Flying a Bonanza

On Wed, 07 Sep 2005 21:41:41 -0600, Newps wrote
in ::

I have a 64 S35, first year with the IO520 and the first year as a six
seater so as a four seater you have a lot of cargo space. One of the
first things you notice is these things are really put together.
Cessnas and Pipers are flimsy beer cans compared to a Bonanza, of course
thats also why the empty weight is 230 pounds more.

You probably haven't had your Bonanza long enough to answer this
question, but how do you find the cost of maintenance? I have heard
that Raytheon charges exorbitant prices for parts.

Back in the late 90s I made a short trip from John Wayne Airport to
Van Nuys to pick up a passenger. The owner of the FBO from whom I
rented the aircraft for the flight asked if I might pick up a set of
generator brushes for him. I intended to pick up my passenger at the
Raytheon ramp on KVNY, so I agreed to bring the parts back with me.
The cost for two generator brushes (for clarity, these are about the
size of a half stick of blackboard chalk and made of carbon). The
bill was about $200.00! I was shocked. When I worked at the
electrical wholesale house in the 70s, we sold similar brushes for
$0.50 each.

So what has been the experience of other Bonanza owners with regard to
maintenance costs?

[crossposted to rec.aviation.owning]

Alot of bonanza parts are expensive. However, accessory parts are what
the market offers since they aren't aircraft specific ie brushes.
Those don't need to be bought from Beechcraft.
If you buy them from Beech, they will be marked up 300%.

Most of the Beechcraft parts are very well built and don't need changing
very often.
Once the aircraft is up to snuff, the maintenance isn't much different
than other aircraft of the same type.

Nothing flys like a Bonanza!!!



Larry Dighera wrote:
On Wed, 07 Sep 2005 21:41:41 -0600, Newps wrote
in ::


I have a 64 S35, first year with the IO520 and the first year as a six
seater so as a four seater you have a lot of cargo space. One of the
first things you notice is these things are really put together.
Cessnas and Pipers are flimsy beer cans compared to a Bonanza, of course
thats also why the empty weight is 230 pounds more.


You probably haven't had your Bonanza long enough to answer this
question, but how do you find the cost of maintenance? I have heard
that Raytheon charges exorbitant prices for parts.

Back in the late 90s I made a short trip from John Wayne Airport to
Van Nuys to pick up a passenger. The owner of the FBO from whom I
rented the aircraft for the flight asked if I might pick up a set of
generator brushes for him. I intended to pick up my passenger at the
Raytheon ramp on KVNY, so I agreed to bring the parts back with me.
The cost for two generator brushes (for clarity, these are about the
size of a half stick of blackboard chalk and made of carbon). The
bill was about $200.00! I was shocked. When I worked at the
electrical wholesale house in the 70s, we sold similar brushes for
$0.50 each.

So what has been the experience of other Bonanza owners with regard to
maintenance costs?

[crossposted to rec.aviation.owning]

Larry Dighera wrote:

On Wed, 07 Sep 2005 21:41:41 -0600, Newps wrote
in ::


I have a 64 S35, first year with the IO520 and the first year as a six
seater so as a four seater you have a lot of cargo space. One of the
first things you notice is these things are really put together.
Cessnas and Pipers are flimsy beer cans compared to a Bonanza, of course
thats also why the empty weight is 230 pounds more.


You probably haven't had your Bonanza long enough to answer this
question, but how do you find the cost of maintenance? I have heard
that Raytheon charges exorbitant prices for parts.

I've heard that too, we'll see. My IA has the same model Bo I do so I
am lucky there. No paying for learning about Bonanza's.



Back in the late 90s I made a short trip from John Wayne Airport to
Van Nuys to pick up a passenger. The owner of the FBO from whom I
rented the aircraft for the flight asked if I might pick up a set of
generator brushes for him. I intended to pick up my passenger at the
Raytheon ramp on KVNY, so I agreed to bring the parts back with me.
The cost for two generator brushes (for clarity, these are about the
size of a half stick of blackboard chalk and made of carbon). The
bill was about $200.00! I was shocked. When I worked at the
electrical wholesale house in the 70s, we sold similar brushes for
$0.50 each.

