By Robbie Wills, EAA 1199240
I confess I never set out to own a vintage aircraft. As a newly minted private pilot in 2014, I had dreams of procuring the latest-and-greatest airplane I could find with all the bells and whistles. I avidly perused all the aviation sales listings looking for the right late-model combination of airframe, powerplant, and avionics. However, as fate would have it, my search led me to Bo the Bonanza, also known as N2939A, and I can’t imagine a better aircraft or outcome.
Bo the Bonanza (the feminine Bo, as in Bo Derek) is a 1969 Beechcraft Bonanza E33A, serial number CE-286, which happens to be the fourth-to-last E33A produced by Beechcraft prior to the introduction of the F33 in 1970. When I acquired it, the aircraft had approximately 2,800 hours’ total time, which I suspected was due to many years of underutilization. A quick study of the logbooks confirmed an initial decade of frequent flying — 1,700 hours — followed by what I refer to as its hangar queen years when the aircraft was flown less than 700 hours in a 30-year period, including eight years in the 1980s with virtually no use at all.
In 2011, the previous owner began restoration by making a significant investment in new paint and avionics. Investments included a modern paint scheme and a Garmin glass panel, including a G500, dual GNS 430W nav/comms, an MVP-50 engine monitor, a GTX 330 transponder, and an S-TEC 55X autopilot. N2939A emerged from its cocoon as a modern, IFR-capable, cross-country flying machine.
Meanwhile, after earning my instrument rating, I was in search of an airplane with the equipment to comfortably and safely fly IFR and with the speed to be an effective business travel aircraft. My familiarity with the make and model convinced me that a Beechcraft Bonanza would be the best option for my family. In 2015, I happened upon an online listing for an incredible find: a reasonably priced, low-time Bonanza based in my home state of Arkansas with all of the avionics I could hope for. I immediately made arrangements to see the aircraft later that day and within hours had made a deal to acquire N2939A.
Although the airframe was low-time and the exterior and panel were sparkling, the aircraft was in serious need of attention. On paper, the IO-520B engine had logged only 1,200 hours but had last been overhauled in 1980. Several cylinders had been replaced along the way, but the engine was underperforming and clearly long past due for a major overhaul. Likewise, the two-blade propeller had reached the end of its useful life. The exterior had a few obvious spots of hangar rash, and the old magnesium elevators were in need of repair. Additionally, the interior was original to the aircraft and left much to be desired.
While I initially felt sheepish accepting compliments on the aircraft, after making a substantial investment in its continued refurbishment, I now feel fully vested in the condition of this beautiful bird. A major engine overhaul in 2016, including complying with the vacuum arc remelted crankshaft airworthiness directive, addressed the aging-engine issues. At that time, we also installed a new three-blade McCauley propeller, greatly enhancing performance. Since then, we’ve repaired the main and nose landing gear, reskinned the elevators, installed new LED position lighting, installed full-restraint seat belts, and added a Door Steward. And, in what became an exercise in on-the-job learning and perseverance — all with an A&P mechanic’s supervision — I personally stripped and replaced the interior and headliner, including cleaning and zinc-chromating the inside belly and sides of the fuselage.
Attending my first EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 2016, I realized that as the owner of a 1969 model aircraft I was eligible for membership in EAA’s Vintage Aircraft Association, although vintage airplane ownership isn’t a requirement for VAA membership. As a lifelong history buff, I have developed a great appreciation for those who take the time and money to restore and rehabilitate vintage aircraft. I’ve learned so much from my fellow EAA and VAA members about the care and maintenance of this aging beauty.
Bo the Bonanza is now a beloved member of our family, taking us from our home in Conway, Arkansas, as far west as Seattle and Los Angeles and as far east as Boston and Miami. In July 2018, Bo made its first appearance at AirVenture where, to our delight and surprise, the aircraft earned the Outstanding Beech Single Engine award, completing the transformation from hangar queen to vintage showplane. The aircraft even developed a little following online — just search for Bo the Bonanza on Facebook.
While we didn’t plan on acquiring a 50-year-old Bonanza, the challenges and rewards of owning and maintaining a vintage aircraft have made our aviation experience so much more fulfilling. I’m thankful we were able to give Bo the Bonanza a new home and a new lease on life!