I really enjoyed the interview with the owner. Men like that are examples of the American Dream. When you meet them they are cool, genuine and sincere. They got it.. no need to impress.. plus they love their wife's and families. Thanks for sharing your plane and your story..
My dad was a 36-year pilot with United (1952-1988). Back in 1962 he had contracted to fly some people looking at property from Los Angeles up to Solvang, and they did it in a Bonanza. Since the FAA didn't allow commercial pilots to fly outside jobs for money, he and the owner made a deal whereby his "pay" was use of the Beech sometime in the future, and dad would pay for the fuel. The day came when dad's youngest brother and his wife of two whole years came from Dallas to visit. Dad "rented" the Bonanza and to Uncle Richard, Aunt Margie and me on a tour of Los Angeles, flying right over LAX and Disneyland. I got the front seat and it was a dream-come-true for a twelve-year-old. For various reasons I never got into flying myself, but that is a memory that is still a vivid part of me after 57 years.
My dad flew his 695D V-Tail and taught me a lot there in Alaska. He said if it ever gets "Squirrely", you just softly lay one foot on a rudder peddle, and that slight yaw will get you through it. Also, we had three small covered holes on the side, to shoot off flares I understand. Not everyone knows these were used for military use. Fly high, sir. My Daddy is now teaching angels how to fly. Natural passing, he did not pass in an aircraft. 82 good years serving others. Gos bless, and Godspeed.
Amazing what tricks and hints those old pilots knew. God bless your dad- God bless them all. My mentor was John . He flew B-24's over Germany in 1943-46 (He stuck around after the war to fly GI's home). He was an incredible sky citizen. He finally was flying with me one day and fell asleep- I could not wake him. I got us down and called an ambulance- but, amazingly, he woke up and shooed them away. A week later, he was in the hospital- his heart was done for. He died in the air ambulance taking him to another hospital for an emergency heart operation. What a way to go. I loved to fly because I liked the way the world looked from up there and was a photography nut- always looking out the windows for some new fantastic photo. John told me one day- "You know, I never started looking down until you started flying with me." His head was purely inside the cockpit most of the time. "It's kinda pretty out there." I think it was his kind way of chiding me about not paying enough attention to the business end of flying. All those thousands of hours in the air and he seldom bothered to look down- But, he was uncanny about finding holes in clouds when we really needed one and took it as a personal affront if both mains did not touch the runway at the same moment. "If you keep doing that, you are going to wear out that right tire, you know..." When we chose an altitude, he wanted it ON that altitude- not five feet above it or below it. And every turn had to be coordinated- "Why don't you just go ahead and cut a Brodie in the air- you know you want to. I'd straighten up and fly right. We spent two years once finding every airport and crop dusting field within 500 miles of our hangar port... Just for fun. We collected them like baseball cards- landing on some strips that we had no idea were still active- and some that were not. Our last plane was a little Grumman AA-5 Traveler. AfterJohn died, the fun was gone- sold my share of the airplane and hung up my spurs, too.
The flares had to do with early night flying. Many airports existed in the US in the 50’s, but few had lighting on them. If you wanted to land at one of these airports, you took your best guess as to where it was and dropped flares on it to make a reverence to land. You had 3 flares, so 3 chances to find the airport. If you missed all 3 flares, then you had to turn around and land at the nearest lighted airport
I am doctor and used to own an S35 Bonanza. They are wonderful planes, fast, efficient and fun to fly. However, they can bite a careless or untrained pilot. In my experience there are three factors that contribute to this. First their stall characteristics are very different than training airplanes such as Piper Cherokees and entry level Cessnas. A stall in a Cherokee is pretty much a nonevent. The plane mushes down and recovery is easy. When a Bonanza stalls, it is very common to drop a wing and accelerate pretty quickly. The POH warns against practicing stalls below 7000’ AGL for a very good reason. Second, the Bonanza is very “slippery”. If you lower the nose with power it will accelerate quite rapidly and one can very quickly be in the yellow arc (or at Vne) of the airspeed indicator if you don’t pay attention. Attempts at arresting the descent by pulling up on the yoke have led to pilots literally pulling the wings and tails off their aircraft. Third, stability and maneuverability are at opposite ends of the handling spectrum. A highly maneuverable plane such as Bonanza is great fun to fly VFR, but can become a real handful to fly IFR in turbulence or partial panel. All of these factors can be managed with good initial training and ongoing practice. But many a poorly trained or rusty pilot has come to grief. FWIW, I sold my Bonanza and now fly a Piper Arrow. It’s 30 knots slower, but much more stable, has benign stall characteristics, and is not nearly as slippery as the Bonanza. I miss the Bonanza, but I think for a recreational (doctor) pilot the Arrow is probably a safer choice.
You are correct that there have been issues with wing spar cracks in the Bonanzas. Here is a link to an AOPA article that describes the issue in detail: www.aopa.org/advocacy/advocacy-briefs/regulatory-brief-raytheon-beech-carry-through-spar-cracks
Thanks for the relatively detailed writeup! I'm a medical student and Navy Aircrew veteran in the process of getting my PPL. Hearing this and the Cirrus being referred to as "Doctor Killers" has me a bit concerned. Hearing somebody break down exactly what makes these complex a/c so much more dangerous for recreational fliers, particularly doctors, who don't have a ton of time to practice flying often really helps me understand the challenges associated with flying one of these. Understanding how these planes got that nickname is the first step in making sure I'm not just another Bonanza Killer if I should ever fly one in the future. Thanks!
