Couple older videos:

https://vimeo.com/947729

http://youtu.be/rgJoqD6jWuA

So it looks like the AeroStar out-survived it's owner/pilot smoking in the cockpit.

A well cared for Aerostar will out live its owner(s) even if those owners are vegan, non-smokers, non-drinkers, who get regular excercise (but not too much) and the proper amount of sleep every night.

Every Aerostar pilot I have known, lives their life in ways that place a high value on life's rewards, it isn't that they ignore the risks inherent in any specific activity, it is that they don't let those possible consequences dampen their enthusiasm for life and the joys life holds every day.

Just get a -36

George

Do all A* owners start up in their parking spot and blast everyone and everything behind them? There was an A* owner in the shelter across from me, luckily he faced my parking spot, but when he started up and taxied out of his shelter spot it looked like a shotgun with bird shot spraying behind him. Am I the only one who pulls my plane out into the taxiway to start up so I don't blast all the planes parked behind me?

Vince

Absolutely,

Blasting other airplanes with gravel is covered very early in Aerostar training (and is a big part of recurrent training as well).
An experienced Aerostar pilot can selectively aim rocks at will, usually we target whiney mechanics and non-(Aerostar) pilots, but on occasion we will aim at small children and dogs to maintain proficiency. The difference between a child and a dog is you don't have to lead as much with a child, dogs are tough (and fast).

My recommendation is that if you see an Aerostar with its engines running, pull your plane or vehicle to the side of the taxiway, shut down, exit, and stand at attention in a location where the Aerostar pilot can see you (salute not required), until the Aerostar has passed by.

If an Aerostar has just shut down, keep clear of the pilot's door, the pilot may be making a quick dash to the men's room or the nearest rental car, an Aerostar pilot always has places to go!

Safety First!

No, only a "special" breed of A* pilots, known as A______* pilots do that. Fortunately they are a dying breed. Personal "re-education" is encouraged!

George

I can't speak for all Aerostar owners, but personally, I prefer children as targets over dogs. I like dogs.

Expensive, freshly washed cars are a "blast" too.

How the hell did this thread degenerate into such an asinine excursus?

Oh yea, I remember now.

Jgreen

John will not be complete until he owns another "real" airplane. Hint "real" airplanes have round engines!

Aubey,

I will admit to a "round engine" fetish of sorts. I still recall the deep thumping resonance of my Beech 18; a siren's song of aviation orgasmic delight!! Still, nothing compared with the whining, coughing explosion to arms of my first AT-6 with an inertia starter. Anyone who replaces an inertia starter on a radial with a gear driven one should be castrated without consolation.

In the linguistic venue of Pontotoc, Mississippi (aka Mississippi State U.) lingo: Man, that's cool!

That being said, watching the world slip by at over 250 mph in a 290 hp piston twin isn't bad either; this being an Aerostar thread, so,

Back to topic. What was the topic? Oh yea, Aerostar owner's propensity to blast small children with rocks I think. Yes "Do all A* owners start up in their parking spot and blast everyone and everything behind them?"

And some people connect having a PPL with intelligence.

Jgreen

You know, shortly after I picked up my MU2 I was wrenching on something and a 700 year old man rolled by in a Citation, blowing all my tools and a piece of cowling onto the deck; it wrinkled a little sheet metal and chipped paint. The guy shut down, got out, walked over to me and started complimenting me on my airplane.

You get to a certain age, you don't do these things because you're inconsiderate, you do these things because you have no freakin' idea what's going on around you. I didn't even bother mentioning to him, there would have been no point to it. He would have felt shitty and he's going to do it again regardless. It's just sheet metal.

Good thing they make those jets (mostly) old man proof...

Wow it's been a while since I've logged into Beechtalk. Here's a photo of our 601-p. Last February, we set a personal record, with a non-stop flight of 1061 N.M. from Taos, NM, in 4:36, which included an ILS approach at our destination KHAO...landing with 35 gallons remaining.

I pulled the trigger back in March 2015. I spent almost a year looking and doing research. I found both the AF and AOA to be helpful sources of information. I was unaware of the history there and dont really care that much. I never saw the need to spend a few hundred dollars to join AOA, but wouldn't mind going to the Tahoe fly in if im welcome as a non member. Would just be nice to talk to other Aerostar owners and see other aircraft.

Anyway, i had flown an Aerostar 602P back when i was a flight instructor in the late 80's. Other than getting my ratings in an Apache and Duchess, it was the first twin i flew regularly. After owning our Bonanza for a year and really getting to see the types of trips we were flying, I determined a twin would make sense. It was an easy decision for me; had to go for the sexy beast! But, which one.

