Now I want a twin...

[AndyFromCB]

Don't know how. And it's only off by a half gallon an hour or so. (I think...)

I sort of know where the inaccuracies are in my gauges, so I generally run the left tank down to a point and then switch to keep the load balanced based on what the gauges say. Usually because I'm bored in cruise. If something else is going on I'll switch on a timer.

I look to see that I'm above 26, sometimes if I'm idling for a long time I've leaned on the ground and forgotten to push the mixture back up, now I just don't bother to lean and look for the flow on the roll. A little harder feeding in the turbo since it's all moving around all the time while it spools.

 

One of these days I'll make a calibrated dip stick... Kind of a hassle with those anti siphon flaps though.

 

I always lean on the ground because my sparks will foul if I don't and I mean they will do that in 5 minutes, but I make it a point to lean so much that my engine will simply die if I push the throttle forward without pushing the mixture. For me the difference is 3gph between fully leaned for ground ops and full rich at idle.

[kmyfm20s]

Doesn't get any easier than a twin turbine. Each engine consuming from own separate tank. PC12 accident comes to mind where the pilot severely mismanaged tanks and crashed into cemetery in MT due to fuel imbalance. Apparently was too damn cheap to put Prist into the tank and ice up fuel intake.

 

On the TBM, the fuel tank switch is automatic. Kind of cool watching it spin every 10 minutes or so. On the Meridian, it's full auto as well, with an additional full auto balancing pump.

 

There truly is no aircraft in the world easier to fly than Meridian. There is just nothing to do but fly the plane.

 

Well, that a lie. Cessna Mustang is even easier to due to FADEC. If I could only come up with the $225K a year it run one. I've landed one once or twice, it has to be the easiest aircraft to land ever created. There is simply nothing to do. Come on speed, cross the threshold at 50 feet, pull the power. It flares itself. One limiting speed for everything, 250knots.

According to a good friend of the owner the lack of prist was due to improper fueling by the linesmen. I know the guy wasn't to cheap to pay for it since he is a multi millionaire and those where his children and grandchildren on board. That was also the accident that caused the FAA to reevaluate the number of persons and seat belts on board. Since there where a number of children on the plane a couple where double buckled.

[AndyFromCB]

According to a good friend of the owner the lack of prist was due to improper fueling by the linesmen. I know the guy wasn't to cheap to pay for it since he is a multi millionaire and those where his children and grandchildren on board. That was also the accident that caused the FAA to reevaluate the number of persons and seat belts on board. Since there where a number of children on the plane a couple where double buckled.

That doesn't mean anything. My old boss, who was like 100 years old at the time, would stand at the pump an for 5 minutes try to justify putting premium in his Benz 600 (which BTW required it) and then go regular after a lengthy deliberation in his head. He was a multimillionaire too, about 300 times over and still would never pay to hangar the Lear. Never underestimate CBs. 

 

But in this case, you're probably right. Too bad he didn't land sooner, or on a longer runway with no flaps...Essentially, he run out of aileron...

[bonal]

I just noticed that PeeVee and Andy look exactly alike

[AndyFromCB]

I just noticed that PeeVee and Andy look exactly alike

 

Fixed that for ya. Changed it to my favorite Canadian, in your honor ;-) 

[kmyfm20s]

You are absolutely correct that there are plenty of multimillionaire's that are members of the CB club. In this case I have met the owner a few times and wouldn't say he's the kind of person to climb over a dollar to save a dime.

I'm sure there where options for the pilot that could have prevented the accident. From what I understand there where some changes in the fuel system and POH as a result of the crash but that is hearsay and heard from a mutual friend.

[mike_elliott]

BTW, pilots who run out of fuel not due to mechanical failure should be executed on the spot. As simple as that.

 

 

 

They usually are, unfortunately

[bonal]

Fixed that for ya. Changed it to my favorite Canadian, in your honor ;-) 

 

HA HA HA

[aviatoreb]

Fixed that for ya. Changed it to my favorite Canadian, in your honor ;-) 

 

Who is that funny looking guy?

