To me, the greatest advantage of having large tanks is to avoid refueling too often:
My DR253 has 240 liters and the fuel consumption is below 30l/hr at altitude with power in the lower 60’s %, which still makes a honest 120kt TAS. This represents around 7 hours flight time. No way I’m flying that long in one leg!
I just saw this ad of a Cessna P210 which boasts amongst all the extras you could think of (a lot of them not listed in the ad) XXL LR tanks (aft baggage compartment plus wet wingtips ) for a total of 150USG usable fuel or close to 1500NM range over 8 flying hours plus reserves…talk about being ready for avgas shortages!
The trouble with a P210 is that you end up with a P210. A wonderful plane – for someone else to own. They are reputedly a maintenance nightmare, just so much to go wrong.
Also the price is completely crazy. Sure, it has bang up to date avionics. But underneath it’s still a 43 year old airframe.
johnh wrote:
Sure, it has bang up to date avionics
Over $150k of them!
johnh wrote:
reputedly a maintenance nightmare, just so much to go wrong.
You do need to have a strict maintenance approach for a P210…not your drop-the-airplane-at-the-shop, pay-the-bill, pick-it-up and forget-till-the-next-annual kind of plane…
Especially in Europe where the typical shop maintenance approach will not support this kind of plane that uses a lot of man-hours for a bit of troubleshooting.
Having said that, it will take you almost anywhere in pressurized comfort with high reliability…but only if you keep well on top! I do find it very satisfying.
THis one has a “special” price, commensurate with the amount the owner spent on it over the last year or two, but which other SEP will you find to take you and your partner in pressurized comfort 1500nm away (or you and three others 1000nm away) at 190 KTAS for under $300k?
Over $150k of them!
Sure but everyone knows you don’t get your money back for upgrades.
for under $300k?
Maybe, but they’re asking more than double that for this one.
Peter wrote:
If you do too many long flights at low power (e.g. a TB20 at FL180) with no interspersed low level flights at normal power, you get this.
I wonder why. Is this because of the lead?
Probably because of low cylinder pressure for extended periods, causing the piston rings to not seal too well, and with oil leaking past, you get glazing.
Peter wrote:
With the effort involved in getting into and out of a single door plane, it’s not surprising people don’t want to do it too often, especially as they get older
I suggest the history of the PA28, which is a single door airplane, has proven that myth wrong many moons ago. Not to mention loads of others which are single door such as the Comanche, Twin Comanche, Cessna P210, Bonanzas, Barons, Travel Airs ah yes and Mooneys.
I had the chance to sit in the Acclaim Ultra once and try the LH door. Getting in and out of that one was no different to the single door and, being right handed, I found it actually quite a challenge which one could probably get used to.
Now those doors are quite a bit bigger than comparable ones. Yet, I felt not much difference at all.
As it is quite well known, I am fat. Really fat. I don’t see much difference getting in and out of any of those planes, one door or not. The only range someone like me can get in and out of without problems are Cessnas. All the others with their “bathtub” cabins are very dependent on the person’s physical capabilities.
@Mooney_Driver while the Bonanzas are single door (in 33 and 35 guise) the middle windows are emergency exits :)
RobertL18C wrote:
while the Bonanzas are single door (in 33 and 35 guise) the middle windows are emergency exits :)
The baggage door of the Mooney as well.
