I'm always looking at the next step up from the 421C. We are lucky to have a top shop close by. Our Malibu shop was too far away (3:15) to help out on minor issues. So having a top shop close by has become part of the analysis. So the exercise here is, where are the top shops for the following aircraft: MU-2, Aero Commander, Merlin, C425 & C441. Our twin cessna shop doesn't work on the Conquests or that would be an easy answer. I should probably define "top shop", but I won't. What I like about our current shop, is it's all they work on. They can run through troubleshooting so fast it blows my mind. They just know the systems and they know what breaks. Oh, and then they have the part in stock. I guess I just defined "top shop".

Here’s a link to Twin Commander service centers. Locations across the country.

https://twincommander.com/service-centers/

Specifying what part of the country are you in would narrow it down.

We have been happy with Kubick Aviation in Iron Mountain, MI (KIMT) https://kubickaviation.com/

They have worked on our 441 since purchase and found many paperwork issues that Weststar missed (such as approximately 15 inspections being years past due). Ours is the one missing the tail on the website.

I worked with many of the longer term employees and owner since 1995. They have extensive experience with Twin Cessna's and all of us worked for a very large 135 operator of Cessna 402's, 404's, 421C, 441's, 208's and SA226/227's. At one time, they (employees, previous employer) were doing the spar repairs on the SA226/227's that required 500 man hours of work in two weeks! Three of the guys that I can think of have 100+ years of experience between them. They also work on PA46's.

There are two great PA46 shops in Three Rivers, MI (KHAI). One specializes in major repairs.

Central Texas.

I guess I'm not necessarily asking just for me. I think it's an important part of the ownership analysis and it would be nice to have it all in one place. As an example, if I narrowed down my purchase to a MU-2 or a 690B, what are my choices of shops within an hour flight? Or maybe an hour drive? If there was a MU-2 shop on my home field and the closest Commander shop was 2 flight hours away, that's potentially a game changer. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe because these birds seem to "never break", maybe it doesn't matter. In the 421, it matters.

The factory owned MU2 service center is Intercontinental Jet in Tulsa. The two others are further away. The good news is the folks at Intercontinental Jet will work with your local folks and provide documentation and suggestions when asked, at least that has been my experience.

MU2 factory service center is in Tulsa (Intercontinental Jet).

Brit Aviation does MU2 work in Conroe.

Chushon in Dickson, TN is not that far away and may be worth it. That's where I maintained my MU2 and some folks came from far away to use his shop. That was a 30 min flight or a 2.5 hour drive for me.

I don't know much about Commanders except Eagle Creek near Indy is known for working on them.


It matters but not to the same level as piston aircraft. For the most part, you can fly inspection to inspection without much difficulty, but occasionally, some little nagging issue may require a visit or two to resolve.

I don't think it is wrong to choose your type based on the proximity of resources to maintain it. You aren't just buying a plane, you are buying into an ecosystem around it.

My Citation is now maintained at my home base and that is very nice.

Mike C.

Intercontinental Jet in Tulsa (KTUL) is the go-to for MU-2. They are the factory service center, owned by Mitsubishi, and they have lots of parts in stock. Well... as a corporate ownership issue, Mitsubishi might own a separate parts warehouse, but it is also located there.

They'd be about an hour MU-2 flight for you from Central Texas.

I have also found with the 441 that many of the smaller inspections can be done in our small shop and the larger ones can be done at a larger shop. For example, many of the inspections that were due on a 12 month basis we did a few weeks ago in our shop in under a day. The alternating year's are larger inspections and it will be flown to Kubick where they have the staff, tools and knowledge to do that work.

And Piaggios, IMHO…