Do you own your own airplane? Wacha got?

[ActiveAir]

I suppose now that I've handed over the check I can post...

1969 Piper Aztec D. FIKI, 6-7 year old leather interior, HSI, Garmin 340 audio, Garmin 327 transponder, Garmin 150 GPS, dual KX170Bs with glide slope. It's really good at burning fuel. I've had 6 engine failures on it in one hour of flight time so far (pesky instructors).

Congrats! Great looking plane and nice setup.

 

[4763E]

These are ours...

 

[Ted]

OMG! Kent! Ted bought your airplane!

Kent wanted a Twinkie, not an Aztruck.

...snooze, you lose!

---

Nice rig, Ted! If time allows, I want a ride at Gaston's.

You got it, Spike!

 

[Diana]

These are ours...

Kim, will you be giving rides at Gaston's again? I still hope to get a ride with Phil in his airplane some day.

 

[wabower]

Nice. Not all that common here, but always looked like fun.

A Socata TB20 - this is it parked at Zaragoza, Spain (LEZG).

 

[flyersfan31]

These are ours...

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiice!

I find myself consciously avoiding airplane porn, having just sunk a good bit of coin into my new bird. Still, I have an itch for something like a biplane(N3n? Stearman?) that is going to bug me until I do something about it.

Sold the 182. I'll miss her all-around capabilities. Still, for our travelling purposes, the Matrix is a great airplane. One look back into the cabin on the first family trip proved that. My two kids, having a pizza lunch snuggled up in their new fleece Piper blankets? Priceless. My wife, being able to get work done while the kids enjoyed lunchtime? Also priceless.

But an N3N, though. That would be fun.....

 

[flyersfan31]

I suppose now that I've handed over the check I can post...

1969 Piper Aztec D. FIKI, 6-7 year old leather interior, HSI, Garmin 340 audio, Garmin 327 transponder, Garmin 150 GPS, dual KX170Bs with glide slope. It's really good at burning fuel. I've had 6 engine failures on it in one hour of flight time so far (pesky instructors).

Nice pic.That's a nicely-equipped Aztruck. Can't wait to see it in person. FIKI is a nice option - you'll be glad you have it.

 

[4763E]

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiice!

I find myself consciously avoiding airplane porn, having just sunk a good bit of coin into my new bird. Still, I have an itch for something like a biplane(N3n? Stearman?) that is going to bug me until I do something about it.

Sold the 182. I'll miss her all-around capabilities. Still, for our travelling purposes, the Matrix is a great airplane. One look back into the cabin on the first family trip proved that. My two kids, having a pizza lunch snuggled up in their new fleece Piper blankets? Priceless. My wife, being able to get work done while the kids enjoyed lunchtime? Also priceless.

But an N3N, though. That would be fun.....

Our CAF wing just acquired this Stearman...it's pretty nice.

 

[wabower]

If you fly it to Gastons, be very alert for potential bird strikes---from the rear. Or so says my friend here who has a T-model. He went flying Saturday, said everything was wonderful except the trip to the gas pump. But then he and missus load up every year and fly from Dallas to Maine with their dogs, damndest bunch of stuff you ever saw gets loaded up.

I suppose now that I've handed over the check I can post...

1969 Piper Aztec D. FIKI, 6-7 year old leather interior, HSI, Garmin 340 audio, Garmin 327 transponder, Garmin 150 GPS, dual KX170Bs with glide slope. It's really good at burning fuel. I've had 6 engine failures on it in one hour of flight time so far (pesky instructors).

 

[Ted]

Nice pic.That's a nicely-equipped Aztruck. Can't wait to see it in person. FIKI is a nice option - you'll be glad you have it.

Yeah, the FIKI was a requirement for any plane I bought. The fact that this one had pretty much everything I wanted (except an IFR GPS) and was such a deal was what I needed.

I'm sure I'll fly it down to KLOM, and we can check out eachother's planes.

