Be33 Aircraft Type - Flying her is a joy! The Bonanzas have always appealed to me because of their handling and speed. I fly a lot of hard instruments, and she performs beautifully. Cruise at 65 percent with 22.5 inches MP & 2300 RPM.
Since she is a straight tail there is no bothersome yaw in turbulence. Stalls are straightforward with a break that is expected and recovery is also predictable. Most first time owners fly her too fast on approach.
Be33 Aircraft Type
Using 90 knots downwind and 70 knots over the fence greases it (almost) every time. I like being able to put the gear down at a relatively fast speed. The IO-470K lives up to the performance book standards.
150 KTAS at 9000 feet on a standard day. Of course, in the south where I fly, I rarely see a standard day. But on those rare occasions when the air is standard, the numbers on the dials match the numbers in the book.
Early models had an odd fuel system, too. When the optional extended-range tanks were installed, fuel drawn from the auxiliaries goes to the fuel pressure regulator, and the excess is returned to the system...but it drains into the left main tank.
If there isn't enough room, it gets vented overboard, so it's important to run the left main down before switching to the auxiliaries. The older 33s also had a fuel gauge that would read only one tank at a time.
The C33 in 1965 got another boost in gross weight, but this was more than offset by an increase in empty weight. There were several other minor improvements as well. The earlier Debonairs had a bench seat in the back.
This was replaced by individual seats, and a fifth seat (practically useless) was offered as an option. Larger rear windows were made available, and the storage shelf was made larger. The C33 remained in production through 1967. 306 were built.
Fuel bum averages about 12 GPH. The engine seems to use one quart of oil per flight, whether I fly two hours or four hours. The 80 gallon fuel capacity (74 usable) will outlast my fluid storage capacity.
Most notable was the tail. The 35s distinctive V-tail was replaced by a well-proportioned conventional empennage. Less in evidence was the change in powerplant: The Bonanzas 250 HP Continental IO-470-C was replaced by a 225 HP IO-470-J.
Gross weight was somewhat less. 1966 saw a secondary model come out, the C33A. The big news here was the engine: The C33A was fitted with the V35 Bonanzas Continental 285 HP IO-520 B/BA, making it for all intents and purposes a straight-tailed Bonanza.
The C33A was built for two years, 1966 and 1967, with a total production run of 179. Beech responded by introducing a new airplane to compete directly with the Comanche, while retaining the upmarket Bonanza for those who still wanted the real thing.
It was dubbed the Model 33 Debonair, and made its debut in 1960. The Debonair didn't exactly take the market by storm. Some 233 were built that first year, compared to over 800 Comanche 250s and 400 35 Bonanzas.
Still, the airplane proved popular enough for Beech to continue with it. (It did not seem to hurt Bonanza sales: Beech had been building about 400 Bonanzas a year for a couple of years running.) I have owned a 1967 Beach C-33 serial CD-1099 for nearly eight years and use it in my avionics business for personal transport and as a demonstrator for items we sell.
Despite having to fit a TCM factory reman engine four years ago, and a top rear starboard bathtub fitting 18 months back, it has been quite economical to operate. A landing gear malfunction shortly after purchase was easily handled by the manual extension system and was found to be caused by a faulty strut switch.
Shortly after purchase, (which did include a pre-purchase inspection) she began to burn oil. The engine had about 1000 hours on it at purchase and coming back from Omaha over eastern Iowa it threw a rod.
Fortunately, I was seven miles from an airport at 7000 feet and made the field. The book was right- it does glide better with the prop in high pitch (low RPM)! I was fortunate enough to find a Penn-Yan rebuilt engine.
It has performed flawlessly through the last 950-plus hours, except for replacing one jug at about 300 hours because of a leaking exhaust seat. It burns about two quarts for every oil change (25-30 hours). The prop was rebuilt at the time of the engine change and again recently after five years time in service.
(McCauley two blade – $1600) 1968 was a big year for Beech. The six-place 36 Bonanza was introduced, and Beech made official what everybody already knew: that the Debonair was really just a Bonanza with a different tail and less elaborate equipment.
Although I have been tempted to upgrade and find something faster and bigger, the Debonair has served my needs well. Now that my kids are about grown and gone, I don't need all that extra room anyway!
HistoryBeech practically invented the modern retractable single just after WWII, when it introduced the original Bonanza. There was really no competition for it for years: in the late 1940s Cessna was putting out airplanes like the 120, 140 and 170, and Piper was building tube-and-fabric airplanes like the Cub and Super Cruiser.
By comparison, the Bonanza looked like a starship, if you'll pardon the pun. One characteristic of the 33 (and 35) Bonanzas is that the CG will shift as fuel is burned. Its important to do a weight and balance calculation for both ends of the flight.
The airplane does not like aft CGs, and in the words of one pilot it gets squirrely if the CG isnt kept forward. Its easy to get out of the aft CG limit, too. Of particular note was another 33 variant produced during this time, the E33C, which has the distinction of being certified for aerobatics.
(Were constantly getting calls asking about this airplane.) Major differences between the -C and the -A are a strengthened tail, positive-pressure fuel pump and a cabin door that can be jettisoned. Those wanting one will have to look hard, because aerobatic Bonanzas are rather rare.
Total production of the E33C for the two years they were made amounted to 25. There was also an F33C, total production of five aircraft. These airplanes command a hefty premium on the used marketplace. Expect to pay at least $25,000 extra for the privilege of flying beyond the limits of the Utility category.
