Just to settle a gentle dispute - in the real-world aircraft, does the annunciator light 'PITOT' illuminate in orange/amber as soon as you turn the pitot switches on, or is that a notification that the pitot heat is not activated?

Thanks!

I downloaded the POH in the end, and as far as I can see, the PITOT annunciator light comes on if you engage the heater on the ground (not advised apart from very short periods). So I am supposing it doesn't light up if you turn the pitot heat on once airborne.

I used to, been awhile….

What a sweet machine

Only flew a 58 once, but I spent a year flying an ancient, clapped out 55 model carrying cancelled checks for the federal reserve bank in all kinds of weather, thunderstorms, icing, low ceilings and visibility, whatever it was that beautiful Baron got me there


One of the best aircraft ever made

Max Q wrote:

What a sweet machine

Only flew a 58 once, but I spent a year flying an ancient, clapped out 55 model carrying cancelled checks for the federal reserve bank in all kinds of weather, thunderstorms, icing, low ceilings and visibility, whatever it was that beautiful Baron got me there


One of the best aircraft ever made

Did the freight dog thing in Barons, too, from older 55s to newer 58s. Nice machines; the only issue that I ever had a very finicky heater in the oldest 55 we had which was an early B55. In the winter, I'd bring a snowmobile suit, gloves and cap whenever I flew that one.

Anyway, about 3 years flying cancelled checks at night and auto parts in the Barons. I'd take one over a Seneca, Aztec or C-402 any time; we had all of those, but the Barons were the best.

Max Q wrote:

What a sweet machine

Only flew a 58 once, but I spent a year flying an ancient, clapped out 55 model carrying cancelled checks for the federal reserve bank in all kinds of weather, thunderstorms, icing, low ceilings and visibility, whatever it was that beautiful Baron got me there

One of the best aircraft ever made

Interesting flying. Was that VFR or IFR ops? All pre-GPS I guess?

Went directly from SEP to Jets, so never had the opportunity.

Velocirapture wrote:

Max Q wrote:

What a sweet machine

Only flew a 58 once, but I spent a year flying an ancient, clapped out 55 model carrying cancelled checks for the federal reserve bank in all kinds of weather, thunderstorms, icing, low ceilings and visibility, whatever it was that beautiful Baron got me there


One of the best aircraft ever made

Did the freight dog thing in Barons, too, from older 55s to newer 58s. Nice machines; the only issue that I ever had a very finicky heater in the oldest 55 we had which was an early B55. In the winter, I'd bring a snowmobile suit, gloves and cap whenever I flew that one.

Anyway, about 3 years flying cancelled checks at night and auto parts in the Barons. I'd take one over a Seneca, Aztec or C-402 any time; we had all of those, but the Barons were the best.

I experienced the same thing with problematic or non existent heaters in the Baron, in the aircraft I was usually assigned it almost never worked and there was a big gap in the upper part of the door that let in the cold really effectively, like you I would wear as many layers as possible but still froze !


Not flown an Aztec or C402, I did fly a Seneca once but as you say it didn’t come close to the Baron’s excellent handling and general flying qualities

Nicoeddf wrote:

Max Q wrote:

What a sweet machine

Only flew a 58 once, but I spent a year flying an ancient, clapped out 55 model carrying cancelled checks for the federal reserve bank in all kinds of weather, thunderstorms, icing, low ceilings and visibility, whatever it was that beautiful Baron got me there

One of the best aircraft ever made

Interesting flying. Was that VFR or IFR ops? All pre-GPS I guess?

Went directly from SEP to Jets, so never had the opportunity.

I flew in whatever the weather was, all single pilot, night and mostly IFR, no weather radar, no de ice boots, no autopilot and definitely no GPS in 1985


Good experience but I was glad to survive and move on !

Max Q wrote:

I flew in whatever the weather was, all single pilot, night and mostly IFR, no weather radar, no de ice boots, no autopilot and definitely no GPS in 1985

Good experience but I was glad to survive and move on !

So many memories... I flew for two different Part 135 operators, but mostly had the same customers. Our aircraft did have de-ice and anti-ice equipment which was a necessity for our routes in the Great Lakes and Northeast US.

But yes, no autopilots, all single pilot in what was sometimes really crappy weather. But there were also some great sights like the Northern Lights. I'm glad for the experience, but have no desire to do it again. I do pause from time to time to remember those pilots that didn't survive the experience.

Velocirapture wrote:

Max Q wrote:

I flew in whatever the weather was, all single pilot, night and mostly IFR, no weather radar, no de ice boots, no autopilot and definitely no GPS in 1985

Good experience but I was glad to survive and move on !

So many memories... I flew for two different Part 135 operators, but mostly had the same customers. Our aircraft did have de-ice and anti-ice equipment which was a necessity for our routes in the Great Lakes and Northeast US.

But yes, no autopilots, all single pilot in what was sometimes really crappy weather. But there were also some great sights like the Northern Lights. I'm glad for the experience, but have no desire to do it again. I do pause from time to time to remember those pilots that didn't survive the experience.

Agree it was a great experience, it was also the most hazardous flying I’ve done and as you say more than a few did not survive


I did enjoy it more than the year I spent subsequently flying a SF340 for a commuter airline for much less money and far more hours going up and down on very long days, it was much safer however and gave me the experience to get hired by a major airline

Max Q wrote:

Velocirapture wrote:

Max Q wrote:

I flew in whatever the weather was, all single pilot, night and mostly IFR, no weather radar, no de ice boots, no autopilot and definitely no GPS in 1985

Good experience but I was glad to survive and move on !

