Also....

IF you are interested in Aerostars, get signed up with the Aerostar-Forum.com.

Insurance...

I pay around $3K/An, this year price dropped, and I think I'm in the high twos now, the new insurance carrier only requires I do a recurrent IFR ride once a year, but I'm going to keep going to Lester.

Coverage: 1MM Smooth & $220K

There is nothing tricky about flying the Aerostar, assuming the pilot understands it isn't a C-182, high wing loading means a nice ride and a significant increase in drag at airspeeds below 120KTs.

For 1-4 folks on trips of up to 600-800 miles, between runways over 5,000', an Aerostar is a great solution.

Buy one that hasn't been maintained, with the idea of flying out what's left, (as opposed to restoring it), you will be unlikely to have a happy ending.

Forrest,

5K runways? Are we really getting that sloppy? (Could not resist)
I used to fly at MTOW in/out of a 4K runway, and would go in/out of 3,500 with practice (had to be under gross for accelerate/stop distance, forget by how much). And this was with the gross weight increase. I once flew in/out of 3K runway, but the end of the runway was in a river .
From what I recall, the actual pavement distance is not an issue in 99% of the airports, it is obstacle clearance. I normally used 4K or longer as my no special practice length.

One of the mechanics I used for some work used to fly Aerostar's on charter and check hauling flights in/out of runways like Smoketown PA with a 2100ft runway. (I am not that risk tolerant).

Tim

Forrest - The reason why you get great insurance rates is you have lots of experience in type and probably thousands of hours of multi-engine time. Sure, you can get insurance. What about the hobby pilot who has a thick wallet and a thin logbook? Those are the ones that can easily get a Baron or C-310 and their like, and pay for the insurance but an A*? Unlikely.

From what I've seen, the A* is for the high time professional pilot who wants a fast toy or for the business person who can afford to hire one of those pilots. I've heard about and seen quite a few A*'s that are professionally flown where the owner might sit up front, maybe even in the left seat but wouldn't qualify, much less pay for, insurance at any cost.

My wife can get insurance. She has many thousands of hours of PIC turbine time. Me? Never. I can never fly an A* by myself. I'll die before I can get enough hours in one to have insurance coverage.

Paging Adam Frisch.....

John, there's little doubt you can obtain insurance. It's what you are willing to pay -and what the insured hull value is- and hoops re type-specific training and required mentor time. I received a quote for a pressurized twin with essentially 0 multi, was in the nosebleed territory price-wise for the first year, but not a show stopper. Contact Tom at Wings Insurance (frequent poster here.)

Tim is right.

Of course, his plane was a 700HP version (mine has the less powerful turbo-normalized motors).

If one is willing to go to the end of the RW and rotate, much shorter runways are very doable. (IF)

5000' (for me) is the minimum distance where I can lose a motor before my gear is up, and have a reasonable chance of putting it back down on the runway.

I use 5K' for my minimum runway with AIRNAV flight planning.

Can an Aerostar operate off less?

Sure

KDXR is 4422', I go there regularly.

But, KDXR has rising terrain (off 08 & 26) that has to be cleared, with no good place for an off-airport landing.




IMO

If one is determined to base at a short RW, an Aerostar (especially a 601P) probably isn't going to offer much utility.

I had ~350 total hours and ~15 hours of multi when I switched into the A*.
So it can be done, at the price was not crazy. I managed to get 1 million smooth and 400K hull for about 4K. However, year one required 50 hours of mentoring/training before I could fly solo, with another 25 hours before I could carry passengers. Then a one day refresher every six months.
By the second year I had 150 hours in type, and insurance went down some, but not much, with six months refresher training still required.

You just need a good agent, underwriting and an over commitment to training.

Tim

I had about 800TT with less than 5 hours multi. Insurance required 25 hours dual and was about 5AMU in the first year.

Glenn

A little more on runways:

Landing isn't the issue:

Yesterday I landed on Runway 05 in Norfolk, out of an ILS appraoch, there was another plane behind me so I made a bit of an effort to get clear of the active.

I turned off on RW 32.

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.8902397 ... !1e3?hl=en

About 1,400'



Sunday, I made the RW 02 Turn off of 07 at KPHF, 500'.

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.125683, ... !1e3?hl=en



I was in a C-172



Bottom line:

An Aerostar, especially a 601P, can land on a runway that will require a truck to depart.

Side Note on HP:

My understanding is that the HP rating for Aerostars (and I assume other aircraft) changed back in the 70s.

My engines are rated at 290HP at the crankshaft (increased by 10HP because my short props let me turn 2700 RPM). My understanding is that actual power at the prop is 277. In a 602, with Lycoming factory turbo-charged engines, they are rated at 290HP at the prop, and as a result 602s have better SE performance, and a bit higher fuel burn. A 700 (excepting the J2D version), is pretty much a hopped up 602 motor, all 700 HP go to the prop(s), and those planes really accelerate on TO.

Had occasion to fly my P-Baron into KTVL this morning and the place was wall-to-wall Aerostars. Very cool! What was the event?

It was the annual Aerostar Owners Association meeting. Always lots of fun. This year it was timed to start right after the Reno Air races so we had a great turn out.

If you own an Aerostar or are even remotely considering owning one you should attend. I believe next years will be in the Minneapolis/St.Paul Area.

Glenn

That's a cool paint scheme.

I rest my case.

One would really, really, really want to have an A* to put up with all those restrictions and extra costs.

John,

On this we will just disagree. I was effectively jumping at least three or four levels of complexity and this was rather prudent. A few examples:
1. Pressurization and high altitude (per FAA definition)
2. Twin vs single
3. 700 HP versus 200 HP
4. Average 900 NM range in 4.5 hours vs ~400 NM range.
5. true five person plane vs 2.5 person plane.
6. FIKI vs no-fiki
7. Retract vs fixed

Think about systems complexity in addition, weather system complexity....

I went from a local flyer to a true regional flyer with significantly more weather capability. I absolutely needed that mentoring time.

Tim

John,

On this we will just disagree. I was effectively jumping at least three or four levels of complexity and this was rather prudent. A few examples:
1. Pressurization and high altitude (per FAA definition)
2. Twin vs single
3. 700 HP versus 200 HP
4. Average 900 NM range in 4.5 hours vs ~400 NM range.
5. true five person plane vs 2.5 person plane.
6. FIKI vs no-fiki
7. Retract vs fixed

Think about systems complexity in addition, weather system complexity....

I went from a local flyer to a true regional flyer with significantly more weather capability. I absolutely needed that mentoring time.

Tim