Operating costs for BE-18?

[capnflyright]

What are the hourly operating costs for the beech 18?

 

[avbug]

What condition is it in, what type of operation, where, and who is operating it?

You can get by on two hundred fifty an hour, or six or eight hundred an hour. How many jugs will new pilots be lifting heads on? How long will your prop governor last?

Lots of variables there.

 

[jsoceanlord]

TOLAIR at san juan international might know - they operate four. I think they have a web site; www.tolair.com

 

[TurboS7]

Twim Beech is a wonderful airplane, we used to call them the flying cash register. The H and G models with the high cabin are the best, wonderful airplane. I havn't checked the cost lately but as of 12 years ago you could get one for about 45k in pretty nice condition(cargo) The R-985 is a wonderful engine that just keeps running and running. Maintenance is a big factor and you need one full, full time mechanic for every airplane. We used to asign a mechanic to each bird and it was his baby. Get as many spare parts as possible, and you need a spare engine(14K) in stock and also several"jugs" that are ready to go. Don't even think about taking off until you have oil temp in the green in the winter, even with the oil cooler by-pass mod you will crack the oil cooler unless the oil is warm. That usually takes about 45 minutes of just idling to get the temps up in the winter. Wonderful machine for here in South Florida for flying to the islands, hauls 2200+ pounds. Nasty airplane on the ground and it will bite you, you can't let just any pilot fly it as most now days can't handle a taildragger worth a hoot. I have a lot of time in the aircraft and loved every minute of it. Fuel burn about 50 gallons per hour.

 

[LR25]

If you wanted to pick someones brain about operating Twin Beech's you need to call Hankins Air Service in Jackson, MS.

There the experts on BE-18's.

LR25

 

[jsoceanlord]

hey turbos7-

A couple years ago I flew a white big cabin beech 18 from opa locka with a guy who'd also flown hawkers and dc-3's - any relation?

 

[TurboS7]

All my BE-18 flying was in Illinois. I moved to South Florida about 12 years ago.

 

[TurboS7]

Correction my wife just said 14 years ago, my how time flies.