Piper Cheyenne II

[Len Lanetti]

I'd love to hear the pros and cons on this aircraft for business use?

What makes a good trip length?

Runway requirements?

Any really annoying (SBs, ADs) type specific issues?

Other similar aircraft (two engine, turbo prop) from other manufactures that should be considered?

Thanks,

Len

 

[poadeleted3]

The Cessna turbo props were comparable in price and all when they came out, IIRC. May be worth a look into also. I don't have time on this (borrowed) cursed dial up connection to looking at prices, but some other ones that may be worth a look are the King Air B90s and C90s.

 

[Greg Bockelman]

I haven't specifically flown a Cheyenne, but I have flown both PT-6 and Garrett powered airplanes. In my not so humble opinion, the PT-6 is the easier of the two to operate, and I think maintain. I'm not so sure about efficiency. If it were me, I would look at PT-6 powered airplanes.

 

[Len Lanetti]

Greg,

Cheyenne II's are PT6 powered, right?

Are you saying avoid the likes of the Merlin and consider Beachcraft 90 series and the Cheyennes.

From my limited research the initial acquisition cost for a Cheyenne vs a similar vintage Beachcraft is that the Cheyenne is less expensive.

Len

 

[wsuffa]

Greg,

Cheyenne II's are PT6 powered, right?

Are you saying avoid the likes of the Merlin and consider Beachcraft 90 series and the Cheyennes.

From my limited research the initial acquisition cost for a Cheyenne vs a similar vintage Beachcraft is that the Cheyenne is less expensive.

Len

I had a freind that owned a Merlin at one time. He now owns an Aerostar, and still shakes his head when the subject of Merlin costs comes up...

 

[Greg Bockelman]

Greg,

Cheyenne II's are PT6 powered, right?

I am not an expert on the various Cheyenne models. Some are PT6 powered, some are Garrett powered. I really don't know which is which.

Are you saying avoid the likes of the Merlin and consider Beachcraft 90 series and the Cheyennes.

Well, that would be MY preference.

From my limited research the initial acquisition cost for a Cheyenne vs a similar vintage Beachcraft is that the Cheyenne is less expensive.

And more than likely less to maintain. I have heard that Beech is very proud of their parts, when it comes to buying them.

For what its worth, I flew Pratt powered Twin Otters and Garrett powered Jetstream 31s, both in commuter airline operation. I have no direct knowledge of the operating costs or maintenence issues involved with one engine vs the other. I just know what I have heard, and what my experience is as far as operating them. The PT6 is easier to operate, in my opinion than the Garrett.

All of this is worth exactly what you paid for it. In other words, it is one more small piece of information in your research.

Greg

 

[Ken Ibold]

AFAIK, the Cheyenne only came with PT-6s, although a couple different variants. The big bugaboo I have heard about with these airplanes stems from extensive use of cheap electrical connectors and other electrical components. However, I have no direct experience with them.

 

[Henning]

I'd love to hear the pros and cons on this aircraft for business use?

What makes a good trip length?

Runway requirements?

Any really annoying (SBs, ADs) type specific issues?

Other similar aircraft (two engine, turbo prop) from other manufactures that should be considered?

Thanks,

Len

I have a buddy in the Congo Rep operates a dozen Cheyennes and a couple 707s supplying mining camps, he's been pretty happy with them. IIRC the ones he had had PT-6s. Someone brought up Merlins. IMO, they job has to be pretty lucrative to afford a Merlin, and the one I worked with had a pretty poor dispatch reliability, it was a Merlin II, not a lot of big problems, but always lots of little ones.

 

[gismo]

AFAIK, the Cheyenne only came with PT-6s, although a couple different variants. The big bugaboo I have heard about with these airplanes stems from extensive use of cheap electrical connectors and other electrical components. However, I have no direct experience with them.

IIRC the Cheyenne II is the plane with the often cursed "stability augmentation system". This was a blatent attempt to meet the static stability requirements at the expense of controllability. AFaIK it's basically a AOA or airspeed sensor that drives a trim servo to produce an artificial tendency to stay on trim speed. The problem is that there is enough lag in the system that it can easily get behind the airplane and start putting pitch corrections in that are out of phase with the attitude.

 

[Ken Ibold]

IIRC the Cheyenne II is the plane with the often cursed "stability augmentation system". This was a blatent attempt to meet the static stability requirements at the expense of controllability. AFaIK it's basically a AOA or airspeed sensor that drives a trim servo to produce an artificial tendency to stay on trim speed. The problem is that there is enough lag in the system that it can easily get behind the airplane and start putting pitch corrections in that are out of phase with the attitude.

The II has SAS, but the IIXL does not.

 

[Iceman]

Ok for the life of me I cannot figure out "IIRC" or "AFAIK" ?? By the way I know less about turbo prop aircraft than I do women .

 

[ejensen]

Ok for the life of me I cannot figure out "IIRC" or "AFAIK" ?? By the way I know less about turbo prop aircraft than I do women .

If I Recall Correctly

As Far As I Know

 

[Ed Guthrie]

Ok for the life of me I cannot figure out "IIRC" or "AFAIK" ?? By the way I know less about turbo prop aircraft than I do women .

IIRC = "If I remember correctly"
AFAIK = "As far as I know"

 

[Len Lanetti]

By the way I know less about turbo prop aircraft than I do women .

Me too.

That didn't stop me from getting married why should it stop me from buying a turbo prop. :<)

Len

 

[RobertGerace]

They sure look good to me. I've been told you can buy one for about $600k. It may as well be $600 million for me...sigh...

I think there are huge debates about the Cheynne vs. the Conquest...it makes me wonder why the conquest is $400k more.

 

[Iceman]

Thanks guys for bring me up to speed.

Me too.

That didn't stop me from getting married why should it stop me from buying a turbo prop. :<)

Len

Good point...I guess my dream aircraft is a TBM 700. Have you thought about a single prop?

 

[bbchien]

They sure look good to me. I've been told you can buy one for about $600k. It may as well be $600 million for me...sigh...

I think there are huge debates about the Cheynne vs. the Conquest...it makes me wonder why the conquest is $400k more.

The Conquest is about $400K more because the Cheyenne Is (blech) and IIs (nearly as blech) never recovered from having the lighter PT6s out front. It's a Chieftain without enoguh forward mass. Major stability issues. Pilots are not dumb. The market has spoken.