We don’t have to remind anyone that there aren’t any free lunches in the 200-knot club, do we? To go fast there’s always stuff to spend money on, and first and foremost is training, aggressive maintenance and upgrades, while insurance eligibility hangs in the balance. Put simply, if your flying credentials look questionable on paper, the chances of an insurer taking on the risk of you at the controls of an Aerostar, pressurized Baron or Cessna 414 aren’t favorable. Get a quote before doing anything else.
But for the skillful and financially qualified owner/pilot, let’s take a look at the current market to see what that 200 knots could really cost. We’re realists (and trained pessimists) and always plan for a worst-case scenario during the first year of ownership. That means having to swap an engine or two, dealing with avionics repairs and upgrades and generally getting to know what the new-to-us airplane is made of.