 

[L10MAN]

Nothing fancy, just a little 72 Arrow. Could use an interior up grade but what the heck gets us from here to there.
Ron

 

[jmaynard]

A Socata TB20 - this is it parked at Zaragoza, Spain (LEZG).

I've got a few hours in a TB10 Tobago. Very nice aircraft; I understand the Trinidad is even nicer.

 

[Nav8tor]

... My two kids, having a pizza lunch snuggled up in their new fleece Piper blankets? Priceless...

You let them eat pizza in the brand new interior

 

[flyingcheesehead]

OMG! Kent! Ted bought your airplane!

Meh... Not really. I saw one on the ramp that looked really nice, was de-iced, had a for-sale sign on it, and I thought about it...

Until I realized that the monthly payment on it was only about 3 hours' worth of fuel. Cured me pretty quick.

Ted's right, too. I've always wanted a Twinkie. It'd be really nice to find a de-iced one, but they're kinda rare (=$$$).

This one sure caught my eye: http://www.sandiegoaircraftsales.com/aircraft/airplanes1108/n7336y/index.html

Garmin 430, OK interior, brand-new paint, turbo, $68.5K. Damn, these birds are gettin' cheap!

 

[RotorAndWing]

Nothing fancy, just a little 72 Arrow. Could use an interior up grade but what the heck gets us from here to there.
Ron

The '72 Arrow is a great airplane! I have over 1200 hours in one '72 Arrow, flew that plane through all kinds of weather, never let me down.

 

[peter-h]

The Trinidad is a wonderful design - I would not swap it for anything else in the class, and I have flown the SR22, the DA42, and the Cessna (Lancair) 400. Shame they stopped making the TB range in 2002 or so.

 

[sba55]

Meh... Not really. I saw one on the ramp that looked really nice, was de-iced, had a for-sale sign on it, and I thought about it...

Until I realized that the monthly payment on it was only about 3 hours' worth of fuel. Cured me pretty quick.

Smart move. Twins are so cheap right now that folks are buying them, blissfully unaware that the purchase cost of a twin is the least expensive item. Once they realize that they've bought a mx hog (hydraulics, anyone) that goes about as fast as a M20 to the tune of $90/hr in fuel costs alone, you'll be left laughing with your wallet intact. Stupid.

Felix

 

[el con]

Hey Ted,
I'm pushing out 300 ft. more on the west end of 6Y9,we have offically 2600ft. starting this spring,maybe 2900ft by the Fly-In. Just in case you bring in the truck with a load.
Looks nice in the picture, I'm looking forward to checking it out when you bring it up.

Anyone else want an Aztruck? There's one for sale in Hasting's Mi.(9D9)
They bought a 414 and want to sell the "truck".
P.S.
I bought a 72 Cherokee 180 G to train in. Slow, but I've become very attached.
Of course my dream plane is a P-51 D,with guns for those pesky WMU students in their fancy fast SR-22's that come to our field to practice.

 

[Ted]

With a load, 2900 ft ought to still be fine. I do hope to get some more people to come along, having extra passengers is always fun. I'll be glad to show you the plane when I come, it is a lot of fun.

Excellent on the Cherokee 180. Great planes, I look forward to seeing it later this year.

 

[Anthony]

Smart move. Twins are so cheap right now that folks are buying them, blissfully unaware that the purchase cost of a twin is the least expensive item. Once they realize that they've bought a mx hog (hydraulics, anyone) that goes about as fast as a M20 to the tune of $90/hr in fuel costs alone, you'll be left laughing with your wallet intact. Stupid.

X2. Twice the maintenance as there is basically two of everything. Its enough to maintain a single. As with ANY aircraft, the purchase price is just the price of admission to the theater of the absurd.

 

[wabower]

X2. Twice the maintenance as there is basically two of everything. Its enough to maintain a single. As with ANY aircraft, the purchase price is just the price of admission to the theater of the absurd.

So is a marriage license.

