As far as operating a Baron goes, I have several reasons why I keep coming back to that airplane. First, almost all of the folks lined up to use the thing don't know much about airplanes, but they've spent their fair share of time on business planes. They all had the same reaction when I mentioned operating a Baron - "oh, yeah! Thats a good, safe airplane." I know there are other safe aircraft, and safety is largely what you make it, but public perception is worthy of consideration. There also seems to be a certain "class" associated with the Baron. Second, cost. I'd love to operate a King Air, but I'm just not there yet. Also, Im trying to steer clear of pressurized and turbocharged aircraft in an effort to keep maintenance, which will already be bad, at the absolute minimum level possible. The mission profile of a normal flight for my operation, at least for now, will not typically involve long distances or topping out high terrain, so I'm not sure I can justify the extra expense at this time. I'm looking at regular hops of +\- 200 nm and a few multi-airport runs in the 600 nm range at relatively low elevation airports for the time being. Third, and perhaps most importantly, my director of maintenance is intimately familiar with the Baron as a pilot and mechanic. It doesn't hurt that there is a lot of support available, both factory and aftermarket. One of the benefits of a long unbroken production run I suppose. Again, though - I'm a virgin here, so if it seems my logic is riddled with errors, let me know why you think so. Thanks a lot for the ideas and good wishes so far, guys. It does mean a lot, and I'm certainly considering everything I'm reading/hearing!
I think your logic is good. I would make sure that they've actually seen a Baron before, so that they know what they are getting into and aren't expecting a King Air. If that's the case, then the rest of your reasoning makes total sense to me. People are funny. We had a guy who refused to fly in one of our Lear 35s because it didn't have leather seats. Ironically, it was the best Lear 35 I've ever flown! Of course, I don't know if he really cared about the leather seats or if he just wanted to back out of his charter once he saw the quote...
They are right sexy airplanes, aren't they? Don, I'll make sure they know what it is, that's a good point. Interesting that you mentioned the interior because, in addition to engine times, etc., looking for the right interior (new or at least new-ish leather) has caused a lot of potential candidates to be forgotten about. I know it's no surprise to most here that a shiny paint job and a nice interior can inspire a lot of confidence in passengers.
I got to fly one from SFO to Santa Barbara. Beautiful airplane, easy to fly, capable, and comfortable.
The 58 is a wonderful plane. It was the first multi engine that I flew 135. On my first flight I had to pick up a guy in Sacramento. When he came walking into the terminal I thought whoa. He was around 300lbs. He was also a very good customer of the company I worked for. When we were walking out to the plane he said he liked to sit in the very back. (This was the very first time I had ever met or flown him). I opened the side doors and said sure, hop right in. He did so and the plane immediately, with a big bang, stood on it's tail.It did not help his confidence in me. I did not know, and was not told, of a 50lb bag of shot pellets we had to put up in the nose baggage area whenever we flew him. I also liked to chase the BE99's and SA227's out of Monterey. She could keep up pretty good until about 7K ft. when she started running out of manifold pressure. It's fun to reminisce about planes in our past. I wonder where good 'ol N3121W is today. I also flew a 55 for a wind energy company. This plane became an internet sensation. My old boss was involved in a mid air with a CE180 over Tehachapi,CA. The entire top of the 55 was taken off when the right main gear of the 180 came through the front wind screen and traveled through the aircraft from front to back. The 180 pilot was killed. I don't know how he did it, but my old boss was able to land the 55 on an old Chinchilla Ranch. If you would like to see the results and pictures of this mid air, just google N555RD. Believe it or not, the plane was repaired and is flying again today. It took five years to put it back together. You may think that is no big deal. The big deal is is, I watched the salvager use a chain saw to cut the engines and wings off so he could put it on the trailer behind his truck. He told me he was not used to moving an airplane that was in such a large piece. Just a few weeks prior, a Lear took off out of Chino and crashed near PSP. He said the whole Lear pretty much fit in the bed of his big Dodge pick up truck.
I went on google for 555RD and could not find hardly any photos of the mid air aftermath. Plenty of info on the collision. Finally on page 8 of results under the heading of "Flightlines", there are some pretty good photos.
Woah...I'll definitely look that up. Sounds pretty amazing! Just two days ago, my maintenance guy was waxing nostalgic about a 58 he used to fly back and forth from somewhere in the midwest to Canada. "I wish we could find old NXXXX...great airplane."
