BE-55
 

Anyone here fly one of these? Any weird quirks or advice? I've got about 50 hours of 172 time and a bunch of military but it'll be the first light twin I've flown.

Appreciate any gouge you guys have.

Fix yourself on some reference in the distance and push the rudder in AS MUCH AS IT TAKES and bank slightly towards the good engine.

It flies really nice.

Go find a copy of Raytheon Safety Communique SC 147 on the stall/spin characteristics of the B55. Also, years ago AOPA ASF published a 150 page safety review on the 55/58 Baron. Both are good things to read if your flying a Baron.

Not a Baron expert by any means, though I have flown all the basic models including the P and 56TC. The biggest quirk, that comes readily to mind, is the older Barons had a non standardized Throttle quadrant. If you have only flown a 172 in the civilian/piston world. I might suggest you get a complex/high performance endorsement in a single prior to tackling multi instruction, if a multi rating is the goal. You might receive better advice if your objective was clearer. At any rate, The Baron line are generally considered good safe aircraft; though any piston twin can quickly turn into a "Do it yourself, kill yourself kit" in the wrong hands... Also many pilots don't understand what a light twin is. It is a twin that is under 6 thousand Lbs., not 12,500. For practical purposes a light twin has no legal requirement to climb with an engine out.

I instructed in one a bit. Magnificent airplane for cross country flying. Just a Cadillac with wings. If that is all you're doing with it then sit back and enjoy.

If you are going to do single engine work I would suggest finding another plane. I've done far too many VMC demos in that with my palm on the yoke to shove it the minute it starts to roll over. Just far too unstable in that regime. Stick with an Aztec or Seminole.

A bit off topic, though as "departing" was alluded to; you can always "block" the rudder, allowing additional margin when giving instruction. I also prefer conventional twins be used for multi ratings, though with good instruction it doesn't matter so much.

The E-55 has the big engines on it. It is power "rich". Great flying twin but throttle quadrant is bass akwards. Not sure why Beech designed it like that but I'd spend a little time noodling that configuration around in you head just in case you need to shut one down close to the ground.

Technically the 56TC is the model with the big engines. Firewall forward is same as a Duke, it hauls to say the least. Correct about the throttles though. They have long been standardized and are TPM on current models, but still something to be aware of if flying older models.

The C/D/E-55 all have the IO520 whereas the B55 has IO470's. All 55's and pre-1984 58's have the throttle and prop controls reversed.