BeechTalk - BT

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Dec 2019, 12:02

Username Protected wrote:

Yesterday myself and my trusty sidekick Zoey (Siberian Husky) were making our way home from Iowa to Lake Tahoe after visiting EBACE for AirplaneManager.com in our Aerostar 601P.

Looks like JGG's old bird is your corporate aircraft there. Was the owner Terry Cooper flying it?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Dec 2019, 12:04

Username Protected wrote:

Teamwork might be why I am alive today!

Today I woke up in my own bed thanks to several people giving me a helping hand during an engine loss in the mountains. Yesterday myself and my trusty sidekick Zoey (Siberian Husky) were making our way home from Iowa to Lake Tahoe after visiting EBACE for AirplaneManager.com in our Aerostar 601P. It is a low time aircraft and has had more extra maintenance than most ever get. 20 hrs out of extensive annual inspection even.

We spent the day steering clear of thunderstorms and enjoying the view. However, near the end of the flight bam! The right engine starting shaking! I had no indications of anything abnormal on my gauges. I lost my alternator first and I cycled through anything I could to see what might be wrong. It got worse quickly. I was in high terrain and now only making power on the left. I used my avionics to scan airports. I reached out to Salt Lake Center for help and got it! A fellow Citation pilot came on the air to give assistance! I had a copilot now and had no time to spare! The right engine was smoking. Fire was now my concern as was weather and mountains. Salt Lake Center gave headings, weather, and options. The citation pilot gave airport information and all other traffic gave way on the radio. The nearest paved airport was 80 miles away at this point and there was weather at that airport. The citation pilot gave me a full briefing on the dirt airport option in front of me and I decided it was best to put this plane down quickly. Salt lake center called for fire department response and the Citation pilot relayed my requests as radios were broken. I shut down the smoking engine and started my final to land. I was never alone thanks to Salt Lake Center and this helpful citation pilot who clearly is a professional pilot! I landed safely and considering the situation I landed well without any damage to the aircraft other than the engine. The engine had broken its case, lost its oil, and cylinders were loose. I am alive though today and thanks to the help of those mentioned. A little help goes a long way because I was able to focus on flying the airplane and preventing a stall. Thank you to Salt Lake Center for stepping up and thank you to the Citation pilot who took it upon himself to help a fellow pilot and his dog live to fly another day!

Is this the airplane referenced in the auction?

If so, sounds like the oil was causing all your smoke. Were you able to feather the prop?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Dec 2019, 12:55

Username Protected wrote:

Yesterday myself and my trusty sidekick Zoey (Siberian Husky) were making our way home from Iowa to Lake Tahoe after visiting EBACE for AirplaneManager.com in our Aerostar 601P.

Looks like JGG's old bird is your corporate aircraft there. Was the owner Terry Cooper flying it?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Dec 2019, 15:04

Wife of an aerostar pilot here.

First of all, praise God you're alive and well. Your competence and the support of the citation pilot and SLC Center as well as God's grace is the reason you're alive today!

I have to say, it raises my confidence in the plane.

This is every wife's worst nightmare. Every time he climbs into the plane it's possible it's the last time, even in a well maintained star like yours.
I'm glad to have read this story with a happy ending.

Thanks for sharing, and all the best to you.

So glad you walked away from it!

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Dec 2019, 17:12

Is anyone else surprised that JGG's fast, but bootless, 601P went to be based in Tahoe?

I live in SLC and, try as I might, I cannot convince myself that I could buy this bird at auction and make it work in my location. And I'm pretty damn good at justifying the unjustifiable.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Dec 2019, 17:15

Username Protected wrote:

Is anyone else surprised that JGG's fast, but bootless, 601P went to be based in Tahoe?

I live in SLC and, try as I might, I cannot convince myself that I could buy this bird at auction and make it work in my location. And I'm pretty damn good at justifying the unjustifiable.

300+ days of sunshine in SLC, right?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Dec 2019, 20:18

Honestly, 601P's are not ideal in mountainous areas. That's 700 or Superstar country. The 601P is a bad climber from rotation up to blue line. After that she gets going. The 700 blasts past that discomfort zone much faster. And has a much higher OEI altitude.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 05 Dec 2019, 21:30

Nice job getting it down to the airstrip safe and sound without damage to the plane. I wonder why the insurance company has it. Are engine out landings an insurable event now?

