Navion B
Mette Florida
I think you would be much happier overall in a Bonanza. Owning a Navion, even with new engine, avionics, etc., would still be a lot like operating an antique car; it will get you there but you will find yourself continually working on it for all sorts of issues. Also, the cabin in a Bonanza is larger and more comfortable, the quality of the airframe is better, and a Bonanza will be about 20 knots faster with the same engine. You will also be continually looking for difficult to find parts.
Kevin Clark
V35B N3629A
T-34A N488JF
Another thing to consider is all the aftermarket mods available for a bonanza. Tip tanks, turbo normalized, large baggage door, anti-ice, and so on. Doubt you'll have as many options with a Navion. I don't see the bonanza vs navion as much of a comparison. Usually people are looking to Mooneys or SR22s.
Years ago we had an A-35 (1949)Bonanza with a 205 HP engine and going East from our airport CCB in SoCal we had some mountains to cross. Our Bonanza would be at 9500 20 miles out and level at cruise. I got a ride in a Navion with an IO520 285HP and we had to make a couple 360's to get through the pass and only 3 of us in the airplane. So performance wise there is no comparison. If you are into the warbird scene the military employed a few Navions so you could go that route. And they don't look much alike to you could have a preference there too.
Take the same money you would spend upgrading a Navion and build you a killer tip tank 550 V tail. I believe the Bo will have a better useful load, better resale value, better ease of maintenance, faster, and you would be a part of the best owners group out there.
good luck
I instructed in Navion's and I have owned a Bonanza for the past 38 years. Navion's are pretty looking and have lots of room but they fly like a truck and you cook like a turkey under the glass canopy and noise transfers through the canopy easily. The Bonanza is light on the controls,faster, easier to get parts for and the cockpit is quieter and cooler. If I had to go back to flying a Navion I would seriously consider not flying anymore. Well' maybe not. Buy a Bonanza, straight tail or V-tail and don't look back; you'll never be sorry. Gene Olsen
When I was looking to purchase an aircraft several years ago, I had selected the Bonanza, Mooney, and Twin Comanche as finalists. All had about the same performance. I even attended the Mooney convention, and the ABS convention and spoke to as many owners as possible. The owners will be quick to tell you what is good or bad about the aircraft. I also flew all three aircraft.
The Mooney owners liked the economy of their aircraft, but admitted they were small inside and the parts pipeline from Mooney has been tenuous since the early 1970s. My wife did not like the low "sports car" seating where your feet are almost straight out in the cockpit. It was very uncomfortable for her... and when the wife is unhappy...EVERYBODY IS UNHAPPY!
The Comanche was not up to the Bonanza or Mooney interior quality and the controls were heavy. It was a lumbering beast.
When I flew the Bonanza, the light bulb in my head illuminated. It flew and handled like you think an aircraft should...and you sit up straight in the seat comfortably i.e your wife will not make you stop every 2 hours for a stretch.
I chose the Bonanza and have never looked back. The ABS always has someone on the other end of the telephone to answer your technical questions and/or refer you to someone who can (for free). This fleet support mechanism is priceless in my opinion. People will tell you that Beechcraft are expensive to maintain and the part prices are "gold plated." I have not found this to be true. If you are willing to roll up your sleeves and get involved, the Beech is very affordably maintainable. I have owned my Beech for 9 years now.
Right now it would be very difficult for me to own any aircraft other than a Beech. I would always think that I had taken a step down in quality.
I have no experience with the Navion, but maybe I have given you some questions to ask within the Navion community.
