Cruisemaster or Mooney

Slim:

I can tell you what not to do, and I've used my awful experience as article material for our Club newsletter more than once in various forms. My 190's pretty. It was in Michael Terry's Aviation Legends calendar ten or twelve years ago, but that didn't matter much to me; I was smitten when I saw it in "person." My mistakes would be obvious to most of our members: hadn't run in awhile, eccentric owner who'd made repairs he was not qualified to and did things to keep it from deteriorating that are funamentally bad practices (running up the engine periodically on the ground which creates rust rather than protection), plus I was so, so ignorant of the breed. Joe Sills - who's restoring one for a customer and who's a mechanic who's earned my trust and esteem over the years - warned me against it. Dan Torrey - a noted Bellanca expert from Santa Paula, CA where I purchased the airplane - said it was a hangar queen, and so forth and so on. An engine overhaul, prop overhaul, complete replumbing of the vacuum system, numerous bad repairs at the hands of mechanics who didn't know the airplane (and I should have been smart enough not to know didn't know) addressed, a complete replacement of the hydraulic system later, it runs and flies very well, though all manner of patch, patch, patch wiring remains a problem.

Basically I purchased a project. Even if you were a good and diligent mechanic there's too much to learn. Avoid a project. Buy an airplane you can get to know over time through the proven means of assisted annuals, speaking with other owners over time, and so forth. It's anything but an RV.

Here's promising one from Barnstormers.com. If you are unfamiliar with the site it's http://www.barnstormers.com. Select Browse Ads, Antique-Classic, and, from the left menu, select Bellanca and you'll find it:

57 BELLANCA CRUISEMASTER • $55,000 • FOR SALE • Model 14-29-2, 3151 TT, 209 SMOH, 257 SPOH, 230 HP O-470, No-AD Prop, Beautiful plane refurbished in 2000 by Weber & Bellanca factory with new fabric/paint in original scheme, Was a trophy winner even before refurbishing, King panel with KX155, KT76A, Tomorrow 2001 GPS, and Brittain autopilot coupled to VOR/GPS, nice leather and wool interior, all new/majored firewall forward, excellent maintenance, Classic airplane with practical cross country speed. • Contact Don Baker, Friend of Owner - located Fort Worth, TX USA • Telephone: 817 909-8044 . • Posted August 4, 2008 • Show all Ads posted by this Advertiser • Recommend This Ad to a Friend • Email Advertiser • Save to Watchlist • Report This Ad • View Larger Pictures

I don't know of any Bellanca experts in Texas, but I'd bet Joe would give it a look over (http://www.sillsaviation.com) and he may be able to meet up with you there and he knows (has been forced to learn :) ) these machines and he's an honest broker of the hard truth. The harder the truth, the better, of course, and you could negotiate the price.

Honestly, Slim, it would be worth it, if for nothing else you'd see a fine example of the type and, perhaps fly in one. Of course you wouldn't know until you phoned whether you'd be able to go up in it. Nonebody likes a tire kicker, but you are serious enough, and you have a right to kick its tires, so to speak. Don't expect the world from a phone call, as its sale is being handled by a third party.

You've got nothing to lose by picking up the phone. Plus words and just words, and words are all anyone can give you on a forum.

Jonathan
 
There is a really nice 14-19-2 on Barnstormers for $55,000 right now you can't rebuild one for that. Yes Jonathon my Cruiseair has out ran many Moonys as well as my hanger mates 47 Bonanza all the way to Sun-N-Fun. If they are set up right they are fast. Plus it helps if you know how to build a Franklin right and set up your Aeromatic...Greg
 
Oh, Greg...this damned medium of words on a forum is miserably limited. Poking fun in a light hearted manner is a big risk that seldom pays off, and I really have to stop trying to do that. I should know better, especially after coming off as a complete a**hole in the Missing My Cruisair topic. I gave offense, and I'm sorry I did.

Fact is, with these airplanes, speed is such a variable. I remember one fellow's Crusiair being clocked at 176.8 mph by people on the ground in calm air, long before GPS ground speed had the power to deceive. I have no doubt - NONE - that you have a very fast example of a Cruisair. But you must admit that, when making recomendations, it's unwise to report your end of the Cruisair speed spectrum as typical. I wouldn't claim that for my 'Master for precisely that reason. But I was doing it wrong.

Pity we don't live close to each other. It would be such fitting justice to watch your Cruisair blow past my Cruisemaster, now wouldn't it? :lol:

Jonathan
 
Slim:

Your post caught my eye not because of your aircraft dilemma, but the statement about your kids and flying. I just ended an extensive flying career and now am doing it for fun. Have managed to keep my four sons out of the flying business, after I sold my FBO. My reply was generally, “If you want to fly airplanes become a doctor and buy a bonanza.” I would have been happy I guess if one of them would have chose the airlines, but then again, their looking down at dad (in more ways than one) in that cub flying some of the most beautiful, and dangerous, spots in western US, and being paid for it. Maybe I did them a misservise, that is why I would never TELL you what aircraft you need. That of course leads to a story, as most of my conversations do.
(If I had Jonathans expertise I would write a book, probably sell a couple of dozen.)

Many years ago I taught a doctor to fly in a 180 Scout, I learned a few things as the good doctor got his PP license as well. One was never judge a man by his career choice. (The old doctor joke thing) The Doc became quite proficient with the scout, and of course wanted a traveling aircraft. I lined him up with a broker friend that had a 182 with the over sized radio stack, and all the bells and whistles doctor are suppose to like. This of course in my mind was a transition aircraft, on his way to that bonanza a doctor ends up with. Should have realized that this doctor was a different cat, by his trainer choice.
After looking the spamcan over he bought a Viking, gave him several BFR’s in it. Was really monotonous listening to all that bragging on that Bellanca.
As far as I know he still has it.

The RV I planed on building in my retirement is way on the back burner, when I get the Cruisemaster that I’m working on flying I will probably look for another classic to get back in the air. (It takes a really fine RV to get any attention at the airports now days, but pull up to the pumps in your tripletail and see what happens)

Never flew an airplane I didn’t like------------------a few though I would rather not fly again.
 
The dandy master in Fort Worth is not Dandy no more. Jim did not check his tanks and ran out of gas as he was lifting off the Ground . It came to a stop on its nose in a ditch. Not a lot of damage but some. This is not Shermans plane. :( :( :(
 
I'm not ready to buy yet, I'm just trying to learn more about the A/C. I need to build the hanger first and then figure out what plane is me. I'm going to get to Sun N Fun this year and hope to see some Bellanca's. I just joined the CAF in Atlanta and hope to learn more about what it takes to keep an older plane in the air. You guys will love this. My wife was reading this and says I shouldn't call myself Slim anymore! I'm 6'4 and 230#. so I'm overqualified to call myself by the old nickname.
 
At 6'4 you will be tight in a cruiseair. I let a friend use my cruiseair to take his family on a trip. He is 6'5 about 200 lbs. We had to remove the custion so he could set lower and a few more inches away from the peddles. You will need a cruisemaster or a Viking. :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top