Jetprop project is done

[kmead]

I thought it might kill us all but we got everything done in time for the new owners initial flight training. I wish I would have had things together, it would have made a nice replacement for my old Malibu.

We had about 320 hrs in labor in addition to the radio shop's time. It was a big bill but well worth it.

Kevin

 

[Graueradler]

STC doesn't change the fuel tank fill openings from avgas size to jet fuel size does it?

 

[Ted]

Did you do the whole project start to finish, or was this a rebuild?

Looks very shiny.

 

[Rob Schaffer]

Quite and impressive improvement from the "Before" condition.

 

[kmead]

This Jetprop was a 1986 Malibu that sat for 3 to 4 years in a t-hangar at Orlando and finally sold by the bank at auction for a song. It has a very low airfame time and only 65 hrs since a -21 engine conversion.

We worked with our local radio shop to complete the avionics and maintenance needs. We did the same things to the owners 1985 Malibu last year, He got Jetprop fever and the 1985 is now for sale. (Hurry and get a nice Malibu)

The fuel filler openings are still the small avgas size. On the never finished Garrett / Malibu conversions they added some really ugly large fillers.

Kevin

 

[Graueradler]

The fuel filler openings are still the small avgas size. On the never finished Garrett / Malibu conversions they added some really ugly large fillers.

Kevin

That is a big deal for FBOs. The jet fuel trucks have fuel specific nozzles that will not fit into an avgas tank. Putting jet fuel into a recip has killed people so we have to make a big deal out of it. We have to change out the spout on the nozzle. It is kept in a location separate from the truck and requires the pilots signature or second person verification and signature that the varmit really is a turbo prop.

 

[flyersfan31]

Hmm. Interesting. I thought all the JetProps had to be done in Wa/Or (wherever those fellas are located?).

Word in the community is that a not-insignificant number of new Mirages are going straight to JetProp conversions, arbitraging the price dx between Meridians and JetProps.

me? I like the bigger wing, bigger rudder, etc of a Meridian.

However, the load and range profile suck on toast.

 

[kmead]

I didn't convert the ship. We did a restoration and every possible mod. He will repaint it next year.

Kevin

 

[Telemakhos]

That is a big deal for FBOs. The jet fuel trucks have fuel specific nozzles that will not fit into an avgas tank. Putting jet fuel into a recip has killed people so we have to make a big deal out of it. We have to change out the spout on the nozzle. It is kept in a location separate from the truck and requires the pilots signature or second person verification and signature that the varmit really is a turbo prop.

I always heard them called "Hoover Nozzles" because Bob Hoover famously almost bought it when a line boy filled his commander with Jet A at an airshow, causing an engine failure during a routine.

 

[Abram]

Hmm. Interesting. I thought all the JetProps had to be done in Wa/Or (wherever those fellas are located?).

Word in the community is that a not-insignificant number of new Mirages are going straight to JetProp conversions, arbitraging the price dx between Meridians and JetProps.

me? I like the bigger wing, bigger rudder, etc of a Meridian.

However, the load and range profile suck on toast.

Although I will be the first person to point out the pluses and minuses of the Meridian, in the final analysis, I am a big fan of the airplane.

For ninety percent + of my missions, it is a solid 3 hour plus reserves airplane. With my whole family in the plane (I admit it, we are relatively small), we can still go non-stop about 600-700 nm.

That works out fine for me, since I prefer to get out and stretch my legs after 3 hours of flying anyway.

Most important, you cannot get anywhere close to the performance that the Meridian or JetProp gives you for even close to the cost of operating the airplane.

 

[flyersfan31]

I thought about the Meridian, but my kids are getting bigger and the 3 girls (kids plus Mrs Flyersfan) travel like they're going on safari for a month, even for an overnighter. Take out the front baggage compartment in my Matrix and I'd be scroooood.

I did take a test flight and loved flying it. Really nice and easy

 

[Abram]

I thought about the Meridian, but my kids are getting bigger and the 3 girls (kids plus Mrs Flyersfan) travel like they're going on safari for a month, even for an overnighter. Take out the front baggage compartment in my Matrix and I'd be scroooood.

I did take a test flight and loved flying it. Really nice and easy

Yeah, I will be wrestling with that issue soon. I have three boys, but they are all under the age of 11. I suspect that it will become a much bigger issue in the next two years or so and I have already started crunching numbers.

For trips that require lots of luggage, it seems to make a lot of sense to travel with a small overnight bag or two and ship the rest of the stuff.

 

[Ted]

For trips that require lots of luggage, it seems to make a lot of sense to travel with a small overnight bag or two and ship the rest of the stuff.

Now that I just don't get. At that point, why are you flying yourself?

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

Now that I just don't get. At that point, why are you flying yourself?

So you don't have to drive a car?

 

[Abram]

Now that I just don't get. At that point, why are you flying yourself?

Why do we ever fly ourselves?

It is relatively rare that it is an issue, and most of the time that we have to bring that much stuff, we end up going commercial, such as when we do the annual pilgrimage to Colorado with ski clothes.

I tried to convince the wife to do the Colorado trip in the plane but she was not comfortable with the idea of it.

However, for our normal family trips to North Carolina, we land at an airport that has no commercial service. We will ship things there so we don't have to carry them and they are waiting for us at the house when we get there. The shipping cost is negligible and makes the loading issue much easier to contend with.

 

[Ted]

To each his own. If I can't fit it in the plane, I either need a bigger plane, or less stuff.

 

[Everskyward]

To each his own. If I can't fit it in the plane, I either need a bigger plane, or less stuff.

Shipping is cheaper than a bigger airplane!

We've asked people to ship stuff before. Then there was the one time we were supposed to take some people from DIA (KDEN) to Aspen. They had about twice as much stuff as would fit in the LR-35. They hired a car and driver to drive it up for them...

 

[Ted]

Shipping is cheaper than a bigger airplane!

We've asked people to ship stuff before. Then there was the one time we were supposed to take some people from DIA (KDEN) to Aspen. They had about twice as much stuff as would fit in the LR-35. They hired a car and driver to drive it up for them...

Certainly shipping is cheaper than a bigger airplane. It probably depends on how you were raised and/or your life philosophies. When my mom and I took the train to see our relatives before we had a car, we packed the clothes that we needed and shipped the Christmas presents. Once we got a car, if it didn't fit in the car, it didn't go. We just thought it logical that way, and I maintain that. Of course, driving a Ford Excursion means I seldom can't fit something I want. I extend the same philosophy to aircraft. Of course, most of what I do with aircraft is move animals, which you can't send FedEx.

I also just don't like shipping things. It's easy until there's a hassle involved (lost, late, damaged, etc.) and then it's suddenly not easy. Same goes for checked bags flying commercial - which is why I avoid it as much as possible.

Of course, the Malibu/Meridian also doesn't have the best baggage space, as they are more built around passenger comfort. The 6-place planes I fly have excellent cargo space, especially the Aztec. Put 6 people and their ski gear in and fly to Colorado. The 310 doesn't do as well, but earlier this week we had 6 people in it with their week's worth of luggage. Within W&B and it all fit nicely and comfortably.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

I always heard them called "Hoover Nozzles" because Bob Hoover famously almost bought it when a line boy filled his commander with Jet A at an airshow, causing an engine failure during a routine.

I thought the engine failure was during the ferry flight between shows - I seem to recall him having to stall it into the treetops, as there was nowhere else to go.

 

[flyersfan31]

I thought the engine failure was during the ferry flight between shows - I seem to recall him having to stall it into the treetops, as there was nowhere else to go.

I heard the same story, but the hook was on his foot....