So many memories... I flew for two different Part 135 operators, but mostly had the same customers. Our aircraft did have de-ice and anti-ice equipment which was a necessity for our routes in the Great Lakes and Northeast US.

But yes, no autopilots, all single pilot in what was sometimes really crappy weather. But there were also some great sights like the Northern Lights. I'm glad for the experience, but have no desire to do it again. I do pause from time to time to remember those pilots that didn't survive the experience.

Agree it was a great experience, it was also the most hazardous flying I’ve done and as you say more than a few did not survive

I did enjoy it more than the year I spent subsequently flying a SF340 for a commuter airline for much less money and far more hours going up and down on very long days, it was much safer however and gave me the experience to get hired by a major airline

Again, a rush of memories. The first freight job (mostly Barons), lead to the second (all Barons) and that lead to a third. Unexpectedly, an airline opportunity arose - I applied, interviewed and was hired in the same week. All of that was very nearly 40 years ago. IOW, retirement is fast approaching!

And I'd still like to have a Baron 58. Indeed, this thread lead me to look at current listings (I think I'll stick with my sailplane).

Velocirapture wrote:

Max Q wrote:

Velocirapture wrote:

So many memories... I flew for two different Part 135 operators, but mostly had the same customers. Our aircraft did have de-ice and anti-ice equipment which was a necessity for our routes in the Great Lakes and Northeast US.

But yes, no autopilots, all single pilot in what was sometimes really crappy weather. But there were also some great sights like the Northern Lights. I'm glad for the experience, but have no desire to do it again. I do pause from time to time to remember those pilots that didn't survive the experience.

Agree it was a great experience, it was also the most hazardous flying I’ve done and as you say more than a few did not survive

I did enjoy it more than the year I spent subsequently flying a SF340 for a commuter airline for much less money and far more hours going up and down on very long days, it was much safer however and gave me the experience to get hired by a major airline

Again, a rush of memories. The first freight job (mostly Barons), lead to the second (all Barons) and that lead to a third. Unexpectedly, an airline opportunity arose - I applied, interviewed and was hired in the same week. All of that was very nearly 40 years ago. IOW, retirement is fast approaching!

And I'd still like to have a Baron 58. Indeed, this thread lead me to look at current listings (I think I'll stick with my sailplane).

I’ve looked up the Barons I flew in that era, most of them are still airworthy and appear to be in use


I was surprised to discover that one of them came from the British Airways training school at Hamble prior to being ferried to the US, operated by several owners and then purchased by the freight company I worked for transporting checks

It had seen much better days by then, their maintenance program was definitely ‘bare bones’


Looking at these aircraft now I’m amazed how most have been significantly upgraded and look almost new, of course the price of used GA aircraft is unbelievable now

Couldn’t agree more about a Baron, especially a 58 would be an outstanding personal aircraft, I still much prefer having two engines


And those times flying freight were invaluable experience that like yourself led to the airline job that was my ultimate career aspiration

Max Q

... one of them came from the British Airways training school at Hamble prior to being ferried to the US ...

I flew all twelve of the D55 Barons (G-AWAD to G-AWAO) that the College of Air Training, Hamble had on its Advanced Training Flight, and we loved them.

I believe the ones that were eventually sold to the USA were H, I and O.

The D55's were fitted with de-icing boots (this is the UK!) and were considered a real improvement over the Piper Apaches that Hamble had previously used.

It was a good training aircraft which prepared us well for our next move straight onto jets. Like most of my colleagues, nearly eight months after my last flight in a Baron, and having just turned twenty one, I was in the right hand seat of a passenger jet.

If only it had been the superior American version of my first UK jet aircraft!

Best Regards

Bellerophon

Bellerophon wrote:

Max Q

... one of them came from the British Airways training school at Hamble prior to being ferried to the US ...

I flew all twelve of the D55 Barons (G-AWAD to G-AWAO) that the College of Air Training, Hamble had on its Advanced Training Flight, and we loved them.

I believe the ones that were eventually sold to the USA were H, I and O.

The D55's were fitted with de-icing boots (this is the UK!) and were considered a real improvement over the Piper Apaches that Hamble had previously used.

It was a good training aircraft which prepared us well for our next move straight onto jets. Like most of my colleagues, nearly eight months after my last flight in a Baron, and having just turned twenty one, I was in the right hand seat of a passenger jet.

If only it had been the superior American version of my first UK jet aircraft!

Best Regards

Bellerophon

Very interesting, that D model Baron was very much worse for wear by the time I flew it and the deicing boots did not work until shortly before I left that company although they were very much needed on some nights, fortunately the aircraft was able to carry a lot of ice


In any case I never flew any Baron that wasn’t a delight to handle and it was a great aircraft in bad weather, very rugged


That was a big jump to go straight to the right seat of a transport category jet, was that the 707 or the VC10 perhaps ?

Singapore flying college used to go from
Baron to jet as well from what I recall.

No, this one!

Bellerophon wrote:

No, this one!

Understood !

Now I understand your last sentence, I’m sure the Trident was very enjoyable to fly, I was fortunate to fly the 727 for six years