The known ice 600s I maintained definitely had inboard wing boots and hot plates. Never saw any Aerostar with alcohol w/s.[/quote]

There were plenty with alcohol windshields. They did them at least up to the early 1980's - I have a 1981 602P with an alcy windshield that I believe is grandfathered known-ice.

I don't think you can make one known ice with the alcy added to the plane at this point.[/quote]
I assume the tank and pump is in the nose??[/quote]

The tank is just inside of the cargo door.

Thanks, Frank

Turbos also give you better ROC to get higher if you run into ice.

I love cruising in the teens. No traffic, less frequency changes as you are talking to Center. Above most of the cloud decks.

Turbos also give you better ROC to get higher if you run into ice.

I love cruising in the teens. No traffic, less frequency changes as you are talking to Center. Above most of the cloud decks.

This reminds me of going on the internet to ask "How do I change a lightbulb?" only to be told that you should switch to LED bulbs or that sitting in the dark is more environmentally friendly.

This reminds me of going on the internet to ask "How do I change a lightbulb?" only to be told that you should switch to LED bulbs or that sitting in the dark is more environmentally friendly.

IIRC, all Aerostars were eligible for FIKI with the appropriate kits installed. One of the great things about the Aerostar was many of the options could be added later ala cart.

The one I had had all of the required options other that wing root boots and manual alternate air doors. I flew it across Lake Michigan all of the time and never felt a need for more capability. However, being a 601P/SS700 I had many options to avoid the ice.

If an ice event was going to take you out while flying your non-FIKI Aerostar (very unlikely given the nature of weather prediction and in-flight weather depiction) it is highly unlikely that a FIKI Aerostar will escape the identical conditions.
I would argue that the primary reason to have a FIKI plane IS so that you can legally launch into known icing conditions, having made the proper risk analysis.
In many parts of the country, icing almost always exists in the clouds and (for much of the year) down to the ground. If you intend to use a plane on a schedule, you’re going to have to be willing to launch into known ice, you just have to be smart about it. The alternative is to cancel so many trips that it’s not worth paying to own and operate the plane.
I’m taking about scheduled business use here. Private flight for personal reasons with no time constraint is a completely different matter.

Thomas,

I would agree on the FIKI vs non-FIKI in an Aerostar often having minimal differences.
However, I would point out that should not be applied in general. There are substantial differences in a Cirrus between FIKI and Ice something (I forget the name), same from what I have read for Piper Senecas (I do not know the details).

Tim

Just a heads-up on availability of straight 600 Aerostars... check Controller.com; Forest Protection Ltd in New Brunswick, Canada has their fleet of 600 air attack bird dogs listed. Six ships ranging from $75-145k; they look to be in good shape, but will need a bit of work to get rid of the air attack equipment. Loudspeaker in the nose compartment anyone?

I called and talked to the DOM selling the planes. He sent me information and photos.

Only one plane is flying.

They are as-is and he believes they are airworthy, they are cannot be imported due to all their ‘improvements’ are not STC’ed in the USA, some have holes in the floor, the booted planes don’t have working boots, none of the autopilots work.

Yep; a partner buddy and I were considering one of these awhile back, but, would have to undo all of their mods, then have an FAA DAR/DER inspect for TCDS conformity… would add a lot of hassle to acquiring one.

Good luck, Dennis.

There was no factory "known ice 600" since the icing certification was done by Piper after 600 production had ceased.

But with the appropriate AAC Options you could achieve FIKI on any model Aerostar a la carte. Your choice of alcohol or hot plate for windshield deice. Since my 600 already had hot props, wing boots, and alcohol windshield, for me that meant adding the inboard wing boots and engine ice protection (as of 2022 AAC Option 196 $25,000 installed). Since I was headed out to Goodrich to replace the patched wing boots anyway, adding the inboard boots and replacing the outboard ones was completed in a single day.

A hot plate Option 126 is $12,100 installed. You would also need to add wing boots and tail boots and plumbing plus hot props if you're starting from a clean 600.

When I was doing my 600 search somebody suggested a 601 and remove the turbos but theret are even fewer 601s flying than there are 600s. Just go to the registry and get every 600 and start introducing yourself.

You never could have convinced me I didn't need FIKI flying in the northeast and over the great lakes but in the words of Richard Collins, the number of times I've have to hit the "inflate" button in anger can be counted on the fingers of one hand...

Trey O’Daniels currently has a complete hot plate set up that’s in really good condition . He is asking $2,500 for it, which is a steal. I have all of the ducting and valves that I would sell cheap. I know where there is some NOS boots, just barely out of date, but brand new in the box.

Thanks, Frank

Thanks for the info. I don't care if my plane is legal FIKI, I just want a fighting chance if I get into icing, to buy myself a few minutes to get back out. Hence I'm really just looking for basic deice equipment: boots, props, I heard there's ice doors for the engines? A hotplate would be great but I spent years flying biplanes and don't need to see out the front to fly.

Don't get me wrong, i'd love an official FIKI plane. I'm just not hung up on it. I have no requirement nor desire to launch into known ice.

I actually found a few deiced 600's this summer. One had something like 12 or 14 thousand hours on it and was priced like a 3500 hour plane. One the guy sometimes annualed it and sometimes didn't. depending on how he felt...and the rest of the maintenance appeared to be done that way. (when I looked at it he had just flown a 1000 mile trip IFR and the plane had been out of annual for 2 years!) And then there are the Canadian ones that I can't seem to get a straight answer on as to the what the status of the deice systems is. (They just say "removed" but I think they are trying to underpromise because clearly some of them still have some of the equipment.)

I may follow up on the Canadian ones since I like projects and could probably rehab one, but I need to sell some other planes first.

The "engine ice protection kit" consist of screens mounted on stand-offs just ahead of the air intake and a simple aluminum plate mounted atop the air pump filter to deflect ice.

I agree with you about the windscreen. I have once or twice landed with ice still on the airframe but with descent the windscreen usually clears. And ice on the windscreen is the typical first indicator of freezing precip. I hesitate turning on the alcohol because you're supposed to rinse the plane after using it unless you've been flying through sufficient liquid precip to wash it off. But if ice is starting to adhere to the windscreen, it's time for pitot and prop heat.

My advice: if you're going to make an investment of your time and money into the plane, buy the cleanest best maintained AEST you can find. We 600 owners love 'em and only reluctantly part with them under duress so it will take time to find one. I know I'll never get anything close to what I've invested in my airplane back at the time of sale. That's why you're better off paying a premium to buy a well maintained and regularly flown airframe. You're saving time and money even though you're spending more up-front.

If it hasn't flown or hasn't been maintained by a reputable shop - run, don't walk.