Cessna P337 multi engine question

[cougar6903]

I was recently offered a position flying a Cessna P337 Pt. 91 for the owner. My question is how respectable is Cessna 337 time as viewed my future employers (i.e., regionals). I currently have 75 hours of multi with more to come if I stay at my current CFI position. Anyone get a job with a regional recently with lots of 337 time??

 

[jergar999]

Multi time is multi time, provided you are not center line thrust restricted (you obviously aren't). I don't think any regionals would care, since you earned your rating in a standard twin. I would go with whatever pays better, and keep and mind that a single engine 337 is just a glider.

 

[Frank Abagnale]

if it has more than one its muti

if its multi its good

dont overthink it

 

[ultrarunner]

Roger on that...it goes in the mulit-engine column, and that's all that matters.

 

[BlackCoffee]

pure curiosity, where do you take a boss in a 337. I'm about to buy one and could not see hiring someone to fly me in it. Not a very cush ride for a suit. Congrats on the job though.

 

[erj-145mech]

An engine out Skymaster is not a glider, its just a slower safe to fly aircraft. There are two kinds of pilots, informed educated types, and fricken idiots. A C-337 on one engine will climb to about 4,000 on one engine, fly for four hours, and then perform a full slip landing. Try that next time in a 340/414/421.

 

[bobbysamd]

337 time

I agree with all the above opinions. Multi time is multi time. I, too, would take the job.

In fact, it could serve as a positive attention-getter during the board interview. Most people show conventional twin time. Your push me-pull you time might spark a friendly conversation about the airplane with a board member(s). Friendly conversations during the interview about airplanes go far in advancing your interests. Of course, you have to be fully familiar with the airplane because it could invite some technical questions as well.

Take the job. Have fun.

 

[planejanes]

Not sure if I agree with everyone on this one. I have seen on numerous applications where it asked if the multi was in a centerline thrust airplane and devaluing that time. The time will be valuable, but be prepared for it to NOT be as valuable as conventional twin time.

Having said that- I really like 337's.....

 

[cessna_driver2]

Off subject a little but good luck finding parts for the 337. And hope you don't get stuck flying a 337 that someone tried converting from a military 335.

parts are tough and cessna doesn't support it any more.

 

[bobbysamd]

UAL App

I have seen on numerous applications where it asked if the multi was in a centerline thrust airplane and devaluing that time . . . .

That is true. I recall some kind of a checkoff square or something on the United app regarding centerline thrust time. I figured it was targeted primarily at T-38, F-14, Tweet drivers, etc.

I love 337s. I would have loved to fly one. After having written the above, I would still go for the job.

 

[fxbat]

Do whichever you enjoy the most! (Ps. the regionals are not that grate…) Remember most of us do this because we like it. Keep it fun and let tomorrow worry about its self.
And
Can any one explain to me why a 337 climbs better on the back engine than the front? Some say slipstream others say cg. It just doesn’t make sense. My friends O2 will climb @300fpm on the rear and maybe 150fpm with just the front. The book has 2 different performance numbers for each Eng. but doesn’t really explain why. (Maybe because it’s a mil book with drag charts for the pods who knows?)

 

[jergar999]

"A C-337 on one engine will climb to about 4,000 on one engine, fly for four hours, and then perform a full slip landing. Try that next time in a 340/414/421."

The 414 may not last as long, but I bet it would climb a lot higher and get to a destination a lot faster than the 337 single engine. The 340 I will give on, it's kind of a weak one, and the 421's I have never flown, but I hear single engine performance is a big deal since those geared engines have something like 4-5 times the failure rate of the non-geared engines on the 414. Somewhere I landed in Colorado, Greeley maybe, there were 7-8 336/337s parked in a line, all owned by one gentlemen, all in various stages of restoration. He had several stories about their single engine performance, and that is where my comments came from. When your field elevation is above 6000' (like many of the airports in Wyo and Col are) and the temp is well over 90 degrees all summer, 4000 is not an impressive number. Given the temps, that puts the SE service ceiling for the 337 at about 3000 feet. Fly that into Leadville, CO for instance, and that ceiling is about 6000 feet below field elevation. I would call that gliding. I apologize for my lack of education. I don't doubt that the 337 is a fine airplane, as demonstrated multiple times by the US coast guard, however given the region of the country I spent the majority of my time operating in, I would certainly be nervous flying at night, IFR, or over some airways with MEA's over 10,000ft.