 

[el con]

I've had the Cherokee for almost three years now,that's why I'm so attached. I flew Ed's Cherokee for about 3-4 hrs.,So maybe I'm one of the few pilot's who has flown 100% of my time in a PA-28. Student and as P.P.
It would be nice to get the chance to fly some other birds though.
Kate,bring up the Ercoupe.
Not much of a jump to go to a P-51 right?
Low wings rule. That should start some response.

 

[Ted]

Low wings rule. That should start some response.

Why? Most of us will just agree with you.

 

[Beachy]

I've had the Cherokee for almost three years now,that's why I'm so attached. I flew Ed's Cherokee for about 3-4 hrs.,So maybe I'm one of the few pilot's who has flown 100% of my time in a PA-28. Student and as P.P.
It would be nice to get the chance to fly some other birds though.
Kate,bring up the Ercoupe.
Not much of a jump to go to a P-51 right?
Low wings rule. That should start some response.

Absolutely!

 

[RMCN172RG]

Why? Most of us will just agree with you.

But not all of us

 

[Ted]

As with ANY aircraft, the purchase price is just the price of admission to the theater of the absurd.

Yep. Buy aircraft, install black hole in your wallet.

The nice part about the current prices on twins (or any airplane, but especially on twins) is that, if you were looking at one getting one anyway (and therefore understand all the maintenance, fuel, etc.), it makes it a great time to buy. As long as money is still equal to money, any money you don't spend on purchase cost is savings, which ends up meaning more money you can put into ownership costs later.

 

[Ted]

But not all of us

Come to the dark side... we have cookies.

 

[CJones]

Come to the dark side... we have cookies.

Don't forget about the Kool-Aid!

 

[Ted]

Don't forget about the Kool-Aid!

How could I forget!

Come to the dark side... we have cookies and Kool-Aid.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

Low wings rule.

Except for the ones with the tailwheel on the wrong end.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Smart move. Twins are so cheap right now that folks are buying them, blissfully unaware that the purchase cost of a twin is the least expensive item. Once they realize that they've bought a mx hog (hydraulics, anyone) that goes about as fast as a M20 to the tune of $90/hr in fuel costs alone, you'll be left laughing with your wallet intact. Stupid.

So, what'd you just buy Felix?

That's why I like the small-engine twins. My favorite is the Twin Comanche, of course. A Travel Air wouldn't be bad either.

X2. Twice the maintenance as there is basically two of everything.

Not really. You still only have one airframe. Sure, you have twice as many engines/cylinders/spark plugs/mags, but you still only have flight control system, one interior, one set of instruments, etc. On some pairs of like singles/twins such as Comanche/Twin Comanche and Bonanza/Travel Air, you wouldn't even have twice as many cylinders or spark plugs - In those cases you're going from a 6-cylinder single to a twin with two four-cylinder engines. In addition, while the twin will probably have two alternators, two vacuum pumps, etc. there are quite a few singles with a backup alternator and/or vacuum pump as well, and part of the reason for going to a twin is to have that extra redundancy - It costs money no matter whether it's on a single or a twin.

Of course, twins will add a heater and a fuel crossfeed, and potentially a lot of optional extra systems (de-ice for example) but that has nothing to do with it being a twin or not.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are even twins that only have a single generator and a single vacuum pump (such as the original Apache, and even the original Twinkie could be built with one of each). Worse yet, the original Apache had the hydraulic pump only on the left side - So, a failure of the right engine meant you were suddenly partial panel on one engine, and a failure of the left engine meant you were on battery power and had to hand-pump both your gear and flaps!

 

[mikea]

I've had the Cherokee for almost three years now,that's why I'm so attached. I flew Ed's Cherokee for about 3-4 hrs.,So maybe I'm one of the few pilot's who has flown 100% of my time in a PA-28. Student and as P.P....

Nope. I flew Warriors before I bought my Cherokee 235 as a student.

Outside of PA28s I have about 1.5 hours in a buddy's 172 and a 1.5 or so dual in Bruce's Seneca.

