Reading the topic about the cost of fuel the other day made me think. A fellow hangared next to me has a 58 Bonanza with an IO470 for sale. In discussing it's merits, it was mentioned that it gets the best "miles per gallon" of about any 4 place plane made. He get about 190 mph on 12 gallons an hour. I get about 140 mph with the same fuel burn in my Skylane so I see his point. My experience in a Beech Sierra was it burns about 9 gph at 120 mph. How do other planes do in this regard?

I think there are some Mooneys that can rival the Bonanza.
Early Bonanzas had auto fuel STCs available on the 185-205-and 225 horsepower "e" Continentals. There were also a few strait tail 33's with a 225hp IO-470 (J and K model engines) that could burn lower octane fuels.
This combines with their speed, really makes them reasonable to run if you fly to get somewhere. There is more than 1 older bonanza sharing a hangar with a cub on my field.

My homebuilt Savannah with a 100hp Rotax averages 19 mpg.

tom

Interesting. I get about 7.5 to 8 gph at 125 mph in my Maule M5 180C. Pretty much the same as the Bonanza but 65 mph slower. I would say the Bonanza would be a better value for hauling four folks somewhere due to the speed difference.

My hangar neighbor, who lost is medical is asking $59k for the Bonanza I mentioned. 2900TT, 900 on a IO-470, NDH, IFR, new annual, 10K paint job 3 years ago, always hangared, etc. It was always professionally flown, he was a professional pilot. From what I read, Maules cost plenty, even more to insure. I also have heard that Bonanza's have gear like a T-34, designed carrier landings. BTW, he has been to Johnson Creek and several other Idaho backcounty strips with this Bonaza.

Both the M-6/235 Maule I have and the company C-210 get 10 MPG down low. The 210 will go as high as 14 at altitude and lean of peak. The Maule 12 at altitude. Both are nautical miles and knots.
I got the Bo at 15.8 MPG, but that's statute miles.
I too think the Mooney would do best, but you ain't taking one off road and the old Mooney's mechanical gear is as strong as it get's, but there are other considerations besides gear.

Savannah-Tom wrote:My homebuilt Savannah with a 100hp Rotax averages 19 mpg.

tom

Tom,
What do those things burn in GPH? at 75% power?

Here is some info on the 1958 J Bonanza:
http://www.planeandpilotmag.com/content ... 3015c.html

a64pilot wrote:

Savannah-Tom wrote:My homebuilt Savannah with a 100hp Rotax averages 19 mpg.

tom

Tom,
What do those things burn in GPH? at 75% power?

statute miles 18gal usable fuel
100% power = 7.1gph and 95mph => 13mpg, 240 miles
75% power = 5.3gph and 85mph => 16mpg, 288 miles
60% power = 4.2gph and 80mph => 19mpg, 342 miles

slow flight can be your friend is you are not too impatient,
tom

Jr.CubBuilder wrote:Hmmmmmm
I stand corrected, I didn't think you could really touch a nice Bonanza for less than six figures.

I have an S35, first year of the 520 and large cabin and the fastest non turbo Bo. I get 201 mph true on 14.5 for 14 mpg. That's the worst mileage I get as that's the 75% speed and burn. At 45% I get 19 mpg although I would never go cross country at a lousy 150 mph, that setting is for local flying only. As for price you won't have to spend over $100K until the late 60's V35's which are not as desirable as they started to get heavy after the S35, a good 300 pounds heavier than mine by the 70's. Mooneys are very efficient, more so than the Bo's if you get the earlier ones with the 200 HP engines but they are real ground lovers and their gear is ill suited to landing on anything other than really nice grass.

Jr.CubBuilder wrote:Hmmmmmm
I stand corrected, I didn't think you could really touch a nice Bonanza for less than six figures.

The newer ones are condsiderably more expensive than a 58 model, just like any other airplane.

As much as I love Mooney's, there really aren't 4 place airplanes, unless two are kids.

donknee wrote:Here is some info on the 1958 J Bonanza:
http://www.planeandpilotmag.com/content ... 3015c.html

That's one of those heavy ones. I'm 170 pounds lighter with 35 more horses. Too much crap in the plane.

Block to block including take off, slow climb, 60% cruse, and landing, I am getting in the upper 4 to lower 5mpg.

It's like driving the old F-250. It was cheap to aquire and you ride her till she drops then get another one.

It's a RC70 (Rockwell Commander 700) I would bet that only a few have ever seen one.

It's nice to pull up to a big FBO and see all the ground pounders run for the red carpet. She sits real nice in the front row between the 3 mil birds.

Although the Supercub get the royal treatment when she shows up as well.

We are flying her to Montana Monday to slay a few rodents and help to center the balance of nature.