:D [color=#8000BF] Hi there - I am a new member (first post) and have been looking at a 1952 Model Bonanza have a few questions.
My background- 10,000 hours, airline pilot, have approximately 300 hours in a 70's vintage V-tail back in the mid-1990's. The V-tail is my favorite piston powered aircraft I've flown. I purchased a nice clean Cessna 172M last year to get back into general aviation, and its a lot of fun but painfully slow to go anywhere in. A C-182 would be an improvement, but still have to climb on top the wings for fuel, stare at the plastic dash and can't open the cowl without a bunch of screwdrivers/assistance and patience. I'm leaning towards the Bonanza but if it ends up being a financial money pit my wife will never let me live it down!

I had a Bonanza owner inquire into my Trade-a-plane ad to see if I want to trade my C172 for his Bonanza. The Bonanza looks nice, 1952 year model, low-mid total time and 200 SMOH on E-225 engine, prop is the electric prop with 150 SPOH. Newer interior and second paint job, hangered for most of ts life and from a dry desert climate.

I have always loved the look,feel and handling of the Beechcraft product, and think this would suit my needs by giving me a solid 150 KT, 10-12 GPH machine that I can actually take on trips. Flying 400-600 mile family trips in the Cessna is just unpleasant at 108 knots and takes almost as much time as driving by the time you actually do all the preflight/etc.

I am not expecting any airplane to be trouble-free, but would like to get feedback from forum members. My Cessna has needed very little other than a few preventative maintenance items.

How reliable in general is this model? I did an owner assist annual on my airplane last year and don't mind getting my hands dirty doing many things, but don't want to spend more time/money working on it than using it.

The electric prop is the main thing that concerns me- it seems like parts for it are rare, expensive, and I don't see them getting any more plentiful. I know it needs grease/inspection every 250 hours, other than that is it fairly reliable? I imagine switching to a hydraulic prop would probably be as expensive as the airplane itself?

Any advice to a potential new owner is much appreciated! Thanks!

Rick B.[/color]

Rick,

I have a 1952. The E225 takes some care to keep cool on climbs and leaks oil in places - it is however extremely reliable and VERY smooth running.

I think 145knots at 10-12gph is more realistic - still a great economical and styilin rod.

Paul McCracken on this website is an expert and the best person to do a good pre-buy on these machines.

Parts are not hard to find if you know where to look. And some folks prefer the electric prop.

You WILL have to use the screw driver to open the cowls on this one though. Sorry

Good luck.

Alejandro

Thanks for the response-the smoothness of the Bonanza engine is another big plus compared to the 4 cylinder I have. The plane I'm looking at is in DFW area- where is Mr. McCracken based? Thanks again!

The DFW area

Hi Alejandro- Is he really? What a coincidence- this might be meant to happen! I just bought "Those incomparable Bonanzas" book online a few minutes ago...

Hi Rick,

I had a 172 and moved up to a v-tail Bonanza, a 1965 S model.

I also bought a 172 to get back into GA. It was a great airplane. My wife and I started taking longer trips. The last trip long trip in the 172 was from Florida to New Jersey at 105 kts. She said something faster would be OK. Now that is wife-of-the-year material.

I started the search for something faster and settled on the Bonanza as a great combination of speed, runway performance, load carrying capability, economy, and comfort. I was fortunate to find the Bonanza at my home field.

I've had it three years now and it's everything I hoped it would be. The trip to Florida is now an easy one-day trip. Three hours to North Carolina for lunch & gas, and another three hours to Vero Beach. She puts the seat back and curls up to sleep.

The fuel cost on a long trip is very close to that of the 172. The 172 burned 8.5 gph and went 105 kts. The Bonanza lean of peak is 13.5 gph and 160 kts. Pretty much the same mpg.

This is a great time to buy an airplane. Be picky and get a good pre-buy inspection.

Craig

All I can say is that I cannot wait until I get another Bonanza. I went from a nice N35 to a nice 172 to teach my boys and wife how to fly. I cannot think of one thing better I like about the 172 other than it makes a better training platform. You will not regret the decision, but you will have more expenses.

Thanks Craig- I need to have your wife talk to my wife...

I'm excited about the potential airplane swap- I talked to the owner whose had it for six years and he has had what i would consider pretty normal annual expense- nothing really out of the ordinary.

We both have financed our aircraft, so hopefully banks are familiar with how to deal with this kind of transaction.

thanks for everyones help so far- love the forum!

