Flying a Bonanza

Alot of bonanza parts are expensive.

Aircraft parts in general are expensive; Beech parts are simply
outrageous.

My injected engines have one way valves that allow fuel to drain in
case it was overprimed. They are Piper parts, and are $50 each. They
are functionally equivalent to automotive valves that cost $10 each.
But that's nothing. My friend has a Baron, and his valves are $600
each. That's the Beech way.

Similar example - rod ends for trim tab actuators. Normally an AN
part, about $15. On the Baron, it's $120.

Most of the Beechcraft parts are very well built and don't need changing
very often.

Many of my friends own Bonanzas and Barons. I have not noticed them
replacing parts less often than I do on my Piper, same vintage. Beech
parts are no better (or worse) than any other aircraft parts. They are
more expensive.

Once the aircraft is up to snuff, the maintenance isn't much different
than other aircraft of the same type.

That's true. Mostly, the parts that wear out are engine, not airframe
parts. Fortunately, the engines are Continental - not Beech/Raytheon.
By the time you figure in all the other expenses - labor, engine parts,
fuel, insurance, hangar, engine overhaul - the high cost of Beech parts
isn't really a significant factor in owning a Beech. It's only when
you buy something that needs a lot of airframe work that the Beech
parts cost hits you hard. That's why you can get such a great deal on
an old Bonanza, Baron, or TravelAir.

Nothing flys like a Bonanza!!!

Actually, lots of things fly like a Bonanza. It's an airplane.
Nothing special.

The real truth is, nothing lands like a Bonanza. Most airplanes in its
class require some skill to land. The Bonanza really doesn't. It's
easier to land than a C-172. It makes you look good. That's why so
many pilots love it.

Michael

I hope their parts prices are better than their websight. It is pretty
much worthless. I bookmarked it anyway, just in case :-)

Jon Kraus
'79 Mooney 201
4443H @ TYQ

Larry Dighera wrote:

On Fri, 09 Sep 2005 14:51:56 -0400, Roger
wrote in
::


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

As of 5 years ago:
Sisors pin for nose gear: Was over $300 (It's 1/4 inch drill rod)
Shimp pack for nose gear: Varies, but bout $170 give or take.
Nose gear strut: $7000
Gear Door hinges: About $470 each and there are two per door.
Outer gear door: About $500

Throttle cable: A tad less than $300, but you'll probably have to
find a supplier for the older Bos as Ratheon doesn't carry them.


Those prices are similarly outrageous to the generator brushes I
mentioned. I presume they are retail prices. The brushes were
wholesale presumably, as I was picking them up for an A&P. Or does
Raytheon offer wholesale pricing at all?

Have you had any luck in mitigating parts costs by shopping at
Wentworth Aircraft, Inc: http://www.wentworthaircraft.com/home.htm

On Fri, 09 Sep 2005 22:19:53 GMT, Jon Kraus wrote
in ::

I hope their parts prices are better than their websight.

Well, used aircraft parts are quite functional in some applications,
and given they are genuine, you shouldn't run afoul of the FAA as
might occur if automotive parts are substituted. I have found
Wentworth prices to be reasonable, about half of the cost of new.

You seldom know what R.M.G. is talking about because he "over-trims."

I have a newsreader that puts replys under the associated posts w/o
regard to time. If you're just reading news sorted by date, I can see
how you can be confused.

I think he was referring to the enormously inflated price of aircraft

BTW: A friend of mine just replaced the tire and wheel on his
Gulfstream. $40K!!

-Robert

Robert M. Gary wrote:
You seldom know what R.M.G. is talking about because he "over-trims."


I have a newsreader that puts replys under the associated posts w/o
regard to time. If you're just reading news sorted by date, I can see
how you can be confused.


I see only new posts, so if you just post a reply with no context then
it's just drivel.

On Fri, 09 Sep 2005 16:33:40 GMT, Larry Dighera
wrote:

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?

It's a visual inspection and can be fixed by stop drilling and
doublers. The current question is whether that is good enough or not.
It's thought the cracks come from taxiing on rough surfaces rather
than in flight, but who knows.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

On 9 Sep 2005 15:46:16 -0700, "Robert M. Gary"
wrote:

You seldom know what R.M.G. is talking about because he "over-trims."

I have a newsreader that puts replys under the associated posts w/o
regard to time. If you're just reading news sorted by date, I can see
how you can be confused.

Posts in order by date are in logical order only by chance by the time
they've gone through several servers.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

Robert M. Gary wrote:

You seldom know what R.M.G. is talking about because he "over-trims."


I have a newsreader that puts replys under the associated posts w/o
regard to time. If you're just reading news sorted by date, I can see
how you can be confused.

Many newsreaders don't show already-read posts. Mine does but they are
marked as already read, so I don't look at them again. If the post you
replied is already read when I read yours, what you're replying to is
not fresh in my mind and I'm not about to go back and look at that just
so I can figure out wtf you are saying.

Leaving some context in is simple netiquitte.