What's wrong with this airplane?

I think you and I would be good friends if we met in person.

I have a Twin Comanche. When I got it I heard: "those things are dangerous", "didn't they kill a lot of people?". "They will bite you if you get slow".

All airplanes are dangerous if flown incorrectly. All cars are dangerous if driven incorrectly, or if someone around you drives incorrectly.

I especially like talking to someone who rides street bikes and says flying is dangerous.

Lol, and I think the Twinkie is probably the best little twin out there
 
I think you and I would be good friends if we met in person.

I have a Twin Comanche. When I got it I heard: "those things are dangerous", "didn't they kill a lot of people?". "They will bite you if you get slow".

All airplanes are dangerous if flown incorrectly. All cars are dangerous if driven incorrectly, or if someone around you drives incorrectly.

I especially like talking to someone who rides street bikes and says flying is dangerous.


The hang glider launch at Lookout Mountain Flight Park is on a well traveled scenic road that is popular with motorcyclists, and quite a few of them will stop by for a few minutes to watch us launch. That launch is especially dramatic, since the ramp ends abruptly so you're essentially running off of a cliff. One of the bikers was watching a few guys launch, and as he walked back to his bike he said "www.AINTNOWAY.com". :lol:
 
If those times are correct. Something is unusual. A fast x-country airplane that has only averaged about 30 hrs per year over the last three decades?

Doesn't say NDH.....I'm thinking something happened during its lifetime and it sat for a long time.

Twins are indeed cheap right now, but a good Aerostar is not THAT cheap.
 
An airplane broker told me not long ago, that the twink was the best deal out there in his opinion.
 
An airplane broker told me not long ago, that the twink was the best deal out there in his opinion.
Twinks are outstanding airplanes for the money.

I would have bought one, but I needed the greater capacity and load of the Baron.
 
Did he happen to have one for sale?? :D Not knocking the Twinkies, just most brokers seem to have "the best" deals in stock, kind of like us car dealers. It is ALWAYS a good time to buy a car and the one you picked out is the best one we have on the lot! :lol:

An airplane broker told me not long ago, that the twink was the best deal out there in his opinion.
 
Uh, guys, call it a Twinkie if you want, but not a Twink. This is a Twink:
image.jpg
 
Thank you.

Mine is the 2X 200 HP Miller conversion. I don't even call her a twinkie.
 
Did he happen to have one for sale?? :D Not knocking the Twinkies, just most brokers seem to have "the best" deals in stock, kind of like us car dealers. It is ALWAYS a good time to buy a car and the one you picked out is the best one we have on the lot! :lol:


No, we actually were talking Glasair's, and the conversation got long and he was giving me his honest talk imo. He didn't try to 'sell' me one of his twins. I don't think he had one.

He pointed out the fuel burn on the twinkie, the low low acquisition cost and maintenance, and the capabilities of the aircraft.

I think he was straight talking me.
 
Gosh, I hope that kid is an adult or we could all be in trouble....
 
Thank you.

Mine is the 2X 200 HP Miller conversion. I don't even call her a twinkie.

That always seemed like a great airplane to me. I also wondered what it could do with 390s or, better still, 540s. Probably get turbine-esque performance at that point.
 
That always seemed like a great airplane to me. I also wondered what it could do with 390s or, better still, 540s. Probably get turbine-esque performance at that point.

540s would make it handle like crap but a pair of turbo normalized 390s would be pretty nice.
 
That always seemed like a great airplane to me. I also wondered what it could do with 390s or, better still, 540s. Probably get turbine-esque performance at that point.

If course it would be even faster in a Ravin Twin!! :D
 
540s would make it handle like crap but a pair of turbo normalized 390s would be pretty nice.

The weight difference between a 390 and a parallel-valve 540 is not that much.
 
BTW, if anyone is looking for perhaps a deal and isn't fussy about complete logbooks, then this could be a good plane for the right long term buyer. Obviously, not the right plane if you plan on reselling soon. This is the fast 700 (350hp aside) version with the U2A engines. Used set of props will set you back another $10K, but maybe the come with it (0 SPOH remark)? She should be ferriable after that unless there's some major other problem.

http://www.controller.com/listingsdetail/aircraft-for-sale/AEROSTAR-601P/1979-AEROSTAR-601P/1296529.htm
 
Last edited:
BTW, if anyone is looking for perhaps a deal and isn't fussy about complete logbooks, then this could be a good plane for the right long term buyer. Obviously, not the right plane if you plan on reselling soon. This is the fast 700 (350hp aside) version with the U2A engines. Used set of props will set you back another $10K, but maybe the come with it (0 SPOH remark)? She should be ferriable after that unless there's some major other problem.

http://www.controller.com/listingsdetail/aircraft-for-sale/AEROSTAR-601P/1979-AEROSTAR-601P/1296529.htm

Hmmmm, it says the props are ready to go. I wonder who the custodial company was that stored the plane for the USMS, they don't do it themselves. I wonder why the engines are off it. With no logs and no idea of time and condition, considering the sitting time is likely to be 4 years and in a coastal climate, it'd be hard to value them at anything above core value without an IRAN. I'd say minimum cost to inspect to get it legal and make me comfortable to fly it would be about $10k unless there is a really expensive AD, which if everything came out ok would would be a sweet deal at $60k for a Superstar 700.
 
I think you and I would be good friends if we met in person.

I have a Twin Comanche. When I got it I heard: "those things are dangerous", "didn't they kill a lot of people?". "They will bite you if you get slow".

All airplanes are dangerous if flown incorrectly. All cars are dangerous if driven incorrectly, or if someone around you drives incorrectly.

I especially like talking to someone who rides street bikes and says flying is dangerous.

Actually a riding a street bike for an hour on the road is roughly equivalent to driving a car 19 hours, but flying a Cessna 182 is 30.

I'm burning the candle at both ends, I guess.
 
Hmmmm, it says the props are ready to go. I wonder who the custodial company was that stored the plane for the USMS, they don't do it themselves. I wonder why the engines are off it. With no logs and no idea of time and condition, considering the sitting time is likely to be 4 years and in a coastal climate, it'd be hard to value them at anything above core value without an IRAN. I'd say minimum cost to inspect to get it legal and make me comfortable to fly it would be about $10k unless there is a really expensive AD, which if everything came out ok would would be a sweet deal at $60k for a Superstar 700.

I don't think the engines are off it. The props are for some reason. Put the props back on, pump the tires and fly home?...:rolleyes:
 
BTW, if anyone is looking for perhaps a deal and isn't fussy about complete logbooks, then this could be a good plane for the right long term buyer. Obviously, not the right plane if you plan on reselling soon. This is the fast 700 (350hp aside) version with the U2A engines. Used set of props will set you back another $10K, but maybe the come with it (0 SPOH remark)? She should be ferriable after that unless there's some major other problem.

http://www.controller.com/listingsdetail/aircraft-for-sale/AEROSTAR-601P/1979-AEROSTAR-601P/1296529.htm

I talked to that guy. My general impression is that the plane is worth half of what they're asking, including the props.
 
That always seemed like a great airplane to me. I also wondered what it could do with 390s or, better still, 540s. Probably get turbine-esque performance at that point.


It does great with the turbo-normalized IO360's. If you add much more engine weight you will have real cg problems.

I get an easy 170 kts at 6500 without turbos. I have been to 17.5 K with the turbos and see an easy 200kts.+.

Climbs like a goat. Has the Robertson STOL also. Fun airplane, but quite a jump from the 172 I had before.
 
Back
Top