I'm caught between a rock and a hard place. I love having a fast plane at my disposal but I'm not flying very much and hangar space in the Boca Raton/Ft Lauderdale area is tough to find. If anyone has interest in a Solitaire with 5430TT and engines. The engines have around 400hrs to hots. Paint 5, interior 8. If interested contact me for more info. I have this in Brand X talk because I haven't quite made the decision to sell.

Out of sheer, dumb, curiosity - Which has been easier to operate, has a lower cost per seat mile, and has been more reliable? - Your 421 or your MU2?

Hopefully this wasn't one of those situations where a new FBO landed or took over and raised prices 25%-50% to make up for their M&A costs.

The 421 was a great plane, but can't compare to the MU2. I'd say that the Mits cost about the same as the 421. In 10 years, I've never had to cancel a trip. Also, the Mits goes 90-100 kts faster. Even with a winter head wind, it doesn't hurt so much if you're only doing 270ktas.

I believe this. I nearly bought a 421 but made the jump to the MU2 and I am glad I did. Vastly simpler engine maintenance and cheaper fuel favor the MU2.

If anybody is considering a 421, Duke, P-Navajo, etc, they should seriously look at an MU2 instead. The cabin class piston airplanes cost a lot more per mile than it seems, and the MU2 costs less than it seems. Since most of your flying will be with a headwind, the extra speed is more meaningful than just the KTAS ratio. 300 knots will change your life in ways 200 knots can't.

The MU2 is the best bang for the buck. Weill built, reliable, fast. Demands a respectful pilot but is actually easier to fly than the pistons, IMO.


Surely your Solitaire goes faster than 270 KTAS? I would expect 300-305 KTAS.

Even in the MU2, the 100 knot winter headwind was a bummer, but it would be debilitating in the 421. Your 421 choices would be to fly high and suffer a huge headwind, or fly low and get the snot beat out of you or pick up ice over the mountains. In the MU2, you are still doing 200 knots ground speed at altitude, which, while annoying, isn't terrible.

One of the reasons I upgraded to the Citation V was flying to the west coast in winter. Now the 100 knot headwind doesn't seem so bad at 400 KTAS. But the Citation does cost more than the MU2 per mile, about 50% more give or take.

Mike C

I meant that the 270kts is a winter ground speed.