From the top: Beechcraft’s V-tail Bonanza, ūCessna 182RG, Commander 114, Mooney ser- ies and the Comanche 250/260.

When it comes to buying an airplane, the phrase “higher, farther, faster” sometimes has a not-so-savory rejoinder: heavier, more complex, harder to fly. We’ll admit we’re taking some license for it’s not accurate to say that all faster airplanes are harder to fly.

But faster is often a problem and training is clearly part of the safety equation, for it’s not unusual for an inexperienced pilot who has stepped up to something faster too soon to make a hash of it. Graduating from a Cessna 152 to a Bonanza B36TC can be done, but it’s not recommended, as evidenced by how painful an insurance company will make the premiums. …