Username Protected · **Posted:** 06 Dec 2019, 10:46

Username Protected wrote:

Honestly, 601P's are not ideal in mountainous areas. That's 700 or Superstar country. The 601P is a bad climber from rotation up to blue line. After that she gets going. The 700 blasts past that discomfort zone much faster. And has a much higher OEI altitude.

What matters is excess power. If at MTOW with the gross weight increase, a 700 has basically the same performance as the 601P at MTOW.
If you want to stay out of the rotate to blue line zone; the choices are the same.
1. Be below MTOW
2. Accelerate in ground effect or with the nose low and minimal climb.
3. Rotate late

I personally do not like the last one.

Tim

Username Protected · **Posted:** 06 Dec 2019, 16:16

I’d need to check the actual numbers to see if that’s true. It seemed to me that the Superstar did quite a bit better than the 601-P at gross. I started with a 601-P, then moved to a 601-P/700, then did the gross weight increase to that plane many years later when the kids got heavier. My home airport is at 7,300 MSL. The 601-P at MTOW in summer at home would not do well with an engine failure. The 601-P/700 at MTOW was still compromised but it was pretty good even on a warm day. At 6850# (approximate MTOW [from memory] after Gross Weight Increase), the Superstar was about back to 601-P performance.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 07 Dec 2019, 13:50

Username Protected wrote:

Teamwork might be why I am alive today!

Today I woke up in my own bed thanks to several people giving me a helping hand during an engine loss in the mountains. Yesterday myself and my trusty sidekick Zoey (Siberian Husky) were making our way home from Iowa to Lake Tahoe after visiting EBACE for AirplaneManager.com in our Aerostar 601P. It is a low time aircraft and has had more extra maintenance than most ever get. 20 hrs out of extensive annual inspection even.

We spent the day steering clear of thunderstorms and enjoying the view. However, near the end of the flight bam! The right engine starting shaking! I had no indications of anything abnormal on my gauges. I lost my alternator first and I cycled through anything I could to see what might be wrong. It got worse quickly. I was in high terrain and now only making power on the left. I used my avionics to scan airports. I reached out to Salt Lake Center for help and got it! A fellow Citation pilot came on the air to give assistance! I had a copilot now and had no time to spare! The right engine was smoking. Fire was now my concern as was weather and mountains. Salt Lake Center gave headings, weather, and options. The citation pilot gave airport information and all other traffic gave way on the radio. The nearest paved airport was 80 miles away at this point and there was weather at that airport. The citation pilot gave me a full briefing on the dirt airport option in front of me and I decided it was best to put this plane down quickly. Salt lake center called for fire department response and the Citation pilot relayed my requests as radios were broken. I shut down the smoking engine and started my final to land. I was never alone thanks to Salt Lake Center and this helpful citation pilot who clearly is a professional pilot! I landed safely and considering the situation I landed well without any damage to the aircraft other than the engine. The engine had broken its case, lost its oil, and cylinders were loose. I am alive though today and thanks to the help of those mentioned. A little help goes a long way because I was able to focus on flying the airplane and preventing a stall. Thank you to Salt Lake Center for stepping up and thank you to the Citation pilot who took it upon himself to help a fellow pilot and his dog live to fly another day!

Thanks for sharing your story. It's good to read no one was seriously injured during the landing.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 30 Jan 2020, 08:51

six weeks since an Aerostar post....too long

There is a sweet Aerostar for sale in South Africa on controller for only 745k. A mere 400k in upgrades and she would be Queen of the fleet.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 30 Jan 2020, 09:30

I'm just curious who bought the plane and if they're going to fix it on site and fly it out or pull it apart.

Username Protected · **Posted:** 01 Feb 2020, 23:47

I wonder who bought the 600A that was up in minnesota

Username Protected · **Posted:** 14 Feb 2020, 16:49

Username Protected wrote:

I was getting tired of fussing with the rollers on my seat and continually trying to adjust the buttons so the seat would roll smoothly without binding. Closer examination revealed the rollers and the associated bushings were basically shot allowing the wheels considerable movement, and hence the binding.

A quick eBay search provided some cute little sealed bearings (1601-ZZ) that made the seat work better than new. Amazing the difference it made, especially when my mass is in the seat...

Attachment:

IMG_0424.jpg

Jeff, can you tell me the OD of your rollers? Just curious if mine have worn down over the years.

Aerostars