For example, a 1970 V35B sold new with average equipment for a little over $54,000, while the F33A (same engine and airframe, different tail) went for about 10 percent less. Those same two airplanes have now reversed roles.
The 1970 V35B average retail is several thousand dollars less than the F33A. This F33A was my trusty steed while achieving my instrument rating this past fall. Im very pleased with how she flies, smooth, stable, and well behaved.
With the well damped, classic Beechcraft overbuilt landing gear, it is quite easy to perform smooth landings to impress your non-pilot passengers. This wonderful airplane has served my wife and me very well with quick personal transportation around California, and for several trips back to Wisconsin.
My wife likes the roomy interior, the excellent visibility, and the smooth ride that it gives in comparison to lighter and smaller aircraft. Complaints are few and nagging. There are plenty of maintenance folks out there with a lot of experience with Bonanzas.
There are also a lot who don't. Pick the right ones! Biggest complaint is the heater. It is great for the pilot, tolerable for the co-pilot/passenger, and downright frigid for the unfortunates in the back seat.
Here in the north land, winter is long and cold. More than two hours in the back seat to the Upper Peninsulas ski resorts can leave one with very numb feet. Installation of the STCd rear vent does help heat the cabin better, but the back seat floor still freezes.
I have an engine crankcase heater which is kept plugged in all winter. Cold starts are not a problem. For more than five decades, active and dedicated aircraft owners and pilots have turned to AVIATION CONSUMER to answer their most important buying questions.
This website contains many older reviews. Unless otherwise noted, these reviews carry product pricing from the time of the original review. One of the more notable mods is an engine swap to Continentals liquid-cooled IO-550 Voyager engine, available from Beryl DShannon and Colemill.
DShannon can also provide vortex generators, which are a very worthwhile mod for any airplane. Looking again at the competition, the Bonanza has held its value better, although its advantage is slipping. The 1970 Piper Comanche 260 brings about $10,000 less than a 1970 F33A and is about on par with the less-powerful 225 HP F33.
All in all, I really enjoy the airplane. It is a pleasure to fly. Quiet, comfortable and fast enough. It has been said that you can spot a Bonanza owner/pilot. They are the ones who always turn around and look back at their plane as they walk away.
But after a dozen years, the Bonanza was facing some real opposition. Airplanes like Pipers Comanche 250 offered comparable performance and styling for a lot less money – about two-thirds the price in the late 1950s.
The success of the 33 Bonanza is due in no small part to the 35 Bonanzas in-flight breakup problems, which dogged the V-tail through the early 1980s and eventually led to its demise. There was an AD to strengthen the tail, and it worked well;
nevertheless, the V-tails reputation was damaged to the point that it was pulled from production. Owner comments I own a 1965 Beech 35-C33 purchased in 1989. I wanted an airplane that was reasonably fast, reliable, had a good safety record and was cost-efficient to own.
I had been part owner/club member in several different aircraft including Cessna 150, 172, 182, & 310; Piper Comanche, Cherokee, & Arrow. I longed for a Beech A36, but this time I wanted to be sole owner, so I chose the Debbie.
It took almost two years of looking to find one. In six and a half years of ownership, I have put around 1200 hours on the airframe. It has been an excellent compromise of performance verses cost.
Owners love its flying qualities, performance, comfort and sturdy construction. However, they also have some words on the high cost of parts and maintenance, typical of Beech aircraft. Also, there are a few things to be careful of when operating a Bonanza.
One bugaboo that has always haunted Beech owners is the cost of parts. Paying high parts prices simply goes with the territory when flying a Bonanza. In that respect, its rather like an expensive luxury car;
once you get into this league, you have to expect to pay a lot. Example: a prop spinner back plate from Beech costs an astonishing $2000. Fortunately, parts are readily available. Parts are relatively plentiful but expensive.
Beware of replacing the spinner without the rubber bumper over the prop hub. I have had three back-plates cracked and one spinner cracked this way. A new back-plate is around $2000. Salvaged ones about $900. The wet vacuum pump has been bullet proof;
so has the landing gear. I have replaced two starters and an alternator. Cracked or missing flame cones in the mufflers had been a problem. Also cracked/blown exhaust gaskets. The new airplane was clearly based on the Bonanza, with the same wing, fuselage and landing gear.
However, by this time the Bonanza had built up a powerful brand image. The company did not want to hurt sales of its flagship by cheapening it, and so made considerable changes to the 33 to clearly distinguish it from its V-tailed sibling.
Mods A number of useful modifications are available for the 33 Bonanza, including TKS weeping-wing ice protection, Precise Flight speed brakes, various aerodynamic cleanups from Smith Speed Conversions, electric rudder trim, long-range tanks, and turbochargers from TurboPlus and Rayjay.
To reduce the price down to the vicinity of the Comanche, Beech also removed much of the equipment that came with a typical Bonanza. Little things, like paint, vertical speed and turn-and-bank indicators and sun visors.
The result was a rather Spartan airplane, but one that did indeed sell for about what the competition was charging. Membership in the American Bonanza Society is a must! It has saved me countless hours and dollars looking for ways to repair or replace items.
Refresher training with the ABS is also a habit I've gotten into. It is particularly nice to fly with instructors who are as experienced with your airplane as you are! For those times when the technique does not work, and I kill the battery trying to start, I have had an external power receptacle installed and never leave home without my aux power plug /jumper cables.
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