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#1
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Beech Duke Owners/ex-Owners ple help...
I am looking to purchase a pressurized twin that my ins co will let me
fly and am very interested in a Duke. They look to be fast and fits my needs of cabin class (vs Baron type), potty for kids' emergencies and payload to haul family of 4 over the Sierra/Rockies for up to 1000nm. I've looked at Mojave, 414, 421, 340, etc and keep coming back to the Duke. Even though I'm low-time (1000hrs), I've accumulated about 350hrs in a C90B so there is a small (but realistic) chance that my ins co will actually let me go in one of these w/o a propilot vs. "no chance" for the C90B. My request for help: I heard all the remarks - 1) Get a good mechanic, 2) Cost much to keep in the air, 3) Not enough payload, and 4) Req too much runway. I'd like to hear from current/former Duke owners to get the skinny on these concerns. Any specific answers to the following would be much appreciated: 1) What is/was the ave annual maint expenses? Does it escalate after a certain no of TTAF? 2) Are there availability of good svc facilities/mechanics? (Northern CA) 3) What is a "safe" runway length you would fly out of (SL)? How does it perform in high alt field in summer? 4) What ADs and etc one should look for? I'm thinking of 3,000hr TTAF 1980-2 (the "B"?) model. 5) Was insurance a difficult proposition for you? 6) What do you like and dislike about the Duke? Thanks much in advance for the insights. Stanley |
#2
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good questions, I am trying to talk my wife into letting me get a Duke, I
have to have some serious good reasons for her to say yes to one of those. Stanley wrote: I am looking to purchase a pressurized twin that my ins co will let me fly and am very interested in a Duke. They look to be fast and fits my needs of cabin class (vs Baron type), potty for kids' emergencies and payload to haul family of 4 over the Sierra/Rockies for up to 1000nm. I've looked at Mojave, 414, 421, 340, etc and keep coming back to the Duke. Even though I'm low-time (1000hrs), I've accumulated about 350hrs in a C90B so there is a small (but realistic) chance that my ins co will actually let me go in one of these w/o a propilot vs. "no chance" for the C90B. My request for help: I heard all the remarks - 1) Get a good mechanic, 2) Cost much to keep in the air, 3) Not enough payload, and 4) Req too much runway. I'd like to hear from current/former Duke owners to get the skinny on these concerns. Any specific answers to the following would be much appreciated: 1) What is/was the ave annual maint expenses? Does it escalate after a certain no of TTAF? 2) Are there availability of good svc facilities/mechanics? (Northern CA) 3) What is a "safe" runway length you would fly out of (SL)? How does it perform in high alt field in summer? 4) What ADs and etc one should look for? I'm thinking of 3,000hr TTAF 1980-2 (the "B"?) model. 5) Was insurance a difficult proposition for you? 6) What do you like and dislike about the Duke? Thanks much in advance for the insights. Stanley |
#3
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On Sun, 08 Feb 2004 18:21:47 -0800, Jeff wrote:
That's it in a nutshell - 1) Get a good mechanic, 2) Cost too much to keep in the air, 3) Not enough payload, and 4) Req too much runway. Wow, an insurance company that WANTS you to fly a Duke! Here's my take: 1. When it comes to a Duke, if you have to ask the prices, you can't afford it. And if you can afford it, the newsgroup isn't a place to ask questions. It'll be your accountant's office. 2. The annual trips to Flight Safety for recurring training can really bite into your schedule. 3. A Duke is generally an aircraft for people that have more money than sense, or control a company that will probably never get audited. 4. Look elsewhere, as Beech's support for the Duke is RAPIDly going down hill. |
#4
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"Abafon Goula" wrote in message ... On Sun, 08 Feb 2004 18:21:47 -0800, Jeff wrote: 1. When it comes to a Duke, if you have to ask the prices, you can't afford it. And if you can afford it, the newsgroup isn't a place to ask questions. It'll be your accountant's office. Your accountant knows the TO distance for different airplanes? Mike MU-2 |
#5
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=========
