A36 Useful Load

[Grant Rodolph]

My family is now five people, so we are in the market for a 6-place airplane.  Initially, I was considering a 90's A36, but I have found that the useful loads of those planes are not nearly what they used to be (i.e. compared with the late 70's and early 80's models).  Ideally, I would like a plane with a 1200 lb. useful load, but could probably get by with an 1100 lb. useful load.

Does anyone know of a good rule of thumb as far as A36 year model vs. useful load?  Also, how much does air conditioning typically add to the weight of the plane?

Tahnks,
Grant

[Peter Burrous]

Grant,

I recently purchased a 1884 A36 with Air.  I have VG's installed (increases Gross 100 lbs to 3750) and my Useful Load is 1233 lbs.  I am thrilled with my A36!!

Peter

[Karl Kratt]

I'm in the midst of buying a 1993 Beech Bonanza with a useful load of 1151 pounds.

[Thomas Pelz]

Gentlemen:

If  you are looking for a great way to increase useful load ANDl/OR  to increase range, look at tip tanks.

My Bonanza had a gross weight increase of 200 pounds with tip tanks.  The increase in useful load could be in fuel OR cabin.  IE, you could increase your useful load with 40 gallons of fuel or 200 pound of passengers (well 160 pounds of passengers cause the tip tanks added 40 pounds of empty weight).

The VGs are nice, but the tip tanks provide more alternatives.

IF you add both, I believe the BDS Genesis modification permit a gross weight increase to 4000 pounds.  But, you need to discuss that with BDS.  They may also want the 550 installed also.

I have had tip tanks on my Bonanza for 25 years.  I love them and appreciate the alternatives they provide me (fuel or passengers).

Tom

[J.Robert Corbett]

! just rechecked my useful load--for my 1973 A36 TN, it is 1300 Lbs.

[Hunter Brown]

My A36 is a 1980 with an IO 550; 1313 lb useful; no tips.

[Christopher Lott]

I have a 2003 with air and it is 1140 useful load.  Works well for my family of five.

[Burns Moore]

I would strongly suggest that you view any weight/CG sheet with great suspicion if not relatively current.  My V35B flew for twenty years with the modified original weight sheet, but grew 130 pounds when reweighed recently. 

Good luck in your search.

[Karl Beutner]

I have an A-36 with the IO-550 and Osborne Tip tanks. I just got the new Osborne STC that increases max gross weight to 4,024lbs with max take off weight of 4011 lbs. This gives me 1,466 useful load so with the mains full (444 lbs) I can still carry an additional 1,022 lbs. This makes it four people and just about everything they would want to carry. This is 50 lbs more than my previous 1982 T-210!

[Marvin Levine]

It's the CG and not the usefull load that is the limiting factor.  My '97 A36 with tips, VG's, A/C, and TN on a 550 with a scimitar has a gross of 4,000 lbs.  When I come close, I'm out of GG - forward - unless I put my wife in the rear seat.  Loaded with full fuel -118 gallons - baggage and her in the back, I'm under gross but close to forward CG limits and nose heavy [TN,A/C & Scimitar] and need a lot of runway.  Six seats --Ha Ha- unless you've got small kids and  half tanks for a short island hop.  I bought a CG template from American Aeronautics [flyingcg.com] that makes it very easy to plot ---AS LONG AS YOUR NUMBERS ARE ACCURATE. Otherwise GIGO !

[Karl Kratt]

Have you considered something larger than an A36? I know one rule of thumb is that a 4 seater is best with 2, a6 seater is best with 4, et cetera. You may have to consider a twin.

[Mike Bland]

The older ones will carry a lot more.  Our 68 model has a usefull load of 1428 pounds.

[James Clark]

I am working this with D'Shannon now so here is my 2 cents worth.

The total Gross Weight achieved with the Genesis conversion is 4010.  My 1984 A36 has a gross weight of 3650.  Factoring in the weight of the tanks and other parts I would see a net increase of 322 pounds.  That makes my A36 totally capable of flying the missions I want to fly.

N2JC                           Current                  W Genesis conversion
Empty weight                2550                          2588
Gross Weight                 3650                          4010
Useful Load                   1100                           1422

74 gallons                        444                            444
Useable                            656                            978

64 Gallons                        384                            384
Useable                            716                          1038

54 Gallons                        324                            324
Useable                            776                          1098

Todays price from D'Shannon for the Genesis conversion for my 1984 A36 (already have the 550) which includes the Gross Weight Increase STC paperwork, tip tanks, gap seals, engine baffle and VG's (not required for GWI STC) is $14K.  Makes the whole install under $20K.

For my missions I will rarely use the tip tanks for fuel but I will use the addition 322 pounds constantly.