AOPA's 2001 Bonanza Sweepstakes

EFIS and all, our 2001 sweepstakes project carries a bonanza of technology

While planning for the 2001 AOPA sweepstakes, the AOPA staff brainstormed about what direction to take the sweepstakes this year. Should we feature a classic airplane such as a Waco or a Stearman? Should we do a matching pair of very light airplanes, such as his-and-her Luscombe 8s; or should we ratchet up to a high-performance single-engine such as a Cessna 210, a Beech Bonanza, or a Piper Comanche? A light twin, such as a Cessna 310 or Piper Aztec, was suggested.

These ideas were freely discussed during a meeting late in May of last year. In the end it was decided that the sweepstakes airplane for 2001 was to be one of the most famous airplanes in history, a V-tail Beech Bonanza. One reason for choosing a 1966 Beech V35 Bonanza is that there are STCed modifications that would turn our 34-year-old airplane into a capable twenty-first century piston-powered machine — a TKS weeping-wing anti-ice system; Beryl D'Shannon windshield, tip tanks, and aileron and flap gap seals; a Tornado Alley Turbo turbonormalized Continental IO-550 engine; and the latest in autopilot and GPS/nav/coms from S-Tec and Garmin are in the plans. We're also planning to install a two-panel EFIS system by Meggitt Avionics in place of the pilot's "sacred six" instruments and give one lucky member a glass-cockpit Bonanza. For those who don't recognize the Meggitt name, it has been big player in the corporate aviation avionics world for years, and recently bought S-Tec autopilots of Mineral Wells, Texas.

The 2001 sweepstakes Bonanza will be the most capable sweepstakes project airplane that AOPA has ever taken on. It will be able to fly higher, faster, and farther than any previous AOPA sweepstakes airplane. If all goes as planned, the 2001 sweepstakes Bonanza will be a showcase for early twenty-first century general aviation technology. And in less than a year, an AOPA member will have won the keys to this remarkable airplane.

Sweepstakes diversity

Recent AOPA sweepstakes airplanes have been as varied as the pilots who have won them. The 1955 Piper Tri-Pacer that was rebuilt for the 1998 sweepstakes struck a chord with many older AOPA members and was a surprisingly popular sweepstakes airplane.

In 1999 AOPA created the Aero SUV by modifying a Cessna 206 until it became a load-hauling, go-anywhere, rough-country flying pickup truck. Members crawled all over the SUV and talked mostly about flying into the backcountry. During 2000, we equipped a 1987 Mooney 201 with a rebuilt engine and prop, new avionics, paint, interior, and panel, and dubbed it the Millennium Mooney. Every member who passed by or stopped to look over this sleek, economical dream machine said one of two things: "Take good care of my new airplane" or "When can I come get it?" We assured each and every member that delivering the Mooney to its new home would be our pleasure.

Decision and acquisition

In early August, the search for a suitable project airplane began. After consulting with Bonanza-savvy people, such as the experts at the American Bonanza Society, we decided that a 1964 or 1965 S35 was the oldest airplane that would be suitable for the project. The 1964 S35 fuselage had been stretched 19 inches compared to previous models. This resulted in a larger cabin and baggage area; the maximum gross weight had been increased 175 pounds to 3,300 pounds; an alternator had replaced the generator; and the 285-horsepower Continental IO-520 engine had replaced the 260-hp IO-470.

The first airplane we looked at, an S35 with 4,880 hours on the airframe and 2,518 hours (718 hours beyond TBO) on a factory-overhauled engine, turned out to be a real project airplane, but it had some appeal because of the low price. During the prepurchase inspection a bit of corrosion was found in one of the wing attachment bathtub fittings. Knowing that the integrity of these fittings is critical, we decided to pass on this particular airplane.

AOPA had an advantage over a lot of the buyers; we were looking for a clean, straight, no-damage-history airframe. If we could find the airframe we were looking for, then the other factors that determine the value of an airplane — such as engine time, paint, interior, and avionics — could be in almost any state of disrepair, and we would still buy it. After all, it's a project.

