NickG Posted July 21 Report Posted July 21 So when I sold my Cherokee 235, I had my sights set on a Turbo Saratoga - the thought of luxuriating in all that space while moving along at a decent clip…. My Wife told me I’m nuts. What do you need all that space for? It’s going to be just you most of the time. You should get a Mooney, she said. She thought they were the best looking birds on the ramp! So I took her advice. I’m now about 50 hours in to my Ovation and I absolutely love it. There’s no other piston engined single I would want. Oh, and here’s my picture from today. She was right, of course. All those empty seats…. 12 3 Quote
PMcClure Posted July 24 Report Posted July 24 I wanted a Saratoga until I flew one. It felt like flying an old S-10 pick up truck. Ended up getting a B36 but realized I was the only one flying in those 6 seats. So I sold it and got an ovation! Congrats! 1 Quote
NickG Posted July 24 Author Report Posted July 24 2 hours ago, PMcClure said: I wanted a Saratoga until I flew one. It felt like flying an old S-10 pick up truck. Ended up getting a B36 but realized I was the only one flying in those 6 seats. So I sold it and got an ovation! Congrats! Yes, true. I was coming from a Cherokee 235 which is basically like an old pickup truck - similar flight characteristics. So glad I passed on it an have the big O! Quote
M20F Posted July 24 Report Posted July 24 Never flown a Toga but got a fair amount of 260/300 time. Let me say never has ever in the history of man has 40HP mattered so much. I do though like a Cherokee 6 and it’s twin brother the Seneca. 1 Quote
NickG Posted July 24 Author Report Posted July 24 2 hours ago, M20F said: Never flown a Toga but got a fair amount of 260/300 time. Let me say never has ever in the history of man has 40HP mattered so much. I do though like a Cherokee 6 and it’s twin brother the Seneca. Agree, if you want to haul a bunch of stuff around and don't care how fast you get to your destination, they're great planes. Quote
Buckster Posted July 24 Report Posted July 24 Nick, looks like you are really enjoying your Ovation. Congratulations on your purchase. I enjoy how much faster I get from KGGE in SC to 1B9 in MA using my Ovation instead of an arrow lll. 1 Quote
NickG Posted July 24 Author Report Posted July 24 7 minutes ago, Buckster said: Nick, looks like you are really enjoying your Ovation. Congratulations on your purchase. I enjoy how much faster I get from KGGE in SC to 1B9 in MA using my Ovation instead of an arrow lll. I never had any idea that I would love this bird as much as I do. Speed, comfort, avionics, fuel burn - it's perfection. And I've really had to work at it as well, it took me nearly 40 hours of transition to get comfortable putting it down. That Cherokee sight picture was ingrained in my head and I needed to be reprogrammed (lol). Anyway, now the training wheels are off, it's time for some of those long cross countries! Can't wait! Quote
kortopates Posted July 25 Report Posted July 25 I am instructing in a Toga twice a week and don’t think there is another 300HP bird that goes as slow as the Toga It’s not the most stable IFR platform either.For anyone that really needs a HP 6 six seater, IMO you can’t beet the Bonanza A36; especially with the cargo doors and the IO-550 300HP engine that loves LOP.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 Quote
kortopates Posted July 25 Report Posted July 25 I never had any idea that I would love this bird as much as I do. Speed, comfort, avionics, fuel burn - it's perfection. …Be sure to tell your smart wife that you could never sleep in the Ovation so she doesn’t have to worry Enjoy traveling with your wife in it.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 1 Quote
NickG Posted July 25 Author Report Posted July 25 3 hours ago, kortopates said: Be sure to tell your smart wife that you could never sleep in the Ovation so she doesn’t have to worry Enjoy traveling with your wife in it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk LOL…. I’ll let her know! She’s really looking forward to travelling… 1 Quote