I got my Bonanza just after finishing my PPL with ~50 hours in Cessna 150s, and now have a few hundred hours in one. They are definitely slippery, but past that, they're a very manageable airframe with decent stall characteristics, and they're well regarded as a wonderful instrument platform. If you don't fly regularly, it might be a handful, but any airframe will be at that point. If you're committed to flying, I'd highly recommend one and wouldn't shy away...take the OP above with a grain of salt.
Hi Mark, enjoyed the video and comments about the youth getting into flying. I bought a '48 Bonanza a year after I got my license, and had no flying time in it. I flew a Cherokee with retractable gear, and a couple hours in an Apache. I live in North-East Ohio, and had to take an airliner to New Jersey to get the plane. Took possession and was dropped off at Monmoth Country Airport, in December of 1965. Got it off the ground and got on top and flew about half way across Pennsylvania and had to turn back because of a stationary front, that stayed for 5 days. The time I spent at the airport, I shot the breeze with a fellow that sold New old stock, piper cub parts, and also had a Stearman, like I did, for towing banners. In between the talking, I practiced take-offs and landings, and found them to be very easy. I just loved that airplane. I put a spar kit in because it had the tubular spar, that was weaker than the truss type one they use now, I was worried that the wings would peel off also! Met a girl and got married, and had to sell the Bonanza for a down payment on a house. (Should have kept the airplane)! I had a Republic Sea-Bee for a few years, and two Boeing Stearmans, but not together. Those also went the way of Marriage! Thanks again. Bob
This is one of the best bonanza and flying video's I have ever seen! You have a great voice and description of flying. Thanks for the professional video
Thanks for coming down to LFK Bobby. Happy to be a part of your growing list of air interviews. Looking forward to your travels around the country in the near future.
Hey Mark great airplane. Back in the 80's flying over at La Tech, Ruston LA., I had the Pleasure of Flying N301TC, a twin Barron, which is basically a Bonanza with two engines.
I no longer fly, but at used to belong to a Bonanza club in New England. I enjoyed every minute I had the privilege of being in the left seat. That plane was an absolute job to fly; getting behind the aircraft wasn't an option
Mark, you just have to have after modifications the nicest 66 debonair in captivity. I'll bet you considered the A36 before finally settling on this Beauty. Yes, the extra 2 folks along and increased usable load would have been nice for some missions but they would have come as sticker price 3 times what you paid Without Really accomplishing a whole lot. Nice job. If you like this and I know you do you will love the A36 when it's time. This is a beautiful IFR platform and why Buddy Holly's pilot didn't press the yoke button for Wing leveling I'll never know. I regress. Enjoy and just don't fly around Rock piles that can produce severe ice. A heated windshield plate would be my next investment if you do much instrument flying. Tailwind always!
Stumbled upon this video and what a great find! My family enjoyed Mark's story and we happen to be fans of the Bonanza V35s. We also appreciate his contribution to EAA Young Eagles. Our son is a member of a local chapter and much like Mark, each of our volunteer pilots are very passionate towards promoting and often times, introducing the younger generation to aviation. Lastly, It's pretty amazing to see the number of opportunities for young people wanting to enter into aviation. Thanks for sharing Mark's story and best wishes to him and his family!
Thank you very much for your kind words. Flying is very much a passion that I enjoy sharing with others, especially kids who are interested in pursuing aviation in any form. Good luck to your son in his flying adventures.
My daughters mate has one of these in the mid 60s range....has the stock panel.....I love that glass panel in this plane.... Thanks Bobby for taking us on the fly along....
Hi Mark, Your nice video reminded me of my 1948 Straight 35 Bonanza I had. I can believe the panels you guys have now a days. I didn't have much more of a panel, than my Stearman had. I enjoyed my Bonanza for about twenty years, until I had a couple kids and in 1983, the price of fuel went through the ceiling. As far a being a doctor killer, I don't know one Bonanza that killed a doctor. Being a smart doctor but an ignorant pilot is what done the killing. There has been many pilots killed because of poor judgement, but the Bonanza always took the blame. The flush riviting and streamline design, makes it go like a bat out of hell when you put the nose over! I also wanted to fly from seeing the news reels during the 2nd world war, with all the fighters and the aces they showed. The first chance was 1963, and my two friends and I went for it. Flew for about twenty years and sold the sweetheart for a down payment on a house. It turns out I should have kept the plane! Thanks again, Bob U.
I’ve always loved Bonanzas, and with the upgraded glass panel they’re even more attractive. This fellow has a wonderful spirit of giving back. This was a fun video. Thanks for posting it.
Great video and I can tell Mark loves his aircraft. I love the Bonanza BEs35. Flew our company Bonanza 225 hours last year... Boy do I miss flying since our winter Wx has been nasty (Snowmagedden).
My dads favourite ride. Spent many hours in the back seat of one. Always felt silly climbing in the only V tail at the airport. Looking back she was a sweet ride.
