On Sun, 13 May 2007 18:06:18 -0500, "CareBear"
wrote:

Barry, tell me the pros and cons of your Sundowner. I have a possible
opportunity to purchase one (1980 Model) but would like some info. I have
never flown one but am interested.

Sure! First of all, there's an active type club at beechaeroclub.org.

Pros:
- Roomy. It's a few inches wider than a PA-28 or C172. Good sized
back seat with decent legroom, as well.
- Two front row doors on most, plus a baggage door.
- GREAT visibility. Big windshield with no posts, plenty of side
windows, and a wing set a tad back compared to a Cherokee. Traffic
easy to spot in VFR without airplane parts in the way.
- Very easy to fly. Sinks a tad faster when you pull the power than a
PA-28. I like the crosswind handling thanks to the slightly lower
float. Predictable stalls, easy slow flight, light and positive
controls. I switched to mine as a 20 hour, post-solo student with no
issues. None of the local instructors had flown one, but they react
positively after flying mine.
- Very durable landing gear, great on grass.
- Almost double the G ratings of a comparable Piper or Cessna. A very
strong airframe. The C23 airframe has aerobatic certification with
very little modification, mostly related to jettisoning the doors,
etc... This might be the "Buddy Lee" of 4 seaters.
- Easy to service. We haven't heard a single complaint from A&P's,
nor have we had to search out specialists.
- Slighty nose heavy. Almost impossible to exceed the rear CG while
still under gross with two in the front row. This plane LOVES rear
pax.
- Typically cheaper to buy than a comparable Piper or Cessna
- Standard dual static ports
- Non-electric flaps
- Fuel selector is in the center, accessible to either pilot
- Slight sprung connection from the ailerons to the rudder, helps turn
coordination automatically.
- Many were never FBO trainers.
- No normal-flight POH carb heat requirements, hot start vapor locks,
or flooded carb fires, that other manufacturers may have had.

Cons:
- Slightly nose heavy G. With two good sized guys, you need ballast
in the baggage hold. We've exceeded the forward CG limits with no
issues and done stalls and slow flight. However, I don't recommend
you do this, in fact you shouldn't!
- A few knots slower than a 180 HP PA-28 or 172. Hey, it's roomy!
- Very durable landing gear rides like the tires are solid rubber on
rough pavement.
- Parts availability. Some airframe parts can be expensive if they
have to come from Beechcraft. Not as many TSO'd aftermarket items (or
mods) as Piper or Cessna. The powerplant, prop, tires, lights,
brakes, instruments, radios, etc... are standard generic stuff, so
this isn't as big a deal as you'd think, but it deserves mention if
you happen to need something Beech specific.
- Our s/n range has slightly more unusable fuel than many, 7 gallons,
but it does carry 60. Some s/n's have as little as 2 unusable.
- Landing light isn't great on the ground without optional taxi light.

Neither, but deserve mention:
- Has a seemingly undeserved reputation for "porpoise" on landing from
a few folks who landed very fast on the nose gear. The truth is, the
same conditions probably would have set up a prop strike on an oleo
strut aircraft. Neither myself, my co-owner, or the four guys who
owned it before us have ever experienced it. Nobody in the Beech
Aero Club complains about it, either.
- Our s/n has a "tee" style control quadrant with a slide lock, which
I prefer over knobs.
- I really like the switch layout, ventilation system, and ergonomics,
but it's totally personal preference.
- You need brakes to turn while taxi. I never do on a PA-28, but I
cannot for the life of me, taxi a BE23 without brakes.
- _I_ think it's a good looking aircraft. G It's no Cessna
Cardinal or Grumman Tiger, but there's a lot uglier stuff on the
flight line.


Overall, I would buy ours again in a heartbeat. I think it flies
great and is very comfortable. I don't really notice a few knots on a
typical cross country. BAC members are extremely helpful and nice
folks. I've not heard negative comments from pilots who have actually
flown a Sundowner, only from those who never have, but that goes for
many non-Piper or Cessna aircraft.

Give it a good look and fly it as much as you can while your decide.