Pilotage

Columnist Mark R. Twombly is a former editor in chief of AOPA Pilot magazine.

Given the choice, which would you pick for your own — Beech F33A Bonanza, Cessna 210, or Piper Twin Comanche? Two big singles, one light twin, three hot performers. On what basis would you decide? The three are on the same page in terms of vital statistics — power, speed, payload, and endurance. They differ in the nuances — such things as cabin size, handling qualities, and appearance, to name a few. Unless you're a committed fan of one particular brand, it's not an easy choice. How about spending a little time in each? Would that help?

A little time in each was the unexpected, enjoyable outcome of a recent trip covering some 1,800 miles. It began with a flight from Fort Myers, Florida, to Kansas City in our Twin Comanche with new partner Rick Arnold. I drew the first leg and got to deal with diversions in the Florida Panhandle because of early morning towering cumulus, and an ILS approach into Birmingham, Alabama, our en route fuel stop.

Rick took over in Birmingham and cruised in the clear for three hours. At our destination, Kansas City Downtown Airport, he had the temerity to show off by executing a greaser landing — no small feat in the short-legged, pitch-limited Twinco — in front of Doug Turner, our mutual partner in the airplane, who was observing from the ramp.

From first engine start to final shutdown, the 1,000-nm trip subtracted 7.3 tach hours from remaining TBO and added about 115 gallons of avgas to the credit card.

At 3,600 pounds gross weight and two 160-hp fuel-injected engines, the Twin Comanche is best described as a sports-car twin. It is responsive when maneuvering and stable in cruise, with a deserved reputation for delivering efficient performance — 160 knots plus true airspeed at 75-percent power and 17 gallons per hour. On the flight to Kansas City we drove on up to 12,000 feet and shaved about $5.50 off the hourly fuel flow in exchange for about 5 knots of airspeed. Not a bad trade.

The next day Rick returned to Florida on TWA, and Doug took the Twin Comanche to Oshkosh. I followed a few days later in an F33A jointly owned by Loy Hickman and Gary Worden.

I've flown their airplane a fair amount over the last seven years, and it's always a treat. The straight-tail Bonanza has to be considered a finalist on any list of Best Personal Airplanes. It has head- and legroom to spare; acres of glass; and a substantial, assured appearance. Loy and Gary have added a few exclamation points including leather trim and chrome cylinder-head covers. The two qualities I admire most in the F33A are its exquisite handling and the grace with which it lands.

All that need be said about handling is that, for a time, Beech sold an aerobatic version, the C33A, which was virtually identical except for some minor structural changes in the fuselage. As for landings, you quickly come to expect a nose-high, full-stall, kiss-the-mains touchdown every time. Well, almost every time. My solo, get-current landings in Kansas City were silky smooth, but the arrival at Oshkosh the next day with passengers didn't quite measure up. I blame that on the pressure of participating in simultaneous landing operations on the same runway and a last-minute ATC directive to land long.

Our flight time to Oshkosh was about the same as Doug's. The Beech is a tad faster; burns the same amount of fuel; and at 2,400 pounds empty and 3,600 pounds full, weighs about the same.

My ticket back to Kansas City was aboard a Cessna 210 flown by Don Hensley, one of three partners in the airplane. The trip brought back pleasant recollections of hours spent flying a turbocharged 210. Thanks to its high wing and two doors, the 210 was the easiest of the high-performance trio to enter and exit. Inside I sat with my back straight up and legs straight down, just like in the Bonanza. The 210 has the advantage of having fifth and sixth seats, although it's cramped back there for all but small children or extra baggage.

A race pitting the 210 against the Twin Comanche would end practically in a dead heat. We left Oshkosh about 30 minutes ahead of Doug, and landed in Kansas City about 30 minutes before he did, having consumed perhaps three gallons less fuel. The Cessna easily wins the payload contest over the F33A and Twin Comanche, however. But wait — the F33A has tip tanks, which add 40 gallons and several hours' endurance depending on altitude. It wins the long-distance contest.

Handling is another matter. The pendulum effect of having the fuselage slung under a dihedral wing, combined with relatively heavy control forces, make the 210 the most stable of the three in cruise flight, but also the most sluggish when maneuvering.

All three airplanes have IFR-approved long-range nav systems, but there is a generational hierarchy. The 210's do-everything Garmin 430 tops the GPS approach-approved Trimble 2000A in the Twin Comanche, which is a couple of generations ahead of the Bendix/King KLN88 loran in the Bonanza. I don't expect that to last long, however. Loy and Gary have been talking upgrade; they're looking to leap to the head of the pack.

Three flights, three airplanes, three ways to get around at better than 185 miles an hour. The differences among them amount to subtleties. Which is best? Ask any of the owners and you know what we'll say. And isn't that the way it should be?