Is it me, or are the exchanges between Mike and Chip here reminiscent of the exchanges between Jason and Chip in the good ole days? Either way, I like the transition from the affable Mike to the more provocative Mike on this thread.

Seriously, this thread may have gone a bit off course but the exchange of info about our pt6s only serves to enlighten us when the time comes to decide how to spend our money and with whom.

Good on you both.

I don't see that.

Haha! It seems like Michael P. has found himself a pair of Pilatus shoes to follow in Jason C’s footsteps!

This is the best thread I’ve read here for a while. It’s great to actually read a real discussion instead of an echo chamber. A big thanks to you and Chip.

$25K seems expensive to me... My insurance for me flying my M2 single pilot is $21K with $5M smooth for a $3.7M hull.

Covington is still way better!

Tom,

Thanks for your response. That's interesting because my rate, as a percentage of hull value, dropped significantly with the same carrier when I moved to the M2 in 2015 from a TBM850. I've been typed in the 525 since 2002 so I had a considerable amount of time but, nevertheless, I was surprised it went down especially since it was a transition year. I also had plenty of experience in TBMs (10 years) and Meridians (4 years prior). The only explanation for that is the insurance company believes the jet, even flown single pilot, is safer. It should also be noted I'm relatively young, 47 now, 42 when I moved to the M2. Great plane BTW....

Bill, the M2 is a wonderful airplane!

Let me know if I can talk you out of it!

I love my M2 and there is NO WAY my wife would let me sell it!!

Update:

I talked to Tom Welch with Covington yesterday, great guy. They are a DDOF shop, but this has been an industry wide point of confusion. It's a long story, suffice it to say that I know understand why I was misled. They have been a DDOF on PT6's for over ten years.

I said the same thing to Tom as I said previously on here, if they can make their mark in the TBM and Pilatus world and gain acceptance there, that is a good strategy. I'm even more impressed with Covington after learning more about their story and owners. Having said that, and this is one of those times where I would rather keep this to myself, but I have a loyalty to aircraft buyers that exceeds all other loyalties.

Speaking just to those reading this who own or are considering buying a King Air, I 100% stand behind my previous statement that Covington overhauls on a King Air is absolutely going to be a resale issue with most savvy King Air purchasers. I spoke to a stocking aircraft dealer yesterday, this guy has probably bought more King Airs (for resale) than anyone in the country. He is one of my closest piers in the King Air world and knows exactly what he is talking about. I asked him if he would buy a late model King Air with Covington overhauls, he said "only if I was taking the engines off and replacing them with Blackhawks"

That's a strong statement and I want to be clear that I mean no disrespect to my new friends at Covington and I hope they will forgive me for being brutally honest, but that is just the reality in the King Air world. I have three other guys I could have called, but didn't have to, I know exactly what they'll say. To be clear, they would say the same thing about Prime and every one of them will say that Prime does great work.

If you have a 30 year old King Air that isn't pedigree, it matters a lot less. If you're going to keep the airplane, it doesn't matter, I'm not questioning the quality of the work, I am only speaking to the King Air market, a market that I know very well.

This has been a great thread, I'm hoping that an understanding of what it means to be a DDOF shop means to resale value helps someone. We're talking SETP's and by extension of the PT6 engine conversation King Airs, but I need to add that if a DDOF shop matters on a PT6, it is paramount on a JT15D... about ten years ago when I still sold airplanes, the company I worked for made the mistake of allowing a non DOFF shop to overhaul engines on an otherwise really nice Ultra, we absolutely could not sell the airplane. We ended up dumping it to Mike Borden who put it out on charter, we lost hundreds of thousands of dollars. It was a VERY expensive mistake.

I have really enjoyed this conversation and learned a lot about turbine ownership. Thanks!

A quick update on our selection process: The PC12 is out because we won't be able to hangar it and I don't think I would want to park a three year old PC-12 outside in those nasty wet European winters (haven't seen any sun in a couple of weeks now).

After looking at the numbers, we are currently considering the idea to buy the plane new, use it for 4-5 years and then sell it (possibly with one year warranty left). Especially with the TBM, it looks like the higher follow up maintenance will offset the capital cost/depreciation. We could even finance half of it at currently 1-1,5% interest rate and invest our cash in a better place.

Thats it for now from Germany/UK... cheers and guten Abend!

He is talking about the M600 Meridian which will easily to 800NM. They can go substantially farther and carry more weight than the M500 Meridian.

P&WC WORLDWIDE SERVICE NETWORK FACILITIES - SUPPORT booklet:
https://www.pwc.ca/-/media/files/support-facilities.ashx

DDOF PT6A- page 94

He is talking about the M600 Meridian which will easily to 800NM. They can go substantially farther and carry more weight than the M500 Meridian.

The more precise question is if the airframe market discount for Covington is greater than the reduction in OH price from Covington.

I bet it isn't, and you are money ahead with the Covington OH.

Mike C.

Columbia 350
Aerostar 702P
Avanti

All three airplanes were to be my LAST airplane.
Me tinks I finally realize I have issues

anyways....i don't care 1/2 ratz a$$ about resale...since dis is my last airplane.

I want her safe
ifin it needz fixin-fix it
ifin it don't but sum manual says it do...based on decades of real world...throw out the manual

How many birds that Covington works on have had engine failures in the last 10 years?