Well I had my first flight in the 1974 414 yesterday.

First impression, "this is just another airplane". I mean pull back to go up, pull back further to go down!

No seriously it flew very well. Definitely not as much difference in the handling between it and my baron as there was between my old light V-tail and the baron. It was also pretty bumpy yesterday with winds 18G26 and an airmet for mod turb. But the 414 handles the bumps pretty well.

This is a tip tanked with 31.5gallon aux tanked airplane. My first airplane was an M35 with the aux that returned to the main so the fuel system is kinda familiar.

The biggest difference so far is running turbo charged engines. Take off is fine, its pretty much the same everything forward (just make sure they don't over boost with cold oil). But the power reduction shortly after TO is different. I'm use to full forward for the first couple thousand feet then just maintain target EGT in the climb after that. The 414 you pull the MP and Props back to cruise climb power shortly after TO. No big deal and that should be it for the rest of the climb.

Looks like its going to be a fun plane to fly, especially on someone else's dime! As this will be my first step into 135 work. Its just occasion and seems like a good way to stay even more current (I'm flying my baron over 200hrs a year already). Plus they are going to send me to Sim training so that will be fun!

LL

Hi Matt,

Thank you info - please keep it coming - I will be ( well hopefully ) flying a turbo Beech twin soon and will be moving up from our 36. So your insights will be most useful.

Thank you,
Ken

Matt,
Congrats on the paying gig and free Sim training. Just curious if the power pull back is a POH thing or just the way that operator likes it flown? What makes the 414 engines different?

Thanks guys!

The engines are 310hp tsio520's. I'm assuming similar to the engine in the non upgraded p barons.

These engines are 38" mp 2700 rpm on TO. Them after gear up pull back to 35" and 2500. It's in the POH to do this. But I haven't found anywhere that says max power is limited to 5 minutes or anything like that.

Maybe a 414 owner will chime in here soon and help us out. I'm just running it the way the POH says for now.

Refer to the LIMITATIONS section, and follow that! A dime to a doughnut says you can either 1) maintain full power all the way to cruise, or 2) a very slight pullback for climb within five minutes after takeoff. LIMITATIONS are rather carefully reviewed by the airframe manufacturer, the engine manufacturer, and some pretty sharp individuals in the FAA. They ALL sign off on it. Generally, the engines love the settings.

APS views the LIMITATIONS as near holy writ. I can't think of any exceptions.

This cannot be said of the "Suggestions On How To Fly" in the rest of the POH! That may be, and often is, the product of some summer intern, drawing on 40 year-old boilerplate, and adding his own twist. Some is okay, but some is pure junk. Read it with a jaundiced eye.

The 414 POH was basically written in 1968, long before engine monitors, and long before the industry knew much about engine operation. Yes, I know, the airplane was produced for 20-odd years, but later models used the same old POH, only modified for "the new stuff."

Thanks John!

Refer to the LIMITATIONS section, and follow that! A dime to a doughnut says you can either 1) maintain full power all the way to cruise, or 2) a very slight pullback for climb within five minutes after takeoff. LIMITATIONS are rather carefully reviewed by the airframe manufacturer, the engine manufacturer, and some pretty sharp individuals in the FAA. They ALL sign off on it. Generally, the engines love the settings.

APS views the LIMITATIONS as near holy writ. I can't think of any exceptions.

This cannot be said of the "Suggestions On How To Fly" in the rest of the POH! That may be, and often is, the product of some summer intern, drawing on 40 year-old boilerplate, and adding his own twist. Some is okay, but some is pure junk. Read it with a jaundiced eye.

The 414 POH was basically written in 1968, long before engine monitors, and long before the industry knew much about engine operation. Yes, I know, the airplane was produced for 20-odd years, but later models used the same old POH, only modified for "the new stuff."

First, do the APS course!

Tim, I've never been in a 421. But Walter has, so I'll defer to him.