This was great. My grandfather flew C-46 and C47s during WWII, carrying fuel over The Hump, Burma to China. In civilian life he owned Bonanzas, and would often take some combination of myself, my sister, and two cousins on a Sunday morning flight. On more than one occasion he handed me the yoke and let me play pilot - much to the horror of my sister in the back. He even asked me if I wanted to land it once, to which I replied "NO, I THINK YOU'RE A BIT MORE QUALIFIED!". Great memories...
Thanks Brian. I really enjoy the minimalist approach when redesigning a panel. A few have scoffed at the glass bragging about their ability to fly steam. I too grew up with the round dials but love all the info presented in a small package.
dunntexas I’m in the process of getting my 210 panel done in a similar fashion. But I’m fairly certain you’ve beat me on simplicity. I love the vtail Bonanza, but the partners I’m with wanted the 210 route-which is fine as well.
My mother flew one, ans she loved it. My friend's son flies one, and he loves it. The earliest memory I have as a child is being helped into the cockpit.
Great flight Bobby. It's been a long time since I've been to Lufkin and it is still a lovely wooded area of east Texas. It looked to me like the weather/winds were a bit choppy there, the under fuselage camera really showed that well. Very nice airplane and a very pleasant owner/pilot as well.
Beautiful aircraft and that panel, WOW, nice job Bobby & Mark, hey Bobby when you get back to Florida my Piper Meridian has a right seat waiting for you......
My father owned 5 V tail Bonanzas from a 1950 B35, N8872A,that he got a thank you letter from Walter Beach for purchasing to a V35B, N9085Q, he purchased in 1972. Only N4223B is still flying regularly as far as I know. He had well over 5000 hours of accident free flying in his airplanes, but the people who purchased his airplanes weren't as careful. The other airplanes were involved in accidents, two were fatal. The causes ranged from selecting the wrong tank to flying into icing conditions. The pilots, not the airplanes were the problem.
Exactly, I too grew up in them with my Air Force father who was in from 1950 until 1972. He always said the only problem Bonanzas have is bold pilots not ready to fly one or careless pilots. As always, pilot error the most common problem.
Great plane to fly! I flew an original 1947 BE- 35 to get my complex endorsement and loved every minute of it! Going from a Cessna 172 to the Bonanza it was easy to let it get ahead of you.
I flew w/my father in the 60s in his V tail bonanza. As a flying architect, he began in an Aeronca , then a Piper Tri Pacer, Mooney Mark 20, Bonanza, Apache and lastly Mooney Mark 21. The Bonanza was my favorite.
The V-tail Bonanza series are my favorite piston single-engine personal aircraft of all time. I flew a few of them over the years, and every one of them was a sweet-handling aircraft! If I ever hit the lottery, I will own one!
first plane I ever flew in. 1958. Family trip to l.a, dads brother's boss took dad, my brother and myself up for a flite. I was very nervous but once we got in the air, I really enjoyed it. never got a pilot's license, figured with my ability make mistakes, it was better to stay on the ground and observe and dream about what could have been.
Great video on a beautiful airplane! One of my favorite GA plane. Love that he used a checklist, just a reminder to check everything before you aviate! Flew Debonair's in flight University and they just fly great! Thanks for the great footage!
My father was a test pilot who flew jets daily and his own planes daily to and from work at the aircraft factory. He had over 10,000 hours logged by age 30 which was an incredible amount of airtime but had been flying daily from the age of 17. When I was 14 he decided to teach me to fly. At the time he had a custom early 1950s Bonanza with a new larger engine. It would cruise at 200 mph at 12,000 feet which was quite fast in the early 1960s. He was so used to flying high performance planes that he thought it would be easy to teach me to fly it. It was so stressful to land that I refused to get a license when I could have. Keeping the speed under control was made even harder by the short landing strip that we had and the fact that the plane always wanted to go way too fast if I dropped the nose even a little.
I think Bonanza needs to expand their line up, they should include a lawyer killer and a politician killer as well..... After all you gotta love a company that builds machines that kill arrogant narcissistic assholes...
I traveled in a Bonanza V35B from Indianapolis to Bozeman, MT in February for a ski vacation at Big Sky. Best cross-country trip. Good heater. Still a bit of an old-fashioned guy. Like the mix of new and old instrumentation. But just love this plane. Would love to own one.
Dr killer !!! One nearly killed me , a German picked me up from the island of Jersey UK in march 1981 we were flying to Hannover Germany. Over Belgium we flew into an ice cloud everything went black ( no visibility) the aircraft started flipping from side to side out of control. All he could do was climb eventually everything cleared. and we made it to Hannover. Not being a pilot,and having no idea about flying I was told that it was a stupid thing to fly such distances in that typ of aircraft at that time of the year. If I had known it was the same typ that killed Buddy I would of thought twice about getting on board.
I grew up in a Bonanza. And by the way, the nic name is the “Fork Tail Dr Killer.” My father used to say its name should be “the weak, inexperienced pilot killer.” Of course my father was an Air Force Command pilot decorated in both Korea and Vietnam. So he had the confidence, ability and experience to take that position, so he was right. It’s a great high performance aircraft. Pilot error, as always, is by far the most common factor in its crashes. It’s amazing how in 1947, I think it’s first year, how the lines and design of that aircraft must have looked like a Futurama movie prop. Still catches everyone’s eyes the second they see one today.
