S35

[KLRDMD]

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.

[KSMooniac]

Sounds like a nice trade! The S seems like a great Bo.

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[Guitarmaster]

Nice. How do you like the 440? I'm thinking of doing the same thing in my 310.

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[KLRDMD]

1 minute ago, Guitarmaster said:

Nice. How do you like the 440? I'm thinking of doing the same thing in my 310.

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  

[Guitarmaster]

I know the 440 takes twice the millivolts to break squelch on the com. I have heard some customers complained that they don't have the range on the receiver that they had with a Garmin and that would be why.

I'll be interested to hear your experience as you fly more with it.


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[Seth]

Thank you for staying with MooneySpace and sharing information with us outside of the Mooney world.  Congrats on the new S35!!

-Seth

[KLRDMD]

4 hours ago, KLRDMD said:

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 just ordered the PMA450B from Chase 

[Hank]

5 hours ago, KLRDMD said:

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  

I've figured it out--Ken's purpose is to upgrade as many GA planes as possible, and release them back to the market! Thanks for what you do for the rest of us, Ken.  

[DanM20C]

1 hour ago, Hank said:

I've figured it out--Ken's purpose is to upgrade as many GA planes as possible, and release them back to the market! Thanks for what you do for the rest of us, Ken.  

I was thinking the same thing.  We need more Ken's in GA!

Cheers,

Dan

[bonal]

I really like the colors the dark green with the gold, very classy. When I was a kid and was first exposed to GA my folks best friends had a Barron then he sold it and had a brand new Bonanza made a 36 I think had the rear seats that faced each other.  That was his last airplane before he passed away. I sure wish I could remember it's tail number. First airplane I ever flew in was a V tail Bo.

[KLRDMD]

7 hours ago, bonal said:

I really like the colors the dark green with the gold, very classy. When I was a kid and was first exposed to GA my folks best friends had a Barron then he sold it and had a brand new Bonanza made a 36 I think had the rear seats that faced each other.  That was his last airplane before he passed away. I sure wish I could remember it's tail number. First airplane I ever flew in was a V tail Bo.

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

Edited January 16, 2019 by KLRDMD

[Niko182]

What do you see on cruise speed and FF at say 8 to 10 thousand feet. And whats your useful load?

[KLRDMD]

1 hour ago, Niko182 said:

What do you see on cruise speed and FF at say 8 to 10 thousand feet. And whats your useful load?

Useful load right now is 1088 lb but that will go up. The CG is very far forward, unusual in a 33/35 series Bonanza. The lead weights are still in the nose so I'll have some removed to move the CG back a bit. I'm figuring 1100 lb or more when I'm done.

I don't have a good handle on cruise speed yet but a week from today I'll have a longer flight where I can play with power settings. I'm used to just reading TAS off the Aspen and I don't have an Aspen in this airplane. There also isn't a TAS ring on the airspeed indicator so I'll have to calculate it. In level cruise yesterday at 7,500 ft, full MP (+/- 23.5"), 2400 RPM and 12.5 GPH (LOP) I was getting 180-185 kts ground speed, but that was probably with a bit of a tailwind, I'm assuming. True airspeed was probably +/-165 kts. I did play with some fuel flow settings yesterday and peak seemed to be right around 14.5 GPH.

Edited January 16, 2019 by KLRDMD

[thinwing]

I have to hand it to you..airplane horse trader!!My hangar neighbor is 81 and he likes to restore vtails and Barons...his photo album shows he past #50 I think.I showed this thread to him over lunch...his comment was weigh the aircraft before removing lead from the nose to verify CG as 35 s are CG intolerant.I figure you already know that..

[KLRDMD]

Just now, thinwing said:

I have to hand it to you..airplane horse trader!!My hangar neighbor is 81 and he likes to restore vtails and Barons...his photo album shows he past #50 I think.I showed this thread to him over lunch...his comment was weigh the aircraft before removing lead from the nose to verify CG as 35 s are CG intolerant.I figure you already know that..

