Navion in flames.

We seem to have a number of Navions hereabouts. Always wondered what
the attraction was. Seems a Bonanza is more efficient.

Navions are just so much cooler than Bonanzas. Anything with that
"North American" prefix is gonna have way more chops than anything
callled a "Beechcraft", which sounds too much like a boat company, I'm
afraid.

The Navion's huge cabin, and those classic lines, so reminiscent of
the Mustang, just make it a real piece of American history. If I were
to buy a 4-place classic aircraft, it would be a toss-up between a
Beech Staggerwing and a Navion.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:
We seem to have a number of Navions hereabouts. Always wondered what
the attraction was. Seems a Bonanza is more efficient.


Navions are just so much cooler than Bonanzas. Anything with that
"North American" prefix is gonna have way more chops than anything
callled a "Beechcraft", which sounds too much like a boat company, I'm
afraid.

The Navion's huge cabin, and those classic lines, so reminiscent of
the Mustang, just make it a real piece of American history. If I were
to buy a 4-place classic aircraft, it would be a toss-up between a
Beech Staggerwing and a Navion.

Jay, I now know you understand what a really cool airplane is!! Also
for years a Navion (although 5 knots slower) could be found cheaper than
a Bo. Navions are indeed quite cool. BTW we came out of annual some
time between two weekends (damned this work crap is getting in the way
of my airplane!) with a few minor "we need to do that sometime in the
next couple of months" issues. Then after not having flown in 3 months
(damned husband gets to fly just cause it looks like we might go IFR at
some point, yes, I know, I should get my instrument rating), did my BFR
with a former U2 pilot (who asked if I'd seen some video on "that Alexis
website" :-) without difficulty (except my steep turns started out
really ugly). He needed a few landings so I managed to sit on my hands
while someone else flew my plane from the right seat to a landing (mind
you the right seat has no brakes). Now I'd flown with him in a CAP 182
when he was the CAPUSAF and I've never seen anyone handle a plane like
that, so I did ok. His wife was in the back as they haven't been flying
in a while (new house syndrome) and she wasn't fond of the stalls. We
flew around for a couple of hours and had a great time. I think my slow
flight is better than it ever was!

Only one fatality yesterday, I ran over a mouse while pulling the plane
out. After finding the rather squished body I took a really good look
inside the wing over the wheel that did the damage and could find no
evidence of a nest, etc. Lights worked, strobes worked, I wish I knew
where that little sucker came from!

It was GREAT to be able to fly again. Now it looks like spring might
get here and I'm going to try to get out much more often.

Jay, I now know you understand what a really cool airplane is!!

Crap -- the secret is out. You always thought we loved you (and Ron),
but in reality it's your airplane we lust after...

;-)

It was GREAT to be able to fly again. Now it looks like spring might
get here and I'm going to try to get out much more often.

Glad you're back in the air! You guys gonna zip down to Sun N Fun
this year?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:
Jay, I now know you understand what a really cool airplane is!!

Crap -- the secret is out. You always thought we loved you (and Ron),
but in reality it's your airplane we lust after...

And we had to wait years to see the plane! Despite being worth the
wait, it was just so....cruel :-)



--
Jack Allison
PP-ASEL-Instrument Airplane

"To become a Jedi knight, you must master a single force. To become
a private pilot you must strive to master four of them"
- Rod Machado

(Remove the obvious from address to reply via e-mail)

Jay Honeck wrote:
Jay, I now know you understand what a really cool airplane is!!


Crap -- the secret is out. You always thought we loved you (and Ron),
but in reality it's your airplane we lust after...

;-)


It was GREAT to be able to fly again. Now it looks like spring might
get here and I'm going to try to get out much more often.


Glad you're back in the air! You guys gonna zip down to Sun N Fun
this year?
-
Nah, I have to work. The bad thing about the new job is not much
vacation time. We have a Navion fly-in the end of June and Oshkosh and
that will burn every minute of vacation and comp time I have.

Margy

Margy Natalie wrote:
Jay Honeck wrote:

Jay, I now know you understand what a really cool airplane is!!

What does the Navion cruise at at 75%? How slow can it go on final with
one person and a half tank of gas?

Newps wrote:


Margy Natalie wrote:
Jay Honeck wrote:

Jay, I now know you understand what a really cool airplane is!!

What does the Navion cruise at at 75%? How slow can it go on final with
one person and a half tank of gas?

What does this have to do with "cool?"

Matt

Matt Whiting wrote:
Newps wrote:



Margy Natalie wrote:

Jay Honeck wrote:

Jay, I now know you understand what a really cool airplane is!!


What does the Navion cruise at at 75%? How slow can it go on final
with one person and a half tank of gas?


What does this have to do with "cool?"

Cool is in the eye of the beholder. Guy in a hangar near me has a
Stearman. I look at that turd and just shake my head. Has about 600 HP
and can barely get out of its own way. Makes a lot of noise, though.
Seems to be its only skill.

Newps wrote:


Margy Natalie wrote:
Jay Honeck wrote:

Jay, I now know you understand what a really cool airplane is!!

What does the Navion cruise at at 75%? How slow can it go on final with
one person and a half tank of gas?

With the IO-550 ours bops along at 160 kts ground speed quite nicely.

Approach speeds are very much skyhawk-like. I think the Vso is 47
in knots. You gotta be below 87 to even drop the gear.

Ron Natalie wrote:
Newps wrote:



Margy Natalie wrote:

Jay Honeck wrote:

Jay, I now know you understand what a really cool airplane is!!


What does the Navion cruise at at 75%? How slow can it go on final
with one person and a half tank of gas?


With the IO-550 ours bops along at 160 kts ground speed quite nicely.

Approach speeds are very much skyhawk-like. I think the Vso is 47
in knots. You gotta be below 87 to even drop the gear.


OK, so it's a little slow in cruise, 10-12 knots less than my 520
powered Bo, but looks like you can land it short. I assume because it
was designed 100 years ago the gear was made to land in rough areas and
you could fly final at about 60 MPH indicated. So 1200 foot strips
shouldn't be a problem?