I flew a brand new Baron yesterday worth $1 mill !! Fully loaded and decked out to the max. Talk about and awesome machine. Trues out at almost 200kts. Kinda funny going from a trainer Seminole to something like this. I highly recommened a test drive in one if you have the chance.

http://www.raytheonaircraft.com/beec...tons/barong58/

 

I love that airplane... I think everyone should be able to own a high performance all weather piston twin! The Garmin system in them is absolutely amazing... who would have thought that a Bonanza and Baron would ever have an AHRS?

"Positive rate", "gear up", "XM radio on".... just the standard G36/G58 callouts

It's amazing that the G58 has more bells and whistles than the CRJ has. In addition to XM radio, it also includes XM weather, A passive TCAS, GPWS, XM lightning. You can actually superimpose your NexRad over your MFD! The options go on and on!

Let it be said that the G1000 is not what makes the Baron amazing, but it sure doesn't hurt anything.

 

The Baron is and always has been one heckuva bird...unfortunately, you do pay a ton for it. Haven't had a chance to fly the Garmin version yet, but after getting my ME in a steam gauge 58 and doing weather mod in a 55, I'm a Baron fan when it comes to quality.

 

I fly a PA46-350P malibu mirage, thats a pretty sweet plane.

 

I have about 20 hours in that beast. Awesome plane. Since I just got my AMEL, i have to take one of these out for a spin.

 

The Barons are sweet, too darn thirsty though, I'll take a late model 310 over a "non" G1000 baron anyday.

The Malibu's/Mirages are nice but there is very little room in the cockpit (especially the mirage) and honestly, I get nervous in them in any kind of real turbulence, the wing tips just sit there and oscillate... Not to mention that they can't really carry much especially the PA46T.

 

I'd take the 310 any day, I have about 500 hr in an R model and I have about 25 hr in a baron. The 310 smokes it. The malibu is cool to fly because of the set up of the cockpit and the pressure and the speed but the useful load sucks as well as trying to get in the cockpit. Hard to do if you've got a big gut. That's not me now but 10 years from now and airport food and we'll see.

 

I flew a G36 quite a bit. Very nice airplane from my perspective. Workload was next to nothing with the autopilot and XM keeps you entertained and in the know when weather might be an issue.

The thing I don't like about either airplane is that they don't have much in the way of payload with full fuel. Both airplanes have realistically become two seats and full fuel only due to the added amenities in the avionics, air conditioning, leather, etc.

 

I fly 310's full time, got about......1600+hrs in them. Honestly, the Barons true at least 10-15kts better, but from what I've heard, they "don't slow down" and are "slippery" feeling. Honestly, for the same engine, faster speed, it's what I'd take, not to mention they have double side-opening doors. 310's doors SUCK! Of course, I'm a freight dog that has to load bags through the small horizontal door. I'd love to fly the barons, but I honestly can't complain that the 310 is a "bad" plane. I absolutely love them for what they are. They are solid, and can do just about everything(except maybe keep the pilot warm because of the crappy heaters). In the end, I'm jealous, but hopefully soon I can turn the tables. I'll be flying something else with 2 engines, full glass, and between $1-2 million I'll post it when it happens

 

This is true, the heater does blow and the door sucks in the 310. Theres also too many random lights on the panel to burn out. It does have a more solid feel than the baron, in my opinion.