Poll - would you rent a turboprop vs owning your mooney

[bd32322]

First time trying to run a poll - hopefully it comes out okay.

I am guessing this makes close to any sense mostly for Turbo-drivers (Bravo, K or Ovation guys)

[201er]

Twice as fast, four times as expensive to fly compared to my M20J.

[carusoam]

How many hours required for transition training?

To stay current?

Landing distance any longer than an ovation?

Fuel Flow?

I can picture take-off, climbing over NYC, and landing out on cape cod in under an hour....delicious.

Realistically the expenses are in another league compared to my current bird. I like the single engine simplicity, turbine longevity and speed are spectacular.

Best regards,

-a-

[bd32322]

How many hours required for transition training?

To stay current?

Landing distance any longer than an ovation?

Realistically the expenses are in another league compared to my current bird. I like the single engine simplicity, turbine longevity and speed are spectacular.

Best regards,

-a-

3 hour transition flight training - 25 hour ground training. Currency requirement 1 hour per month (I am making the currency requirement up - rest is true).

[bd32322]

1200 feet takeoff - 50 ft obstacle

1000 feet landing - 50 ft obstacle

source:

http://www.jetprop.com/content/specification-and-performance-comparisons

[Awful_Charlie]

If that was in Europe, at a convenient home base, I would seriously look at it. On the costings, it would depend what it would cost me to take it out 500nm on a Friday, park it until Sunday afternoon, and then bring it back - if it was just the 1000nm at 250kts, it would probably be as cost effective as a Bravo on the trip, assuming I could junk the hangarage, annual/insurance/Jepps that I have to do now. For small local stuff, a club Jodel/PA28 would fit the interim need.

However, I like the ability to look out of the office window on Friday, see the forecast for the local area is pants, and then decide to pack my bags and go wherever the sun is shining - it's difficult to put a value on that

[Parker_Woodruff]

Nope. I would be in debt in a hurry!

[fantom]

Nope. I would be in debt in a hurry!

Heck, with all the money you're investing in 252BH, I thought you were already.

In answer to the poll, it totally depends on the needs of the particular mission. If going a long way quickly for business, sure. If the woman waiting on me is really hot, of course. If someone else is picking up the tab, no doubt.

[jetdriven]

Whats the range of that airplane. The cost and the fact it is a turbine ought to put the cabin class twins out of business

[carusoam]

I am still looking forward to the Mooney turbine, where is that agreement...

[aviatoreb]

I am still looking forward to the Mooney turbine, where is that agreement...

TBM700/850

[thinwing]

I would like to know (other than longterm lease for hundreds of amu) where one could rent a turboprop by the hour???sinc kpc

[fantom]

I would like to know (other than longterm lease for hundreds of amu) where one could rent a turboprop by the hour???sinc kpc

Me too....

[KSMooniac]

Whats the range of that airplane. The cost and the fact it is a turbine ought to put the cabin class twins out of business

One might think that, but it is realistically a 2-3 person plane for a trip of any length, or certainly any length where the speed advantage would make it noticeable over our J's.

I always dream about the step-up plane, but at $450/hr I wouldn't be a customer. I need another step-change in income before considering renting such a plane, much less owning.

[Seth]

I actually would - for longer trips. However, I'd still want an aircraft for more local flying. Maybe own instead of my Missile a C or F mooney, a tail dragger, maybe a 182. For long trips or with passengers, pressurized comfort out of weather does sound nice.

Instead, I'll keep my airplane, and at some point go into a shared ownership on something even faster that costs 10 times as much to operate but is twice if not three times as fast as my 180 knots. I don't really ever plan on selling my Mooney at this point. Get a share in something else for a separate mission, yes - sell my Mooney? Forget about it.

Fascinating poll.

-Seth

[aviatoreb]

One might think that, but it is realistically a 2-3 person plane for a trip of any length, or certainly any length where the speed advantage would make it noticeable over our J's.

I always dream about the step-up plane, but at $450/hr I wouldn't be a customer. I need another step-change in income before considering renting such a plane, much less owning.

I am guessing that a turbine rental would be a thousand something per hour.

[aviatoreb]

I actually would - for longer trips. However, I'd still want an aircraft for more local flying. Maybe own instead of my Missile a C or F mooney, a tail dragger, maybe a 182. For long trips or with passengers, pressurized comfort out of weather does sound nice.

Instead, I'll keep my airplane, and at some point go into a shared ownership on something even faster that costs 10 times as much to operate but is twice if not three times as fast as my 180 knots. I don't really ever plan on selling my Mooney at this point. Get a share in something else for a separate mission, yes - sell my Mooney? Forget about it.

Fascinating poll.

-Seth

I figure a turbine single would put the Mooney out of my hangar, sniffle....and then I would need to get something on floats for my second plane. Or maybe that ICON sport light looks cute for a second plane for local flying.

