PilotEdge Forums

Finally saved up enough money to buy a Beech Baron 58 and got luck tonight. Found a system-owned Baron for $304,033.00 with only 44 hours on the airframe. That was the cheapest on the list and the cheapest I've seen in awhile.

Bonus note: I hand flew a Chinook for 1.5 hours. Yuk. In FSX....yuk again. It's a Miramar if anyone wants to grab it to stash at 46CA.

Steve

Know the feeling on the helicopter. Been flying my new B407 from Georgia to CA area by hand. 1500 nm in out of 2100+nm trip.

The Chinook flight model leaves much to be desired on FSX. It seems like a FS2004 model converted to FSX without regard to cargo load points. The fuel burn rate and cargo loading made for a porposing effect while flying and almost impossible to keep level. I was IFR and the (gracious) controller allowed me a large block altitude for maneuvering, but still, it was hard.

Keith, if you're reading this, what Chinook model are you using for X-Plane and do you have the same flight behavior issues?

stevekirks wrote:Finally saved up enough money to buy a Beech Baron 58 and got lucky tonight. Found a system-owned Baron for $304,033.00 with only 44 hours on the airframe. That was the cheapest on the list and the cheapest I've seen in awhile.

Congratulations! Very good $$'s indeed. I personally find it amazing how long some of the system owned aircraft can set without anybody using them. And then all of a sudden they go on sale. Often for very good prices. Mine sat unused since Nov 2007 before it fell into my lap. Only 26 hours.

stevekirks wrote:Bonus note: I hand flew a Chinook for 1.5 hours. Yuk. In FSX....yuk again. It's a Miramar if anyone wants to grab it to stash at 46CA.

ATC; Helicopter N141GF you are not at the assigned altitude. State intentions.
Helicopter N141GF: uh having problems holding altitude. Joystick. Can I have a block altitude?.......

Seriously. Just a little fun at your expense. No harm meant.

wmburns wrote:

stevekirks wrote:Finally saved up enough money to buy a Beech Baron 58 and got lucky tonight. Found a system-owned Baron for $304,033.00 with only 44 hours on the airframe. That was the cheapest on the list and the cheapest I've seen in awhile.

Congratulations! Very good $$'s indeed. I personally find it amazing how long some of the system owned aircraft can set without anybody using them. And then all of a sudden they go on sale. Often for very good prices. Mine sat unused since Nov 2007 before it fell into my lap. Only 26 hours.

stevekirks wrote:Bonus note: I hand flew a Chinook for 1.5 hours. Yuk. In FSX....yuk again. It's a Miramar if anyone wants to grab it to stash at 46CA.

ATC; Helicopter N141GF you are not at the assigned altitude. State intentions.
Helicopter N141GF: uh having problems holding altitude. Joystick. Can I have a block altitude?.......

Seriously. Just a little fun at your expense. No harm meant.

yeah, that was me...it was murder on my hand. The joystick autocenters so I had to hold forward. Eventually I tried using the keyboard. Sadface.

Did you try the trim?

Keith Smith wrote:Did you try the trim?

Insert snarky comment here...

It was FSX so since no ailerons or rudder in the helicopter, no trim. I even tried bracing the joystick, but the easiest thing to do was use the keyboard for the stick because you could still get fine control but the "stick" would stay in place.

I'm online right now in the Chinook for X-Plane 9 and it's perfect. Swapped out the airfoils like the commenters suggested and have no issues. With HDG and ALT hold, it makes the longer flight tolerable. I'm not sure I'll fly the FSX version again.

Back to Barons - I'm wondering if I should keep this one as a rental or lock it down. I could make enough in a couple of months to buy another, and another, then start a rental fleet. I wonder if anyone will start to notice if we stack up Barons at 46CA like a flight school ramp...

stevekirks wrote:

Keith Smith wrote:Did you try the trim?

Insert snarky comment here...

It was FSX so since no ailerons or rudder in the helicopter, no trim. I even tried bracing the joystick, but the easiest thing to do was use the keyboard for the stick because you could still get fine control but the "stick" would stay in place.

I'm online right now in the Chinook for X-Plane 9 and it's perfect. Swapped out the airfoils like the commenters suggested and have no issues. With HDG and ALT hold, it makes the longer flight tolerable. I'm not sure I'll fly the FSX version again.

Back to Barons - I'm wondering if I should keep this one as a rental or lock it down. I could make enough in a couple of months to buy another, and another, then start a rental fleet. I wonder if anyone will start to notice if we stack up Barons at 46CA like a flight school ramp...

Some helis do have a trim, such as the 407.

I wouldn't expect to make much off of rentals. I have a Baron in the network that makes at most 1.5k/week. Barely enough to justify the half million dollar price tag. It's worth buying planes that you intend to fly frequently if only to have them available for personal use.