No cows on the runway! That's to funny! Yeah, Mark is just a cool dude and obviously a flying natural. I've always felt the same way but didn't get a chance to fly until I was in the Navy at NAS Lemoore back in 1985. That guy that flew Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper was young and inexperienced, not instrument rated, didn't have enough sleep before the flight, and the weather was just not flyable. That and the fact that the musicians would have flown in a rocket instead of suffering the cold in a bus and then not getting there on time. What a beautiful airplane!
My jaw dropped when he said Lufkin traffic. 365 days ago on the day this was posted, I sent out a mayday call on the same frequency, and landed on the exact runway he used, sans a functioning engine. He isn’t kidding about the pine trees and lack of off-field landing sites in east Texas either!
I don't see an audio panel anywhere. Looks like just G3X (or is that a G500TXi?), autopilot, G5, and GTN 750 & GNS430. I am assuming he has the GTN 750 wired to act as the transponder, but I didn't realize you could use one of those devices as the audio panel in lieu of like a GMA 350... Anyone have insight?
I have flown in numerous GA aircraft, but none felt as solid as the Beech V-Tail 35 Bonanza. Friend of mine owns one, and it's in pristine shape, considering it's a 65' model. He is "one" with that Bonanza when flying it. When we'd go on a X-country for breakfast or a burger, we'd get there quickly. Thank you for the upload! Happy/Safe Flying!🙏🇺🇸👍
I live just south in Corrigan texas and I think I saw the flight take off when y'all went over hwy 59. I used to work for texas lumberjack and I had a boss that has 2 planes at the airfield there. I'm hoping to be flying out of there on my paramotor soon.
I worked at the Beech Aircraft factory in Wichita as a R&D Aerodynamics Engineer from 1977 to the mid 1980's. We young engineers affectionately called the V-tail Bonanza the "Evil Fork-Tailed Doctor Killer." I flew several models in flight test and as a member of the factory flying club, including the aerobatic F33C version. They are great airplanes, but they are to be respected. The "doctor killer" reputation comes simply from the fact that the Bonanza will pick up speed faster than most general aviation airplanes, and it is easy to go beyond the structural limits of the airframe if one is not paying attention. Other than that, they are one of the finest and sweet-flying airplanes ever built.
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As a doctor (phd) I think this is the plane for me. I mean, then I'll never have to buy another one.
William Fahle LMAO!! Hilarious!
William Fahle ha
I can't afford a Bonanza because I'm not a "real" doctor (PhD), even though I design the equipment medical doctors use!!
I Hear There's A Ad for The Tail ., Airworthiness Directive On the Vitail Which Strengthens The V-tail.
@@rchn1315 PhDs are the real doctors ! MDs have to do a PhD if they really want to get into science research !
Mark has a noble heart of a true aviator that inspires new generations and contributes to the society, sincerely appreciate it. Thank you.
I really enjoyed the interview with the owner. Men like that are examples of the American Dream. When you meet them they are cool, genuine and sincere. They got it.. no need to impress.. plus they love their wife's and families. Thanks for sharing your plane and your story..
well stated..!
I know Mark personally and he is the nicest guy you'll ever meet!
My dad was a 36-year pilot with United (1952-1988). Back in 1962 he had contracted to fly some people looking at property from Los Angeles up to Solvang, and they did it in a Bonanza. Since the FAA didn't allow commercial pilots to fly outside jobs for money, he and the owner made a deal whereby his "pay" was use of the Beech sometime in the future, and dad would pay for the fuel. The day came when dad's youngest brother and his wife of two whole years came from Dallas to visit. Dad "rented" the Bonanza and to Uncle Richard, Aunt Margie and me on a tour of Los Angeles, flying right over LAX and Disneyland. I got the front seat and it was a dream-come-true for a twelve-year-old. For various reasons I never got into flying myself, but that is a memory that is still a vivid part of me after 57 years.
What a nice man. Doing all that charity work. God Bless
Very nice, Thanks to the owner for making his plane available to do this video.
My dad flew his 695D V-Tail and taught me a lot there in Alaska. He said if it ever gets "Squirrely", you just softly lay one foot on a rudder peddle, and that slight yaw will get you through it. Also, we had three small covered holes on the side, to shoot off flares I understand. Not everyone knows these were used for military use. Fly high, sir. My Daddy is now teaching angels how to fly. Natural passing, he did not pass in an aircraft. 82 good years serving others. Gos bless, and Godspeed.
Amazing what tricks and hints those old pilots knew. God bless your dad- God bless them all.
My mentor was John . He flew B-24's over Germany in 1943-46 (He stuck around after the war to fly GI's home). He was an incredible sky citizen. He finally was flying with me one day and fell asleep- I could not wake him. I got us down and called an ambulance- but, amazingly, he woke up and shooed them away. A week later, he was in the hospital- his heart was done for. He died in the air ambulance taking him to another hospital for an emergency heart operation. What a way to go. I loved to fly because I liked the way the world looked from up there and was a photography nut- always looking out the windows for some new fantastic photo. John told me one day- "You know, I never started looking down until you started flying with me." His head was purely inside the cockpit most of the time. "It's kinda pretty out there." I think it was his kind way of chiding me about not paying enough attention to the business end of flying. All those thousands of hours in the air and he seldom bothered to look down- But, he was uncanny about finding holes in clouds when we really needed one and took it as a personal affront if both mains did not touch the runway at the same moment. "If you keep doing that, you are going to wear out that right tire, you know..." When we chose an altitude, he wanted it ON that altitude- not five feet above it or below it. And every turn had to be coordinated- "Why don't you just go ahead and cut a Brodie in the air- you know you want to. I'd straighten up and fly right.
