On Tue, 10 Feb 2004 15:21:50 -0500, tongaloa
wrote:

mission requirements
250 kt cruise
2500 kt range
250 lb (pilot and 'stuff')
25,000 ft cruise altitude

250kt cruise is really pushing it in a piston engined airplane. A 421
can max out at 250kts, but cruise will be more like 220-230kt. The
only exception might be a Lancair IV-P and this was posted to the
homebuilt newsgroup, so that's a thought.

2500nm range is not do-able in any production light aircraft, and for
that matter probably isn't do-able in any reasonable homebuilt
aircraft. Many corporate jets do not have that kind of range.

250 lb useful load is easy - any plane that comes close to the other
specs will have this useful load.

25000 cruise altitude is attainable via turbocharged engines, and will
likely be a requirement to hit 250kt cruise.

-Nathan