NickG Posted July 25 Author Report Posted July 25 4 hours ago, kortopates said: I am instructing in a Toga twice a week and don’t think there is another 300HP bird that goes as slow as the Toga It’s not the most stable IFR platform either. For anyone that really needs a HP 6 six seater, IMO you can’t beet the Bonanza A36; especially with the cargo doors and the IO-550 300HP engine that loves LOP. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk You’re probably right although I found the Toga Turbo stable, it just flew like a truck, and not very efficiently. Bo’s are great, just a little tight space wise and a little heavy price wise. The standing O is perfect! I cruise at 178kts at 15.6 gph or so. Quote
Pinecone Posted July 25 Report Posted July 25 12 hours ago, kortopates said: I am instructing in a Toga twice a week and don’t think there is another 300HP bird that goes as slow as the Toga It’s not the most stable IFR platform either. Gipps GA-8 Air Van. It is not an airplane, it is the box the airplane came in. 1 3 Quote
Hank Posted July 26 Report Posted July 26 13 hours ago, Pinecone said: Gipps GA-8 Air Van. It is not an airplane, it is the box the airplane came in. Friends don't let friends fly no UGLY airplane!!!! 3 Quote
Utah20Gflyer Posted July 26 Report Posted July 26 I’m going to admit I’ve been looking at Cessna turbo 206s lately. I’m sure I won’t enjoy flying one as much as my Mooney but I have a lot of kids and for family adventures it has a lot of utility. In particular the 6 seats, incredible useful load and short/rougher field capability. 4 Quote
NickG Posted July 26 Author Report Posted July 26 1 hour ago, Utah20Gflyer said: I’m going to admit I’ve been looking at Cessna turbo 206s lately. I’m sure I won’t enjoy flying one as much as my Mooney but I have a lot of kids and for family adventures it has a lot of utility. In particular the 6 seats, incredible useful load and short/rougher field capability. I believe there's a 12 step program that you can sign up for that will help........ 1 Quote
William Munney Posted August 2 Report Posted August 2 (edited) I looked at Saratogas and A36’s before I bought my Ovation. When i was being honest with myself…….I was going to have mostly just two people in there. After that realization the choices were much easier. I don’t need a turbo so Ovation it was! Upper Midwest for me so TKS is so nice. I’m giving up 5-8 knots i think but it really makes no difference at those speeds. I’m about 167 at 14.7 GPH and 170 something at 15.6. So, maybe not giving up too much. Edited August 2 by William Munney 3 Quote
chunko Posted August 2 Report Posted August 2 The Cherokee Six has such an odd mission profile. The only people I've ever known that kept theirs had families that flew with them. 1 Quote
EricJ Posted August 2 Report Posted August 2 To me the main advantage of airplanes like an A36 or Saratoga is the ability to easily throw a lot of crap, like bicycles or something, in them. Quote
NickG Posted August 3 Author Report Posted August 3 3 hours ago, EricJ said: To me the main advantage of airplanes like an A36 or Saratoga is the ability to easily throw a lot of crap, like bicycles or something, in them. Yeah, you and @chunko are right, it’s got it mission specialty and if you need it, you can’t beat the platform. 1 Quote
NickG Posted August 3 Author Report Posted August 3 3 hours ago, William Munney said: I looked at Saratogas and A36’s before I bought my Ovation. When i was being honest with myself…….I was going to have mostly just two people in there. After that realization the choices were much easier. I don’t need a turbo so Ovation it was! Upper Midwest for me so TKS is so nice. I’m giving up 5-8 knots i think but it really makes no difference at those speeds. I’m about 167 at 14.7 GPH and 170 something at 15.6. So, maybe not giving up too much. Exactly!!!! Quote
Ragsf15e Posted August 3 Report Posted August 3 4 hours ago, William Munney said: I looked at Saratogas and A36’s before I bought my Ovation. When i was being honest with myself…….I was going to have mostly just two people in there. After that realization the choices were much easier. I don’t need a turbo so Ovation it was! Upper Midwest for me so TKS is so nice. I’m giving up 5-8 knots i think but it really makes no difference at those speeds. I’m about 167 at 14.7 GPH and 170 something at 15.6. So, maybe not giving up too much. Since this is kind of a random thread, I don’t feel bad asking random questions… are you lean of peak at 14.7gph and 167 knots? What altitude? What would your Ovation do around 10,000’ lean of peak? How much fuel will you plan for on a 525nm xc? 45 plus 15 (reserve ) for 60 total? Quote
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