"Kai Glaesner" writes:

If money is more of a concern than having the options a twin provides,

What are these, actually?

To me, having a twin means being able to go home after one engine has
problems but it also means being able to haul a bunch of stuff and still
go "fast".

(It also means being able to do some dramatically deadly things with
asymmetric thrust. I recommend against doing that.)

[...] The Aztec has pulled me through some hairy situations and
I appreciate it for that. But, oh boy, do I pay for it...

Can you tell us about this?

I've been in some icky weather situations...I'll forego the details but
there have been several times where having a lesser (less powered, less
redundant, lighter, ...) airplane in the same situations would have
been *very* unpleasant. Of course I would not have been so bold in such
a plane, but that's part of the point. Flying something like an Aztec
means not having to avoid every situation that might become a little
challenging.

(Yes, I fully realize that I avoid situations that yet other pilots in
more capable planes wouldn't think twice about entering. We all have
our "comfort zones". The Aztec gives me a much wider zone than, say a
PA-28. Note, however, that I got my Aztec before my Private so I have
limited experience.)

I (as any prospective airplane buyer at some
time, I presume) am thinking about buying a twin, too. But reading through
some books and magazines I wonder if a twin is really worth the xtra cost&
hassle...

If I didn't have a turbo Aztec (Yes, it really is that specific.), I
would not do most of the flying that I do. For me, even at half the
price it's not worthwhile to have a plane that I wouldn't fly. Heck,
I'm hardly flying mine right now (due to job changes and time
constraints), but at least I know that it'll do what I want when I do
need it.

--kyler