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The Search is On
It’s official. My husband Jared and I are in the market for an airplane!
We have discussed (dreamt of) owning an airplane for years, but I always swiftly dismissed the idea – we are too young and they are too expensive.
Well, my mindset shifted this year. We are financially stable, well-connected and commercial travel is even more unappealing due to COVID. Another huge motivation be- hind the investment is the ability to fly ourselves to visit our family scattered around the Southeast – a far distance from Wichita, Kansas.
That distance became especially apparent following a road trip this past summer to see family members in Arkansas and Florida. In all, the trip equated to 48 hours of driving (~3,000 miles). It was a worthwhile adventure, but by the end, we were flat-out exhausted and seriously talking about airplane ownership.
You could say the experience was our tipping point, lead- ing us to where we are today – scouring airplane listings every night. And let me tell you, judging by what we have seen, the used market is hot right now!
On the path to ownership – in search of an efficient cross-country machine.
2 • TWIN & TURBINE / September 2020
Main Considerations
We need a cross-country machine. The 1,000-nm haul to Florida is far from a light jaunt, and we currently make the trek (via airlines) three to five times per year. I antici- pate that frequency to continue once we have our own set of wings, plus a trip or two to North Carolina and other multi-state journeys.
Though there are single-engine pistons that could make the Florida flight nonstop, we do not see the need to sit in the airplane for 7 to 8 hours at a time. So in reality, we are looking for an aircraft that excels in 600-nm legs, providing us with a single fuel stop. (And I already know our halfway point – Meridian, Mississippi. Land of the free hotdogs, popcorn and sweet tea!).
Jared: We are also looking for an aircraft capable of 150 KTAS at a minimum. By the time you add in pre-flight du- ties, a fuel stop, weather deviations and headwinds, the day becomes very short. Any slower than 150 and we are on the edge of spilling over to a two-day trip – time we could other- wise be spending with family.
Of course, behind every investment is the mighty dollar. Twin-engines are (sadly) out of the question. Maintaining and feeding two thirsty engines is more than our wallet can afford. Finding an aircraft that can produce speed while maintaining a decent fuel economy (10 to 15 gallons per hour) will allow us to enjoy our aircraft of choice all the more.
Jared: We are open to exploring the different options avail- able to accomplish this prerequisite: small engines that pull a small and sleek airframe; or larger engines with sophisticated engine monitoring and tuning to allow for fine-tuned fuel flows and even lean of peak operation. And while I haven’t completely written off the turbocharged engines, the upkeep costs seem to outweigh the efficiency gains, especially when most trips will be flown east of the Rockies.
The Candidates
The perfect airplane for us may not exist (at least not in our budget), but we do have an idea of what features the ideal aircraft will offer. Logically, at the top of the wish list is a newer engine and updated avionics.
Jared: Spoiled by a job in which I exclusively operate the latest in avionics, I would feel much more comfortable in an aircraft with some panel upgrades. I have no illusions of this airplane being an all-weather machine, but when covering the distances we are trying to, the chance of running into IMC goes up. Garmin and Aspen upgrades are at the top of the list but seem to be hard to come by, so the possibility of adding those after the purchase is real.
Editor’s Briefing
by Rebecca Groom Jacobs