1964 Comanche 250

CaptGully

CaptGully

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
Sep 20, 2023
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18
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Deland,Fl
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Display name:
CaptGully
Currently acquiring a 1964 Comanche 250! I am based out of KDED and will have the plane this upcoming weekend, looking for a cfi experienced in the type that could spare some time to give me some dual hours to help me get acclimated to the airplane. She has a fully glass cockpit GI 275’s GFC500 autopilot, electric trim+flaps, retract gear, 90 gallon tanks. Beautiful bird. Want to be smart and get someone who knows far more than me to help me get acclimated, any help would be great, thanks!
 
Can't help you with the CFI, but I can welcome you to the tribe. You're gonna love that airplane. Congrats!
 
CaptGully said:
Currently acquiring a 1964 Comanche 250! I am based out of KDED and will have the plane this upcoming weekend, looking for a cfi experienced in the type that could spare some time to give me some dual hours to help me get acclimated to the airplane. She has a fully glass cockpit GI 275’s GFC500 autopilot, electric trim+flaps, retract gear, 90 gallon tanks. Beautiful bird. Want to be smart and get someone who knows far more than me to help me get acclimated, any help would be great, thanks!
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Not a CFI and nowhere near you but I also just recently transitioned to a Comanche 250. I don't know what you flew previously. I had a Cherokee prior to the Comanche and things were overwhelming at first. Things happen faster in the pattern, there is more to do. You really have to be on top of your checklist and follow the approach speed recommendations, otherwise float galore. Took a few hours of dual to get used to this. I now have 35 hours PIC in the Comanche and it's becoming more comfortable slowly. Some landings I grease onto the runway with minimal floating, and some other landings I rather not talk about those. It's not a difficult plane to fly per se. It just requires you to be more diligent than in a, let's say, Cherokee. Once you enter the pattern, gears down, prop full forward, it flies like a Cherokee, just a bit faster with more floating tendencies. If you are transitioning from a typical, what most people call "trainers", you'll love the speed (unless your primary goal is time building lol). I just returned from an exact same trip I did last year at around the same time in the Cherokee. Last year's outbound flight was 4.4 hours, this year it was 3.7. Inbound took 3.4 hours last year and 2.6 hours this year.
 
Ahhhh, if you were closer... I had access to a Comanche 250 for about 4 years. Loved it. I still smile whenever I see one, and it's been almost 15 years since I last flew it. I can just imagine the fun of flying one that well-equipped (if you are instrument rated and haven't flown glass before, your avionics transition may take longer than the airframe transition).

As @Chrisgoesflying said, one issue is, like a Mooney, it's not as forgiving of inadequate airspeed control, but take care of business and it landing characteristics are excellent. And like any transition from fixed gear (if that's the case) to a high performance retract, learning to anticipate earlier is essential to staying ahead of the airplane.
 
It's an awesome plane. I had a 260C for a long time.

Speed control is the main thing. If you get that right, everything else falls into place. It's slippery and it'll float on you.

...and oh yeah... put the gear down before landing. ;)
 
44P? Very nice aircraft if so, had been eyeballing that one but a bit out of my price range, jealous of that panel
 
I am almost 2 years into my 250. I recall for the first bit, takeoffs and landings took some getting used to. It doesn't jump off the runway like most planes. It gets a little light and starts to dance a little which felt odd at first.
Your first few landings may be like mine, float float float, Kachunk! Other than that, its a plane. Carries a lot and goes fast. Fuel management will become a bigger part of your process. Don't forget to put the gear down.

Congrats!
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I am almost 2 years into my 250. I recall for the first bit, takeoffs and landings took some getting used to. It doesn't jump off the runway like most planes. It gets a little light and starts to dance a little which felt odd at first.
Your first few landings may be like mine, float float float, Kachunk! Other than that, its a plane. Carries a lot and goes fast. Fuel management will become a bigger part of your process. Don't forget to put the gear down.

Congrats!
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Hmmmm? :idea:No different than your Traveler landings if I remember correctly! :eek:
 
Ryan F. said:
I've owned a Twin Comanche for 23 years. Love the airplane. The Comanche (single and twin) are an under-appreciated aircraft... really outstanding in performance/efficiency/pure fun to own and fly.
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Where do you fly out of? Also like the Twin Comanche and have kept my eye open for one.
 
