Page 10 - May 20 TNT

Deanna hails from Luf kin, Texas, and is locally called the “Baroness” at the Angelina County Airport (LFK). There are four Beechcraft Barons based at LFK and she is trusted by the various owners, ending up in the front left seat of a Baron multiple days each week. She came to work with me and now has the keys to every airplane in our hangar ranging from the King Air 300, B100, to all of the PA46s. But she continues to operate the Barons be- cause they are such good airplanes and, well, she’s the Baroness. So, along with Deanna came the Barons, and I got an introduction to an airplane that somehow evaded my grasp in my earlier years in aviation. Now I get to fly the Baron, too and have grown to appreciate the airplane for what it is – a remarkable, overbuilt machine that is great for cross-country f lying. So, considering the 310Q or the Bar- on, which one do I like best? Which wouldIbuyifIweretoponyupthe coin for a multi-engine cross-country steed? Well, that depends upon a few considerations. Cessna 310 The Cessna 310 is probably in the “Top Ten” list of coolest looking air- planes on the planet (at least on my list). Everything on the airplane is sleek and pointy, giving it the impres- sion that it repels parasite drag like oil does to water. The non-turbo Q model is the one that I fly, and I have grown to love it. With a huge and comfortable cockpit, lots of luggage space, engine nacelle storage, and a panel that is spacious enough or all the latest avion- ics gadgets, the Cessna 310Q is a fantas- tic airplane for many varied missions. Gerald’s Q-model has been upgraded with the Continental 520 engines that develop a lot of power for their size/ profile, and the performance is very good. We regularly climb at 1,100 FPM at max-gross, and cruise at 185 KTAS while burning 22 GPH. I’ve flown from Texas to Montana, New Mexico, Min- nesota, Florida, and a whole host of other faraway states in the 310Q – each time with four-plus people and bags. It has the useful load, range and space to be a true cross-country machine. I’ve grown to love it for its efficiency and utility. But, all is not perfect in the Cessna 310. While the seats are comfortable and space cavernous, the 310 is a hard airplane to climb in. If you or your pas- sengers have mobility issues, then the climb up on the wing and the down into the seats (especially the back seats) can be troublesome. There’s a spar to contend with and only one door for everyone. I think it’d be a poor choice of an airplane for the owner who is a non-pilot and plans to hire a pro, for he or she will be sharing the same space as the pilot and will often be climbing into the awkward back seat. On the ground, the airplane is easy to taxi and maneuver, 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 f ly 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 pi- lot who knows what the feet are for when flying to manage the longitudi- nal 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 effi- cient airplane. Beechcraft Baron The Baron is like most other Beech- craft products – rugged, reliable and a pleasure to f ly. The version we f ly 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. PHOTO COURTESY OF CLINT GOFF PHOTO COURTESY OF KATELYN WALLACE 8 • TWIN & TURBINE / May 2020