We spent two years once finding every airport and crop dusting field within 500 miles of our hangar port... Just for fun. We collected them like baseball cards- landing on some strips that we had no idea were still active- and some that were not. Our last plane was a little Grumman AA-5 Traveler. AfterJohn died, the fun was gone- sold my share of the airplane and hung up my spurs, too.
If you learn to fly in Alaska you can fly ANYWHERE. Im a fellow Alaskan myself. Hoping to get into private flying this year .
The flares had to do with early night flying. Many airports existed in the US in the 50’s, but few had lighting on them. If you wanted to land at one of these airports, you took your best guess as to where it was and dropped flares on it to make a reverence to land. You had 3 flares, so 3 chances to find the airport. If you missed all 3 flares, then you had to turn around and land at the nearest lighted airport
I am doctor and used to own an S35 Bonanza. They are wonderful planes, fast, efficient and fun to fly. However, they can bite a careless or untrained pilot. In my experience there are three factors that contribute to this. First their stall characteristics are very different than training airplanes such as Piper Cherokees and entry level Cessnas. A stall in a Cherokee is pretty much a nonevent. The plane mushes down and recovery is easy. When a Bonanza stalls, it is very common to drop a wing and accelerate pretty quickly. The POH warns against practicing stalls below 7000’ AGL for a very good reason. Second, the Bonanza is very “slippery”. If you lower the nose with power it will accelerate quite rapidly and one can very quickly be in the yellow arc (or at Vne) of the airspeed indicator if you don’t pay attention. Attempts at arresting the descent by pulling up on the yoke have led to pilots literally pulling the wings and tails off their aircraft. Third, stability and maneuverability are at opposite ends of the handling spectrum. A highly maneuverable plane such as Bonanza is great fun to fly VFR, but can become a real handful to fly IFR in turbulence or partial panel. All of these factors can be managed with good initial training and ongoing practice. But many a poorly trained or rusty pilot has come to grief. FWIW, I sold my Bonanza and now fly a Piper Arrow. It’s 30 knots slower, but much more stable, has benign stall characteristics, and is not nearly as slippery as the Bonanza. I miss the Bonanza, but I think for a recreational (doctor) pilot the Arrow is probably a safer choice.
How are the wing spars on those and similar ones though ? I heard they like to get weaker with age ? There were some accidents as well.
You are correct that there have been issues with wing spar cracks in the Bonanzas. Here is a link to an AOPA article that describes the issue in detail: www.aopa.org/advocacy/advocacy-briefs/regulatory-brief-raytheon-beech-carry-through-spar-cracks
As a CFIA I commend you for being smarter and safer than most. I would trust my life with you.
Thanks for the relatively detailed writeup! I'm a medical student and Navy Aircrew veteran in the process of getting my PPL. Hearing this and the Cirrus being referred to as "Doctor Killers" has me a bit concerned. Hearing somebody break down exactly what makes these complex a/c so much more dangerous for recreational fliers, particularly doctors, who don't have a ton of time to practice flying often really helps me understand the challenges associated with flying one of these. Understanding how these planes got that nickname is the first step in making sure I'm not just another Bonanza Killer if I should ever fly one in the future. Thanks!
I got my Bonanza just after finishing my PPL with ~50 hours in Cessna 150s, and now have a few hundred hours in one. They are definitely slippery, but past that, they're a very manageable airframe with decent stall characteristics, and they're well regarded as a wonderful instrument platform. If you don't fly regularly, it might be a handful, but any airframe will be at that point. If you're committed to flying, I'd highly recommend one and wouldn't shy away...take the OP above with a grain of salt.
Hi Mark, enjoyed the video and comments about the youth getting into flying. I bought a '48 Bonanza a year after I got my license, and had no flying time in it. I flew a Cherokee with retractable gear, and a couple hours in an Apache. I live in North-East Ohio, and had to take an airliner to New Jersey to get the plane. Took possession and was dropped off at Monmoth Country Airport, in December of 1965. Got it off the ground and got on top and flew about half way across Pennsylvania and had to turn back because of a stationary front, that stayed for 5 days. The time I spent at the airport, I shot the breeze with a fellow that sold New old stock, piper cub parts, and also had a Stearman, like I did, for towing banners. In between the talking, I practiced take-offs and landings, and found them to be very easy. I just loved that airplane. I put a spar kit in because it had the tubular spar, that was weaker than the truss type one they use now, I was worried that the wings would peel off also! Met a girl and got married, and had to sell the Bonanza for a down payment on a house. (Should have kept the airplane)! I had a Republic Sea-Bee for a few years, and two Boeing Stearmans, but not together. Those also went the way of Marriage! Thanks again. Bob
This is one of the best bonanza and flying video's I have ever seen! You have a great voice and description of flying. Thanks for the professional video
That touchdown was butter!
