[Help]Six Seater Piston Single fly to gravel strips

[praveen4143]

Hey all,

I need some advice. I have a friend who is looking to purchase a Six Seater Piston Single to fly for business into gravel strips, mostly around Manitoba. Any advice?

Edit: Looking for something under $160K

Thanks!
Praveen.

[frozen solid]

I'm having trouble voting for one, because I hesitate to consider the Cessnas, Pipers and Beech to be "genuine" six-seaters, if the people involved are normal sized adults and they are going to have any more bags than a purse each. Maybe the 207, I suppose. I don't think I've seen one of them up close before. The Otter is much too big and both the Otter and the Beaver are way more than $160,000. Tough choice. Maybe the 206 or 207 would do if the guys aren't too big and/or they don't have much stuff. I'm not going to vote though because I don't know much about the Pipers. Personally I'd get a DHC-2 but that's because I love the stinky old things.

[iflyforpie]

Get a Cherokee Six: the fixed gear version of the Saratoga. They will go in and out of gravel strips fine as long as they are long enough (and they aren't all that bad of performers) and their useful load is much better than the 206/207 (207s give you more room, but not more useful load compared to a 206).

[ScudRunner]

Need more information than 6 people around Manitoba:

1. Does six include the pilot? or six plus one?
2. Who is going to fly it? Your buddy / Paid Professional?
3. how much gear do these people need to haul around with them on business?
4. IFR / VFR? (when the weather is bad can they wait days to get in/out.
5. What gravel strips? Eg: Gods lake Narrows, Lac Brochet vs unprepared "bush strips"
6. Why Single Engine? would a small twin be better suited?

[Colonel Sanders]

With all due respect, you need a turbine:

[shimmydampner]

Otter is overkill; Beaver is over budget.
The 206 is a great machine but it's less of a 6 person businessman hauler and more of a 4 person plus a pile of gear workhorse.
Good airplane, but there are probably others better suited for your needs.

[rigpiggy]

an early model 206 with the upgross stc will carry a 1700# load, -1300 for pax still a 250-300 mile machine

[iflyforpie]

Here you go. This has been sitting on eBay for quite a while now, but should do the trick once it is completed.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ebaymotors/Experimen ... 786wt_1344

I'm not sure if this is supposed to be a serious attempt at building an aircraft or just a joke.... it looks like something I drew in Grade 3.

[ScudRunner]

Check the mags and tires on that bad boy!

[praveen4143]

Thanks for all you feedback so far... Hope the discussion continues to build up.

@Colonel Sanders.. Point noted, fine sir...

@., I shall pass on the questions to my friend and get a response ASAP...

[seasonaldriver]

Assuming that you go with a piston powered aircraft, what about fuel? Avgas is quite hard to come by away from St. Andrews,Thompson, The Pas, Flin Flon and maybe Lynn Lake. Jet A can be acquired almost anywhere from Perimeter(although at a price $$$!). Turbines are waaay out of your budget range though.

I agree that all the aircraft listed are more 4 plus gear rather than 6 person aircraft. An 8 person aircraft like, say a Navajo, would be better and probably close to your budget to acquire.

As well as personal gear,don't forget that operating in winter you'll need to bring engine tents, extension cords, wing covers, etc with you. That can eat up quite a bit of space. If carrying things like tripods and light stands you'll need some long floor space to stow them on as well.

Good luck

[jpilot77]

If you want a piston aircraft for the job hard to beat a Navajo.