Piston Twin Good for Training and Transport -- Suggestions?

[CK]

Re: Piston Twin Good for Training and Transport -- Suggestio

We're going to check out a 414 soon, but I'm seriously liking the Aero Commander 700. How do you go about demo-ing an airplane?

It's actually a Rockwell Commander, not an Aero Commander.

http://www.controller.com/listings/aircraft-for-sale/COMMANDER-700/1979-COMMANDER-700/1151437.htm

Call Roger, tell him you'd like to checkout the plane.

Checked out an old Navajo today. Maintenance was said to be about $2300 annually, and it was flown on average of 300 hours per year (part 135). Is that good?

Oil changes alone will be around $1000 a year if you fly 300 hours. You can run a good, clean Navajo for between $8 or 10,000 a year if your are flying the plane often. These airplanes are old, complex, break often, are are not cheap to fix. His $2300 is either based on parts only (do they have their own MX department?) or they only do the bare minimum.

IIRC it's just the TIO-540s on the Duke.

It has the TIO-541, Lycomings bastard engine. But you are correct, it is not geared.

Alex.

 

[minitour]

Re: Piston Twin Good for Training and Transport -- Suggestio

It has the TIO-541, Lycomings bastard engine. But you are correct, it is not geared.

Alex.

One off yet again.

-mini

 

[WestIndian425]

Re: Piston Twin Good for Training and Transport -- Suggestio

It's actually a Rockwell Commander, not an Aero Commander.

http://www.controller.com/listings/aircraft-for-sale/COMMANDER-700/1979-COMMANDER-700/1151437.htm

Call Roger, tell him you'd like to checkout the plane.

That's the one I was thinking of as well! I'll give him a call, but driving to VA is a bit of a haul from north Jersey.

Oil changes alone will be around $1000 a year if you fly 300 hours. You can run a good, clean Navajo for between $8 or 10,000 a year if your are flying the plane often. These airplanes are old, complex, break often, are are not cheap to fix. His $2300 is either based on parts only (do they have their own MX department?) or they only do the bare minimum.

I see! Thanks for the info. He did mention that the engines needed to be overhauled, which would run about $35,000 (GASP!).

 

[CK]

Re: Piston Twin Good for Training and Transport -- Suggestio

I see! Thanks for the info. He did mention that the engines needed to be overhauled, which would run about $35,000 (GASP!).

Again, a good overhaul will cost around $35,000 per engine on a big Lycoming.

Alex.

 

[WestIndian425]

Re: Piston Twin Good for Training and Transport -- Suggestio

Again, a good overhaul will cost around $35,000 per engine on a big Lycoming.

Alex.

Actually, I understood it to be that...so a Navajo, while a good aircraft, is quite expensive to maintain!

 

[dasleben]

Re: Piston Twin Good for Training and Transport -- Suggestio

Actually, I understood it to be that...so a Navajo, while a good aircraft, is quite expensive to maintain!

Any of these big twins are going to be. The TSIO-520s in the 414 are just as expensive.

 

[WestIndian425]

Re: Piston Twin Good for Training and Transport -- Suggestio

Any of these big twins are going to be. The TSIO-520s in the 414 are just as expensive.

I see...getting the most value for the money is harder than I thought.:insane:

 

[t-cart]

Re: Piston Twin Good for Training and Transport -- Suggestio

I've got a great Apache for sale.

 

[jhugz]

Re: Piston Twin Good for Training and Transport -- Suggestio

I've got a great Apache for sale.

Dude...I love that airplane. You just die single engine, the second engine is just for novelty. I wish I had the money to buy it off of you and then STC it for MoGas.

 

[t-cart]

Re: Piston Twin Good for Training and Transport -- Suggestio

Dude...I love that airplane. You just die single engine, the second engine is just for novelty. I wish I had the money to buy it off of you and then STC it for MoGas.

Well, you just come up with the money. It already has the STC. IFR too.

 

[jhugz]

Re: Piston Twin Good for Training and Transport -- Suggestio

Well, you just come up with the money. It already has the STC. IFR too.

dahhhum...To bad I only make 10k/yr right now. You take a check?

 

[t-cart]

Re: Piston Twin Good for Training and Transport -- Suggestio

dahhhum...To bad I only make 10k/yr right now. You take a check?

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

 

[WestIndian425]

Re: Piston Twin Good for Training and Transport -- Suggestio

Okay, quick update:

Today we went to check out a Cessna 340A (with the RAM package). This aircraft was pretty well-maintained (had all the logs too, and just completed an annual, though the engines are about 200 hours away from overhaul).

Now for the experts among you, I'd like to know what are the pertinent questions to ask when shopping for an airplane. I can ask about equipment and maintenance and how the owners used the plane, but I'm sure I should be asking a lot more. What say you?

Thanks!