Great looking 350

I corrected PC-12 max diff to 5.75.

I am not RVSM approved yet, but even when I get that, I'd rather not go much above FL300 absent a pressing weather need. Cabin altitude is about 8,000' at FL300. It would be just over 10k at FL350.

Pilatus shoes = flip flops ?????

Still working on the lav PTT.

My wife is PVT + IFR, but my daughter is primary copilot. My daughter is trained in checklist reading. And she catches my mistakes when I dial in the wrong center frequency.

My son loved the exterior button on the PC-12 that electrically lowers the cargo door.

I predict the cost of KA350 maintenance program, plus the extra fuel two big block PT6s burn, plus the cost of HSI/OH of two big block PT6s will greatly exceed the SID cost for a 441.

BTW, there are mititgations for the 441 SID program that increase the calendar intervals or remove them altogether leaving just the hour intervals.

I had the same kind of reaction you did to the SIDs, but when I started looking at jets, it didn't take me long to feel like the SIDs were tolerable.

Mike C.

Dan, you have a good looking bird there. Congratulations. The 350 is an awesome machine and probably the only turbo prop that’s still manufactured equal to the PC12 in terms of payload and range. I understand your decision to go with the KA in reguards to a lower utilization operator.

I flew a new 350 and the noise levels were much lower than a PC12; however, the Textron sales guy said they had recently invested a lot in lowering the noise. How does your noise levels compare to the PC12 that you leased?

Great write up and what an awesome plane Dan! I'm just glad you're burning kerosene now and I hope I don't run into you again on a ramp with both our families deplaning That led to my 421 purchase 5 years ago!!! All good now....tailwinds my friend!

Mike C.
You are correct that 441 SIDs cost is trivial relative to fuel and overhauls on the Pratts. That is why my initial focus was on Garrett-powered birds. Although the 441 was a dream plane of mine, after 12 years of owning a Cessna 421, I wasn't eager to own another Cessna prop plane. Additionally, there aren't any 441 specialty shops in my region. I didn't want to go to Yingling or West Star every year or two.

The 421 is an outlier bird for maintenance. Too many times I knew more about 421 systems than the average mechanic. Maintenance required a lot of involvement from me.
viewtopic.php?f=37&t=123224
King Airs are much more of a known quantity.

Brent
I wear headsets in both the PC-12 and 350 - and my family does the same. Whatever noise difference there is, it doesn't seem like much. I do like the cruise prop rpm on the 350 of 1500 rpm. Pilatus is 1700 rpm. I cruised the 421 at a sedate 1600 rpm.

Martti
As much as your wife likes luggage, I'm not sure that I could sell her on a 350. The nose baggage on a 441 is so spacious and convenient. With the 441, it is great not having to drag bulky stuff through the cabin door and great not having to look at it the entire flight. I wish I had your range and fuel burn, but I am happy to be in the Kerosene Krowd with you and Max.

I had a KA 350 flight yesterday with a pilot who has thousands of hours in a PC-12 NG. He thought the cockpit noise levels were comparable, but the 350 cabin is slightly quieter. Additionally, he commented that the forward club section was quieter than the aft club.

I would have expected the aft club to be quieter. Perhaps my door seal needs attention??

Congratulations Dan. And thank you for the thank you.

Congrats Dan! Awesome bird!

It’s surprising how much noise comes through the door, if you clise that aft partition doors it helps a lot. If it’s a door seal, you’ll hear the whistle.

I predict the cost of KA350 maintenance program, plus the extra fuel two big block PT6s burn, plus the cost of HSI/OH of two big block PT6s will greatly exceed the SID cost for a 441.

BTW, there are mititgations for the 441 SID program that increase the calendar intervals or remove them altogether leaving just the hour intervals.

I had the same kind of reaction you did to the SIDs, but when I started looking at jets, it didn't take me long to feel like the SIDs were tolerable.

Mike C.

Not when it comes to the engines.

The engines on a 350 will cost you 4 times per hour of the Conquest. They last half as long and they cost twice as much to HSI and OH.

King Airs have lots of nice features, being low cost to maintain is not one of them.

Mike C.

Not when it comes to the engines.

The engines on a 350 will cost you 4 times per hour of the Conquest. They last half as long and they cost twice as much to HSI and OH.

King Airs have lots of nice features, being low cost to maintain is not one of them.

Mike C.

Key word "if".

If that is what your customers believe will always happen, then you deserve each other.


What is hard to do with an 80s vintage plane is lose $2M in value. Pretty easy to do that with a 2010 KA350 for example.


I can fly the 441 for less than the interest payments on the 350.


Got specifics or is this the standard salesman trick of vaguely casting doubts on the competition?

The TPE331 engines burn 25% less fuel, have double the HSI and OH interval, and cost half as much to HSI and OH.

Not a level playing field, particularly when looking at the big block PT6A-6x series.

Mike C.