Thanks for coming down to LFK Bobby. Happy to be a part of your growing list of air interviews. Looking forward to your travels around the country in the near future.
Beautiful airplane Mark. Great job with the panel.
Mark, just curious how tall you are. Trying to get an idea of how I would fit in a Bonanza. Looks like your head was fairly close to the headliner
Love the Texas flag Mark!
Loving the black stick with the tan appholstery, and the panel is a given.
Hey Mark great airplane. Back in the 80's flying over at La Tech, Ruston LA., I had the Pleasure of Flying N301TC, a twin Barron, which is basically a Bonanza with two engines.
Boy what a nice guy ! And a great upgrade to the bonanza, keep an iconic plane flying
Well done and another great video
That brought back so many memmories of flying with my Dad in his Bonanza in the 60s, 70s. Thanks.
Mark is a good man for his charity work. Thanks for taking us along!
I no longer fly, but at used to belong to a Bonanza club in New England. I enjoyed every minute I had the privilege of being in the left seat. That plane was an absolute job to fly; getting behind the aircraft wasn't an option
Beautiful aircraft
Mark, you just have to have after modifications the nicest 66 debonair in captivity. I'll bet you considered the A36 before finally settling on this Beauty. Yes, the extra 2 folks along and increased usable load would have been nice for some missions but they would have come as sticker price 3 times what you paid Without Really accomplishing a whole lot. Nice job. If you like this and I know you do you will love the A36 when it's time. This is a beautiful IFR platform and why Buddy Holly's pilot didn't press the yoke button for Wing leveling I'll never know. I regress. Enjoy and just don't fly around Rock piles that can produce severe ice. A heated windshield plate would be my next investment if you do much instrument flying. Tailwind always!
Hats off to you doing the charity work hopefully the kids get the aviation bug keep up the good work mate.
What a beautiful plane!
Such a nice fella
Nice flying
He's also got a fantastic voice.
Stumbled upon this video and what a great find! My family enjoyed Mark's story and we happen to be fans of the Bonanza V35s. We also appreciate his contribution to EAA Young Eagles. Our son is a member of a local chapter and much like Mark, each of our volunteer pilots are very passionate towards promoting and often times, introducing the younger generation to aviation. Lastly, It's pretty amazing to see the number of opportunities for young people wanting to enter into aviation. Thanks for sharing Mark's story and best wishes to him and his family!
Thank you very much for your kind words. Flying is very much a passion that I enjoy sharing with others, especially kids who are interested in pursuing aviation in any form. Good luck to your son in his flying adventures.
My daughters mate has one of these in the mid 60s range....has the stock panel.....I love that glass panel in this plane.... Thanks Bobby for taking us on the fly along....
Hi Mark, Your nice video reminded me of my 1948 Straight 35 Bonanza I had. I can believe the panels you guys have now a days. I didn't have much more of a panel, than my Stearman had. I enjoyed my Bonanza for about twenty years, until I had a couple kids and in 1983, the price of fuel went through the ceiling. As far a being a doctor killer, I don't know one Bonanza that killed a doctor. Being a smart doctor but an ignorant pilot is what done the killing. There has been many pilots killed because of poor judgement, but the Bonanza always took the blame. The flush riviting and streamline design, makes it go like a bat out of hell when you put the nose over! I also wanted to fly from seeing the news reels during the 2nd world war, with all the fighters and the aces they showed. The first chance was 1963, and my two friends and I went for it. Flew for about twenty years and sold the sweetheart for a down payment on a house. It turns out I should have kept the plane! Thanks again, Bob U.
Very knowledgeable and articulate guy.
Supercool! Thank you for the tour and the flight Mark! Enjoyed it! 🌎
Outstanding video. Great Bonanza! Very nice upgrades! Mark is an excellent pilot and genuine gentleman!
That's a beautiful plane. Love what he did with the panel.
BRAVO Mark, and Good On Ya ! Thank you for giving it back, paying it forward....ESPECIALLY for the kids at a disadvantage.
Very cool plane. And something a bit different too! Nice pilot too
Love this guy. Great video.
I’ve always loved Bonanzas, and with the upgraded glass panel they’re even more attractive.
This fellow has a wonderful spirit of giving back. This was a fun video. Thanks for posting it.
Great video and I can tell Mark loves his aircraft. I love the Bonanza BEs35. Flew our company Bonanza 225 hours last year... Boy do I miss flying since our winter Wx has been nasty (Snowmagedden).
Nice airplane and the owner deserves it! It looks like this dude works hard.
My dads favourite ride. Spent many hours in the back seat of one. Always felt silly climbing in the only V tail at the airport. Looking back she was a sweet ride.
Nice video. I enjoyed watching.
I enjoyed this video very much,wonderful quality very informative,your Aircraft loving care and it shows.
Mark is a mellow yet professional guy.
teeembeee Yep. Best way to be so you don’t kill your aircraft.
This was great. My grandfather flew C-46 and C47s during WWII, carrying fuel over The Hump, Burma to China. In civilian life he owned Bonanzas, and would often take some combination of myself, my sister, and two cousins on a Sunday morning flight. On more than one occasion he handed me the yoke and let me play pilot - much to the horror of my sister in the back. He even asked me if I wanted to land it once, to which I replied "NO, I THINK YOU'RE A BIT MORE QUALIFIED!". Great memories...
