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340a
The 340A is a great airplane, 200kts, 36gph, pressurized, 5 seats (ok 6, but cramped), solid airframe, 800nm range, with the RamVI and VG’s it is very pilot friendly. The B58 is a superb design but has a claustrophobic interior; the Seneca is just too lightly built and underpowered for my taste; the 421 is trouble waiting to happen with those engines, a 421 pilot is “mucho hombre”; the 414 is very nice but short of legs with five SOB, slower but very comfortable; the 310 is a great choice if pressurization is not an issue. A word about pressurization and turbo-charging, they are wonderful; to be able fly above weather with no concern about masks or performance concerns is very cool. It’s a great feeling to be cruising at FL210 in the sunshine and seeing the cloud layer 5,000 feet below you. After all, why fly somewhere for business or pleasure and arrive feeling like a sardine sucking on a plastic tube. The Navajo is a reasonable alternative but slower, probably 185kts, non-pressurized but comfortable. The Aerostar is sleek, you also need to be fit and sleek to get into the damn thing, forget about taken you mama to Kansas to visit Aunt B, it ain’t gunna happen. Other than comfort issues and trying to sell them on the back end, theAerostar is truly a great plane. The Duke, it even looks cool just sitting there. “Hanger Queen” phraseology is used a lot in conversations regarding B60’s and selling them can be a challenge also. They like a long runway and are a little short of range to, but they look cool.
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