It might not be useless, but it is rather inefficient as anybody that has operated one knows. I remember my old Beech burned as much fuel on downwind as it did in cruise! Mine was an old freighter so I just used oxygen, but if it would have been a passenger plane I would have been a different story. So yes, calling a non-inflatable turboprop "useless" does have some merit.

Jeff

It might not be useless, but it is rather inefficient as anybody that has operated one knows. I remember my old Beech burned as much fuel on downwind as it did in cruise! Mine was an old freighter so I just used oxygen, but if it would have been a passenger plane I would have been a different story. So yes, calling a non-inflatable turboprop "useless" does have some merit.

Jeff

...I even saw a tricycle gear Beach 18 with turbines recently.

I know it well, that was one of my old planes...

Spot the aerostar tail - parked in between a baron and 310 in Sedona last week…

The one with the pitot tube sock…

I heard that plane fell on its face at about 14,000 ft. It needed a more derated engine to work well with the Aerostar.

That airframe is at the Flight Shop now and has been for quite a while.

I heard that plane fell on its face at about 14,000 ft. It needed a more derated engine to work well with the Aerostar.

That airframe is at the Flight Shop now and has been for quite a while.

My mistake!

It is Allison's first turbine Aerostar that is at the Flight Shop - with the same paint scheme.

What are the hourly operating costs for Aerostars nowadays?

Not at all trying to be grumpy or a smart Alec here…

I always have trouble answering that question for people. It can vary SIGNIFICANTLY based on what’s included. Just fuel? Oil? Maintenance? Insurance? Hangar? Depreciation? Engine overhaul reserves, Garmin database costs, Etc…

I did this for a 414 a few years ago and was able to come up with numbers ranging from $250/hr to up in the $800 range depending on what you included or didn’t.

Also lots of different Aerostar models that burn a different amount of fuel and may require more or less maintenance and cost more or less to insure.

I have a 601P and average fuel burn is 35 gph. That $210/hr if you use $6/gal fuel. Maintenance is wildly variable depending on who does your maintenance, how well it’s been maintained for the last few years, etc.

How much does it cost?

My 601P.

Now that I have fully debugged my Aerostar, (in my 8th year) my costs are 10K/yr or so maintenance. On a year to year basis that can be -0 + 15K.
4.5K/yr insurance.

Gas plan 35 to 40gph how hard do you fly it.

Decent Maintenance reserves for turbos, tires, engine etc.. $150 to $250/hr

Lunch an engine and run metal chips through turbos, prop, engine / governor etc...
could easily be a $150K event. (my similar event was >125K in 2018)

I have my A+P and I do my own routine maintenance like oil changes, fix bulbs, tires, brakes, vacuum pumps etc...

I do not do any inspections, I suck as an inspector and don't think I should be inspecting an aircraft I regularly fly, I don't see what I don't see.

I don't do any really heavy maintenance.
The Flightshop at KBMC does my annual and any serious maintenance.

Not at all trying to be grumpy or a smart Alec here…

I always have trouble answering that question for people. It can vary SIGNIFICANTLY based on what’s included. Just fuel? Oil? Maintenance? Insurance? Hangar? Depreciation? Engine overhaul reserves, Garmin database costs, Etc…

I did this for a 414 a few years ago and was able to come up with numbers ranging from $250/hr to up in the $800 range depending on what you included or didn’t.

Also lots of different Aerostar models that burn a different amount of fuel and may require more or less maintenance and cost more or less to insure.

I have a 601P and average fuel burn is 35 gph. That $210/hr if you use $6/gal fuel. Maintenance is wildly variable depending on who does your maintenance, how well it’s been maintained for the last few years, etc.

When I was flying 200+ hours a year I figured $500/Hr plus fuel.

Now I assume $1000/Hr plus fuel.

Not that I do the math.

That’s what I’m spending so that number includes upgrades, and items like paint (scheduled for this fall last done 2010), windshield, charts, hangar rent, insurance, etc.

Bottom line: Purchase price is just the cost of admission, and if you can’t deal with 50-100K years without sweating or causing famial discord, you can’t afford one (with turbo chargers).

No offense - but that question is like asking how long is a piece of string. Who knows, they are all different.

Airplanes are so tough to come up with one number, I have a friend with a pilatus… they had the heat/ac enviromental valve go out. Sounds like a simple valve, but it cost $80,000. That moves the needle on operating cost for the year…

It might not be useless, but it is rather inefficient as anybody that has operated one knows. I remember my old Beech burned as much fuel on downwind as it did in cruise! Mine was an old freighter so I just used oxygen, but if it would have been a passenger plane I would have been a different story. So yes, calling a non-inflatable turboprop "useless" does have some merit.

Jeff