Let's go for another comparative report of Aeroflap planes, with the pilot and specialist in aeronautical maintenance engineering, formed by PUC-MG, Rafael Payão.

But before we delve into the subject, know that the Aeroflap team is available to provide advice on purchasing your first aircraft, or exchanging your old one, using our entire structure of experienced consultants and software. Get in touch at [email protected].

Returning to the subject, let's consider that there is someone interested in buying an aircraft, and his demand is for a long flight. Let's say he needs to make a monthly route from Congonhas airport, in São Paulo - SP, to Sinop, in Mato Grosso, which gives a distance of 870 nm, or, 1.611 km. As your flight is not for leisure, but specifically for business, you don't need as much comfort or space for travel. At the same time, its purchase budget is capped at R$5 million. So what to buy?

Well, with that budget, we would have, considering the posting date of this article, in the year 2023, the following purchase options:

• Baron G58 close from 2006 to 2008 for $1 million;
• Bonanza G36 near 2007 for $740k;
• Cirrus SR22 2017 for $975k
• Piper Matrix, 2013, for $1.060 million;
• Piper Seneca V, close to 2013, for $1 million.

Despite the options above, let's consider what is more controversial and what serves as the title of this article, after all, the text would be too long presenting the comparison of all these models. Anyway, let's compare a Baron G58 and a Bonanza G36; what would “suit” best for the specifications mentioned in the third paragraph?

Starting with the economic/financial factor, anyone would think that a Baron, being twin-engine, would have a total cost exactly twice as much as a single-engine Bonanza, but that is not true. See, below, the specific consumption of the compared machines.

Table 1 - Comparison of operation and specific consumption, on an 870nm flight

In the comparison above, a flight of 870nm was simulated, as described in the 3rd paragraph of this article. To understand more about this calculation, refer to the table located at the end of this article, entitled “Appendix A”.

“What about the cost of maintenance? Is it not possible that it is not double!?” Well, look, the Baron does have the difference of having one more engine and one more propeller to take care of, but calm down! The Baron still has only one fuselage! See below, the average expenses per year with maintenance, excluding the apportionment for general overhaul of engine(s) and considering a 7-year analysis, for the composition of the average. However, before that, consider that the Baron flies 120h/year and the Bonanza G36, 170h/year, for the defined mission, according to the 3rd paragraph of this.

• Baron G58 2007:
  • Average fixed cost/year: BRL 11.235,62;
  • Average variable cost/year: BRL 42.033,73.
  • Fixed cost + variable maintenance cost/year: BRL 53.269,35
• Bonanza G36 2006:
  • Average fixed cost/year: BRL 11.469,13;
  • Average variable cost/year: BRL 37.656,94.
  • Fixed cost + variable maintenance cost/year: BRL 49.126,07.

However, note that in of fixed cost, the one that occurs regardless of whether the plane flies or not, the Bonanza ends up imposing a higher maintenance cost, on average, despite being the lowest in total. We just can't forget that we are comparing two existing ads, like the one defined below:

• Baron G58 2007;
  • Total cell hours: 1.500h;
  • Hours available for the next engine overhaul: 300h;
  • d value for sale: $1 million;
• Bonanza G36 2006;
  • Total cell hours: 1.784h;
  • Hours available for the next engine overhaul: 1.706,4h;
  • d selling price: $740.000,00

So we're not saying it's a global average for every Baron or every Bonanza, but specifically the two ads above.

As for the expenses that represent a cash outflow from the two options, that is, the expenses incurred in up to one year, such as maintenance, fuel and upgrade (without considering hangar and pilot salary, as it is a very controversial and diverse subject) :

• Baron G58, total outflow costs, average per year: BRL 355.463,03 (BRL 29.619,67/month);
• Bonanza G36, total outflow costs, average per year: BRL 273.852,00 (BRL 22.821,00/month).

Therefore, a difference of BRL 81.611,03, or BRL 6.798,67 per month, in favor of the Bonanza, despite flying more hours than the Baron.