1966 V35

In early September, Tom Stuetzer of San Diego Aircraft returned a phone call saying the 1966 V35 Bonanza he had listed was still for sale. The V35 followed the S35 in production. The main difference was a 100-pound increase in maximum gross weight to 3,400 pounds. Within a few days Stuetzer had flown the airplane to Coastal Valley Aviation in Santa Maria, California, for a prepurchase inspection. The airplane had 3,209 airframe hours and 1,440 hours (1,700 hour TBO) since a factory-remanufactured engine had been installed, and the paint and interior were in fair condition. Most important, there was no reported damage history.

The prepurchase inspection, backed up with a title and records search by the AOPA Aircraft Title and Escrow Service, verified that the airplane was as represented. Based upon a valuation, it seemed as if the price was fair, so N14422 became the 2001 AOPA sweepstakes airplane. The records revealed that AOPA would be the airplane's fourth owner. The first two owners were businesses and carried out excellent maintenance, with 100-hour inspections and attention to all Beech service bulletins. These two companies flew the airplane for 19 years and 2,900 hours. In 1985 an individual from Santa Maria, California, bought the airplane, and the flying hours slowed to a snail's crawl — to the point that only 295 hours were clocked over the next 15 years.

The decision to buy this airplane was not without a little risk — Santa Maria is less than six miles from the Pacific Ocean, and the airport is IFR with marine layer fog during parts of the year. Would the regular fog-borne moisture accelerate corrosion in the airframe and internal engine parts? Since the engine would not be needed for too many more hours, and the compression pressures were surprisingly good, the engine wasn't too much of a concern. When Howard Fenton, of Engine Oil Analysis in Tulsa, Oklahoma, called a few days later with an opinion that the oil sample looked good, we were pretty sure the engine would remain serviceable until its replacement.

Of more importance was the question of whether there was airframe corrosion that had been overlooked during the prepurchase that would later appear and sidetrack the project.

The 2001 project was started early in hopes that the airplane would be largely finished by mid-year. With that kind of schedule, any unforeseen problems would be a big setback.

The engine and turbonormalizer

On September 26, the Bonanza was flown east to Tornado Alley Turbo in Ada, Oklahoma, for its engine-ectomy. The first leg, from Camarillo to Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport for the night, was only 1.7 hours long. The next day, after 5.95 tach hours and a stop in Tucumcari, New Mexico, for lunch and fuel, the engine ticked over to a stop in Ada.

During flight the true airspeed calculated out to be within a couple of knots of book figures, which is one indicator that the airplane hadn't been wrecked and that it was rigged properly. The engine performed flawlessly, burning about a quart of oil and never missing a lick. Alas, this was its last flight. Within a couple of weeks the engine had been removed, and the engine compartment detailed for the installation of a turbonormalized IO-550.

Superior Air Parts had agreed to supply a Certified Millennium preowned engine featuring new Millennium cylinder assemblies, and Western Skyways, of Montrose, Colorado — one of the shops around the country that Superior Air Parts has authorized to build its Certified Millennium engines — would be doing the engine assembly and final testing.

After completion the engine would be shipped to Ada, where it would be mated with an STCed Tornado Alley Whirlwind System II turbonormalizing system and installed in the Bonanza. The same folks who own General Aviation Modifications Inc., which is well known for its GAMIjectors, own Tornado Alley Turbo. According to the company, the Tornado Alley turbonormalizing system, which includes a set of GAMIjectors, permits lean-of-peak operation at higher than previously recommended power settings, while maintaining favorable engine temperatures and lower-than-expected fuel burns. Advantages gained when installing the Whirlwind System II (the II designation signifies a recent size increase to the system's intercooler) in the Bonanza are improved center of gravity and weight distribution, since weight is added forward; higher climb/cruise airspeeds; extended range; and more balanced (and lower) engine temperatures. Part of the Tornado Alley turbonormalizing package includes flight training for the lucky winner of the 2001 AOPA sweepstakes Bonanza.

