Multiengine Rating

If you're flush with cash, there's also the Aztec Nomad conversion... doors
on both sides. Not sure how fun docking a low wing would be.
Jim

"Jim Macklin" wrote in message
...
If you want the TSIO 541, get a Duke. The Duke flies very
well and is as tough as nails.

Duchess on floats would be a nice seaplane trainer, doors on
both sides so you can dock. Plenty of rudder and elevator,
so it should not need extra fins. More power would be nice,
the 180 hp is marginal.

The 58TC has a gross weight of 6200 pounds, the straight 58
has a GW of 5400 pounds. The 58P has the 6200 pound gross
weight but the empty weight is about 400 ponds more than the
58TC.

In fact, if the 58TC had an STC for a IO 720, it would be a
great low altitude performer.



"Kingfish" wrote in message
ups.com...
|
| Jim Macklin wrote:
| For those who do not know, the BE58TC is a Beech Baron
with
| the wings and engines of a 58P but the fuselage of the
| straight 58. It has the 6200 pound gross weight and
weights
| 400 pounds less than the 58P. So it carries 400 pounds
more
| payload and performs very well in the 10-12,000 foot
range
| without demanding the pilot be on oxygen.
|
| But I'd really like a Duchess on floats with 200-220 hp
| engines.
|
| Duchess? Floats? cocks head Uuuhhhhh???
|
| IIRC the real speedster of the Baron family was the BE56TC
with the
| 380hp Lycs... although I'm not sure if the 58P might have
been a few
| ka-nots faster at altitude though.
|

Depends on the dock and piles.

But a floatplane, even low-wing is better than a Lake
Amphibian as far a s dock clearance.


"Jim" wrote in message
...
| If you're flush with cash, there's also the Aztec Nomad
conversion... doors
| on both sides. Not sure how fun docking a low wing would
be.
| Jim
|
| "Jim Macklin" wrote
in message
| ...
| If you want the TSIO 541, get a Duke. The Duke flies
very
| well and is as tough as nails.
|
| Duchess on floats would be a nice seaplane trainer,
doors on
| both sides so you can dock. Plenty of rudder and
elevator,
| so it should not need extra fins. More power would be
nice,
| the 180 hp is marginal.
|
| The 58TC has a gross weight of 6200 pounds, the straight
58
| has a GW of 5400 pounds. The 58P has the 6200 pound
gross
| weight but the empty weight is about 400 ponds more than
the
| 58TC.
|
| In fact, if the 58TC had an STC for a IO 720, it would
be a
| great low altitude performer.
|
|
|
| "Kingfish" wrote in message
|
ups.com...
| |
| | Jim Macklin wrote:
| | For those who do not know, the BE58TC is a Beech
Baron
| with
| | the wings and engines of a 58P but the fuselage of
the
| | straight 58. It has the 6200 pound gross weight and
| weights
| | 400 pounds less than the 58P. So it carries 400
pounds
| more
| | payload and performs very well in the 10-12,000 foot
| range
| | without demanding the pilot be on oxygen.
| |
| | But I'd really like a Duchess on floats with 200-220
hp
| | engines.
| |
| | Duchess? Floats? cocks head Uuuhhhhh???
| |
| | IIRC the real speedster of the Baron family was the
BE56TC
| with the
| | 380hp Lycs... although I'm not sure if the 58P might
have
| been a few
| | ka-nots faster at altitude though.
| |
|
|
|
|

Jim wrote:
If you're flush with cash, there's also the Aztec Nomad conversion... doors
on both sides. Not sure how fun docking a low wing would be.

I've seen a photo of an Aztec on floats. I first thought it was a
PhotoShop job but apparently not.


If you want the TSIO 541, get a Duke. The Duke flies very
well and is as tough as nails.

I've read the 541 engines were quite finicky, as I'd expect from a high
horsepower Lyc. in a close cowled airplane. IIRC the same engine was
rated at 425hp in the P-Navajo? I think Dukes are tough looking
planes; Rocket Engineering in Spokane does PT6A conversions for Dukes
(beats an IO-720 IMHO) and had one in the works for a P-Baron, but
there's not mention of it on their site.

The reputation of the Duke and the TSIO 541 engine was
damaged by a many retired USAF jet-jockey desk pilots being
hired by companies to get a "cheap" pilot. The Duke must be
flown carefully and the engine requires proper and gentle
care.

On a Beech 58, the IO 720 would be a more durable
replacement for the more complicated TSIO 520 for those
operations that happen below 10,000 feet.