My requirements are probably quite different than most Aerostar owners. We were flying really short trips mostly in Southern CA. French Valley, F70, to Big Bear, L35, F70 to Las Vegas, HND. So, didn't require long range; my bladder seems to only be good for 2 hours anyway. If I needed to go any further than that or weather was really bad I could just use my pass privileges.
1. No pressurization (600 or 601)
2. No aux tank
Short flights with low altitude cruise
3. No turbos (600)
So Cal and Vegas weather is VFR more than 90% of the time. No need for FIKI
4. No hot props
5. No Boots
6. No windshield hot plate
Wanted to keep maintenance at a minimum so 1-6 all played into that requirement.
I wanted and airframe with no damage history and low total time. Also didn't care too much about what it looked like paint scheme and interior wise as no one has the same taste and requirements and I'd like to spec those out myself.
7. Paint condition - open
8. Interior condition - open
I am a big fan of Avidyne avionics so didn't want to pay more for a bird equipped with GTNs. If it had any newer Avidyne equipment already that would be a plus, but very unlikely. Next best would be a GNS 530W or 430W as I could just slide an IFD 540 in there and proceeds from selling the G stuff would just be a bonus.
9. Avionics - Avidyne, or GNS, and no GTNs
There were other factors too. There are beautiful older Aerostars out there, but I wanted to stay away from the early airframes before they started manufacturing with the more durable aluminum. Don Smith, Aerostar World is convinced that the spar crack issues were 74 and 75. And, there's the obvious. A later airframe is going to have the latest design, a good thing most of the time, and better value and lower time.
10. 76 or later
11. Good maintenance pedigree
Looking forward to development of newer Diesel/Jet-A retrofits, I didn't need freshly overhauled engines and associated increase in cost. I figured I would give Diesel development at least 5 years and averaging way less than 30 hours a year I needed 150 hours remaining to TBO.
12. Engines 1850, 2000 hr TBO for non turbo

After all that, the search was on for a 76 or later 600 with no ice, low airframe time, NDH, and engines with high time, but not run out.

Did a lot of searching. A lot of beatiful Aerostars out there. It was tough to remain objective and stay within my search criteria. It was really hard to find an airplane with no deice equipment. There are also quite a few out there that have the windshield, or boots or props, but not all which is useless dead weight if not totally FIKI; that seems to be prevalent on many GA airplanes as I discovered during my A36 search. And, a lot of airplanes have had boots or prop equipment removed which is even worse, no de ice capability and carrying around the dead weight of system associated electrical and pneumatic plumbing...boggles the mind. I found a 601B that met all my criteria except for the turbos. It wasn't my first choice and I even looked into the STC to remove the turbos. I called on a few more airplanes and started to get a bit discouraged and started to stray away from my criteria. I test flew a 601P, I already admitted to straying, haha. It looked really good on paper, but it had a few neglected maintenance issues. We almost declared an emergency and secured one engine as it started running poorly after takeoff! My wife said "I don't care if the seller rebuilds that airplane completely I'm not getting in it again." NTS "Don't bring my loving wife on any more test flights." Haha. The 601B was in the back of my mind and decided to call on it. It really was perfect for me and met all my criteria except for the turbos. There was the added bonus of having a Garmin 430, quick and less expensive install of the IFD540 and it had every Machen mod available; huge bonus maintenance, performance, relaibilty and flyabilty wise. I told Don Smith at Aerostar World, who had the plane, what I was up to, removing the turbos, and he said it could be done. He asked why and I mentioned my mission. He of course replied that if operating at high altitude airports, L35 6700', the turbos would be a huge bonus. I told him I didnt think i needed the performance benefit as I would have 4 light people max, no fuel due to short trip, so would be light weight. Non - P models are 300 lbs lighter to boot. I also didn't want the additional turbo maintenance. Don said the turbo maintenance isn't high and actually very low if you operate reduced power setting at lower altitudes, which is my typical profile. The final word was he said he wouldn't sell me the airplane if I was going to take the turbos off; guess he took that as castrating a pedigree stud in its prime.

So, I ended up with the "Green Machine." My wife called it "Cousin It" when we first got it, but at least she is happy to get in it and fly; I had to do the interior first though. I started a post purchase thread on the AF and elsewhere here on BT.

The turbos are nice, especially with the intercoolers. The combination of super light weight, 4076 lbs empty, due to no pressurization or de ice, turbo intercooled engines, and no boot or prop deice drag, makes this particular airframe a real performer. We have had it up at Showlow, AZ and Big Bear and it just rips!

Nice looking plane.

Thanks. I guess it's not "Cousin It" anymore now that we did the interior. Planning a slick paint job like you have then it will not be the "Green Machine" anymore either.