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Being pilots and sometime aviation buffs, interesting facts
grab our attention from time to time.
Being the proud papas of a Beechcraft Bonanza B36TC, anything
‘Beechcraft’ or Bonanza is of particular interest. When we started looking for the ‘step up’ plane shortly
after we closed the deal on our first plane, a trusty Piper Archer, 11 years
ago…we identified the Bonanza as a real candidate for the next plane. Moving up
is all a part of the aviation lifestyle.
Long story short, we felt that the Beechcraft Bonanza, the longest most
successful production plane in aviation history, was the right one for us. Its sleek design, high speed
performance, reliability, and payload all spoke to our needs for a flying
SUV. How many times have we stuffed
lamps and furniture in the backseats, brought a whole dinner party of utensils
and food from one location to another….really utilitarian.
One interesting fact is that early in the production of this
airplane, that began in 1947, a test pilot refitted a Bonanza and flew it
non-stop from Honolulu to the West Coast of California. Proving its long range characteristics
and sturdy construction. Aptly
named ‘Waikiki
Beach’’ William Odom
flew the original V tail Bonanza in the first record setting light aircraft
flight from Hawaii to the mainland.
With out penchant for period Hawaiian architecture and style (link to
homes), this is of particular interest.
A second record setting flight from Honolulu to Teterboro,
New Jersey was flown by the ‘Waikiki
Beach’ two months after the first transpacific flight. The ‘Waikiki
Beach’ now lives at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C., a well
earned tribute to a remarkable aircraft and one that is near and dear to us
personally….
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