[aviatoreb]

I am still looking forward to the Mooney turbine, where is that agreement...

Hang a nice Allison turbine engine on the nose of a M20M and hot rod around at 250TAS T 25K like a high school kid at the school parking lot on a Friday afternoon.

Hang a PT-6 turbine on the end of a M20TN, add gussets at all major joints for strengthening, seal up the cabin for pressure (or wear an astronaut suit) and and let er rip at 350kts at 30K I bet. How do we go experimental conversion again?

[bd32322]

Guys this exists - in Bedford, MA which is a 20 minute drive from my place and the prices are real.

Here is the link:

http://executiveflyers.com/piper-meridian/

I have flown aerbatic aircraft with them and basically for the expensive rentals they have very few customers - (think Extra 300 aircraft at 370 per hour - doesnt get rented much at all). So if thats true for this turboprop - I think scheduling a flight on this may not be too big an issue. However, the big thorn in the side is what is their minimum charge per day for the aircraft. Normally they charge 3 hour rental per day minimum - now that would be a real killer and I am sure thats how it is ...

Otherwise its tempting to fly it maybe once every two weeks for currency and then occasional long distance trips. And also rent a small aerobatic plane for fun ... All my flying is recreational only - so it is tempting to me. If I had to fly 3 days a week for business or something - this would not come close to owning my own aircraft ofcourse.

Previously I had never looked at rentals because nothing matches the Mooney's performance. This one now does - but at a high price.

[AndyFromCB]

I've calculated what my Bravo runs me with capital costs, assuming firewall forward overhaul every 1600 hours or so, is about $300 an hour if I fly 150 hours a year. A TBM of the same vintage, I calculated, including capital costs of 1.1million, to be in the $2400 an hour neighberhood if flown the same 150 hours per year. A Meridian of the same vintage, priced at 700K, will set you back about $1400 an hour.

Until I move to making 7 figures a year, I don't see either one happening. And quite frankly, at that point, I'd get an extra 300 and then charter the rest of the flights.

[AndyFromCB]

Hang a nice Allison turbine engine on the nose of a M20M and hot rod around at 250TAS T 25K like a high school kid at the school parking lot on a Friday afternoon.

Hang a PT-6 turbine on the end of a M20TN, add gussets at all major joints for strengthening, seal up the cabin for pressure (or wear an astronaut suit) and and let er rip at 350kts at 30K I bet. How do we go experimental conversion again?

Best part of the allison engine would be the fact that at cruise at 16,000 it would actually burn about the same as Bravo for slightly more speed. Most of the A36 drivers with the trade winds conversion are getting 220knots at 16,000 at 22gph. A Bravo needs to be at 24,000 and burn 22 an hour to accomplish the same because of the ultra inefficient cooling and propeller.

[AndyFromCB]

Guys this exists - in Bedford, MA which is a 20 minute drive from my place and the prices are real.

Here is the link:

http://executiveflye...piper-meridian/

I have flown aerbatic aircraft with them and basically for the expensive rentals they have very few customers - (think Extra 300 aircraft at 370 per hour - doesnt get rented much at all). So if thats true for this turboprop - I think scheduling a flight on this may not be too big an issue. However, the big thorn in the side is what is their minimum charge per day for the aircraft. Normally they charge 3 hour rental per day minimum - now that would be a real killer and I am sure thats how it is ...

Otherwise its tempting to fly it maybe once every two weeks for currency and then occasional long distance trips. And also rent a small aerobatic plane for fun ... All my flying is recreational only - so it is tempting to me. If I had to fly 3 days a week for business or something - this would not come close to owning my own aircraft ofcourse.

Previously I had never looked at rentals because nothing matches the Mooney's performance. This one now does - but at a high price.

I really don't think the 250 an hour includes fuel. Meridian burns that much an hour if paying $6 a gallon of Jet A. Add another that much for maintenance (that windshield alone is 28,000 per side). Sounds to me like the doctor is doing this mostly for fun. So at $500 an hour, that meridian is a steal, even if you have to pay 3 hour minimum, still just 100 bucks over the true cost of owning one.

[BorealOne]

Must admit that I'm sorely tempted by the A36 conversion - the combination of speed, turbine reliability and price/performance make it a very interesting proposition. Meridians, etc - not so much.

[Ned Gravel]

Double post

[Ned Gravel]

Hang a nice Allison turbine engine on the nose of a M20M and hot rod around at 250TAS T 25K like a high school kid at the school parking lot on a Friday afternoon.

Hang a PT-6 turbine on the end of a M20TN, add gussets at all major joints for strengthening, seal up the cabin for pressure (or wear an astronaut suit) and and let er rip at 350kts at 30K I bet. How do we go experimental conversion again?

It's called a TBM