Rick,

I would encourage you to lean toward a newer Bo, preferably the S or later.

While the older Bonanza's are nice, once you get to the S, you have virtually most of the mods that the later ones have, and it's a significantly better plane with perhaps less per mile operating cost.

I've had/flown a bunch of them and the BEST value is probably in the late 60s or early 70s.

Now, IF you can steal a really nice earlier Bo, that has a lot of the mods, you can to fine. The mods that are REALLY NICE include the panel, track mounted seats, 40 gal fuel cells, aft baggage, large baggage door and sloped windshield, and a 520 or 550 engine with a hydraulic prop.

In the E series engines you will have an engine that has been out of production for years, no track mounted seats, no 40 gal fuel cells (but have an aux and smaller mains). You may have some of the other mods.

And you won't get all the mods in a plane much earlier than a late V35A or so, but will have the really expensive ones with the S model or later.

Now, don't get me wrong... the E series planes are very nice, handle superb, and are fairly reliable. But they will come close to maintaining an antique rather than a production plane.

Thanks Larry- this one is a C model with sloped windshield, 30 gallon tip tanks, aft baggage/large door, not sure about the seat tracks, but interior redone in newer leather, older original style panel. Since I would be trading airplanes it would be close to a steal - don't owe that much on the Cessna.

I have thought about getting it and using it for a few years and then selling it- the engine has only about 180 hours SMOH so thought I could get some good use out it in the interim. It does have the E-225 and electric prop. The electric prop was recently overhauled and they also replaced the electric motor.

What about the older non standard panels- are they hard to get used to with instruments across the top?

If I use it for a few years can I sell it then and get a 1970s vintage Bonanza or are the C models very hard to find buyers for? I know they are in this current economy but wondered if that was always the case?

I like the fact that the older ones have such a nice low fuel burn! (of course a trade off for speed and payload I know)
Thanks!

I wouldn't buy a C with the intent to sell it in a few years - that's way too stressful.

I agree with Larry that a mid-60's V would be the sweet-spot of power, features and payload - if you have 50% to 75% more to spend that is.

I don't agree that the E-series is like owning some classic relic. Like every other aircraft they are best kept by flying them weekly. Part availability is there, you just need to ask the 2-3 shops in the country that specialize in them.

Thanks Alejandro- I plan on flying it at least once a week, and probably on average about one longer trip per month. I was a little concerned when it was compared to an antique- I realize its older than I am but hadn't thought of it as being THAT old! This one has been really well maintained and the owner is an aviation maintenance inspector who seems to take really good pride in ownership.

I could probably spend a little more on an airplane, but am trying to get my wife slowly "on board" with my plan if you know what I mean! I think once she fell in love with this one she would eventually want a newer one in the next five years or so.

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Well it appears this deal may have fallen through, so I am now looking at H models through M models. There is a guy in Dayton, Ohio area that has several advertised on Trade a Plane, sounds like he restores them- think I may give him a call in a bit.

Rick,
Wcome to your new home.

I really have to say" stay away from the E- series engines".
They are very old and essentially unsupported engines. Finding parts is,not can be,a nightmare. Most mechanics don't know how to work on them. My best friend,against my advice,is refurbishing a '48 model completely including an upgrade to the E-225. His $30k project has topped $80k. I think this is month 19 now. A big part of that overhauling the engine for the upgrade. If I remember correctly, the jugs from Continental(only place they could be found) were $2k apiece.
I could go on but you get the idea.
A lot a Bonanza can be bought with $80k. He hasn't gotten to insurance issue yet. Have you read about the reluctance of insurers to cover the older Bo's?
The P model is perhaps the steal and best performer of the older Bo's.
S models are real stallions. S or V35's. That's a real way to go.

Alejandro,

I don't mean to imply that the E series are old relics, just that the older you get, the more "age" issues one has, and the less support. The E series engine has been out of production for years, and it can be harder to get maintenance and parts for them, but certainly doable. Also, there's a few airframe parts that are getting hard to get.

You are fortunate to have a nice, well maintained plane, and it will serve you well. If one has a nice one, like yours, and keeps it up it's a fine economical plane and a delight to fly.

I would argue, if one wants the features of a later plane, to just buy the later plane and not modify an older one. Or perhaps get an older one that has been modified (to a point). And there's just some mods that can't be done economically, or at all.