Page 30 - April24T

On the ground, the airplane is easy to taxi and maneu- ver, and while in flight, it is a good performer. But in the air, the Cessna 310 can be nauseating for the newbie flyer due to the yawing. The large main tanks on the tips of the wings translate into a lot of weight on the wingtips. So, there’s a definite yawing moment in turbulence. The 310Q model we fly does not have a yaw damper and it could really use one. For the pilot (who is sitting very near the CG of the airplane), it is probably not a big deal, but anyone in the aft seats will be thrown side to side when the bumps are prevalent.
The oscillations on the yaw axis are most prevalent on landing in a gusty wind. It takes a well-trained pilot who knows what the feet are for when flying to manage the lon- gitudinal axis during the landing sequence. Don’t expect to just hop in the 310 and go when you purchase one. Plan to spend some time with a CFI who knows the 310 well.
I find that I operate the 310 at a lower power setting normally. We pull back the power to 60 to 65 percent power, and we still see cruise speeds in the 170 KTAS range while only burning 18 to 19 GPH. It can be a very efficient airplane.
Beechcraft Baron
The Baron is like most other Beechcraft products – rug- ged, reliable and a pleasure to fly. The version we fly is a 1994 Beechcraft Baron 58 Model that flat out performs. The pilots have about the same access as a Cessna 310 (climb
in the right side and slide over), but the passengers are afforded a huge door in the back that provides access to a club-seating cabin that is plenty big enough for comfort.
The spacious cabin is allied with the super large nose baggage. We’ve carried three sets of golf clubs, five people and even some other baggage items, and the Baron per- forms well. Many of the Barons have a useful load of over 1,300 lbs – that is a gob for a six-place airplane.
In cruise, we flight plan for 195 KTAS on 32 GPH and are rarely disappointed. We’ve loaded the Baron right up to max gross weight and it still performs well. We are repeatedly amazed at how much stuff the Baron will legally carry.
Performance-wise, the Baron is similar to other Beech- craft products in that it is not the best in any one category, but it is solid in nearly every category. It is not the fastest piston twin, but it is reasonably fast. It doesn’t carry the most, but it carries a lot. It won’t go the farthest, but it goes really far. There’s not a hole in the Baron’s game. I even asked Deanna, “What does the Baron not do well?” Her answer was, “Not do well? I don’t know; it does so much so well.” That was that. And she is right. The Baron is a great airplane that doesn’t really have an area of consideration where it scores poorly – except for maybe one – cost.
The Baron can be expensive to purchase. It is such a good airplane that people actively seek them on the market, ensuring that it holds its value well. While some
28 • TWIN & TURBINE / April 2024
Paul Bowen
https://stevensaerospace.com