Jeff/All, Thanks for the posts. Understand the overall concerns.... but I'd like to know a little more specifics if anyone can provide it (esp owners/ex-owners). FS currency is something that I've accepted as good for safe piloting of the type of aircraft I would like to operate w/ kids in the back, so that is less of an issue in my book. My accountant aside, would someone comment specifically on their experience in keeping a Duke "in the air" re "typical" maintanence costs, operating costs and insurance requirements? Also, the comment re declining Beech support - anyone else experienced this? Thanks again for any replies. Stanley |
#6
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#7
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Quote:
Dukes are alive and well. Thirsty, but all big big bore twins are. I doubt, the poster has owned a Duke. |
#8
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Quote:
Did you ever buy a Duke? If you did what is/was your experience to the questions you asked back in ...02? I am think of purchasing a twin, a Baron or a Duke. I own a Cessna T 210 with a Cont 520 and have not ever been very impressed with the cyclinder maintaines I have to keep doing no matter how I fly it, so I don't like the idea of the Baron except a B56. In other words I would like to try something with a Lycoming running it. I can afford the extra maintances, but hate topping engines every 300 to 400 hours. Bo |
#9
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I can't help you with a Duke but I would consider where training is
availible for any airplane you are considering. In my case the only training center is 2100nm away which is an issue when you have to go every year. If training is an issue, I would buy the King Air and not insure it. KA training is availible at lots of place as is maitenance. Mike MU-2 "Stanley" wrote in message om... I am looking to purchase a pressurized twin that my ins co will let me fly and am very interested in a Duke. They look to be fast and fits my needs of cabin class (vs Baron type), potty for kids' emergencies and payload to haul family of 4 over the Sierra/Rockies for up to 1000nm. I've looked at Mojave, 414, 421, 340, etc and keep coming back to the Duke. Even though I'm low-time (1000hrs), I've accumulated about 350hrs in a C90B so there is a small (but realistic) chance that my ins co will actually let me go in one of these w/o a propilot vs. "no chance" for the C90B. My request for help: I heard all the remarks - 1) Get a good mechanic, 2) Cost much to keep in the air, 3) Not enough payload, and 4) Req too much runway. I'd like to hear from current/former Duke owners to get the skinny on these concerns. Any specific answers to the following would be much appreciated: 1) What is/was the ave annual maint expenses? Does it escalate after a certain no of TTAF? 2) Are there availability of good svc facilities/mechanics? (Northern CA) 3) What is a "safe" runway length you would fly out of (SL)? How does it perform in high alt field in summer? 4) What ADs and etc one should look for? I'm thinking of 3,000hr TTAF 1980-2 (the "B"?) model. 5) Was insurance a difficult proposition for you? 6) What do you like and dislike about the Duke? Thanks much in advance for the insights. Stanley |
#10
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TC:
My experience w/ TC'd engine has been limited to 300hrs in B36TC. I understand the "care and feeding" of these types of engines but have no experience in the 380HP monsters on the Duke. I understand that there are current issues surrounding the crankshaft and lifters... and that there may be a fix re "weeping crankshafts" from Fire Forward. Any insights on this? I plan to fly 100-150hrs per year, primarily for personal use so "dispatchability" is lesser of concern vs "what the heck did I buy" if they are truely the hanger queen variety. I have no direct experience in a Duke and am considering C340 and Duke (as dictated to me by ins co). One alternative would be to try something else and self-insure it, but that probably isn't the brightest move. There is an experienced Duke maint facility around here w/ decade plus trackrecord w/ 10's of them - they've been useful, but the reason this post is to hear directly from other owners/ex-owners who would have the least amount of bias. Also, others who have worked on it (e.g. "watch out for the Magnesium Tail assembly and signs of corrosion") have been extremely helpful. I'm tracking down couple of owners now... Anyone w/ experience flying these in warm weather out of high altitude fields (yeah, I don't plan to, but like to know first hand experiences)? Keep those posts coming! Stanley |
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