I have had my mid-fifties Bo for three years and love it.I trust it
with my families lives. I don't fly it much but the guy I bought it
from was putting over 200hrs a year on it.
As long as it has been well maintained and has no corrosion problems,
there is nothing scary about a 50 year old airplane.
Robert


On Sun, 18 May 2008 16:41:16 -0400, Kirk Ellis wrote:

On Sun, 18 May 2008 14:29:18 -0600, Newps wrote:

$50K budget for a cross country machine that won't eat you alive with
fuel bills? Late 50's Bonanza. 180-185 MPH on 11-12 GPH. 150 MPH on
8.5 GPH. Mine's a 64 and I have a bigger engine but the airframes are
basically the same. I would guesstimate $1000-1500 per year in
maintenence outside the annual. You don't need any cash "laying
around", that's a foolish way to keep an asset like that anyways. You
just need access to cash if you should happen to need it, no need for
there to be instant access. Get a home equity line of credit but never
tap it.

Are half century old airplanes still viable machines? It sounds scary
buying something that is almost as old as I am.

The point about the cash is well taken. I may be able to work that
out....of course the "partner" I share the boat with will have
something to say about the equity line of credit.