Good god that panel is clean... love it.
Thanks Brian. I really enjoy the minimalist approach when redesigning a panel. A few have scoffed at the glass bragging about their ability to fly steam. I too grew up with the round dials but love all the info presented in a small package.
dunntexas I’m in the process of getting my 210 panel done in a similar fashion. But I’m fairly certain you’ve beat me on simplicity.
I love the vtail Bonanza, but the partners I’m with wanted the 210 route-which is fine as well.
That's the cleanest panel I've seen yet. Too many cluttered panels around...
My mother flew one, ans she loved it. My friend's son flies one, and he loves it. The earliest memory I have as a child is being helped into the cockpit.
Great flight Bobby. It's been a long time since I've been to Lufkin and it is still a lovely wooded area of east Texas. It looked to me like the weather/winds were a bit choppy there, the under fuselage camera really showed that well. Very nice airplane and a very pleasant owner/pilot as well.
Fell in love with this plane the first time I saw it in a simulator. One day I wanna fly one
That's a beautiful machine. Many congrats to you.
'They're V-Tails that the doctors killed'. It's definitely the doctors & not the plane! Beautiful bird!
Beautiful aircraft and that panel, WOW, nice job Bobby & Mark, hey Bobby when you get back to Florida my Piper Meridian has a right seat waiting for you......
V tails are awesome!!!
Got my instrument rating in that very airplane many years ago. Nice panel upgrade!
My father owned 5 V tail Bonanzas from a 1950 B35, N8872A,that he got a thank you letter from Walter Beach for purchasing to a V35B, N9085Q, he purchased in 1972. Only N4223B is still flying regularly as far as I know. He had well over 5000 hours of accident free flying in his airplanes, but the people who purchased his airplanes weren't as careful. The other airplanes were involved in accidents, two were fatal. The causes ranged from selecting the wrong tank to flying into icing conditions. The pilots, not the airplanes were the problem.
Exactly, I too grew up in them with my Air Force father who was in from 1950 until 1972. He always said the only problem Bonanzas have is bold pilots not ready to fly one or careless pilots. As always, pilot error the most common problem.
Great plane to fly! I flew an original 1947 BE- 35 to get my complex endorsement and loved every minute of it! Going from a Cessna 172 to the Bonanza it was easy to let it get ahead of you.
I flew w/my father in the 60s in his V tail bonanza. As a flying architect, he began in an Aeronca , then a Piper Tri Pacer, Mooney Mark 20, Bonanza, Apache and lastly Mooney Mark 21. The Bonanza was my favorite.
Awesome video! I’m just starting to train for my pilots license. This excites me!
At first it just looks like a nice clean Bonanza. But that panel puts it in another league. It's nicer than my old bosses Citation lol.
The V-tail Bonanza series are my favorite piston single-engine personal aircraft of all time. I flew a few of them over the years, and every one of them was a sweet-handling aircraft! If I ever hit the lottery, I will own one!
Best interview yet!! Keep it up Bobby, it’s awesome!!
first plane I ever flew in. 1958. Family trip to l.a, dads brother's boss took dad, my brother and myself up for a flite. I was very nervous but once we got in the air, I really enjoyed it. never got a pilot's license, figured with my ability make mistakes, it was better to stay on the ground and observe and dream about what could have been.
New subscriber...Great video and Mark, thank you for your participation with young people and with the Angel Flight program. Safe travels, always!
What a beautiful airplane and a phenomenal looking panel!
Nice landing!
Great video on a beautiful airplane! One of my favorite GA plane. Love that he used a checklist, just a reminder to check everything before you aviate! Flew Debonair's in flight University and they just fly great! Thanks for the great footage!
Thank you for this nice ride!!
Mark has a GUMPS sticker on the dash!!! That is an AWESOME idea!
Nice job to you and Mark, thanks for sharing. Love the V-Tails, as Mark said lack of proficiency is what gave the airplane it's bad reputation.
Love that plane! Buddy of mine has the Air Force T-34 based off that frame. Got a chance to fly it and have fun with it. Fast and smooth.
That is an amazing panel, wow!
My father was a test pilot who flew jets daily and his own planes daily to and from work at the aircraft factory. He had over 10,000 hours logged by age 30 which was an incredible amount of airtime but had been flying daily from the age of 17. When I was 14 he decided to teach me to fly. At the time he had a custom early 1950s Bonanza with a new larger engine. It would cruise at 200 mph at 12,000 feet which was quite fast in the early 1960s. He was so used to flying high performance planes that he thought it would be easy to teach me to fly it. It was so stressful to land that I refused to get a license when I could have. Keeping the speed under control was made even harder by the short landing strip that we had and the fact that the plane always wanted to go way too fast if I dropped the nose even a little.
What a delightful human being!
16:20 “she doesn’t like that” love his sarcasm, this guy is living the American dream
I think Bonanza needs to expand their line up, they should include a lawyer killer and a politician killer as well..... After all you gotta love a company that builds machines that kill arrogant narcissistic assholes...
Oh god....
