Find 3 qualified pilots.
Get them all checked out under your insurance.
For any given trip, start calling. There's a 90% chance one of them will be able to do the trip.
Expect to have to replace one of them each year as their needs and careers change.

Went thru the same process. Owned a few twins, last one a 58 Baron.
Bought and MU2 (marquis) last year and can’t be happier.

Since you are planning to fly quite a bit, consider dispatch reliability.

My Baron was older, but had an excellent maintenance pedigree, had TKS and fully certified for known icing. Irrespective, I dreaded some of the flights in the winter to the NE in hard IMC. In the summer, afternoon flights were dreadful for passengers.

Separately, I had to cancel/ delay a few flights because of Maintenance issues.

Flown my MU2 100 hours, so far trouble free. Flown in the winter with no issues and did a few flights with significant weather and picked my way thru the wx without my passengers having a clue. The high wing loading is noticeable. Everyone is wearing headsets, and those who elect not don’t complain.

I don’t look at hourly cost, I track cost per NM or per trip. Base fuel cost on CAA pricing. My Baron’s direct operating cost was around 400 per hour measured over 6 years. My MU2 is budgeted around 900, time will tell. So my MU-2 is roughly 1 dollar more per mile, but I can carry 8 people for 3 hours, covering a lot of ground. 6 people in a Baron, and everyone is miserable after an hour.

Insurance on a MU2 is expensive, about 10K more than a twin.
Unless you buy and MU2, you are going to overpay in todays market.

I looked hard at a few King Airs, Citations and Cessna 441s. All great choices, I think I would have been happy in any of those, but as stated, the DOC and reliability of the MU2 are pretty convincing. I think once you get a turbine powered aircraft, it will be hard to go back to a piston.

I am in Greensboro, NC, if you want a ride in my MU2, send me a message, would be my pleasure to show you the aircraft.

Good luck and enjoy the process!

we used several methods. as our aircraft was not as sophisticated and what you are looking at is there is a difference in how easy it will be to get the right person.

we were able to use several local instructors as the pilot. and finally wound up with a local FBO operator/instructor who could fit it into his schedule very easily and the opportunity to fly a fast twin was something he enjoyed.

I had a sales man that flew it for awhile but he was not a great salesman and in the long run it was not worth it.

Also another key advantage was that at least one half of the trips did not directly need me so then I could send the aircraft with the appropriate employees to get the job done.

your pilot may require more extensive training and it may be worth the hassle of finding a retired airline pilot (or a husband or wife who wants to fly part time and in addition he/she may be able to help manage the aircraft. the key to justifying it is to see how he/she can improve your productivity.
a local business has a Merlin, and they hired a pilot/ mechanic to manage it full time. and while expensive on a per hour basis the overall improvement in the ceo's productivity and his employees productivity well justified it.



Bill,
I have been thinking along those same lines. My hope is that I can find a pilot that I could also employ in my business - full/part time or as a consultant. I just don't know enough yet about how to engage a non-employee pilot on a per flight basis or monthly contract. Seems like scheduling might be a challenge. Still, I will look into it.

Vic

I disagree a wee bit.

St Louis to Charlotte will have departures and arrivals at both locations (Class B)
Block time with Avanti will be around 2 hours.

A glorious quiet smooth peaceful two hours with a ~4,000foot cabin at FL350

Send the least productive employees commercial and watch your productivity skyrocket.

This is good stuff right here.

“Send the least productive employees commercial and watch your productivity skyrocket.”

100% hands down…..Twin Bonanza,.. especially a Supercharged one.

“Brownie” here can do 700+ miles WITH a full fuel useful load of 1770#!! Less $ than a BE58 to operate.

That equates to one Pilot plus Jabba the Hut and his four fattest friends plus ALL their gear!

How about a Ford tri motor , that will work !

It’s fun reading all the replies. Since your mission and expectations seem to change, and I didn’t really see a budget, it’s a bit hard for me to offer specific aircraft suggestions, but I’ll try.

So, I’ll address the concrete things:

1) You want to take 4-6 people in a plane

2) You want to “impress the pax”

3) You want to travel hundreds of miles

4) You want to fly a LOT (for general aviation)

5) You want a high dispatch rate (as does anybody with a plane!)

6) You want something to go further distances in the future

Since money is not addressed, and for a fleet of one plane that meets the above list, I’d recommend one of the NEWER small jets. I’d probably stick with a Cessna Citation Mustang.

I estimate about $2000 per hour to operate, plus fixed costs. There are lots of Cessna Service Centers, and the Mustang is easy to fly. It will have an extremely high dispatch rate, it should be comfortable and relative smooth and quiet for pax, and be very, very safe (with a crew of experienced pro pilots). It will impress, simply because it’s a newer jet.

Alternately, as stated many times, the King Air will tick all the boxes, at MAYBE a slightly lower cost than the Citation Mustang. Also, the Cessna 441 is another excellent choice, EXCEPT for the horrific Garrett engine noise on the ramp. The smaller Cessna 425 uses the quieter Pratt & Whitney engines, and is the same cabin as the 1973 and newer 414/421 piston aircraft.

Since money may be a “thing”, I’m going to throw something unusual out there; get TWO identical, but lower priced aircraft, like the 1973 and newer 414/421 aircraft that you originally considered.

Two identical aircraft:

A. are easier to keep spare parts for, *and* you can steal parts from one to put on the other to make sure at least one runs, until new parts arrive

B. make it easier for pro pilots to fly either plane, and three standby pilots should be plenty for both aircraft

C. are MUCH cheaper to acquire and operate than one King Air / Piaggio / Citation

D. have the highest likelihood of 99.X% uptime

E. one mechanic can handle both aircraft

For this, I’d recommend the lower priced 1973 and newer C414 or C421B with tip tanks. They have the same cabin as the 414A / 421C / 425 at a significantly lower acquisition cost. You could probably get two clean 414 / 421B aircraft for one overpriced 421C.

Two identical pistons isn’t a bad idea

Even better, partner with someone who has a similar need. Yes, the availability rate will be slightly lower, but splitting fixed costs would make this idea very economical.

I can't imagine insuring, hangaring, and maintaining two airplanes, because I couldn't afford the right "one"

That's some backwards logic

I can't imagine insuring, hangaring, and maintaining two airplanes, because I couldn't afford the right "one"

That's some backwards logic

When the right plane costs 4x as much to purchase and 4x as much to operate ... you can make a case for 2x1

It certainly would make more sense as a 2-4 owner, two-plane partnership though.

When the right plane costs 4x as much to purchase and 4x as much to operate ... you can make a case for 2x1

It certainly would make more sense as a 2-4 owner, two-plane partnership though.

a suggestion,

If you need good dispatch reliability, a friend of mine has a navajo but is closely allied with a small charter company that is available to fly people when your aircraft is out of service. they have a 414.

Another guy I know has his 414 that he owns and flys but when he needs pilots he uses the charter co's pilots. they fly a 414 and a king air 350