In article ,
KayInPA wrote:
This is something to consider. It's very tempting to try and get a
fast airplane.

Do the math on a few flights before you swoon for "fast". Sure, there's
a big difference between my Comanche and a C-152, but the 10-15kts I have
on a C-182 only save 10-15 minutes on a 3 hour flight.

And no matter what, you'll always want it to be faster right? A friend
of mine just bought a turbo Arrow, and is already complaining it isn't
fast enough.

A Turbo * isn't that fast. The book numbers look good, but you have to
fly high to take advantage. If you're "in PA" (instead of, say, CO)
most of the time the Turbo isn't going to matter at all.

Take an Arrow III. The non turbo models list 137kt cruise. The turbos
claim 172kts. So what you know is that at 7000-8000' (the highest
altitude that a non-turbo engine can make 75% power) BOTH Arrows cruise
at about 137kts and IF you climb the Turbo Arrow into the mid-teens it
will go faster.

--
Ben Jackson

http://www.ben.com/