[bonal]

Fixed that for ya. Changed it to my favorite Canadian, in your honor ;-) 

 

I did not know you were from Canada

[pinerunner]

I used to drool over Cessna 310 with their pointy wing tip tanks.  I really am happy now with my old M20E. You an buy some nice looking twins real cheap. 

[AndyFromCB]

I did not know you were from Canada

 

I like the guy, he was winning the war on drugs, one eight ball at a time...

[peevee]

I used to drool over Cessna 310 with their pointy wing tip tanks.  I really am happy now with my old M20E. You an buy some nice looking twins real cheap.

I'd love a 310. I'd hate to put gas in or insure it!

[petegaz40]

The twins are cheap to buy but once you own them............

[Skybrd]

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. 

[aviatoreb]

3 hours ago, Hyett6420 said:

Personally as a J owner if i owned a twin it would HAVE to be a SR71 Blackbird.  Fuel burn might be a small issue, but hey its a twin!  

Blackbird coast-coast record.  1hr 8 min.  Who cares about fuel!  I'm a busy man and time is money!

http://www.wvi.com/~sr71webmaster/972record1.htm

[N201MKTurbo]

I did my multi commercial and ATP in a Senica the visibility was HORRIBLE! 

If you see one in the air give it a wide margin, it can't see you!

Edited October 23, 2016 by N201MKTurbo

[bradp]

My mission may change (and I love my J) and ... I've actually been thinking about the if/when's of the jump.  The only twins I'd consider would be a 58P (which is limited by the airframe life limit) a 340A, which seems like a true maintenance hog, or an Aerostar.  If I needed to burn 36gph to go anywhere, I'd hope it would be at 200-235 ktas instead of 175ktas on the same (i.e. Aerostar vs Baron).   If I'm going to burn so much gas, I'd at least want the benefits of AC, pressurization and ice shedding capability.  The whole idea would be to change the mission capabilities significantly.  This would be if I wanted significant winter capability, nights over rough terrain or stretches of open water.  

Remembering, of course, that the highest cost for any aircraft over its lifetime is fuel....

So I guess if I needed to go twin I'd go twin Mooney. 

[Hank]

If you want 175 knits, get an M, R or 310-HP S. An Acclaim will do more, on half the fuel or so.

[KLRDMD]

18 minutes ago, Hank said:

If you want 175 knits, get an M, R or 310-HP S. An Acclaim will do more, on half the fuel or so.

Twins have the useful load that Mooneys don't, if you need that. They also have more seats, in additional to redundancy not only of engine but all the accessories.

[Guest]

13 hours ago, Hank said:

If you want 175 knits, get an M, R or 310-HP S. An Acclaim will do more, on half the fuel or so.

Or, you could get a brand P with a few extra cylinder and throttle back to get 175KTS.  Then you get lots of of useful weight and even fly off grass.

Clarence

[Ron McBride]

I have 500 hrs in  a 310G.   1600# useful load in it.  Fill the tanks 130 gals and you have a little over 800#'s left.  this gives you 4 hrs at 185 knots with 30 gallons to spare. 740 nm   1:12 minutes depending on power.    My F  740 nm in 5:15 minutes and 52 or less gallons.   12 gallons to spare, or about 1:15 minutes.

"Maintenance", fuel, insurance, time spent being current.         Engine failure at 200 agl on takeoff, please be current in that twin.

Yes, I still want another 310 or maybe a 340, but the check book says, M20F.

Ron

[DaV8or]

7 hours ago, M20Doc said:

Or, you could get a brand P with a few extra cylinder and throttle back to get 175KTS.  Then you get lots of of useful weight and even fly off grass.

Clarence

I never thought about it before, but your airplane is kind of like the Twin Comanche but without the redundancy. 

Edited October 24, 2016 by DaV8or

[Jerry 5TJ]

A 747 pilot looked at my E model some years ago and exclaimed, "Wow, it's a single point failure simulator!"  

I replied, "What do you mean, simulator?"

 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, DaV8or said:

I never thought about it before, but your airplane is kind of like the Twin Comanche but without the redundancy. 

It's almost the same, just cruises faster, climbs faster, carries more and has more range.  

Clarence