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#1
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Opinions on Cessna 340, 414 and 421
I'm considering buying a plane, and have decided to go with a twin. I
understand that there will be more maintenance costs over a single, but I like the safety margin of the second engine. I also like the idea of pressurization, because we have some high mountains out here on the west coast. It would be nice to fly over them at a safe altitude, and I would also like to be able to get on top of most of the weather. I'd like to hear opinions on the 340, 414, and 421. A former commecial pilot recommended the 340 or 414 to me. He said the 421 is good, but has some kind of gear drive that could make maintenance more expensive. Also, I'd like opinions on the engine out performance and handling. I'm told some twins are more difficult than others when an engine is out. John Szpara Affordable Satellite Fiero Owner 2-84 Indy Pace cars, 86 Coupe, 88 Formula 3.4, 88 Coupe, 88GT |
#2
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john szpara ) wrote:
snip I'd like to hear opinions on the 340, 414, and 421. A former commecial pilot recommended the 340 or 414 to me. He said the 421 is good, but has some kind of gear drive that could make maintenance more expensive. Also, I'd like opinions on the engine out performance and handling. I'm told some twins are more difficult than others when an engine is out. I don't have any experience to offer but I have been catching news items about the probable release of a very expensive spar AD for the Cessna 400 series. There is also speculation that this spar AD might involve other Cessna twins, too. Read a couple of news items he http://www.avweb.com/newswire/10_12a.../186888-1.html http://www.avweb.com/newswire/10_12a.../186889-1.html -- Peter ----== Posted via Newsfeed.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeed.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 100,000 Newsgroups ---= 19 East/West-Coast Specialized Servers - Total Privacy via Encryption =--- |
#3
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This was going to be my response. I wouldn't invest any money in a
Cessna twin until the AD becomes final and I know what aircraft are involved and how much it is going to cost to comply. Cessna Twins may become very inexpensive in the near future. "Peter R." wrote: I don't have any experience to offer but I have been catching news items about the probable release of a very expensive spar AD for the Cessna 400 series. There is also speculation that this spar AD might involve other Cessna twins, too. Read a couple of news items he |
#4
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On Tue, 30 Mar 2004 21:03:01 GMT, jsmith wrote:
Thanks for the heads up. I've been browsing ads, and see that some say "not affected by upcoming AD" or some such things, but it's looking like all Cessna twins might go that route. This was going to be my response. I wouldn't invest any money in a Cessna twin until the AD becomes final and I know what aircraft are involved and how much it is going to cost to comply. Cessna Twins may become very inexpensive in the near future. John Szpara Affordable Satellite Fiero Owner 2-84 Indy Pace cars, 86 Coupe, 88 Formula 3.4, 88 Coupe, 88GT |
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On Wed, 31 Mar 2004 00:02:34 GMT, john szpara
wrote: On Tue, 30 Mar 2004 21:03:01 GMT, jsmith wrote: Thanks for the heads up. I've been browsing ads, and see that some say "not affected by upcoming AD" or some such things, but it's looking like all Cessna twins might go that route. snip Talked to a big Cessna piston operator/maintainer recently (he had just returned from meetings with da Feds). He's got his first 400 series in the shop right now. During inspection, found 4 non-standard rivets in the fitting immediately outboard of the wing attach. The consensus from the meeting was that about 40% of the aircraft that have been inspected have found similiar serious maintenance-induced spar/wing attach problems (wrong hardware, post-assembly holes mis-drilled, or drilled in critical areas), but no inherent age-related structural problems. It's going to happen, it's going to be expensive, and no one knows for sure where it is going to stop (in regards to applicability). This is a critical issue for continued airworthiness of ALL twin GA aircraft. Last time I checked, no one was manufacturing a new like replacement for a medium recip twin (300- 400- series Cessnas, 31- Pipers, etc.). TC |
#6
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Hmm, You raise an interesting point. Why is it that no one is making those
planes anymore? Does everyone want turbine singles and twins instead? I have seen that convrting the 421 to a turbine is becoming popular. I know that turbines are safer than pistons, but I always believed that the difference in accidents between the turbine and piston twins was more a matter of training than engine reliability. |
#7
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#8
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If I were rich enough to afford a twin, I would like to buy a P337
Skymaster, not a 3xx or 4xx. Nasty wing AD hammer about to drop on the heads of the owners of Cessna "conventional" prop twins. Oh, and if I win the lottery, the only other Cessna twin I'd have would be a Citation of course :-) |
#9
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"One's Too Many" wrote in message om... If I were rich enough to afford a twin, I would like to buy a P337 Skymaster, not a 3xx or 4xx. Nasty wing AD hammer about to drop on the heads of the owners of Cessna "conventional" prop twins. Oh, and if I win the lottery, the only other Cessna twin I'd have would be a Citation of course :-) A P337 is essentially a twin engine Skylane; a 300 or 400 series is a cabin class plane. |
#10
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