The conversion to a turbine makes little sense, since the
same cost can get you a good used King Air and a cabin class
aircraft with full approval for ice and IFR.



"Kingfish" wrote in message
oups.com...
|
| Jim wrote:
| If you're flush with cash, there's also the Aztec Nomad
conversion... doors
| on both sides. Not sure how fun docking a low wing
would be.
|
| I've seen a photo of an Aztec on floats. I first thought
it was a
| PhotoShop job but apparently not.
|
|
| If you want the TSIO 541, get a Duke. The Duke flies
very
| well and is as tough as nails.
|
| I've read the 541 engines were quite finicky, as I'd
expect from a high
| horsepower Lyc. in a close cowled airplane. IIRC the same
engine was
| rated at 425hp in the P-Navajo? I think Dukes are
tough looking
| planes; Rocket Engineering in Spokane does PT6A
conversions for Dukes
| (beats an IO-720 IMHO) and had one in the works for a
P-Baron, but
| there's not mention of it on their site.
|

Any comments on the Duke's magnesium tail control surfaces? I've read a few
horror stories, but don't know if it's typical or not. The relative low
price of the Dukes has been attributed to a higher maintenance cost per
passenger mile compared with other medium twins... anybody have first hand
knowledge and or numbers?
Jim

"Jim Macklin" wrote in message
...
The reputation of the Duke and the TSIO 541 engine was
damaged by a many retired USAF jet-jockey desk pilots being
hired by companies to get a "cheap" pilot. The Duke must be
flown carefully and the engine requires proper and gentle
care.

On a Beech 58, the IO 720 would be a more durable
replacement for the more complicated TSIO 520 for those
operations that happen below 10,000 feet.

The conversion to a turbine makes little sense, since the
same cost can get you a good used King Air and a cabin class
aircraft with full approval for ice and IFR.



"Kingfish" wrote in message
oups.com...
|
| Jim wrote:
| If you're flush with cash, there's also the Aztec Nomad
conversion... doors
| on both sides. Not sure how fun docking a low wing
would be.
|
| I've seen a photo of an Aztec on floats. I first thought
it was a
| PhotoShop job but apparently not.
|
|
| If you want the TSIO 541, get a Duke. The Duke flies
very
| well and is as tough as nails.
|
| I've read the 541 engines were quite finicky, as I'd
expect from a high
| horsepower Lyc. in a close cowled airplane. IIRC the same
engine was
| rated at 425hp in the P-Navajo? I think Dukes are
tough looking
| planes; Rocket Engineering in Spokane does PT6A
conversions for Dukes
| (beats an IO-720 IMHO) and had one in the works for a
P-Baron, but
| there's not mention of it on their site.
|

"Jim" wrote in message
Any comments on the Duke's magnesium tail control surfaces? I've read a
few
horror stories, but don't know if it's typical or not. The relative low
price of the Dukes has been attributed to a higher maintenance cost per
passenger mile compared with other medium twins... anybody have first hand
knowledge and or numbers?

I managed a Duke for a while. Maintenance was in line for a pressurized
piston twin (P-Navajo, P-Aerostar. C-414), until a crack was found on the
forward pressure vessel bulkhead. It was probably just an isolated event and
not indicative of the species. The biggest problem I had with the Duke was
that it is a ground loving hog. It uses a lot of runway.

D.

If you start the take-off in a Duke with the elevator back
and then when the nose starts to rise, fly the plane 's
attitude so it does not lift off before Vmc+5 it won't be
such a ground hog. The Duke sits nose down and the big nose
cone produces a lot of down force. A modified soft-field
procedure reduces the rolling load on the nose wheel and
reduces the take-off roll.


"Capt.Doug" wrote in message
news | "Jim" wrote in message
| Any comments on the Duke's magnesium tail control
surfaces? I've read a
| few
| horror stories, but don't know if it's typical or not.
The relative low
| price of the Dukes has been attributed to a higher
maintenance cost per
| passenger mile compared with other medium twins...
anybody have first hand
| knowledge and or numbers?
|
| I managed a Duke for a while. Maintenance was in line for
a pressurized
| piston twin (P-Navajo, P-Aerostar. C-414), until a crack
was found on the
| forward pressure vessel bulkhead. It was probably just an
isolated event and
| not indicative of the species. The biggest problem I had
with the Duke was
| that it is a ground loving hog. It uses a lot of runway.
|
| D.
|
|