If you add the expenses SEM cash outflow, which includes the apportionment per hour of engine overhaul and the maintenance of an operational reserve fund, the loss would increase to R$ 212.403,60 (R$ 17.700,30/month) and the results would be:

Table 2 – Baron G58 total cost summary, averaged over 7 years.

Table 3 – Summary of Bonanza G36 total costs, averaged over 7 years.

However, despite being more expensive, the Baron does not exactly have the total expenditure equivalent to twice as much as the Bonanza, despite the apportionment for engine overhaul significantly impacting the result.

A mystery solved, now let's unravel the resale liquidity factor, considering the domestic market only, since the North American reality is different, totally different from ours.

“Which plane sells better and faster?”. This is a difficult question to give an accurate answer number, however, we will demonstrate some facts and leave it to you, dear readers, to define your own calculations. Or, get in touch via email. [email protected] for a complete quote from our purchasing consultancy.

We can determine selling liquidity using the following information:

• Number of deliveries in recent years, according to the Association of General Aviation Aircraft Manufacturers – GAMA (acronym in English);
• Number of ed aircraft flying regularly in Brazil,

Finally, let's get to the conclusions.

Table 4 - Total deliveries in the world, by manufacturers

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Table 5 – Ranking, regarding total flights in Brazil

Below, see the total number of aircraft purchased from Brazilians by Brazilians, referring to April 2022 to April 2023, according to data provided by ANAC, through the Brazilian Aeronautical Registry – RAB.

Table 6 – Total communications for sale (purchase of nationalized planes by other Brazilians).

Once again, Baron has better resale liquidity potential than Bonanza.

However, what good would it be to have bad sales equipment, even with the risk of a discount? Despite Baron's higher cost per year, it appears to be a more sensible choice.

With older equipment, the trend runs to the same path, because, according to the North American site specialized in appreciation, depreciation and historical records of aircraft prices, the “Aircraft Blue Book®”, a 55 Baron B1982 typically has a price retention, compared to purchase and later resale value, of approximately $199.000,00 compared to $175.000,00 for a V35B of the same year. The last E55 from 1982, already bring a equivalent to US$ 228.000,00, well above the old Bonanzas. However, it is also necessary to understand that, in short, and according to another North American website specialized in aircraft appreciation, the VREF, a B55 maintains its current price around 77% of its value, when zero, while a Bonanza retains about 95% of its zero value. For comparison, in 1975 a price of US$ 100.000,00 was ed in the sales value of a Bonanza V35B, zero hour, that is, taken from the factory.

We emphasize that this market study applies only to the Brazilian market, since the North American market follows different trends. For example, see the total number of Baron and Bonanza regularly flying in the US, according to the FAA agency.

Table 7 – Aircraft flying regularly in the US

Still according to the VREF website, V-tail Bonanzas in the US usually take six to seven months to complete their respective sale, while a Baron usually takes 10 months, at a discounted price. So they are different markets! That is why these specialized sites should not be used as a reference for the Brazilian market. We just proved that they only reflect the North American market. That's why you should hire an aircraft purchase consultant for a better visualization of trends and decision based on serious and credible sources, after all, Brazilians usually don't buy planes in the US, to resell them again in that country, after having nationalized them. the operation. It wouldn't make sense!

Finally, operational issues were left last, as we understand that our readers usually have basic knowledge about some aircraft, from pilots to enthusiasts, and therefore, it should not be so complex to understand. Well, it is evident that the Baron brings a much greater number of benefits, because, in summary, it flies faster, with greater cargo capacity and sometimes even using less runway for landing and takeoff than a Bonanza. Still, the Baron covers greater distances with a single tank than a Bonanza, including considering the comparison used in this article, that is, a G58 with auxiliary tanks as standard and a G36 with only what should be the twin-engine main tanks. However, in the mission defined in the third paragraph of this article, a Bonanza would have to land halfway to supply fuel, while a Baron would travel the entire route, without intermediate stops.

We have some Baron 58, G58 and Bonanza options for sale, if interested. Or, if you need purchasing advice, get in touch by email [email protected].

APPENDIX A