Instrument panel, avionics, and autopilot

AOPA is taking a risk as we attempt, with the help of J.A. Air Center, in West Chicago, Illinois, and Meggitt Avionics Inc., of Manchester, New Hampshire, to install the Meggitt Avionics New Generation Integrated Cockpit (MAGIC) system. There's no risk in our decision to install the system since it's been proven — the risk is trying to ensure that the system, which hadn't ever been installed by STC in any airplane when we started this project, won't become mired in certification and approval issues and back up the schedule. The MAGIC system is approved for use in The New Piper Meridian single-engine turboprop as standard equipment.

The installation will include the primary flight display and, below that, the navigation display. Each of the liquid crystal display (LCD) units measures 5.3 inches wide by 4.4 inches high and mounts directly in front of the pilot, replacing the traditional mechanical, or "steam gauge," instruments.

During planning, it was thought that the vacuum system, with its attendant plumbing, filters, pumps, and backup pumps, would no longer be necessary. However, it now appears that the regulations may require the installation of a few backup mechanical flight instruments in the copilot's panel, which means that the vacuum system may be required. Installing all the redundant systems, which will probably also include a backup alternator, is not too difficult on a twin but may turn into a time-consuming puzzle on the Bonanza. The document that is the basis for the installation of modern equipment in existing airframes is Advisory Circular 23-17.

If the certification issues get bogged down in interpretation, or the required equipment list grows to resemble the latest edition of Webster's College Dictionary, it's entirely possible the Bonanza will be awarded at the end of the year with the finest steam gauge instruments available in a tried-and-true sacred-six layout. Like we said, there are risks to this project.

The big picture

This is the most ambitious refurbishment project ever undertaken by AOPA. Not only is the engine going to be changed, but it's also going to be upgraded and turbonormalized. Not only is a new instrument panel going to be created for the Garmin avionics and S-Tec autopilot, but the pilot's instruments will be supplanted by the first Meggitt EFIS system ever STCed for a certified single-engine airplane. Not only will the airframe be painted and a new N number assigned, but the airframe will also be modified with the TKS ice protection system for safer flight in adverse weather conditions. Not only will new fuel system bladders be installed, but the installation of new Beryl D'Shannon tip tanks will also provide added stability, a 200-pound boost in gross weight, and greater endurance. The list goes on and on.

During the remainder of 2001, the progress of this ambitious project will be featured at regular intervals in AOPA Pilot magazine and on AOPA Online. Follow along and learn about the trials, triumphs, and tribulations encountered during AOPA's Bonanza beef up.

Any AOPA member who signs up for membership or renews an existing membership during 2001 is automatically entered in the sweepstakes for this year's buffed-up Bonanza. As you follow along on the progress of this ambitious upgrade during the coming year, we're betting you'll be among the many AOPA members who are saying, "Take good care of my new airplane." You can count on it.

Links to additional information about the 2001 Bonanza sweepstakes airplane may be found on AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/pilot/links/2001/links0102.shtml). E-mail the author at [email protected].

Contributors

AOPA would like to thank the following companies that are donating or discounting their products and services to refurbish AOPA's 2001 Bonanza Sweepstakes project or are otherwise assisting with the project.

Engine compartment paint
Ada Aircraft Painting LLC, 2800 Airport Rd, Hangar D, Ada, Oklahoma 74820; telephone 580/332-6086; fax 580/332-4547; e-mail [email protected].

Fuel cells (bladders)
Aero-Tech Services, Inc., 8354 Secura Way, Santa Fe Springs, California 90670; telephone 562/696-1128; fax 562/945-1328.

Inertia reels, seat belts, and shoulder harnesses
Aircraft Belts, Inc., 200 Anders Lane, Kemah, Texas 77565; telephone 281/334-3004; fax 281/538-2225; www.aircraftbelts.com.

Medeco door locks
Aircraft Security and Alert, 3863 Royal Lane, Dallas, Texas 75229; telephone 214/956-9563; fax 214/956-9960; www.aircraftsecurityalert.com.

