Bonanza F33 vs V35

[FDJones]

Thinking about buying and a used Bonanza, probably 1975 or so. What are the strengths or weeknesses of the two F33 and V35B. Checked out FAA accident information both aircraft, there seem to be more incidents with the V-trail then the straight tail. Don't know if it is due to pilot poor judgement or aircraft problems.

[djschaut]

Any Bonanza owner, V-Tail or not, will swear by it. I've never owned one, but they have to be some of the best-built airplanes in the world. The V-Tail has the 'ruddervator,' whil the F-33 has a straight tail. I've only flown in a V-tail, belonging to a friend of mine. Used to a straight tail, I thought it yawed quited a bit, but it didn't have a yaw damper. You should check out the Bonanza Society. You can find them using your search engine and ask real Bonanza owners about the difference. I'm sure your question will generate quite a lot of controversy. Certainly, you can't go wrong with either plane when it comes time to resell it. The older V-tails had structural problems for which there was an AD, and most are likely reinforced by now. For my money, I prefer straight tailed airplanes because of handling qualities.

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DJSchaut

[djschaut]

FD,
I forgot to mention that the friend of mine with the Bonanza V-Tail lost power North of Phoenix a couple of years ago. It was dark and he had two passengers. He put the dead-stick Bonanza down on the median of I-17, gear up, and walked away without a scratch. He's got her back up and flying again with an upgraded engine. So, the V-Tail can be landed with a dead-stick. Apparently, his oil filter was either too tight or too loose and he lost oil pressure when the engine failed.