 

[Ted]

So, what'd you just buy Felix?

Never forget, Felix knows everything and has unlimited resources. Anyone else who comes to a different conclusion than Felix is just a fool.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are even twins that only have a single generator and a single vacuum pump (such as the original Apache, and even the original Twinkie could be built with one of each). Worse yet, the original Apache had the hydraulic pump only on the left side - So, a failure of the right engine meant you were suddenly partial panel on one engine, and a failure of the left engine meant you were on battery power and had to hand-pump both your gear and flaps!

Actually, the Aztec only has the hydraulic pump on the left engine, too, so if the left engine goes out on my plane I have to manually get the gear down, either with the hand pump (something I have not yet experienced but probably will soon), or with the blow-out mechanism.

The fuel system is more complicated in the Aztec vs. the Mooney/Archer/172, but the Aztec manual puts it well, something along the lines of "The Piper Aztec has a fuel system that is simple but very effective." It's really elegent in its simplicity. The 421 has a much more complicated system.

It all depends on what you buy and what your particular situation is. There's a guy at my airport who flies a 414 and a P210. He once said "I think the P210 actually costs more per hour than the 414 with all its maintenance!" It also depends on what the maintenance situation is like at your airport, etc. etc. There are lots of factors.

 

[el con]

Mike,still, not 100% PA-28.
I guess I did sit in the left seat of the Aluminum Overcast B-17 years ago and steered, I would'nt call that flying it or PIC time.Was pretty cool though. Tried to talk them into a simulated bombing run over the power plant at Port Sheldon Mi. They said no after staring at me for a few seconds,would''nt even consider the Nuke Plant down at Bridgeman
What do you call those B-17's ,Kent ?
Quadkies,certainly not twinkies. B-17 twinkie,twinkie or twin twinkies
I just want a "sinkie" P-51 with all 12 cylinders howlin (and guns.)
Deer Hunting at 6Y9 with a P-51,clearing the geese or Sand Hill Cranes off the field, It could be a beautiful thing,no hamburgers or hotdogs this Labor Day boy's and girls. Lemme day dream a little more

 

[el con]

Ray ,
Your close,bring that 172 up this Labor Day and let me try it out. I'll have to fly it inverted so the wings are in the right place though

 

[RMCN172RG]

Ray ,
Your close,bring that 172 up this Labor Day and let me try it out. I'll have to fly it inverted so the wings are in the right place though

Since we stopped walking the bridge we've been Labor Daying in Myrtle Beach. It tends to get cold UP there end of August and Early September.

I dont't think the RG will like it's belly sticking up.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Actually, the Aztec only has the hydraulic pump on the left engine, too, so if the left engine goes out on my plane I have to manually get the gear down, either with the hand pump (something I have not yet experienced but probably will soon), or with the blow-out mechanism.

Ah yes, the blow-out mechanism. Were that engine to fail on an approach in IMC, I think I'd be using that!

Do you still have hydraulic flaps in the Aztruck? And are they the kind where you hold the lever and release it for partial flaps? IIRC, on the Apache, whether you use the engine-driven pump or the hand pump, if you put both the flap and gear handles down the flaps will go to half, then the gear will come out, and then the flaps will go the rest of the way out. Kinda cool.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

What do you call those B-17's ,Kent ?
Quadkies,certainly not twinkies. B-17 twinkie,twinkie or twin twinkies

Heh... I'd call them "big" and "old" and "cool" but nothing "kie". Twinkie = Twin Comanche.

 

[el con]

Ahh
I see now twin+ ie = che nuttin simple like twincom .
I may be old but I'm still a rookie at this here aviation jargon.

 

[el con]

Ray
It will make you appreciate Myrtle Beach so much more. We've had great weather every year,ask everybody who came.( That probably just jinxed us)
Come to da U.P. Eh ?
Where Men are Men and Sheep are scared.
Do you take your 172 down or let it freeze in the hanger here in Mi?