Interior
Air Mod, 2025 Sporty's Drive, Clermont County Airport, Batavia, Ohio 45103; telephone 513/732-6688; www.airmod.com.

Paint
Alpha Coatings, Inc., 310 West 12th St., Washington, Missouri 63090; telephone 800 875-3903; fax 636 390-3906; www.alphacoatings.com.

Technical guidance and one-year free membership for winner
American Bonanza Society, P.O. Box 12888, Wichita, Kansas 67277; telephone 316/945-1700; fax 316/945-1710; www.bonanza.org.

AM/FM radio with CD player
Avionics Innovations, Inc., 2450 Montecito Rd., Ramona, California 92065; telephone 760/788 2602; fax 760/789 7098; www.avionicsinnovations.com.

Sun visors
Ayers, Inc., 2006 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad, California 92008; telephone 760/431-7600; fax 760/431-2848.

Standby alternator system
B&C Specialty Products, Inc., 123 East 4th, Newton, Kansas 67114; telephone 316/283-8000; www.bandcspecialty.com.

Sloped windshield, windows, vortex generators, aileron and flap gap seals
Beryl D'Shannon Aviation Specialties, Inc., P.O. Box 27966, Golden Valley, Minnesota 55427; telephone 800/328-4629 or 763/535-0505; fax 763/535-3759; www.beryldshannon.com.

Proficiency course for winner and spouse
Bonanza/Baron Pilot Proficiency Program, Inc., Mid-Continent Airport, P.O. Box 12888, Wichita, Kansas 67277; telephone 970/377-1877; fax 970/377-1512; e-mail [email protected]; www.bppp.org.

Prepurchase inspection assistance
Coastal Valley Aviation, Inc., 3119 Liberator St., Santa Maria, California 93455; telephone 805/928-7701; fax 805/928-4427; www.coastalvalleyaviation.com.

Aircraft battery
Concorde Battery Corporation, 2009 San Bernardino Road, West Covina, California 91792; telephone 626-813-1234; fax 626-813-1235; www.concordebattery.com.

Dual control yoke and control wheels
Cygnet Aerospace Corporation, P.O. Box 6603, Los Osos, California 93412; telephone 805/528-2376; fax 805/528 2377; www.cygnet-aero.com.

Engine oil analysis kits
Engine Oil Analysis, 7820 South 70th East Avenue, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74133; telephone/fax 918/492-5844; e-mail [email protected].

Engine oil
ExxonMobil Aviation Lubricants, 7400 Beaufont Springs Drive, Suite 410, Richmond, Virginia 23225; telephone 804-743-5762; fax: 804-743-5784; www.exxon.com/exxon_lubes/aviation_fr.html.

Avionics suite (including audio panel / marker beacon / intercom, transponder, and dual nav / com / GPS units)
Garmin International, 1200 East 151st St., Olathe, Kansas 66062; telephone 913/397-8200; fax 913/397-8282; www.garmin.com.

Precision matched fuel injection nozzles
General Aviation Modifications, Inc., 2800 Airport Rd., Hangar A, Ada, Oklahoma 74820; telephone 888-FLY-GAMI, 580/436-4833; fax 580/436-6622; www.gami.com.

Tires and tubes
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, 1144 E. Market Street, Akron, Ohio 44316; telephone 330/796-6323; fax 330/796-6535; www.goodyear.com.

Avionics and instrument panel installation
J. A. Air Center, DuPage Airport, 3N060 Powis Rd., West Chicago, Illinois 60185; telephone 800/323-5966 or 630/584-3200; fax 630/584-7883; www.jaair.com.

Wing tip fuel tank system
J. L. Osborne, Inc., 18173 Osborne Rd., Victorville, California 92392; telephone 800/963 8477, 760/245 8477; fax 760/245 5735; www.jlosborne.com.

Engine monitor
J.P. Instruments Inc., 3185-B Airway Ave., Costa Mesa, California 92626; telephone 800/345-4574, 714/557-3805; fax 714/557-9840; www.jpinstruments.com.

