Trade Bravo For Mirage

[RobertoTohme]

Quote: Seth

Also, after viewing this thread, I'm curious about the TBM 700 comparison to the PA-46 that Parker suggested as an alternative.  Anyone with actual experience?  Anyone with fake experience

I know Roberto flew and owned (or is still selling - I saw it on controller) a TBM-850, but the TBM 700 is a 280 knot plane for half if not a third the price of a used 850.

What is the price vs. speed vs fuel burn, everything else of the PA-46 vs TBM-700.  I'd do the research, but this morning I'm just lazy and busy and want to see what other people state.  I don't think this is hijacking the thread as we're still compariing the PA-46 which is what is being discussed as a potential step up.

Take care,

-Seth

[Seth]

Thank you Roberto - that's some good insight. 

-Seth

[johnggreen]

I truly enjoy the Bravo.  Still, I would truly love to move up to a larger, maybe faster, maybe pressurized, maybe etc.,etc. airplane.  I have crunched the numbers on everything fomr a Matrix and Mirage to a Meridian, to a turbine 210, a 421/414 and P Baron.  Some, I could afford, some I could pay for but couldn't afford and some, well, I could sell a kidney I suppose.

When you crucnch the numbers, it is amazing how much you get from a Bravo for so little money.  A TBM 850, after the two mil plus investment is several hundred thousand a year in operating costs if you fly it enough for it to make sense.  I'm sure Roberto can back me up on this.  Even with a pressurized twin like a 421, you can scare 100m per year in operating cost pretty quickly.

To truly enjoy owning an airplane, its ownership and operating costs should be, relative to your income, almost unnoticeable.  I don't ever want to own any plane that when I contemplate firing it up and taking a trip, or a flight around the corner that the cost of doing so gives me any pause.

Hey, I guess you could call that "wisdom" and yea, it appers that comes with age and lots of experience with **** hitting the fan when you least expect it.

I guess what I'm saying is that for now, with two children still in professional schools, the Bravo has a feature that I really like;  I can afford it.

Jgreen

[fantom]

Excellent input and advise Roberto and John!

[KSMooniac]

Very well said, both of y'all.  I continue to be extremely pleased with my "lowly" J for the same reasons, and knowing that to truly "step up" to something that is noticeably better in terms of payload or speed would require a disproportionately large increase in operating costs, and I'm not prepared or willing to do that anytime soon.  Mooneys in general are at the pinnacle of affordable AND capable, no matter which model you're comparing to other planes.

[Seth]

I don't plan to sell my Mooney for the next few decades unless I stop flying.  If I ever to "step up" it will be in a shared arrangment or flying club of some sort for a faster, larger, FIKI, pressuraized, and obviously less efficient and more expensive aircraft. 

I'd still keep the Mooney for my own fun flying and trips within certain mission parameters.

There is also the argument that maintaining two Mooney's is less expnsive than a more capable aircraft.  Use just one unless you need the space, and then two, with the two costing together fuel burn and everything else considered equal to a twin - but now you have eight seats!  For instance, get a decent F model for $50,000, as the second plane, and use that for when you need the six seats.  Just make sure to have that second pilot!

-Seth