Jump to content

Now I want a twin...


ryoder

Recommended Posts

On October 22, 2016 at 0:39 PM, Skybrd said:

I read the Piper Twin Comanche is like a twin engine Mooney. Anyway, I have a 201 Mooney and a Twin Comanche and they're many simularities one is on landing as they don't want to land correctly if the speed is not right. The Mooney uses less fuel but not that much, concerning speed they are close. My T. Comanche has turbos and at altitude can really get scooting. Some of my flying is off shore flying and I feel more comfortable in the twin. My Dad owned two Twin Comanches over the years and it served him very well. He later moved to a Cessna 340 which he loved. One thing that I don't overly like is the poor visability looking down while do sightseeing. Sometimes I fly over whales off shore but can't keep them in sight much with the limited visibility. 

Considering comparing the Mooney with the Twin Comanche. The landing distance is much shorter in the Mooney, the T. Comanche just doesnt want to stop quickly. I found that if I dump the flaps once on the ground that the Comanche will stop quicker than without. Its easy to skid the tires after applying brakes if the flaps arent retracted. Another help to stop the Comanche is the same as the Mooney and that is to lower touchdown speed as low and safe as possible. The VMC on the Comanche is 90 mph. If you were looking to upgrade to a Twin Comanche, You might would want the upgrade to Aztec brakes, adding the Robertson Stol kit, and possible the Miller engine upgrade (from 160 hp to 200 hp engines). 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lot of good points here on both sides of the coin but also the typical twin misinformation. Few reasons I went twin from a K model, although I still love Mooney's and will likely own another in the future along with the twin if possible.... Not talking about a trainer twin with little to no power though. If buying a seminole or equivalent power, stick with the mooney. 

My twin is faster 

My twin has 1300 more useful load than my Mooney did

My twin with full fuel still carries more than my Mooney's total UL 

My twin flies higher

My twin climbs better

My twin flies higher than many Mooney's can with one engine running (assuming we were already up there!)

My twin flies farther on a single tank of fuel

My twin is pressurized 

My twin cost less to own and operate than many single engine turbo props but carries a lot more

My twin carries 7 people in comfort and the family will actually go on trips now and not complain 

My twin has avionics that few Mooney's come close to

My twin is FIKI and doesn't rely on TKS fluid

My twin costs much less than a new Mooney 

Yes the twin costs more to operate but the above makes it worth the cost increase. If you want a twin, go for it. You will enjoy it. Fly safe and often....

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 I looked into C421's and found them to be more of a "business class" than "personal class" airplane.  They require more money, more training time, and higher skill sets by the owner/pilot.  I would go for simplicity of a single engine if any of the three factors (Money, time, and skill) is lacking.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, M20S Driver said:

 I looked into C421's and found them to be more of a "business class" than "personal class" airplane.  They require more money, more training time, and higher skill sets by the owner/pilot.  I would go for simplicity of a single engine if any of the three factors (Money, time, and skill) is lacking.  

I agree with that. One of the biggest things that model has in common with the Mooney K for example is its value proposition. Excellent all around bang for the buck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Proof that the mission change can't be covered by a Mooney.  6 people and UL well over 1100...

Since you have gone into the larger category, One question...

Why the big twin vs Turbine single?

The twin adds such a skill set (engine out on T/O) that maintaining proficiency takes on more importance and related expenses.

 

OK, since it is MS, two questions....

What engines are powering the 421?  TSIO520 Rocket engines?

 

I am always looking for answers to what's going to power my next ride...

Best regards,

-a-

Edited by carusoam
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, carusoam said:

Proof that the mission change can't be covered by a Mooney.  6 people and UL well over 1100...

Since you have gone into the larger category, One question...

Why the big twin vs Turbine single?

The twin adds such a skill set (engine out on T/O) that maintaining proficiency takes on more importance and related expenses.

 

OK, since it is MS, two questions....

What engines are powering the 421?  TSIO520 Rocket engines?

 

I am always looking for answers to what's going to power my next ride...

Best regards,

-a-

Yes, the K was great for me but with two 200# passengers we simply couldn't go far enough in the comfort we (mostly they!!) wanted. Pilot's are always happy when flying almost anything but my pasengers and family weren't and that of course has weight on the situation. The new bird carries a lot more than many reasonable single engine turbo props and is also bigger. Turbo prop parts and maintenance depending on model are in another class as well. For example, a meridian costs more and while faster, is much less roomy and can only carry 5-600 pounds of load with full fuel. A jet prop conversion is in same boat and either way i am not a piper fan other than the M600!! TBM price wise is way up there in comparison and still while much faster, is smaller inside and due to budget alone wasn't even in the picture. PC12 is great but again cost much more so not in picture. The 421c, even the most premium example of one can be had for a K like value proposition. Price to all around performance is hard to beat and while still piston powered is a the top of the food chain and is a solid work horse. It is like a suburban, the nose alone can hold nearly 500#'s or 4 sets of clubs easily while everyone in back is comfortable and clutter free. The twin to single safety can be argued all day but it usually works like this... When I only owned a single I had the same feelings about a twin safety, now that I fly a twin my opinion has changed. :) The 421C is powered by GTSIO 520-N engines which due to being geared are unique to the model giving the cabin the quietest cabin in GA with a prop, no headsets needed.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.