Hard question to answer - I haven't flown mine so I have hard time attributing costs to it yet, and it's also a -1 which skews differently. Patrick Kenney here flies a 690A, but he's also pretty new to it, Steve Binnette has a 980, but that's got the -10. I have a rough idea from other's I've talked to, though. 690's are about $1000/hr planes on average. You might get down to $650/hr if all goes very well, or it could be a $1500/hr plane if you have some rough luck.

A factory 100hr or 150hr phase inspection probably be in the $10-20K region. Every 5 years you have the gear, that's another $15K. Prop overhauls vary if you have Dowty or Hartzell, but they tend to be roughly $10K/side.

The only really scary costs (I'm excluding SB's/AD's here as probably most of them are now done) - costs that are considerably higher compared to equivalent part on a piston - would be:

1. Fuel Control Unit (about $28K/side)
2. Environmental system if you had to replace system completely or it couldn't be repaired (good thing, the 690A's and B's has the best Fairchild system).
3. Front heated windows. $45K a pop. Not kidding. You can find used, but still gonna be expensive.

Everything else is pretty much on par with what they would cost on a high end cabin class piston plane.

I just had my 150hr inspection done at Naples Jet center. It was 13k, they are one of the premier commander shops.

With any of these older TP it depends, with that said I don't expect to spend any more than I did on my 421.

I think you might be able to get into that plane for cheaper than advertised.

The -5 are great airplanes but not respected by the marketplace.

Yes, I've seen a not dissimilar -10 690A for not a whole lot more asking price...
http://www.controller.com/listings/airc ... ander-690a

For me, I'm very happy with the -5s, but, only as part of the package I purchased, I see the argument that Bruce Byerly makes that the -10s are actually cheaper, even though meaningfully more dollars. I got a pimped out glass cockpit, with a very nice paint job and with -5s, so I think I got a very good deal. But -10 performance and a worse panel might have been a better deal... I think all these twin commander turbine planes look like a good deal relative to pressurized piston twins, with their turboed, possibly geared engines banging away. I know which I'd rather be in over the freezing cold waters of the North Atlantic or with my family in the back. Turbines are much cooler, too

Speed and performance are addictive, though... I'm new to being up a bit higher and faster but I can already see where I'd love to replace the 20s for the 40s in terms of flight levels, and swap 265ktas for 400+
I'm thinking TW with his Learjet 35A might really be onto something...

Edit: I have issues... I'm dreaming of something faster, always, so maybe less positive on my aircraft than I might have been after an afternoon not spent researching Learjets. I need to mention I really see nothing vaguely as compelling for sub 500k or sub 400k, in terms of performance relative to a -5 turbo commander. I will take you for a ride and you will be hooked, from a pilot perspective.

Weak, but... Beginning of my trip report:
I'm waiting around the FBO at Camarillo in the early evening to meet the ferry pilot I will be flying with across the Atlantic and a guy lands and rolls up in this - Royal Duke. Turns out he owns a couple of them...

Took a little ride with Steve yesterday in his gorgeous 980. He was kind enough to fly me up to see my old antique. Camarillo to Stockton and back. ATC gave us direct straight out of the bat and in no time whatsoever we were at FL280. Just before us was a brand new TBM 900/930 on a conforming flight (they do final deliveries at CMA), and we left him in the dust in the climb. He was panting at 9700ft when we were climbing through 12000ft overtaking him...



Steve has spared no expense on his 980. It started out as a bankruptcy sale that had been sitting for awhile, unloved, but now it's like factory new. New engines, new paint, new interior, new panel - you name it. Very impressive plane. I'm extremely jealous.

Pictorial:

Keep it coming Patrick. What was the ferry pilots name?

Adam it was fun to finally meet Morris. Thanks for the introduction.

I think you read the TAS to soon it eventually settle somewhere in the mid 290kt range. It just takes a while to get the last 10kts.

Keep it coming Patrick. What was the ferry pilots name?

Thanks for ride!

Yes, speed did go up, I just didn't have a pic of it so didn't want to be called a liar...

Ahhh Adam,

You like live in Hollywood, you are in the "industry" and are a Director and what do we get.... Stills really? Where's the video man? Nice job when is your going to done.

Ha, I got some video of it, just need to edit it and color correct (I am in the industry after all)...



Mine is getting final engine rigging done next week. Hope that's the end of it. So sick of talking about it almost being done, so I won't.

Here's a Jetprop flight from today - KHIO to KTCL. Pretty impressive range.

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/NOAA45/history/20160919/1640Z/KHIO/KTCL

your airplane ready, I just got here yesterday and was gonna come and visit and see