Whats the ideal plane for me?

[Bede]

Pop quiz: you are flying along high and happy in your C 421 and you feel the sudden onset of a mild but continuous vibration, what should you do ?

Immediately feather both engines. You don`t want to end up wearing out a bearing.

[Big Pistons Forever]

Pop quiz: you are flying along high and happy in your C 421 and you feel the sudden onset of a mild but continuous vibration, what should you do ?

Immediately feather both engines. You don`t want to end up wearing out a bearing.

A failed starter adapter can result in vibration severe enough to destroy the engine. This is a fail mode that anybody flying the GTSIO engine has to be aware of.

[iflyforpie]

Listen to the mayor of London. At the risk of offending
people, not everyone is born with the same brains. Not
everyone can fly a 421 (or a taildragger) without spending
a lot more money than they need to.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/11/28 ... t-elitism/

Economic equality will never be possible because some people are too stupid to get ahead in the modern world, said Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, in a speech that is igniting a wave of criticism

Boris Johnson rocks!


Yes, starter adapter is a very critical item in TCM engines--especially in the GTSIO-520 series. I had to explain this to a commercial operator this summer who had a plane so equipped that wound up landing on a highway---thankfully without injuries or property damage---due to a malfunctioning drive.

[goldeneagle]

Pop quiz: you are flying along high and happy in your C 421 and you feel the sudden onset of a mild but continuous vibration, what should you do ?

Pull out the checklist, and it'll tell you. Secure that engine. Continuous vibration that was not there before, is most likely to come from a couterweight problem, which is also the reason you have this big yellow range on the tach, between takeoff and cruise rpm. The engine balance system is tuned for the green areas, do not operate outside of those, except to slide thru the yellow range quickly, moving from one green range, to the other. Continuous operation in that range, will likely throw a weight, and, result in a vibration, followed shortly by a total failure.

That is one of the idiosyncracies of the 421, but, there is a plus side to it. Even with that one caged, you can still climb up to the Minimum Safe Altitude just about anywhere, and then execute on whatever plan is in place to deal with getting back onto the ground. Cage one on the way up thru 5000 coming out of Cancelgar, in a 340, then ask yourself 'now what ??', keeping in mind, you need to get into the range of 9000 just to do an approach back. 414 presents the same problem, essentially the same fuselage, with a lot less ponies strapped onto each side.

But back to the original question, by the original poster. I think a lot of you folks are missing the point, making a typical 'pilot mindset' mistake. For a pilot, the trip is the point of the exercise, and it usually ends with a drop, or a wait at the other end. For a business type buying a plane, the trip is NOT the point, the business to be conducted at the other end is the point. For the pilot type to arrive feeling like they have put in a good day at the office, that is the expectation. For the business type, you need to arrive comfortable and relaxed, because the real work is just about to start. You cant do that if you are jockeying over the rockies sucking on a mask in an unpressurized airplane, or battling weather constantly during the winter. For this mission, you need an airplane that can jump up over the rocks, and weather, comfortably, so that one arrives at the other end, relaxed and ready to do business. To buy anything less, is just using a business excuse to rationalize buying a toy, it's not a considered purchase of business tool.

With the stated mission profile, CYLW -> CYEG during the winter, that rules out non-pressurized airplanes. If you cant comfortably climb to the lower flight levels without sucking on a mask, it's the wrong airplane for that mission. Since the aircraft is not for hire, the choice between one or two powerplants, that's a personal preference, not a legal issue. The choice between piston and turbine, well, that's just a simple million dollar question for the most part.

[Navajo Flyer]

Best bet……a jet with heated wings and climbs at 3,000'/min or better, if you can do it.

[Colonel Sanders]

a jet with heated wings and climbs at 3,000'/min or better

People have come up with the idea of selling tickets
on vehicles like that, so you don't have to buy one.

This is actually a pretty neat idea. For example, I like
to have milk with my morning cereal, but instead of
buying a cow to make my own milk, I buy milk from
someone that owns a cow.

The choice between piston and turbine, well, that's just a simple million dollar question for the most part

Have you looked at the used aircraft prices lately?

There simply isn't a million bucks in price delta between
a 421 and a 501. Nowhere near that. In fact I might
wager that I could find a 501 for less than a 421.



Two levers and two rudder pedals. A LOT easier to fly
than a 421.

[Bede]

What's the difference in operating cost though? Honestly, I have no idea what these things cost.

[Big Pistons Forever]

Bill Lear called his jet a two lever airplane. You set lever A and then lever her be

[AllClutch]

http://www.controller.com/listingsdetai ... 150015.htm
590k obo, ultra low time engines

[Colonel Sanders]

590k

Keep looking. That's an asking price. They're
going for a lot less than that - especially ones
with the old engines, like that one.

difference in operating cost

per mile, virtually no difference between 421 and 501.

[bmc]

What about this?

http://www.controller.com/listingsdetai ... 297151.htm

Here's a video of this airplane. A nice father/daughter trip.

http://youtu.be/vtv8TDDTw7k

[J31]

Hmm not to take away the fun but....... http://www.westjet.com or http://www.aircanada.com is half the cost per trip (2 people) of owning a capable aircraft to do trips in and out of the rocks. Sit in the back and let someone fly you where you want to go with all weather capable aircraft. Buy something to play with on nice days.

[jpilot77]

But you are then tied to their schedule, another option would be a fractional ownership in a twin turbine (not sure there are any in your neck of the woods).

[Bede]

Wow. I never would have guessed those things are so cheap. Why are they so cheap. Whats the maintenance and overhauls costs like.