Aerostar

Lance F

Lance F

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Lance F
Today I got some Aerostar time including a couple of take offs and landings. This was a 600 model with straight forward Lycoming iO540s, no turbocharging, no pressurization. It's really a nice airplane with pushrods for all controls like my Mooney. It's very precise and smooth in it's handling. The systems seem pretty simple. And best of all, it's fast.

I've noticed the Aerostar never makes the lists when discussions about twins come up on this board. I don't know why not. This one seemed great.
 

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Lance F said:
Today I got some Aerostar time including a couple of take offs and landings. This was a 600 model with straight forward Lycoming iO540s, no turbocharging, no pressurization. It's really a nice airplane with pushrods for all controls like my Mooney. It's very precise and smooth in it's handling. The systems seem pretty simple. And best of all, it's fast.

I've noticed the Aerostar never makes the lists when discussions about twins come up on this board. I don't know why not. This one seemed great.
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Hell, there's alot of things I like about the Aerostar.
 
The reason they never come up is because they are few and require didication to btoh maintenence and to recurrent training. Read the POH carefully, Lance, and figure out OEI. It's just fine if you keep the ASI in thek proper slot. Slot is narrow- but if you keep it there it will treat you well.

But mostly there are issues like the following: Nosegear steering by toggle switch- the only guy in the county who can rebuild the pack is is at Sac. SkyRanch...and I'm told he has diabetes.

Right engine inboard lower rear spark plug- ever tried to get to one- YGBSM!



The top efficiency birds in each category remain:

Grumman Tiger
Mooney M20J
Aerostar 600
 
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At the little airport where I flew this one there are 7 600s! I am sure there a few maintenance gotchas but every type has those I guess. The switch nose wheel steering was a bit weird at first, but I got the hang of it.. Don't know about fixing them, but Aerostar Aircraft Corp seems to be supporting the fleet pretty well (right now it looks better than Mooney). The rear plugs can't be much worse than accessing some things on the very tight Mooney.

As far as OEI ops are concerned, i think flying them under gross like you espouse Bruce is the best plan.

For now anyway this flying was just having a fun morning.
 
It's like eating the bottom sardine in the can first, every thing in the way must come out first.

then you get into the syndrome of the bigger the hole gets, the bigger it needs to be, next thing you know your into a fire wall forward, I love an aerostar, they have paid for many a mechs house.

think fuel management, all day, all the way. I understand the Aerostar holds the record for fuel starvation with full tanks.
 
Lance, a pal of mine who has returned to Lear 35s remarks, "Well in the lear you get to V1 and you rotate and then you declare the fuel emergency bucause every flight is a fuel emergency" (a bit of hyperbole here, I think....).

Aerostars are expensive in a different way.....
 
Tom-D said:
It's like eating the bottom sardine in the can first, every thing in the way must come out first.

then you get into the syndrome of the bigger the hole gets, the bigger it needs to be, next thing you know your into a fire wall forward, I love an aerostar, they have paid for many a mechs house.

think fuel management, all day, all the way. I understand the Aerostar holds the record for fuel starvation with full tanks.
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I don't own an Aerostar; I'm not friends with anyone that owns an Aerostar; I'll probably never own an Aerostar (or even fly one again). That said, I don't understand a single one of your comments.
 
Lance, I love flying the thing. I too would never own one, unless I became an A&P and eventually an IA and that's never going to happen.

Tom's comments, I'm sure are like in the Mooney- to get to anything, the space is very tight, so you have to remove what's in front of you to get to the stuff to which you want to get. Surely you've changed a Vac Pump on your 201. That fourth nut can make you cry. Now multiply that x 4 and you've got a 600. Get a 601P or a 700 and it's even worse.

OR, you have to have the hands of a 10 year old. But that inboard cylinder on teh right engine, OMG. I'd be tempted to cut an unairworthy hatch and put it back together with Dzus fasteners and a doubler.

There are so many issues for which "time to completion" is rendered difficult by the tight packaging of EVERYTHING on this particular design.
 
bbchien said:
Lance, a pal of mine who has returned to Lear 35s remarks, "Well in the lear you get to V1 and you rotate and then you declare the fuel emergency bucause every flight is a fuel emergency" (a bit of hyperbole here, I think....).

Aerostars are expensive in a different way.....
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Hah, although a 35 is a Prius compared with a 24 or 25.
 
I fly the Aerostars for Aerotech Services. They are a fun aircraft to fly. They definitely require a little more attention to OEI procedures. Things also happen a bit faster in them than others. There are certainly some components that are hard to reach and take a lot of work to repair/replace. As long as all fuel solenoids work properly, fuel management is almost a no brainer. Just remember to fill the fuselage tank first, and keep the wings tanks balanced with cross feed and you are good to go. If any of the valves malfunction, you can get yourself into a world of hurt in a short time, depending on how they malfunction and what tank they are stuck on.

I do love flying them, though.
 
Aztec Driver said:
.....If any of the valves malfunction, you can get yourself into a world of hurt in a short time, depending on how they malfunction and what tank they are stuck on.

I do love flying them, though.
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AMEN. ELECTRIC fuel valves require electrons!
 
If any of the valves malfunction, you can get yourself into a world of hurt in a short time, depending on how they malfunction and what tank they are stuck on.
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Sort of surprised they passed certification, although I guess the mechanical ones fail too.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Sort of surprised they passed certification, although I guess the mechanical ones fail too.
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There are only three positions.
Off
Crossfeed, which feeds from the opposite wing tank only.
On, which feeds from both the same wing tank and the fuselage tank at the same time.

Off would definitely cause a problem, but you would normally never switch it to that, therefore it should never fail in that position.

If it fails in the crossfeed position, you need to monitor the opposite wing tank and make sure you are not running low. Land and refuel as necessary, keeping all tanks as full as possible.

Failing in the on position would just not allow you to balance the fuel between the two wing tanks. Not pleasant, but not a catastrophe.

And don't be uncoordinated either. Being uncoordinated can cause the wing tanks to unport even with up to 22 gallons still remaining in the tanks. That was an eye opener.
 
Lance F said:
Today I got some Aerostar time including a couple of take offs and landings. This was a 600 model with straight forward Lycoming iO540s, no turbocharging, no pressurization. It's really a nice airplane with pushrods for all controls like my Mooney. It's very precise and smooth in it's handling. The systems seem pretty simple. And best of all, it's fast.

I've noticed the Aerostar never makes the lists when discussions about twins come up on this board. I don't know why not. This one seemed great.
Click to expand...

They're expensive - Probably more than I'll ever be able to afford - But they're pretty amazing birds, too.

Lance, did you see the jet-powered Aerostar at Oshkosh? Very interesting...
 
There are only three positions.
Click to expand...

Thanks for explaining the piloting of it.
When I said I was surprised it passed certification I was referring to the valves being electrically actuated. Does the aircraft have a backup system beyond 2 alternators and a battery or was that considered adequate?
 
I really like the Aerostars, at least as much as one can who's never flown or owned one. I was looking at them for dog runs. The cabin is actually pretty good for dog crates.

We have a 600 at the airport. The owner loves it, as does his pilot. The mechanics love it, too - it keeps them employed.
 
I spent a LOT of time looking at that Aerostar jet. Isn't this engine the cutest thing you've ever seen.
 

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