Aztec

[sshrae]

Does anyone on here have any ownership or rental experiences with a Piper Aztec. I am looking at buying an early model (1960 and would appreciate anything you could pass along to me about experiences you have had (maintenance issues, etc.) Thanks in advance.
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[Geronimo4497]

Bring lots of money. I'd estimate 4-5 hours of maintenance labor + parts for every hour of flight time. They are getting long in the tooth and will require lots of maintenance. As soon as one problem is fixed, you WILL find something else wrong. They are wonderful flying machines, but will really put pressure on your wallet. It should be looked at like a high maintenance women. They have much in common, except the airplane never says "I have a headache".

 

[helimech]

Go for a 1970 era aircraft! Much better for parts procurement. Like Geronimo said, they are great aircraft, built like a tank, but they are maintenance pigs if they have been used at a flight school or not taken care of. If you know the history of the aircraft, even better, but parts are getting scarce for the older aircraft. I have a 60, 12,000 hours and we're ready to put her out to pasture. Cowlings are non-existant when one cracks, and they will crack.