Hi Everyone