 

[erj-145mech]

I didn't realize that we were discussing hot/high, 99% of my time is east of El Paso, in the flat lands, and that is what I was referring to, my apologies. I have some time in turbo-charged 337s, but I'm not familliar with the single engine service ceiling of those.

Its true that Cessna doesn't actively support the 337 series airplanes, they also don't support many other aircraft that they once manufactured, but that doesn't mean that those aircraft can't be maintained safely, or legally. Most replaceable items are off the shelf items from vendors. A lot of other model only specific items are easily fabricated, ie, sheetmetal parts, control cables, etc, but they aren't normally replaced in the course of normal maintenance activities. It would be impossible to convert a 337 from a military 335, the 335 was an unpressurized version of a 340.

Fxbat, the difference in single engine climb rates is that the rear engine is blowing clean air over that enormous horizontal stab/elevator, and the front engine is blowing against the frontal area of the fuselage. According to the 1L-2A-1 (USAF Flight Manual), in a single engine scenario, all external stores/ordinance is to be salvoed to drop the weight of the aircraft to 4400 lbs.

Sorry about the thread drift, but back to the original question, at Co-Ex, many motored time is many motored time, two throttles, two engines. No difference.

Dave

 

[fxbat]

erj-145mech

I would almost buy that if the elevator worked as a lifting device. (Noticeable pith control yes) And how does slipstream affect additional thrust? Both eng. Are the same hp. So how with the same amount of power in a perfectly trim a/c Result in different climb rates?

 

[jergar999]

erj-145mech

Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot here, I certainly didn't mean to offend you or anyone else. In retrospect, I should have prefaced my comments with the area and type of operations I'm normally involved in. Also, thanks to you and all mechanics who keep us flying. I know maintenance can be a thankless job, but I never forget that without A&P's I would be just another dorky idiot with a leather jacket.

 

[erj-145mech]

On the ground taxiing, bring up about 21-22 inches on the rear engine, and haul the yoke back, it'll raise the nose gear off the ground. With the front engine only, in flight, that 76 inch prop is pushing against the frontal area of the fuselage, so its not as effecient as the rear only. Thats one reason that the rear engine is considered the "critical" engine. Also, if you look closely, the rear engine is mounted about 20 inches higher than the front engine, so the center of thrust is slightly different. When I was doing my 337 training, I could tell which engine was being cut without looking at my m.p. or tach. With the front engine cut, the aircraft would pitch up, with the rear engine cut, it would pitch down. Now, with fllying with engines out, aircraft built between 1965 and 1968 only had an engine driven hydraulic pump on the front engine, and it takes in the neighborhood of 85 cycles on the hand pump to open the gear doors, lower and lock the gear, and close the doors. Planes built between 1969 and 1974 had an optional rear engine pump. 1975 an on had an electro-hydraulic pump set-up similliar to late model 210's, 172 and 182RG's.

The elevator is not the lifting device, but the horizontal stab is. Sorry about rambling on, now I know why I didn't get a CFI.

Dave

 

[fxbat]

I really don’t mean to beat this to death but the rear Eng. has less prop area exposed to free air due to the shape of the fuselage. So I would think the reverse would be true. The critical Eng. On this O2-A is the front but only due to the hydraulic pump and those gear doors. It’s a fantastic aircraft really cranks and banks, slow but has a lot of character. Don’t worry about flight instructing I have been an instructor for years and I never stop learning things.

 

[C425Driver]

Unless you have a better offer on the table, you should take the job (barring any safety issues). It's multi time and total time without whoring yourself out. If you're concerned about how the centerline thrust looks on the application, keep looking for non-centerline jobs while you are flying the 337. Another box to fill in on applications is for recent experience. This job would help increase the number that goes in that box.

Congrats on the Job!

C425Driver