Piper Aerostar and rudder/vertical stab size?

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Tscottme

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Scott M.
We have a couple of Piper Aerostars based at the local airport. One is pressurized and one is not. When looking at their rudders and vertical stabs it just seems there is no way they are large enough for single-engine contingency. Obviously they passed FAA certifications. I've yet to do any multi-engine flying. I understand many twins are safe when flown by a highly proficient multi-engine pilot and dangerous when flown by anyone with stale multi-engine skills. Are Aerostars worse than other twins in this regard? They sure are eye-catching.
 
A buddy had one. He said annuals were 20k plus average.
It sure is a capable machine though.
 
Zeldman said:
Can you expand on that.??

Not looking to buy one, just curious..
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Somebody here had one and said of all the planes he’d owned, it was the only one that tried to eat him out of house and home.

@Ted probably remembers who said that, but I don’t.
 
Regarding the size of the vertical stab, I assume the blue line is quite high. As long as you don’t get slow it should fly fine. Also the engines are quite close to center line. Shape of the fuselage also might give some yaw stability.
 
TCABM said:
Somebody here had one and said of all the planes he’d owned, it was the only one that tried to eat him out of house and home.

@Ted probably remembers who said that, but I don’t.
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Wayne Bower. Haven’t heard from him in some time.
 
Ted said:
Wayne Bower. Haven’t heard from him in some time.
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Did he have the Ford dealership in Atlanta or am I confusing him with someone else?
 
TCABM said:
Did he have the Ford dealership in Atlanta or am I confusing him with someone else?
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Nope, you’re thinking of @N747JB . Wayne was from the DFW area and owned a bunch of GA planes over the years, flew Gulfstreams, and helped people buy jets as his retirement gig.
 
Ted said:
Nope, you’re thinking of @N747JB . Wayne was from the DFW area and owned a bunch of GA planes over the years, flew Gulfstreams, and helped people buy jets as his retirement gig.
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That’s right. N747JB had a 182 and a 400 series Cessna IIRC that he was selling last time I saw him around. That was after he sold the delearship, IIRC.

I miss both those guys.
 
Tscottme said:
rudders and vertical stabs
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Incidentally they're the same size as the horizontal stab too.. it's virtually the same piece. Little know Aerostar fun fact.

If you want to learn more about them check out Eric Reese YouTube channel, he flies the hell out of his and makes great content. None of that SmASh THe LiKE and SubSCribe crap or asking for patreon money. Just makes good educational videos about his plane. I believe he's also one of only a few insurance recognized pilots for transition training on the type

btw, it's a fast plane.. 250+ knots and flies more "jet like" approaches. It's not your dumpy 85 knots Beech Duchess or Piper Seminole
 
Its got a lot of systems and my experience with them is they are hangar queens. I think every flight something was getting written up. Its per hour cost at the 135 i worked at was approaching cessna conquest hourly rate. Hated flying it not the most comfortable aircraft.
 
I worked at the FBO in Daytona Beach, FL in the early 1990s. One NASCAR driver, Bobby Allison, had an Aerostar with the venerable Allison-250 turboprops installed. I think those enegines are now owned by Rolls Royce. Great guy and awesome aircraft.
 
Absolutely love the underwing slung engines on the Aerostar jet. Ted Smith had always envisioned that to be turbine-powered..

Now I just need to frantically find those winning lottery tickets I misplaced somewhere
 
Tscottme said:
I worked at the FBO in Daytona Beach, FL in the early 1990s. One NASCAR driver, Bobby Allison, had an Aerostar with the venerable Allison-250 turboprops installed. I think those enegines are now owned by Rolls Royce. Great guy and awesome aircraft.
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That airplane is in the International Motorsports Museum at Talledega.
 
kaiser said:
Would you still be a flib at that point?
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Oh yes.

Years ago I was jumpseating in a cargo 727 coming into Anchorage. ATC gave the flight a turn for traffic, a Saab 340 if memory hasn't failed too much. After the turn and traffic in sight, the captain, speaking to no one in particular, muttered ''Why couldn't he turn that little flib outta my way.??'' :lol::lol:
 
The Aerostar does fine single engine, as long as you get the drag up/off. Leave the 40° of flaps in and you're coming down like a manhole cover, but leave all the drag in on most any other piston twin and you'll end up with similar results, so...bottom line, cleaned up and flown properly, it does just fine. Our straight 600 has a Vmc of 84 kts and Vyse of 114 kts.
 
Ah, thanks! In that case, I've been cruising along in a flib at FL380 then. Even FL410. :D
 
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