My mechanic says I have an alternator that costs a lot to overhaul if
you do it the right(FAA) way. We will be taking it to the automotive
shop down the street when the time comes. Right now I have one dimmer
switch that is belly up. Mechanic says $350 from Beech but he will
check his other sources and get a cheaper one. Cessna was the same,
very expensive for a dimmer but we found a different source.

Beech isn't the only one that's exorbitant. I got a recent quote from
Piper for $200 each for a pair of gas caps for my Arrow.

I've always wanted a Bo but am getting concerned now about structural
issues - an AD for tail strengthening on older models, and more
recently an issue about cracks in the wing spar web.

On Thu, 08 Sep 2005 20:27:29 -0600, Newps wrote
in ::

My mechanic says I have an alternator that costs a lot to overhaul if
you do it the right(FAA) way. We will be taking it to the automotive
shop down the street when the time comes.

Have you any idea with the differences in overhaul procedures are?

Right now I have one dimmer switch that is belly up. Mechanic says
$350 from Beech but he will check his other sources and get a cheaper
one.

A dimmer is nothing more than a wire-wound rheostat right? If it
hasn't been charred beyond serviceability, and the fault is a result
of an open winding, it might be an easy matter to procure the proper
gage Nichrome wire, and rewind it. Materials: $1.00

Cessna was the same, very expensive for a dimmer but we found
a different source.

Well, you can't blame the manufacturers for trying to make a profit,
but attempted price gouging because they officially have a monopoly on
an approved part that is comparable to those priced at 1/10th won't
endear them to their customers.

On 9 Sep 2005 06:13:28 -0700, "Paul kgyy" wrote
in .com::

Beech isn't the only one that's exorbitant. I got a recent quote from
Piper for $200 each for a pair of gas caps for my Arrow.

I would hope Cessna's charging 100 times the market rate for similar
items is a result of an attempt to included the cost of liability
exposure in the price, and not monopolistic profiteering.

I've always wanted a Bo but am getting concerned now about structural
issues

I too am considering a Bonanza. It's cost of operation per-seat-mile
seems superior to anything else in its class, but a 40-50 year old
aircraft does make one think about its structural integrity.

- an AD for tail strengthening on older models,

That Airworthiness Directive was a result of a number of in-flight
failures attributed to flutter wasn't it? It was a necessary design
change to deal with an unanticipated problem inherent in the original
design, IIRC.

and more recently an issue about cracks in the wing spar web.

That is probably the biggest concern, but there are methods of
detecting problems there aren't there? Isn't there a retrofit kit
available also?

No different from Mooney or probably any other.

-Robert

A dimmer is nothing more than a wire-wound rheostat right? If it
hasn't been charred beyond serviceability, and the fault is a result
of an open winding, it might be an easy matter to procure the proper
gage Nichrome wire, and rewind it. Materials: $1.00

Have you ever taken one apart and tried to rewind it?

That Airworthiness Directive was a result of a number of in-flight
failures attributed to flutter wasn't it? It was a necessary design
change to deal with an unanticipated problem inherent in the original
design, IIRC.

Not flutter, over stressed by exceeding design speeds.

On Fri, 09 Sep 2005 18:17:55 GMT, john smith wrote in
::

A dimmer is nothing more than a wire-wound rheostat right? If it
hasn't been charred beyond serviceability, and the fault is a result
of an open winding, it might be an easy matter to procure the proper
gage Nichrome wire, and rewind it. Materials: $1.00

Have you ever taken one apart and tried to rewind it?

I have not taken a Cessna nor Bonanza dimmer apart, but I have rewound
rheostats and coils. But then I'm an IBEW trained, card-caryin'
Journeyman Wireman 'A', and electronics technician. Such a task may
not be for everyone, just as some find soldering difficult.