Actually, thats where they should have started.....
I'll donate to provide funds for those planes lol
My first Bonanza was a 66 just like this. What a dream to fly.
Great little planes! I had my solo flight in my father's Bonanza. They are truly built to last.
beautiful aircraft and video
I traveled in a Bonanza V35B from Indianapolis to Bozeman, MT in February for a ski vacation at Big Sky. Best cross-country trip. Good heater. Still a bit of an old-fashioned guy. Like the mix of new and old instrumentation. But just love this plane. Would love to own one.
Dr killer !!! One nearly killed me , a German picked me up from the island of Jersey UK in march 1981 we were flying to Hannover Germany.
Over Belgium we flew into an ice cloud everything went black ( no visibility) the aircraft started flipping from side to side out of control. All he could do was climb eventually everything cleared.
and we made it to Hannover.
Not being a pilot,and having no idea about flying
I was told that it was a stupid thing to fly such distances in that typ of aircraft at that time of the year. If I had known it was the same typ that killed Buddy I would of thought twice about getting on board.
What a cool dude
What a fantastic program for kids. kudos : ) peace thanks for sharing
Mark seems like a real good dude. Great video Bobby, thanks for sharing.
Greetings from Onalaska TX area. Gotta love East Tx. Great video, love your airplane. Thanks for sharing. Be safe
I grew up in a Bonanza. And by the way, the nic name is the “Fork Tail Dr Killer.” My father used to say its name should be “the weak, inexperienced pilot killer.” Of course my father was an Air Force Command pilot decorated in both Korea and Vietnam. So he had the confidence, ability and experience to take that position, so he was right. It’s a great high performance aircraft. Pilot error, as always, is by far the most common factor in its crashes. It’s amazing how in 1947, I think it’s first year, how the lines and design of that aircraft must have looked like a Futurama movie prop. Still catches everyone’s eyes the second they see one today.
No cows on the runway! That's to funny! Yeah, Mark is just a cool dude and obviously a flying natural. I've always felt the same way but didn't get a chance to fly until I was in the Navy at NAS Lemoore back in 1985. That guy that flew Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper was young and inexperienced, not instrument rated, didn't have enough sleep before the flight, and the weather was just not flyable. That and the fact that the musicians would have flown in a rocket instead of suffering the cold in a bus and then not getting there on time. What a beautiful airplane!
My jaw dropped when he said Lufkin traffic. 365 days ago on the day this was posted, I sent out a mayday call on the same frequency, and landed on the exact runway he used, sans a functioning engine. He isn’t kidding about the pine trees and lack of off-field landing sites in east Texas either!
Oh wow! Glad you made it ok!
K 233701 happy our little piece of pavement was there for you that day. Glad you made in ok.
I don't see an audio panel anywhere. Looks like just G3X (or is that a G500TXi?), autopilot, G5, and GTN 750 & GNS430. I am assuming he has the GTN 750 wired to act as the transponder, but I didn't realize you could use one of those devices as the audio panel in lieu of like a GMA 350... Anyone have insight?
The 750gtn has a built in comm center as well as a built in transponder. Thus minimizing the panel space used.
Great video. I flew a BE55 for years as a charter pilot and can confirm these twin and single Beech products are built tough and handle beautifully.
wonderful video wonderful pilot and plane.love your channel.....
Oh what a beauty *o* thank u for sharing another great aircraft and story. Love this format
Love this new channel Bobby! Thats a great plane, always liked those Bonanzas but that one's particularly sweet
I have flown in numerous GA aircraft, but none felt as solid as the Beech V-Tail 35 Bonanza. Friend of mine owns one, and it's in pristine shape, considering it's a 65' model. He is "one" with that Bonanza when flying it. When we'd go on a X-country for breakfast or a burger, we'd get there quickly. Thank you for the upload! Happy/Safe Flying!🙏🇺🇸👍
love the anhedral tails, ala f-4. beautiful new avionics!!! beautiful!!!
Beautiful plane.
I live just south in Corrigan texas and I think I saw the flight take off when y'all went over hwy 59. I used to work for texas lumberjack and I had a boss that has 2 planes at the airfield there. I'm hoping to be flying out of there on my paramotor soon.
Love the squishy tail Bonanza! Flew a lot in a friends '64 S35 with a very similar paint scheme. (N205PM). Thanks for the video.
When I saw the Cirrus Vision jet with the V tail, I thought it was a son of a Beech.
In high school I took a navigation course and got a ride in a bonanza, it was best experience in school, bar none. This was in 1962
I worked at the Beech Aircraft factory in Wichita as a R&D Aerodynamics Engineer from 1977 to the mid 1980's. We young engineers affectionately called the V-tail Bonanza the "Evil Fork-Tailed Doctor Killer." I flew several models in flight test and as a member of the factory flying club, including the aerobatic F33C version. They are great airplanes, but they are to be respected. The "doctor killer" reputation comes simply from the fact that the Bonanza will pick up speed faster than most general aviation airplanes, and it is easy to go beyond the structural limits of the airframe if one is not paying attention. Other than that, they are one of the finest and sweet-flying airplanes ever built.
Another go video. Mark was interesting. Thanks
Great video! Always loved the V-tail Bonanza.
What a beautiful aircraft