On Oct 20, 9:35 am, 309 wrote:
On Oct 20, 12:20 am, Frank Whiteley wrote:

Received an e-mail from LAVIASA, Argentina today

Prices for NEW Pawnees

PA-25-235 (PROP FIX PITCH)
US$ 156,634

PA-25-260 (PROP FIX PITCH)
US$ 160,115

PA-25-260 (PROP CONSTANT SPEED)
US$ 169,397

Hmm, nobody mentioned "upgrading" to new Pawnees (and I didn't know
you could get then NEW).

Nobody's discussed getting an Air Tractor, or Thrush, or other modern
Turbine powered AgPlane.http://www.airtractor.com/Default.aspx?p=4530
With a useful load of 9,495 lbs (isn't that approximately FIVE fully
loaded Duo Discus -- or is it Disci?), it would seem to me that the
Air Tractor 802 would pay for itself in less than a season, with tows
to 5,000 feet taking approximately 2 minutes and 34 seconds.

Hmm, turbine -- that means NO shock cooling.
Air Conditioning -- that means NO tow pilot whining.
254 gal fuel capacity -- that means gas it up once a week(end).
Double or triple tows -- that means maximum 15 minute wait for a
tow...

Is Jet fuel still less expensive than 100 LL?

-Pete
#309

Not positive, but I don't think multiple glider tows are allowed under
the SSA insurance plan.

Turbines consume a lot of fuel while on the ground also, according to
a friend of mine.

I believe there is a SIAI-Marchetti SM.1019 in Uvalde, 400hp. It's
been used as a tow plane but I don't believe it's in regular use.
Rate of climb on tow is said to be 2100fpm and 9000fpm descent.
2000ft tow cycle was reportedly three minutes. Similar to winching;^)

http://www.warbirds-eaa.org/articles/04_02_featue.pdf
http://www.shanaberger.com/sm1019.htm

Frank Whiteley