As soon as you think you've got greasers nailed, they make a liar out of you.
 
Observe the gear speed limits and realize if you do pop the breaker it’s not

a big deal. Just fly around till it cools and reset.

I’d like to recommend doing the Emergency Extension Procedure with the aircraft on

jacks periodically. Learning this with an actual malfunction is not my preference.

Note that pax can ( and DO) step on the Fuel Selector.

This can leave you unable to switch tanks!
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I greased one on by mistake yesterday. Probably the smoothest landing I've ever made. Total accident.
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Best trick I've learned for landing the Comanche, two turns nose up trim on final. Really helps the flare, assuming you are on speed in the first place.
 
Greg Bockelman said:
What does that do for an unintended go around? Just curious.
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Obviously the trim creates a pitch up force, but it is very manageable with forward pressure on the yoke until you can get it retrimmed.
 
There is a list of instructors on the Facebook group: Piper Comanche. The Airworthy Comanche Forum over on Delphi is also a good place to ask.
 
Kelvin said:
If you bought what I think you bought, you have a nice specimen.
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N8344P known as “Ruby” she’s been all over to Sun n Fun and Osh, seen on Piper magazines a few times…….I’m already in love we took ownership over the weekend!
 
T Bird said:
44P? Very nice aircraft if so, had been eyeballing that one but a bit out of my price range, jealous of that panel
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Took ownership of her this past weekend, so excited, the previous owner threw in the magazines she was featured in so I have those framed on the wall now haha
 
CaptGully said:
Hello everyone!

Last weekend I took ownership of a 1964 Comanche 250 many of you may know as “Ruby”. She’s been seen at many air shows over the past couple years and featured in a few magazines most recently Pipers June 2023 edition. I’m looking for some cool places to go visit, maybe meet some cool people, do some formation flights, etc! Feel free to direct message me!
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Just wanted to update everyone that was kind enough to help me out when I purchased my Comanche back in September. I sadly have not yet been able to fly this beautiful bird. Upon receiving the aircraft from its prebuy, my mechanic found some things he was suspicious of under the engine cowling. To my surprise the engine needed a complete overhaul despite being 500hr smoh. I wanted to come on here and give a huge shoutout to Zephyr Engine in Florida they have been nothing short of stellar in helping me get this engine back in service! They are currently awaiting a new crank as the previous one had 2 cracks, as well as LJ working hardly in their highly rated cylinder repair shop to get us back up in the air. If anyone needs engine services I would 1000% recommend Zephyr! Thank you to everyone who has helped me so far and I hope to check back in sometime in June with an update that Ruby is back in service and flying the skies!
 

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Duuuuude...

I know how sucky it was for me to read that last post, and thats from somebody w/o any skin in the game, I can only imagine how bad that must have absolutely sucked for you.

Just out of curiosity, what was it that your mechanic saw that the prebuy missed?
 
guest user said:
Duuuuude...

I know how sucky it was for me to read that last post, and thats from somebody w/o any skin in the game, I can only imagine how bad that must have absolutely sucked for you.

Just out of curiosity, what was it that your mechanic saw that the prebuy missed?
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We had some word from the pre-buy mechanic of a cylinder that was showing mid compressions however he could see there was carbon built up on the valve from the previous owner running the engine rich and that this would be a simple fix and nothing to be concerned about. Against my better judgment and due to my complete lack of knowledge I went forward with everything. My mechanic took a look upon delivery and noticed instantly the spark plugs looked in terrible condition so he started investigating and wanted to see the cylinder with the carbon stuck valve. Come to find out the valve was about the only thing in the cylinder that actually looked okay. The piston ring were visible from boroscoping, deep vertical scarring in the cylinder walls, no signs of cross hatching left. Come to find out from Zephyr all 6 cylinders were completely shot and needed either to be completely re-worked or just purchase new cylinders. Throwing blame around does nothing truly. Since then I have spent a lot of time hands on in aircraft mechanics and studying the books so I can be more savvy the next time around. I can only blame myself for my lack on knowledge. We learn and get better as we go!
 

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