AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2022 - 14

LETTERS
Speed on a budget
Reader suggestions to
go fast on less
SO, YOU WANT to go fast and far on a budget
" Speed on a Budget " (December 2021 AOPA
Pilot)? Then there is no way around considering
one of the Rutan canards.
How about 165 KTAS on less than 6 gph? You
will need a seriously economical car to beat that
fuel economy and then for more than six hours.
Not only can you get in well under budget,
but you will also typically find a multitude of
good reasons to spend time in the hangar for
some real plane bonding.
Jay Skovbjerg / AOPA 1377117
Napa, California
L ET US NEVER forget the budget-minded and
beautifully elegant Bellanca Super Viking when
you are talking about " Speed on a Budget. " My
1972 example with the ever-reliable Lycoming
IO-540-K1E5 series consistently purrs at 160
KTAS at 8,500 feet.
I have been her lucky owner for nearly 20
years and fillies of her type and age are easily
acquired for under $60,000! There were close
to 900 of the type built and they are an absolute
pleasure to fly. I could fill several pages of
your magazine with the desirable attributes of
the Super Vike, but I'll leave you with her iconic
motto emblazoned on the yokes of Bellancas
during the 1960s and '70s: " At Home in the Air. "
Now update your article and include these
fine steeds.
Thanks Ian J. Twombly, for all you do for
AOPA!
Jeff L Detwiler / AOPA 1391451
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Traveling light
I HAVE NEVER responded to a magazine article
before, but " Traveling Light: The Art of Minimal
Cross-Country Packing " by William E. Dubois
(December 2021 AOPA Pilot) struck a nerve.
As the past owner of an Ercoupe, I fully realize
the importance of lack of cargo space and the
weight penalty of " stuff. " However, on the other
hand as a former director of safety for my state's
Civil Air Patrol Wing, I am intimately aware of
having survival equipment in the event of an offairfield
landing.
14
AOPA PILOT / February 2022
BRIEFING
A IRCR AFT FOR THE MISSION /
Speed on a budget
Can you have one without the other?
BY IAN J. TWOMBLY
The customer: You love to go fast but you don't have big-engine kind of money. Normally speed
and cost rise together like an airspeed indicator and tachometer, but some notable exceptions can be
found. You're not necessarily looking for the fastest airplane in the sky, but you thrive on effi ciency,
and love the idea of eking out a lot of knots for not a lot of bucks. Ideally you could bring along a friend
or two, and maybe a few bags at times, but primarily you're looking to get to regional destinations for
fun weekend or overnight trips.
ian.twombly@aopa.org
The budget: $60,000 cash
Let us know
which aircraft
you would
choose!
pilot@aopa.org
Mooney M20C
One of the only certifi cated aircraft
that fi ts the bill, the Mooney M20C
is renowned for its dose of speed
for the dollars. Although this budget
will require some patience, decent
examples are out there. Expect a
higher-time engine and older panel.
Like other airplanes from the mid1960s
or early 1970s, there could
be bigger expenses along the way,
including electrical gremlins, leaking
fuel tanks, and other aging aircraft
issues. But if you can fi nd a good
airframe and a decent engine, you'll
be going 145 knots on fewer than
10 gallons an hour. Yes, the cabin
can be very tight, especially for backseat
passengers, but every knot has
its price.
Flight Design CTLS
We may all lament the price of new
light sport aircraft, but those with
patience are being rewarded with
a reasonable used market. Flight
Design's CTLS, long a top standard
among LSAs in production, support,
style, and speed, can be purchased for
around $60,000, even with a low-time
engine. Book specs say they cruise
between 105 and 110 knots, but
owners say a prop change will push
the airplane up to the LSA speed limit.
That's Cessna 172 speeds for roughly
half the fuel burn. Not to mention you
get modern construction, modern
avionics, and a parachute.
Lancair 235
For this budget you've probably
dismissed Lancairs, and generally that's
a good strategy. But if you can get your
hands on an older 235, you'll have what
many think is unobtainable-excellent
speed on low acquisition and operating
costs. At the time of this writing one
was available with a low-time engine
and Garmin avionics with a list price
of $45,000. Churning out 140 knots
on about six gallons an hour with a
very common and reliable Lycoming
O-235 is quite an achievement. Plus,
it looks phenomenal and is aerobatic.
This segment of Lancairs have
model designations based on engine
displacement of the original design,
but many have been upgraded with
even larger engines, meaning yet more
potential speed.
42
AOPA PILOT / December 2021
When I was young, I had to spend the night
in a far West Texas pasture with little survival
gear. The temperatures were hot, with the afternoon
high over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and
overnight temperatures forecast to be in the
80s. But about midnight a brisk wind picked up
and by dawn I was an iceberg. A 20- to 30-mph
wind all night is not comfortable.
Don't sacrifice survival gear for an extra
gallon or two of fuel. Even in summer pack a
lightweight bag or large trash bag to use for
sleeping. Sturdy boots and spare socks, if you
have to hike to a hilltop. Have a small tent. And
most important, fire-starting material; you can
always burn a cow patty or two.
John H. Dorie / AOPA 05842763
Dallas, Texas
Bloodline
I JUST HAPPENED to get the mail today and
began thumbing through the AOPA Pilot
magazine for December. Wow! I saw Julie
Summers Walker's article, " Bloodline. " I work
for Vitalant and was thrilled to read the story.
Since moving to Arizona in 2017, we have
often recruited other pilots to join the mission
and " turn gasoline into noise for a good reason. "
We know the value of this time saving and lifesaving
mission. My husband Bob was on the
board (and chairman) with Lifeline Pilots from
Peoria, Illinois, doing medial missions for people
so this effort is near and dear to us. And as
noted, " the box never complains. " Thank you for
sharing our Vitalant story with other aviators.
Pamela Benda / AOPA 653330
Scottsdale, Arizona
Just wanted to reach
out and say thank
you for your active
coverage of public
benefit flying. I saw
Flights for Life was
just featured in AOPA
Live-incredible piece!
Also noticed a great
article on Turtles Fly
Too recently ( " 'Turtle
Fliers' Needed, " October
7, 2021, aopa.org). It
is so wonderful to see
a spotlight on these
opportunities for pilots
to give back with flight.
Keep up the good work!
Kristinia Luke / Executive
director, Air Care Alliance
AOPA 6697221
Pottstown, Pennsylvania
MIKE FIZER

http://www.aopa.org

AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2022

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