Bob Gresli:
I just got to see a Skipper for the first time today. The aircraft was out of annual and had not flown for a long time. However, it gave me a chance to look at and sit in a Skipper.
I’m very impressed by the cabin size and comfort. The ergonomics are
very modern. The wing is even rivet-free, just like my old Grumman
Traveler. The plane looks very big for only a 2-seater. The cargo area is huge, although I know it’s only usable if you’re solo or you’re flying with reduced fuel load and a very small passenger.
I am curious to know what real world performance numbers that any of the Skipper owners have been getting. What are your cruise, climb, range, and fuel burn numbers. Since I’m here in Oregon, I’m also curious to hear how high you’ve flown in a Skipper. I normally flew my Traveler below 5000 ft, but I did have it up to 12500ft once. The book lists the service ceiling as 12,900ft and the absolute ceiling as 15000ft. I imagine these book figures are usually far from what pilots experience.
I’m also curious to know if Beech made any changes to the Skipper during its very brief production run.
Thanks for any information you all can provide.
This information is from the Rising Up site. The specs may or may not be accurate. Please view the other available links to cross-check information.
Beech 77 Skipper
Horsepower: 115.0000 Gross Weight: 1675 lbs
Top Speed: 106 kts Empty Weight: 1103 lbs
Cruise Speed: 97 kts Fuel Capacity: 29.00 gal
Stall Speed (dirty): 47 kts Range: 370 nm
Takeoff Landing
Ground Roll: 780 ft Ground Roll 670 ft
Over 50 ft obstacle: 1280 ft Over 50 ft obstacle: 1313 ft
Rate Of Climb: 720 fpm
Ceiling: 12900 ft