Best personal cross-country airplane

[Blubaron]

Has a winner been selected for the Comanche? I can't find anything about it. Even a search for win-a-twin on the AOPA website returns nothing. I thought it was suspose to be anounced by now. All I find is all the hoopla about the next give away.

I'm still waiting for them to call me though

http://aopa2.org/sweeps/rules.html?PF
Says around February 15 for the drawing. They aint gonna call you they're calling me.

 

[minitour]

*edit*

Actually it looks like the winner has already been notified....better luck next year...

-mini

 

[TDTURBO]

The next plane give away is going to be a Commander 112A......I would sell it.

 

[Vik]

Get a PA-30 .. twin w/ single engine costs.

Actually, I own one, PM me and if you're planning on buying a plane to time build, I'll quickly talk you out of it

 

[JimNtexas]

Either a Mooney 201 or a Cardinal C177RG. Both have the bulletproof Lyc IO360.

If you and your pax are comfortable in the coffin like Mooney interior it's impossible to beat the combinaiton of speed and economy.

If you want a comfortable interior with room for four fat adults then get a Cardinal RG. Same motor as the Mooney, but trades off a few knots of speed for greater comfort.

Buy the plane with most of the radios you want, it's much more expensive to add them than to buy an airplane that already has most of what you want.

The Mooney's good looking, and the Cardinal is the best looking single engine four seat airplane ever made.

A C-182 is the next best personal airplane, but with gas getting so dear now the four bangers same you some bucks.

 

[Corona]

Many here have suggested the Mooney. I second that, with the admonition you stick with later model 201s. I flew a '74 M20F and it was quite a pig, both in speed and maintenance. In fact, apparently when LoPresti redesigned the Mooney to make the 201, they found that more air was coming out the front of the air intake of the engine cowling than going out the cowl flaps. I suspect that is where a lot of the speed gain came from.

Other pluses include an absolute bulletproof engine (Lycoming O-360) and, I'm surprised only one other has mentioned, really tight controls due to the control rods vs. cables. Also, Mooneys have a nice, light-yet-effective rudder feel. Sorry, I'm a big Cessna fan, but their control feel is like cold wet noodles compared to the Mooney. Did my Commercial in the 20F and could land it on a dime after 15 hours or so of practice.

BTW, wish I could have your problems, if this is your biggest dilemma!

C

 

[JimNtexas]

"Sorry, I'm a big Cessna fan, but their control feel is like cold wet noodles compared to the Mooney."

Have you flown a Cardinal? The Cardinal has a much more responsive flight control system than any other single engine Cessna. It's nothing like a 172 or 182.

 

[PropsForward]

Try winning the AOPA twin comanche. If you could afford the taxes on your windfall it'd be a fantastic cross country airplane.

Yeah, got the tax money ready, just need AOPA to deliver...

 

[PropsForward]

Bonanza is reasonable in price, but parts are expensive. Decent cruise speed.

Saratoga or Centurion are fast but will cost you a few more bucks to get.

Mooney are great, but the cabin is kinda crampt.

Sirrus seems like the cats meow of the faster singles, just kinda pricey.