Is there an online database with searchable/filtered/ordered aircraft specifications to help create a short list of interesting planes for your needs?
Example:
What’s the fastest plane (by cruise speed) which has a take off distance of under 500 metres?
or
Which planes have a climb rate of at least 10m/s and capacity for at least 3 passengers?
That sort of thing. The number of choices out there is overwhelming so it would be great to have a reasonably comprehensive database to search.
Q1 : RV8 
Q2 : 10m/s is 2000 ft/mn. I don’t know, maybe Soyuz ? 
I think they are a few on US plane selling sites. But I won’t lead you anywhere.
1)All types are different, and their capabilities are not mathematic. For example, you can have a great useful load with a narrow CG enveloppe. You can have great speed but with turbo+oxygen (increased complexity, cost and would your passengers trust a little plane in high altitude ?).
2) Numbers in specs may be close to real life numbers, or may not be :) You must take them with a grain of salt.
I also depends a lot on your personal situation : are you budget limited or time limited (or both, as we all are) ? Would you like to do the mechanical stuff or just turn the key ?
I am soul searching myself and I think the advice you hear a lot is true : define your mission. Or better yet, define your budget, define what you want to do absolutely, then look for types in this spectrum. It takes time. You will look into one type, than another etc…
FL300 wrote:
What’s the fastest plane (by cruise speed) which has a take off distance of under 500 metres?
M20J with the 3 blades MT “climb propeller”: 1300fpm ROC, 400m tarmac bellow 30C deg, 145IAS at 10GPH (155TAS-165TAS at 6kft) at MTOW(4pob & 3h endurance or 3pob & 6h endurance)
In the M20J, 500m grass is doable with 3 blades but needs to be dry, not too hot, not too bumpy and some headwinds !
- If you want to scarify 30kts cruise for more useful load get a C182
- If you want to pay more for load & fuel and keep cruise get a Bo36
But it gets close to +250k£ over there
AFAIK, you will not see 10m/s except on a light 3pob SR22GTS about 1800fpm or 2pob Extra300XL about 2600fpm
I totally agree with “define your mission”. The tricky part is then identifying which of the thousand models out there best fits your mission.
p.s those two questions were just examples ;)
FL300 wrote:
What’s the fastest plane (by cruise speed) which has a take off distance of under 500 metres?
SAAB 37 Viggen, but it’s hard to come by. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)
I have not heard of any such database.
Lots of mil jets “can” depart from 500m and reach mach 2 e.g. F15, F16…
In GA, the usual turboprops can all do 500m e.g. PA46 (Meridian and especially Jetprop), TBM, PC12. Even a CJ4 can do 500m – I’ve been in one which did it in about 300m.
Most certified piston IFR tourers can also do 500m.
I think in practice the choice will be driven by many other factors.
