Long Range Economical Twin Research Question..

[1000 HP]

I'm looking for long range light twin. A lot of you folks have experience on these, unlike me with my single engine time. Ideally, this aircraft should be capable of flying 2500 miles, be able to maintain flight on one engine at gross, and be reasonably economical. I'd like to see a 250 kt cruise at altitude as a minimum. The more simple the better. Ferry tanks are ok. I won't likely need more than one seat. Is there such an airplane? I'll be doing my own research but I figured I'd tap into the experts online here.

I found a nice Lear for $99,000 but the fuel burn and maintenance would be a deal breaker.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

1000 HP

[Bede]

I'm looking for long range light twin. A lot of you folks have experience on these, unlike me with my single engine time. Ideally, this aircraft should be capable of flying 2500 miles, be able to maintain flight on one engine at gross, and be reasonably economical. I'd like to see a 250 kt cruise at altitude as a minimum. The more simple the better. Ferry tanks are ok. I won't likely need more than one seat. Is there such an airplane? I'll be doing my own research but I figured I'd tap into the experts online here.

I found a nice Lear for $99,000 but the fuel burn and maintenance would be a deal breaker.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

1000 HP

MU2 with either ferry tanks or maybe the tanks in the forward landing gear tanks (bringing the total number of fuel tanks to 9!!)

[Colonel Sanders]

long range light twin ... 250 kt cruise at altitude as a minimum

Not sure a piston "light" twin is going to do that for you. Piper Aerostar might.
Can't think of many others. Likely gonna be turbine. MU2 is a contender.

Looked at the Aero Commander 1000? A friend of mine had one and loved it.

Also, does it have to be a twin? I might look at PC-12 or TBM-700 or 850.

flying 2500 miles

I'd seriously look at a jet for that distance. Get rid of the props, and go
really high. Bonus is that you're over most of the wx most of the time.

[1000 HP]

Early stages of planning/research. I'd like to use a Mooney Ovation for the economy but single engine over the ocean is a huge risk. I can swim but not that well. Plus the cabin is a bit small if you need to answer mother nature's call It is still an option I'm looking at.

TBM's and Pilatus out of the price range. The company I contract to will pay the fuel but I need a cheaper airplane. Most likely turbines are out of the question.

I'll probably be stuck with the airlines but sometimes the connections really really suck. Plus I'd like to do a few side trips while out and about.

[fish4life]

Personally I wouldn't trust a twin piston over large amounts of ocean

[Pratt X 3]

Might not go fast enough for you but it does have the range:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutan_Voyager

[loopy]

Maybe a Diamond DA42 TDI with the long range tanks and a ferry tank in the back seat? Not many used ones around and they are not cheap.

If experimental is OK talk to the folks at Deltahawk and hang a couple of their aero diesel engines on a twin comanche or a seneca with ferry tanks.

[Meatservo]

Like Loopy I immediately thought of the Diamond TwinStar. Didn't I read somewhere that one of those crossed the atlantic on something ridiculous like 200 litres of jet fuel? Maybe I'm wrong about the number of litres but it was very impressive whatever it was.

They're pretty neat looking planes. I don't think they go as fast as the one you're looking for though.

[x-wind]

It's a turbine but it's got 2500NM ferry range and 300 knots.

Merlin III.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swearingen_Merlin

[T1040]

Aero Commander 680FLP .RPM conversion, twin turbo(4!),TIO 720s!

[midwingcrisis]

X-Wind guessed correct..Merlin 3 out of the box. Cessna 404 Titan with the good ole Air America "Ferry" (LOL) STC tank set up, at altitude playing with Blue Line should get you there (2500nm)...could play with 600 Aerostar with baggage tank (stc) at altitude and playing with blue line. bring O2..

[jjj]

A nice Lear for 99K is not a nice Lear. Sounds like a cheap way to die.

JJJ

[1000 HP]

Sounds like nothing has the range, or if it does, it burns huge amounts of fuel. Like I said, I never really paid much attention to the twin engined birds except PBY's, Beech 18's, and DC-3's.

Most of the suggestions so far are interesting, but the huge price tags make it un-affordable in the fuel, and maintenance areas especially. I've got a round trip budget of about $10,000 for fuel and 14,000 miles to go.

I might need to go the great circle route for shorter legs. In which case I can use a smaller airplane or perhaps even a Mooney Ovation with the long range option. It has a 2400 mile range from factory at only 14 or 15 gph. It's the single over water that makes me a lot uneasy, but I guess a good raft would be worth it Lot's of people do it.

[Colonel Sanders]

Buy an airline ticket and grit your teeth when they take your tube of toothpaste at security.

[ScudRunner]

I think the real question is how much blow do you need to haul?

[Panama Jack]

Hmmm. Northern Colombia to Southern Ontario/Quebec or New Brunswick range. Interesting.

[Colonel Sanders]

Why do you think I suggested the Aero Commander 1000

[1000 HP]

Not really interested in that kinda thing..(Water bed mattresses are notoriously unreliable as ferry tanks)

Has anyone out there run to SEA the south route? Using what?

[howard40]

Twin comanche with one seat and a bunch of ferry tanks will do it , but it wont fly on one engine when you first leave, and it is slow.
:If you can pay for the fuel, a Howard 500 or 250 will go incredible distances , but it is a heck of a lot of airplane to drag one person 2500 miles or so. noisy and you need a mechanic with you probably.