What is the most reliable cabin class piston powered airplane?

midcap

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midcap
Not like I am going to buy one, I am just being curious.

This got me thinking when I saw a Panther converted Navajo in the local FBO's hangar.

I know that particular plane is a nightmare regarding Mx. :eek:
 
Not like I am going to buy one, I am just being curious.

This got me thinking when I saw a Panther converted Navajo in the local FBO's hangar.

I know that particular plane is a nightmare regarding Mx. :eek:
Pressurized or not?
 
Cabin Class to me means pressurized. By reliable do you mean safe, or low maintenance. If safety than pressurized 337 would be my pick. If maintenance then probably a pressurized 210 or Malibu.
 
Have to narrow it down to single or twin.
 
Cabin Class to me means pressurized. By reliable do you mean safe, or low maintenance. If safety than pressurized 337 would be my pick. If maintenance then probably a pressurized 210 or Malibu.
A Navajo is "cabin class" but it's non-pressurized. A Queen Air is cabin class, but non=pressurized.
 
Cabin class has nothing to do with pressurized or single/twin. Usually it means you can walk between the seats, at least kind of stand up and has an airstair instead of climbing on the wing...


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Agree. Maybe another question could be: which piston twin flies best on one engine?

"reliable cabin class piston powered airplane"

That is an oxymoron....
 
Agree. Maybe another question could be: which piston twin flies best on one engine?

Stock? That would be a Beech Baron 56TC, by a large margin.
N56TC-10M.jpg
 
Every large piston twin in my acquaintance has been a maintenance hog....


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They do make a pressurized Navajo
 
About everything else. Piston singles, complex high performance singles, jets...


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My dream twin isn't cabin class.... DA62


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Cabin class has nothing to do with pressurized or single/twin. Usually it means you can walk between the seats, at least kind of stand up and has an airstair instead of climbing on the wing...


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Thats what I think of
 
Piston, non-pressurized, cabin class (i.e., air stair)

Malibu Matrix

One engine = less MX in general

I'm not sure there's another single in that class
 
Every large piston twin in my acquaintance has been a maintenance hog....


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LOL. You need to expand your range of acquaintances.
My ancient Aztec costs a hell of a lot less to keep in the air than what my hangar neighbour pours into his Continental powered Piper Malibu. It's not even a close comparison.

Indiscriminate, unqualified observations like your and mine above sound appealing but hold little usable information for others on this forum.
 
^^^ I like the Aztec as much as the next guy, but large piston twin?
 
how has no one said DC-3 yet?!

DC-3? Nah man, Lockheed Lodestar! Smaller than a -3 but with same 1200hp R-1820s, will blow the doors off a DC-3 at the same power settings. Smaller cabin, but still "cabin class"! Lodestar is a nice flying machine too, but they are kinda rare...
 
The most reliable one is going to be the one that's the best sorted.

My experience is that Navajos are about the most reliable. They still break, but they are generally workhorses that I've been able to put a lot of hours on with minimal squawks.

The cabin class Twin Cessnas are better airplanes than the Navajos in a lot of ways, but they also have some significant design flaws in my opinion, most notably the fact that Cessna attached the turbo to the aircraft as opposed to the engine. It's a weight savings, but there are a lot of maintenance issues created by this arrangement.

Malibus... it depends on who you talk to. Some people have had good luck with theirs, some are always in the shop. As with any airplane, it depends on if you got a good one and how you maintain it.

Don't buy a P-Navajo. Also don't buy a Duke. Queen Airs I don't know much about, but they're old and not as much support.

Turbos add significantly to the maintenance. The exhaust gets expensive, the turbo systems are complicated (and expensive), and the engines work harder and thus break more. More heat = more breaking. Basically all cabin class piston aircraft are turbocharged, hence the extra maintenance.

Basically, you should expect $500/hr minimum for a cabin class piston aircraft. That's all-in expenses - hangar, MX, insurance, fuel, etc.
 
I still want a Duke. That doesn't mean I can recommend one in good conscience.
A Duke is no more a "maintenance hog" than any other sophisticated, pressurized piston twin. And you definitely look cool in a Duke.
 
LOL. You need to expand your range of acquaintances.
My ancient Aztec costs a hell of a lot less to keep in the air than what my hangar neighbour pours into his Continental powered Piper Malibu. It's not even a close comparison.

Indiscriminate, unqualified observations like your and mine above sound appealing but hold little usable information for others on this forum.

Damn...how is a twin less expensive than a single?
 
I've owned 3, two 414A's and a 421B, I didn't consider any of them maintenance hogs, it costs money to play, the numbers are bigger with a pressurized twin than a single, but the key is buying the right airplane. If you find one that is flown regularly and maintained by an owner that can afford it, it won't be nearly as bad as buying it from Broke Bob, just trying to haul everyone around on a budget!!
 
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