When my wife and I bought our first plane, a beautiful polished V-tail Bonanza, we thought it would be the only plane we’d ever own. That was 20 years ago, and as our family grew, the demands on the plane began to outstrip its capabilities. The obvious step-up to something bigger was the A36 Bonanza—the last plane we said we would own. Over the next six years, the wee ones multiplied and grew, so we incrementally improved the plane to accommodate the increasing amount of stuff and weight.
But like the V-tail, with everyone carrying stuff in their lap for shortage of space, we realized we needed yet a bigger plane. This time, though, the decision wasn’t so cut and dry. Here is an anatomy of a single to twin step-up in hopes of helping others in a similar position.