They haven’t done them in years

Here you go Trey.

https://premieraerostore.com/piper/pa-60-aerostar/

Did you end up buying it?

I used to have a 600A. Recently purchased a 601P. I think a lot of baron/340/310 guys tried an aerostar they would never go back, a true pilots airplane.

Beautiful!

Love to hear operational costs and insurance requirements. I'm sure they will be different before I could really consider but a data point would be nice as we continue to evaluate for a "family plane" in the next couple of years.

Hourly cost is going to be on par with any other pressurized, deiced, turbocharged piston twin. The difference is that you'll cover more miles in those hours and generally have a more comfortable ride through turbulence.

We just moved from CA to WA today. 30+ knot headwinds, and still made it from STS to BLI in 3:19. Two people, two dogs, three chickens (I'm not kidding), and everything we need to live until the moving truck arrives.

BTW, I'm still looking for a hangar in or around Bellingham. I'll even throw in some farm fresh eggs!

Beautiful!

Love to hear operational costs and insurance requirements. I'm sure they will be different before I could really consider but a data point would be nice as we continue to evaluate for a "family plane" in the next couple of years.

5 or 6 AMU’s for a pressurized piston twin Insurance Is relatively cheap in my book.
I self insured the first 100 hours then got insurance.

2150 useful load on mine with gross weight increase and YES she will still climb on one engine fully loaded

Figure 5NM/gallon for 700

It’s worth it

Duplicate

Anytime I flt farther than 20 minutes away, I miss the Aerostar.
Anytime I add gas to the plane or get a bill, I am glad I sold the Aerostar.

Tim

Beautiful!

Love to hear operational costs and insurance requirements. I'm sure they will be different before I could really consider but a data point would be nice as we continue to evaluate for a "family plane" in the next couple of years.

Pick a different charity. Kids, dogs, whatever it takes.
Seriously, though, that's commendable

I'd go back to an Aerostar if someone would just certify a set of diesel engines for it. EPS was the closest to making that a reality, but went bust (of course). It's just a joy that aircraft.

One bizarre thing I didn't like was that the curved windscreen at night was like a fish bowl and caught the reflections of all the instruments in it. It was always a little bit distracting when flying the Aerostar at night, especially in low viz. But that's really my only complaint.

This has been a hugely useful thread for me. I just finished re-reading it (which took almost an entire weekend) and I'm blown away by the depth & breadth of the knowledge here, and the passion so many have for Aerostars, even folks who are former owners.

A quick aside about Internet Experts: When I was shopping for my 210, people told me the airplanes were maintenance pigs, and the retractable gear system would put me into the poorhouse -- or worse, put me on the belly. It was nonsense, of course, mostly people retelling other people's stories until critical mass is reached. Such is the nature of reputation, it is sometimes divorced from reality. I learned to ask "how many hours do you have in 210s?" which, although it comes across as quite dismissive, let me evaluate the knowledge base of the person who was offering supposedly sound advice. I'm glad I learned to calibrate pireps to differentiate the Old Wives Tales from actual user experience.

Recently I've had a similar experience in getting info about Aerostars. I was advised by multiple folks that an Aerostar will put me into the poorhouse, that it's a dangerous airplane and I'll surely kill myself in one, that they are maintenance nightmares and to run for safety to the nearest Baron or 310 or Aztec. This thread, more than any other (on any forum) has informed me of the realities of owning and flying an Aerostar.

So I'm posting to give my sincere thanks to all who have contributed.

Mark

When I purchased mine 3 years ago with about 1300 hours on engines (U2A!!! Engines). I was thinking the same about EPS diesels at overhaul time.
EPS engines did not happen. Even if they did get certified I could not possibly justify 600 AMU’s when 150-200 will get me Powermaster engines and a enough dough leftover to buy the gas until next overhaul time.

My U2A engines start like a car engine and I have FINALLY learned my engine hot start clues (no boost pump until engine running- mixture about half)

I flew just over an hour of night flight last night coming back from Louisiana. I have never noticed the reflection. I turn interior lights down little by little as it gets darker and darker until there is very little light emitted by panel instruments.