It was my pleasure to fly virtually all the airplanes that were offered from the end of World War Two up to , when I retired. I knew the people who designed, built and sold those airplanes and the combination of the people and the airplanes resulted in what I came to consider a personality.
Piper but they did share personality traits because in those days folks created airplanes in their own image. There was no well-defined market so they built what they thought people would buy. Rest assured that these are all personal opinions and I am sure many will differ.
I thus paid special attention to what went on in this area. I will say that it was a lot of fun to fly and explore these airplanes when they were new and writing about them now kindles fond memories. This remarkable airplane started setting the standard in and is still on top in the form of the G36, which, to be honest, bears little similarity to the original V-tail Model The last V-tail was built in The 36 offered a lot more utility for a little more money and won out.
Certainly every one of the many other airplanes I will mention here had the goal of besting the Bonanza. It still rolls off the assembly line, 67 years later, having shattered the dreams and fortunes of many others. It is the sole survivor of the first batch of airplanes in this class despite the fact that it costs about a hundred times as much today in dollar dollars as it did in Some suggested that without the V-tail, no airplane should be called a Bonanza.
What did those folks want them to call the 36, the Prince Air? I thought that continuing the Bonanza name after the V-tail was a fine thing to do because the newer airplanes were definitely evolutionary. Plus, if you have the best name going, why give it up? Over the years, the Bonanza was stretched and improved and the horsepower almost doubled.