I plan to have it weighed first. The CG is almost unbelievably forward based on what's in the logs.

[thinwing]

Yeah the 35 I flew would go out of aft CG anytime two rear passengers and baggage and fuel burned off too much...never a problem with the Baron.Love the green and gold..congrats

[xcrmckenna]

Fly up to Vegas the first weekend in February to stretch her legs...


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[KLRDMD]

I'll be flying to Vegas Feb 13 home 17 and flying back to Vegas Feb 20 and home 24.

[KLRDMD]

17 hours ago, Niko182 said:

What do you see on cruise speed and FF at say 8 to 10 thousand feet. And whats your useful load?

Today was the same flight as yesterday, same route, same temperature, same altitude and same time of the day. GPS ground speed was 178 kts today versus 180 kts yesterday so either the tailwind was similar both days or it is flying that fast. I still think I had a tailwind both days. Yesterday I determined that 14.5 GPH is peak. Here's the engine monitor at 13.5 and 12.4 GPH. Both are LOP with 12.5 having the lower temperatures, of course. 7,500 ft. Interesting that the engine monitor calls both power settings 66%. Based on the math (Continental IO-520, 285 HP, 8.5:1), 13.5 GPH should be 75% power LOP and 12.5 GPH should be 65%.

[KLRDMD]

9 minutes ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

Thanks for that data.  Is your new S35 turbocharged, Ken?   I see that your EDM 900’s manifold pressure redline is set at 42”.  As for the percentage of power display, I think JPI’s percentage of power algorithm is unreliable when LOP.

Normally aspirated. I noticed that on the photos before I bought the airplane. I will have to have my avionics guy get in there and change it. I also want temperature in ºC. I've had so many different engine monitors over the years that I don't recall which ones do what. Some do LOP calculations but this one apparently does not.

[smccray]

Looks like an 830.  You can make those adjustments yourself if you choose as it's not primary.

[xcrmckenna]

I'll be flying to Vegas Feb 13 home 17 and flying back to Vegas Feb 20 and home 24.

I’ll be there the 1st to the 12th.


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[Niko182]

5 hours ago, KLRDMD said:

Today was the same flight as yesterday, same route, same temperature, same altitude and same time of the day. GPS ground speed was 178 kts today versus 180 kts yesterday so either the tailwind was similar both days or it is flying that fast. I still think I had a tailwind both days. Yesterday I determined that 14.5 GPH is peak. Here's the engine monitor at 13.5 and 12.4 GPH. Both are LOP with 12.5 having the lower temperatures, of course. 7,500 ft. Interesting that the engine monitor calls both power settings 66%. Based on the math (Continental IO-520, 285 HP, 8.5:1), 13.5 GPH should be 75% power LOP and 12.5 GPH should be 65%.

Power is calculated on the jpi by MP and RPM.

And i think looking at the charts, youre doing the order of setting power wrong. You would first set the RPM and the MP on the plane to create 75 or 65% power. Then you lean to the given economy cruise which at least in the mooney is 50 degree F LOP. Then the result is GPH. Just rememeber the As gph to cruise speed charts are usually a little optimistic.

I looks like what you did is set a certain power, and then leaned to a certain GPH instead of degrees LOP.  That means all you did was lean the engine out more while keeping the same percentage of power. 

[thinwing]

Good!No parties while your there...you there to get job done!

[KLRDMD]

2 hours ago, Niko182 said:

Power is calculated on the jpi by MP and RPM. And i think looking at the charts, youre doing the order of setting power wrong. You would first set the RPM and the MP on the plane to create 75 or 65% power. Then you lean to the given economy cruise which at least in the mooney is 50 degree F LOP. Then the result is GPH. Just rememeber the As gph to cruise speed charts are usually a little optimistic. I looks like what you did is set a certain power, and then leaned to a certain GPH instead of degrees LOP.  That means all you did was lean the engine out more while keeping the same percentage of power. 

LOP, percent power is determined exclusively by fuel flow. MP and RPM are totally irrelevant.