Dale, I have flown both and owned both. The Navion with the 10550N engine and updated panel B model is a nice flying machine. The V-35 is a little faster and easier on the controls, easier to land and maybe a little easier to work on. The hydrolic gear and flaps are different but strong, the gear and flap speeds are lower for the Navion. The Navion society is great and parts are available. The society is run differently and much smaller but more hands on and the plane owners seem to have more personal investment in their planes, which is hard to believe but my feeling. The Navion will climb faster than the Bonanza and land shorter but if both pilots are highly quealified there is not that much difference. The cabin on the Navion is very different because the back seat passangers sit higher than the pilot/copilot and the baggage door is small. But the CG in the Navion is much further forward and loading is not the problem. Also the Navion flys a little better than the Bonanza in the aft CG condition. I have several thousand hours in the Beech Products and currently own a 58TC and have a 75-100 hours flying the Navion and much more riding in the B Model Navion. I think it is a fine airplane and a good value but be very careful when you consider purchasing because there has been a lot of shade tree work on many of the craft. The Navion scoiety I think would give good feed back on a specific craft or they will send you to someone that will. Good Luck, Bill Carter
Among various aircraft models, some are the equivalent of basic condominiums. Nothing fancy, reasonably common, and generally straightforward to own and live in with few headaches or surprises. A Cessna 172 and Piper Cherokee would fall into this category nicely, serving as fantastic first airplanes that are easy to own, fly, and maintain.
But many people eventually outgrow their starter homes and want more out of house ownership. A garden, perhaps, or possibly a pool. Maybe some more square footage and garage space. A home that demands more attention and upkeep but one that also provides a richer, more in-depth ownership experience.
Similar opportunities abound to take airplane ownership to the next level, and the two types featured here do so in their own unique ways. The Navion, with its 1940s-era lineage and systems that bear more similarity to a T-6 Texan than a 172, demands more knowledge and attention than the simplest types, but its unique military background and extensive community of friendly, dedicated owners make it a type with which few will ever become bored.
Similarly, the rarity of the Meyers 200 demands that each owner becomes something of an aeronautical curator. With around 125 examples built and only 78 remaining on the FAA registry, an owner must sharpen their sleuthing skills and network to source certain parts and experienced maintenance. The flying techniques, mechanical nuances, and subtle design features are not an instant Google search away. But support among Meyers owners is passionate and generous, and newcomers are enthusiastically welcomed into the tightly knit fold.
From the outside and from a distance, the Meyers and Navion appear somewhat similar. Both are low-wing, retractable-gear singles. Both emit the growl of 6-cylinder engines, primarily 200 to 285 hp Continentals. And both provide their occupants with panoramic visibility out of an array of windows. But approach them for an up-close look, and significant differences become apparent.
On the ramp, the Navion stands taller than any single-engine, low-wing piston this side of a Mooney Mustang. More than a foot taller than the Meyers and more than 3 feet longer in both length and span, the Navion is a massive, truck-like machine with a cabin volume that follows suit. For pilots who appreciate roominess in a cabin or simply enjoy the feel of flying a large, substantial aircraft, few single-engine piston options top the Navion.
In 1961 came the introduction of the Meyers 200B, which had an improved panel layout as well as a higher structural cruising speed and redline. This was replaced by the 200C, which incorporated a taller passenger cabin and larger windshield. The 200D was the final model with a 285 hp IO-520 and a flush-riveted wing. Together, these enhancements produced a notable improvement in speed to the tune of 210 mph at 7,500 feet and 75 percent power.
Similarly, between 1946 and 1962 the Navion was manufactured by a number of different OEMs, all of which should be searched for when shopping for one of your own. Initially built by North American Aviation in the 1940s, the Navion was later constructed and sold by the Ryan Aeronautical Co., and finally, the Navion Aircraft Co. and Navion Aircraft Corp.
By the time production ended, more than 2,600 examples of the aircraft had been produced. Toward the end of the run, the Navion Rangemaster appeared with tip tanks and a traditional roof incorporating one left-side door.
The Navion was not built specifically for the military, and while all military L-17s are Navions, not all Navions are L-17s. Nevertheless, the overall design incorporated a number of systems and features the military found appealing. The hydraulic system which powers the gear and flaps, for example, was easily understood and maintained by service members. Additionally, the robust airframe and landing gear designs were well suited to the unimproved landing areas that military Navions would visit in their liaison role.
Conversely, while various design aspects of the Meyers also emphasized durability and robustness, the airplane was more comparable to a coachbuilt luxury car than a Jeep. Although it incorporated features such as a chrome-moly steel cage wrapped around the passenger cabin, the overall design is more complex and would prove decidedly more time-consuming to manufacture than the utilitarian Navion.
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