KLRDMD

They're all good airplanes, each serves a specific need. I gotta admit, though, I really like this airplane. Much more than I expected.

There's a private stand alone T-hangar available for rent at 57AZ. I can get you specifics. It is right across the taxiway from me. There's also a covered tie down available right now. 57AZ is a great little airport.

Trade the 430W for an Avidyne 440, easy swap out. $4,845. https://avionicssource.com/product/ifd440-upgrade-430w Trade the 340 for a PMA450B, the best audio panel on the market, bar none. $1,725. https://avionicssource.com/product/ps-pma450b-upgrade That's $6,570. You'll need to add a wire on the 440 to get audio out and have the 450B installed so I'm guessing $7,500 should do it. I just swapped the 430W that came in the Bonanza for an Avidyne 440 yesterday and I just ordered a 450B from Chase @Avionics Source today

I say that normally I only put one person to sleep at a time. When I lecture, I can put 1,000 people to sleep at once. Now THAT takes talent (or lack thereof).

I have a lecture I'll be giving again at an anesthesia conference next month called "208 Seconds". It ties in aviation with anesthesia (original, I know). Sully's flight was 208 seconds long and that's about as long as it takes a 6-10 y/o kid to desaturate so 90% SpO2 when made apneic and not ventilated (OK, it is 215 seconds, but close enough).

I just ordered the PMA450B from Chase

I think I'm Chase's @Avionics Source best customer. This is the first airplane I've only had a 440 in and not a larger screen GPS too. Initially I swapped out my Garmin 540W/430W in my Mooney for an Avidyne 540/440. Then I upgraded the 540 to a 550 when the 550 came out. Then in the Baron I upgraded the 540 that was there when I bought it to a 550. Now I just upgraded the 430W in the Bonanza to a 440. Plus add in two audio panel upgrades (so far . . . I'm getting ready to send Chase an E-Mail saying I want to upgrade the Garmin 340 in the Bonanza to a PMA450B), a transponder and ADS-B upgrades too. I love the 440 and once I set up the IFD100 (maybe this afternoon), I think I'll like it even more. I have a Garmin 330ES so ADS-B out only. This weekend my A&P is installing a FlightBox Pro. I think I read somewhere that you can use that to input weather and traffic to the 440. If so, the IFD100 will become my best friend soon

It will not surprise anyone on this site that knows me that I have a different airplane. This is #16. I change airplanes as my needs change. A couple of years ago I had a really sweet Mooney 231. A good friend of mine wanted it and I wanted more useful load (892 lb wasn't enough) and air conditioning. So I went about looking for an airplane that met those needs. I was looking for 1100 lb useful load in a single or 1500 lb in a twin. Other than those requirements, I was open to the specific airplane. I came upon a really nice B55 Baron. There are some photos of it on this site. Most importantly, it had flown just shy of 100 hours per year for each of the previous seven years. Right at a year ago now I accepted a position that allows me to fly to work a couple of days a week. It is only a 57NM flight each way but over the mountains that turns a 2 hour commute each way into a 20 minute flight. That flight comprises most of my flight time now, and it is done solo with me only bringing a back pack. So I started to investigate what I wanted next as the Baron certainly isn't required for that flight. Lancair 360 ? RV series ? Cessna 150 ? Two seats are all I need for that flight. But I need to get to 7,500/8,500 ft to clear the mountains and that may be 11,000 ft density altitude in the summer. A 150 is out, as is a 172. I guess a Cessna 182 would be the minimum. I had a Lancair and didn't like it. I've had a couple of 182s and really didn't want another one. I'm thinking 200 HP minimum. A nice F/J/K Mooney would be perfectly reasonable. I also go to Mexico a few times a year with the Flying Samaritans so four seats would be nice and useful load is good for those flights. I also need enough fuel to make it to Mexico and back without taking on fuel as the availability of fuel in Mexico is always in question. Looking for at least 1100 lb useful load rules out the Mooneys. A few weeks ago a guy posted on BeechTalk that he has a nice S35 Bonanza and was looking to trade for a Baron. We talked, we came to an agreement and we swapped airplanes last Sunday. The Bonanza has flown 100 hours per year for the last ten years. Yesterday I swapped out the Garmin 430W for an Avidyne 440 and I'll probably swap out the Garmin 340 audio panel for a PMA450B. The first photo is both airplanes side by side last Sunday, then photos of the Bonanza.

I'm fortunate that I get to fly to work regularly. First flight to work in the new airplane (not the one in the photo ).

I had it in my Mooney, then swapped the 540 for a 550. It is a nice setup but I would upgrade the 540 to a 550 before adding a 440.

No question it is a great airplane.

Nope. It will have been one year to the day that I owned the Baron.

As one that has used Neal to sell his airplane (and has bought one from Jimmy), the percent you quote is much higher than Neal charges. And I haven't met a single person that hasn't felt Neal was worth his fee and more.

Not necessarily resale value, per se but what can I sell it for and how easily ? I've been very concerned about resale on some airplanes I've bought but very surprisingly even those airplanes have sold fairly easily. It can be complicated, but you have to buy an airplane right. That gives you options. Having my 16th airplane arrive this weekend, in 17 years . . . I have some experience in this area.