Beryl D'Shannon upgrade and modification installations
Therese and Doug Kelly, Rt 2, Box R45, Military Highway, Mercedes, Texas; telephone 888/787-0689.

Propeller
McCauley Propeller Systems, 3535 McCauley Drive, Vandalia, Ohio 45377; telephone 800/621-PROP or 937/890-5246; fax 937/890-6001; www.mccauley.textron.com.

MAGIC EFIS display system
Meggitt Avionics, Inc., 10 Ammon Drive, Manchester, New Hampshire 03103; telephone 603/669-0940; fax 603/669-0931; www.meggittavi.com.

Four-place oxygen system with Electronic Delivery System (EDS)
Mountain High E & S Company, 625 S.E. Salmon Avenue, Redmond, Oregon 97756-8696; telephone 800/468-8185, 541/923-4100; fax 541/923-4141; www.mhoxygen.com.

Paint
Murmer Aircraft Services, Houston SW Airport, 503 McKeever Rd. #1504, Arcola, Texas 77583; telephone 281/431 3030; fax 281/431 3031; www.murmerair.com.

Rebuilt seat back assist cylinders
G. Nichols & Co., 1923 Jackson Street, St. Clair, Michigan 48079; telephone 810/329-7083.

Audio landing gear and overspeed (Vne) warning system
P2, Inc., P.O. Box 26, Mound, Minnesota 55364-0026; telephone 888/921-8359, 952/472-2577; fax 952/472-7071; www.p2inc.com.

Landing gear retraction boot set
Performance Aero, East Kansas City Airport, Hangar L-1, Grain Valley, Missouri 64029; telephone 800/200-3141 or 816/847-5588; fax 816/847-5599; www.bonanza.org/performance/.

Airplane dealer
San Diego Aircraft Sales, Gillespie Field, 1987 N. Marshall Ave., Ste. 110, El Cajon, California 92020; telephone 619/562-0990; fax 619/562-0121; www.sandiegoac.com.

Paint design
Scheme Designers, 277 Tom Hunter Road, Fort Lee, New Jersey 07024, 201-947-5889; www.schemedesigners.com.

Magnetic compass
SIRS Product Services, 25422 Trabuco Rd. #105, PMB 436, Lake Forest, California 92630 telephone 310/325-3422; fax 949/951-0778; www.sirsproducts.com.

Cabin sound suppression kit
Skandia Inc., 5002 North Highway 251, Davis Junction, Illinois 61020; telephone 815/393-4600; fax 815/393-4814; www.skandia-inc.com.

Camloc cowling fasteners
Skybolt Aerospace Fasteners, 9000 Airport Road, Leesburg Municipal Airport, Leesburg, Florida 34788; telephone 352/326-0001; fax 352/326-0011; www.skybolt.com.

Autopilot and EFIS certification
S-Tec Corporation, One S-Tec Way, Municipal Airport, Mineral Wells, Texas 76067; telephone 940/325-9406; fax 940/325-3904; www.s-tec.com.

Engine
Superior Air Parts, Inc., 14280 Gillis Rd, Dallas, Texas 75244; telephone 972/233-4433; fax 972/233-8809; www.superiorairparts.com.

Airframe anti-ice system
TKS Ice Protection Systems, 3213 Arnold Ave., Salina, Kansas 67401; telephone 888/865-5511 or 785/493-0946; fax 785/493-0959; www.weepingwings.com.

Turbonormalizer system and annual inspection
Tornado Alley Turbo, Inc., 300 Airport Rd, Ada, Oklahoma 74820; telephone 877/359-8284 or 580/332-3510; fax 580/332-4577; www.taturbo.com.

Engine buildup and test
Western Skyways, Inc., 1865 Launa Dr., Montrose, Colorado 81401; telephone 800/575-9929 or 970/249-0232; fax 970/249-4155; www.westernskyways.com.

Strobe lights
Whelen Engineering Co., Route 145, Winthrop Road, Chester, Connecticut 06412-0684; telephone 860/526-9504; fax 860/526-4078; www.whelen.com.