BeechTalk - BT

Username Protected · **Posted:** 30 Nov 2019, 12:14

Gratuitous panel shot at FL230...peak level ground speed was 308 knots.

I was able to top the precipitation for most of the flight. There was a brief period of moderate icing in the cloud tops at FL210, but I was able to quickly get a clearance to FL230, where it was snowing for a few minutes before I transited the weather. Cabin altitude at FL230 was 10,700'.

582nm in 2:16. Amazing airplanes.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 30 Nov 2019, 21:38

Good grief I need to find an Aerostar.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Dec 2019, 09:55

Ugh. JGG's old Aerostar ended up off-airport. That was arguably the cleanest looking Aerostar around.

https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?ca ... =aircraft#

Now it's partially disassembled on a dirt strip in Nevada. :thumbdown:

Quote:

DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT: On 05/30/19, N449JG sustained a right engine failure while in flight that was determined to have been caused by the crankcase through bolts coming loose and allowing vibration of the engine while in flight. Pilot made an emergency landing in Crescent Valley, NV on a rutted terrain.

DESCRIPTION OF DAMAGES: Aircraft has not been formally inspected but may have sustained landing gear damage. Aircraft was trailered (without disassembly) to a local secured storage yard and is currently tarped outside. Right engine is dissembled at Ly-Con.
Left engine is intact.

LOCATION OF AIRCRAFT: Airframe & Left Engine located at Barton’s Painting and Blasting, Crescent Valley NV.
Prop located at Aviation Classics, Ltd, Reno, NV
Right Engine located at Ly-Con, Visalia CA

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Dec 2019, 11:38

2,088 SMOH L and R.

Crankcase thru-bolts came loose??!! How do they do that at nearly 2,100 hours?

And why was he not able to make it to another airport with one good engine. Isn't that the point of having a second engine?

Looks like a nice plane, great avionics, Superstar conversion. Needs about $150,000 in disassembly, moving back to an airport, re-assembly, gear overhaul, and two engine overhauls.

:whiteflag:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Dec 2019, 12:01

Username Protected wrote:

Superstar conversion.

Negative.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Dec 2019, 12:21

Excuse me. Machen conversion.

http://www.avclaims.com/N449JG.html

There would have to be an actively burning fire or smoke in the cabin that I could not remove to make me put down in the middle of the desert. Or there was a question that the engine, once shut down, was still vibrating badly enough where I thought the mounts were compromised and I might lose the wing.

Otherwise no, I'm going to an airport.

I don't see any evidence of fire on that cowling.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Dec 2019, 12:32

Oh, I see that now in the description. I'm not sure what "Machen convesion" means. Might be the intercoolers, which IIRC were not part of the original 601P.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Dec 2019, 12:51

From my research looking to buy one, there are several Machen mods. One was intercoolers but there's others.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Dec 2019, 13:32

Someone is going to get a deal. It can be fixed. No problem.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Dec 2019, 13:39

Username Protected wrote:

Someone is going to get a deal. It can be fixed. No problem.

yup....If I were retired....this would be an ideal project. I'd take it for $40K.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Dec 2019, 13:57

It'll probably go close to that.

$10k for the Aspen setup
$15k for the two GPS/NAV/COM's,
$4,500 for the GTX-345
$1,500 for the 790 head unit
$1,500 for the Comm panel

That's $32,500 you could sell all that for inside 48-72 hours then get $15-20k for the hull on eBay and pocket $15k+ in just a few days work.

Wentworth will probably buy it.

:rofl:

Or buy it for $50k and put $100k in it and have that plane with those avionics with two new rebuilt engines for $150k.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Dec 2019, 14:25

I think that was JGG’s A* that he sold recently.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Dec 2019, 14:31

Username Protected wrote:

2,088 SMOH L and R.

Crankcase thru-bolts came loose??!! How do they do that at nearly 2,100 hours?

And why was he not able to make it to another airport with one good engine. Isn't that the point of having a second engine?

Looks like a nice plane, great avionics, Superstar conversion. Needs about $150,000 in disassembly, moving back to an airport, re-assembly, gear overhaul, and two engine overhauls.

:whiteflag:

Ad says 6.2 SMOH Plane had two fresh overhauls. Or am I reading that wrong?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Dec 2019, 14:33

The Avclaim site doesn't say that... not that I can see anyway.

:shrug:

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Dec 2019, 14:39

Yeah, that's John Grady's old 601P. I know him since the days of training on the Aerostar with Don Smith in Alabama and he took well care of that bird and did tons of upgrades. Sad to see have an emergency landing, but as someone said, probably a minor fix and a good deal. Aerostar wings and landing gears are industrial strength and it takes a lot to bend any of that. And even if you do, unbolting the wing and replacing it is a simple thing, not like on the Commanders where you're pretty much screwed if the wing is damaged.

Looks like JGG is no longer a member? He can get a bit excited at times, but he's a good guy. Anyone know what happened?

Aerostars