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10 • TWIN & TURBINEDECEMBER 2015Pacific Coast Avionics Quarter Page 4/C Adno brakes, on the right side. The tight confines of the Baron cockpit is the secret to its 200-knot top cruise number. Accordingly, power controls had to be placed high in the center panel.Much has been made by self-appointed correctionists over the odd placement of cockpit controls, to which Walter Beech would have said “what’s odd about it?” The Baron’s throttles are in the center of the quadrant, with props on the left and mixtures on the right; the gear knob is right of the yoke, with flaps on the left. This arrangement was bequeathed to the Travel Air and Baron from the Twin Bonanza, which had carried it forward from the Beech 18, itself patterned after the front offices of 1940’s two-pilot airliners. It remained so until the 1984 redesign of the Baron 58. One adapts easily enough.The fuel selectors are beside the knee, giving main, aux and crossfeed settings with schematic portrayal. Ignition and starting switches are on the left sidewall, guarded by a key-operated master switch. Trim wheels are on the lower quadrant, with cowl-flap switches on the subpanel. The electric cowl flaps were changed to manual levers midway through the E55’s production, to eliminate maintenance. Dual-needle power instruments are located directly above the levers controlling them, at eye-level for easy scanning during takeoff.The door absolutely must be checked for latching before takeoff; if it pops open in-flight the noise level is dramatic and it cannot be closed without landing, although the airplane is safely flyable. The middle windows feature Bonanza-style prop-open ventilation for ground operation, and double as emergency exits if a release pin is pulled.Starting requires boosting up a bit of fuel pressure, then beginning cranking with throttle at idle and advancing it slowly until the engine catches. An adroit application of boost pump overcomes reluctance and the second engine follows in due course. Taxiing is a pleasure with positive nosegear steering, although the tall glareshield presents some challenge. At runway end, the usual piston-engine checks are best followed by reviewing a checklist, due to the 1960’s scattering of target items. Controls, cowl flaps, trims, doors and windows are confirmed, followed by a runup, beginning with prop exercise at 2,200 rpm, reducing to 1,700 for mags test, and reduced further to 1,500 rpm for a feathering check.Takeoff PlanningWhile the big-engine Barons are about as capable as any piston twin under engine-out conditions, takeoff planning should always begin with consideration of “what if...” Early Barons were grandfathered out of the airspeed indicator markings of Vmca and Vyse, but most have been retro-marked. On N48SC, a blue radial