It was an accident....


I wasn't hunting the airplane. It came about on the investment side of things, then I started looking into the plane and realized it appears to be a seriously loaded machine that is all weather capable. When I pushed the throttles forward the first time it kinda grew on me...

I have not made a decision yet. I was a one airplane guy for less than a week, and that has been my goal for some time. I need to choose, but its going to have to be a great machine because you don't find 200 gallon, air-conditioned, deiced 58s very often.

As for mission, I do have plenty of staff to move around and this would allow me to haul more docs and nurses to Mexico. I would have over the weather capability all winter and sometimes in the summer. There have been a few times where I've missed the turbos.

Another downside will be efficiency. You cannot beat a 58 Baron for all around capability bang vs. buck. That plane can really do a lot for a comparatively modest budget.

Though if commercial operators are any guide ... a Navajo is a pretty good machine too.

I essentially started my charter biz with a 310 Navajo, like yours was before it was Pantherized. I put about 2K hrs on it. Piper got it right when they built the Navajo. Extremely versatile, stout, dependable bird. Making TBO on the engines were no problem.

It is a good short field performer, W&B is rarely an issue. Mine had 2 blade props and would cruise comfortably at 185 on 19 a side ROP. (Engine monitors were a guy in the right seat back then) Fuel management is pretty easy, TO on the mains, switch to aux when established in cruise, if you need the range, when the gauges get low watch the HP fuel press gauge, when it starts to flicker switch back to mains and it won't even hiccup.

The only AOG experience was a failed starter vibrator. Probably not an issue with your plane, but the elevator trim tab heim joints should have 0 play in them, let them get just a little sloppy and it gets a bit exciting.

IMHO it is the piston equalivent of a KA200, not the fastest, but comfortable, dependable, forgiving and versatile.

Steve,

You're on....as long as you give me a ride in that timepiece Vtail. Did I miss the thread on that gem?

Best,

Jesse, I think that is one damn fine airplane. Congrats on picking up what is likely one of the very best in the fleet.

Those are some clean engines. Do all lycomings exhaust out the top?

No, Just the turbo 540s, another oddity...airflow through the engine is bottom to top.

Perfect plane for you Jess. Nice big cabin windows for ALL your kids.

Take care
Old low and slow Ed Weber

That's a serious mini airliner. Congrats Jesse, if you have a business use case for that sucker I say go for it. Someone is going to get a damn fine B58 !

Nice bird! You should look at Kingairs next!

Hey Ed!

Great to hear from you. Hopefully I can load this bus up and we can get the families together soon.

Best,

Adam,

At the moment, I'm hoping I fly it and love it. You are right about the airliner bit....it even has a windshield wiper :D

National Airparts makes PMA'd high current alternators: http://www.nationalairparts.com/

Plane Power (now part of Hartzell Engine Technologies) did offer the ALT-FLX that would supply 100amps @ 14volts / 150 amps @ 28 volts. Last word I heard on those was that their vendor quit making them when HET bought PP.

I have owned two 310 Navajos and sold my last one to Colemill to be turned into a panther. With a bit over 500 hours in them, the Navajo is still my favorite airplane - roomy, quiet, capable, and very stable on instruments. The tall cabin makes getting in and out of cockpit for a tall guy a lot easier than the twin Cessnas (don't even mention the Duke).

The big Lycomings are smooth as silk and will run LOP smoothly without GAMI's so long as you keep the MP up. The only downside is the engines tend to bootstrap at about 18 and up.

Enjoy.

Nice ride!
Well maintained by the looks of it.