In article ,
"Bob McKellar" wrote:

wrote in message
...
On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 01:11:57 GMT, Gord Beaman
wrote:

Jim Carriere wrote:
snip

I'm not sure buying an ex training command aircraft would be such a
great deal. Although the maintenance is great and keeps them going
in government service, they lead a hard life. Think of it like
getting a car at a police auction.

I gotta agree...aircraft used to train sprog crews have a hard
life...it's nothing that great maintenance can change either, the
basic airframe is often subjected to much greater stresses than
they are with more experienced handling...in my somewhat
experienced opinion at least...

A "B" would not be too much of a machine to operate for most folks,
but the "C" (with that fuel-swilling turboprop and all the t-prop
maintenance needs) would be a rich man's toy. This is assuming no
serious airframe issues! :-)

It would be fun, but for that kind of money you could probably run a
T-28 and have more fun. And get lot's more "style points." ;-)

Bill Kambic

Years ago a T-34C showed up at my local airport, by coincidence during a
Bonanza fly-in.

I told the guys they may have had the ugliest Bonanza there, but at least it
was the fastest!

On a related topic, I read "somewhere" that Beech was concerned about
potential future liability issues, and that the contract stipulated that the
C's would never be allowed into civilian hands. I have no evidence other
than a conspicuously faulty memory, so this may be total BS. However, the
piston versions in civilian hands have had a number of fatal accidents
involving structural faulure, so I can see Beech's point.

Bob McKellar

The structural failures were all associated with "air combat"
operations, where the airframes were continually abused. (rolling,
high-G pullouts at or above redline, etc.)