"Jim" wrote in message
Any comments on the Duke's magnesium tail control surfaces? I've read a
few
horror stories, but don't know if it's typical or not. The relative low
price of the Dukes has been attributed to a higher maintenance cost per
passenger mile compared with other medium twins... anybody have first hand
knowledge and or numbers?

I managed a Duke for a while. Maintenance was in line for a pressurized
piston twin (P-Navajo, P-Aerostar. C-414), until a crack was found on the
forward pressure vessel bulkhead. It was probably just an isolated event and
not indicative of the species. The biggest problem I had with the Duke was
that it is a ground loving hog. It uses a lot of runway.

D.