help me decide ! Patrol vs. 4 place

[kberger384]

Thank you!

[Richard E]

I can do two bikes and half the rear seat in the B model. Bob designed a split rear seat for me. As you can see from the photo it is a tight squeeze with the front wheels and handlebars off. With pedals off you can just about fit three bikes and three people.
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I very much doubt that you could get them in a Patrol.

[Battson]

Nice one Richard Awesome to see it's getting some good use!

[kberger384]

Dang, that’s cool!

[Bissetg]

Most of what I have to say has been covered already.

my perspective is from recently contemplating doing another build. Not because I’m not happy with my 4B, more because I wanted to implement the knowledge and skills I learnt building that, and I love a good project.

I thought a Patrol would be good, I like sitting in the middle with the throttle in my left hand. Most of the time it’s just me or myself plus 1. The sex appeal of the Patrol is hard to beat.

A Companion is appealing because it’s a little more sociable and looks to me like it should be a great performer.

But in the end I can’t go past a 4B that most of the time I fly as a 2 seater pick up truck for fishing and hunting. At 1300 something lbs with the IO 360 it performs well and isn’t ridiculously expensive to run. When my 2 adult kids are home all 4 of us can pile in and have some fun.

I love the utility the rear cargo doors afford and really can’t go past it.

I already have a 4B and on balance for me it’s the perfect plane. I’d love to have a Patrol and I’d love to have a companion, but possibly not quite as much as I love to have a 4B.

For us not operating above 8000 DA much my set up is great. The IO 360 in my opinion is nicer flying as a backcountry machine than the 540 which a nicer flying touring X/C machine.

The old story of horses for courses but there is a Bearhawk for most folks mission I believe.

[kestrel]

The rear seat of our 4 place is really split. I can remove half of it and configure the plane for 3 people. I have a family of 3, so that works well. When configured for 3, I can fit 2 adult bikes. I have fit 3 "bikes" in the 3 seat configuration numerous times, but that always involved at least one that was a single wheel kids bike "trailer" or a folding bike or... 3 standard bikes don't fit with 3 seats.

Before we split the rear seat and our son hadn't yet hatched (Emilie was pregnant) we wanted to fly with our bikes and also takes our friends for a ride when we got there. We unpinned the rear seat and turned it sideways against the left wall of the cabin. Then we put two bikes in. When we got there, we pulled the bikes and "properly" installed the rear seat to do rides.