Jim Burns wrote:

We've put our first 100 hours on our Aztec since buying it mid-August and
this weekend we had the 50hr and 100hour AD's complied with. Fuel leak
inspection (50hrs, pilot can do this one), Fuel valve/cable inspection,
Engine mount inspection, Exhaust system inspection. Everything looked good.

Since we bought it, we've upgraded the KLN 89B to a KLN 94 and had it IFR
certified, replaced one vacuum pump and installed vacuum pump cooling
shrouds via a FAA field approval, braced the oil coolers and fixed the leaky
baffles, re-insulated the nose and heater compartments, installed the Piper
elevator bungee kit, replaced the occasional old vent or drain hose,
replaced a bad pitot heat switch, replaced the cabin door lock, and bought a
set of new 8 ply main gear tires.

We had to pull the pitch control computer from our STec 60-2 due to run away
trim in altitude hold mode, it's still out for repairs.

The next project on our list is a new one piece windshield, maybe a vertical
card compass and electric OAT.

On short hops of 1 hour or less we're seeing fuel burns of 20 gallons per
hour, longer hops we see 24 gallons at 24 squared and 155kts true. Push
everything forward and we see 175 knots true at around 6000 ft and fuel
burns of 27 gallons per hour. Surprisingly close to book numbers for a 38
year old airplane.

So far we're pretty happy with our bird.

I have a friend who until a month ago had a turbo Aztec. Biggest toilet
I have ever seen. Numerous engine failures in icing conditions, turbos
that break down with regularity, heaters that don't work, gear that
won't go down, or up; the list is endless. I asked him why he didn't
buy a Baron in the first place and he said he couldn't afford it. I
told him you've already bought a new Baron that came in the shape of an
Aztec. He finally did the math and came home with an Aerostar the other
day. Now some poor sap has this Aztec to deal with.