Piper Comanche - Good Buy?

[clickclickboom]

CORRECTION: http://www.webcoaircraft.com/

I owned a beautiful 260 C until 7 months ago when i upgraded to a 310.

They are awesome planes, All of them. The 250 is probably the best bang for the buck.. The earlier models had a basic ventilation system and the panels had avionics on the far left and rt side.. Many have upgraded to an STC's single piece with centerstack.

Sounds like you have a good motor and prop.. Airframe of 5100 is nothing for the comance. I have flown one with 15,000 hrs on it!!

Major possible Expenses:

The landing gear. The electro mechanical gear in my opinion was the best piper had to offer. BUT there is a 1000 hr gear ad and many mechanics dont fully understand the airplane to begin with. I suggest spending the $3000 from webco and rebushing the gear completely. Go out and buy the pre made wiring harness for the gear and upgrade to the teflon push pull conduits. That way your gear will be PERFECT and provide you years of service.

TAIL: Torque Tube and bolts.. Make sure you have the right tail bolts in. I would highly suggest pulling the stab off and inspecting the torque tube for corrosion. It is overlooked and vulnerable.. Spend the 10 hrs of labor and inspect the tube. I have seen one that had stripper get caught in there and the tube was completely corroded to the point that it was falling apart. ( yes this is basically the spar for the stab). While you are back there change out the bearings and bolts.

PARTS: Absolutely no problem.. www.webco.com makes nearly every wear part you could need for the plane.. Anything else is available from the junk yards. Plus numerous other vendors

Never once in 1500 hrs hours of ownership did i have a problem getting a part


Make sure you inspect the nose gear real close. They are easy to land flat or on the nose..

I am assuming you meant manual flaps?

PERFORMANCE: Every day of the week 150kts, 6000-7000 ft 13.5 gph.

The plane will land and fly better at gross then it does light.

Regardless of what anyone else says with proper technique you can fly this bird out of 1500 ft grass runway no problem.

Use top of the white arc 120mph for gear not 150 as per the book and you will save your gear doors ( warping, cracking) and motor.

By the way each piece of the plane was alodined and zinc chromated BEFORE assembly!

Most importantly check the insurance.. Many carriers wont write a plane that old.. Plus there have been numerous accidents and the insurers are gun shy.

FYI: I was paying $3150 for $130,000 hull with a smooth million in liability 1969 C Model

My 310 is $3200 $170,000 hull smooth mil
Hope this helps...

http://www.webcoaircraft.com/

 

[clickclickboom]

CORRECTION: http://www.webcoaircraft.com/

I owned a beautiful 260 C until 7 months ago when i upgraded to a 310.

They are awesome planes, All of them. The 250 is probably the best bang for the buck.. The earlier models had a basic ventilation system and the panels had avionics on the far left and rt side.. Many have upgraded to an STC's single piece with centerstack.

Sounds like you have a good motor and prop.. Airframe of 5100 is nothing for the comance. I have flown one with 15,000 hrs on it!!

Major possible Expenses:

The landing gear. The electro mechanical gear in my opinion was the best piper had to offer. BUT there is a 1000 hr gear ad and many mechanics dont fully understand the airplane to begin with. I suggest spending the $3000 from webco and rebushing the gear completely. Go out and buy the pre made wiring harness for the gear and upgrade to the teflon push pull conduits. That way your gear will be PERFECT and provide you years of service.

TAIL: Torque Tube and bolts.. Make sure you have the right tail bolts in. I would highly suggest pulling the stab off and inspecting the torque tube for corrosion. It is overlooked and vulnerable.. Spend the 10 hrs of labor and inspect the tube. I have seen one that had stripper get caught in there and the tube was completely corroded to the point that it was falling apart. ( yes this is basically the spar for the stab). While you are back there change out the bearings and bolts.

PARTS: Absolutely no problem.. www.webco.com makes nearly every wear part you could need for the plane.. Anything else is available from the junk yards. Plus numerous other vendors

Never once in 1500 hrs hours of ownership did i have a problem getting a part


Make sure you inspect the nose gear real close. They are easy to land flat or on the nose..

I am assuming you meant manual flaps?

PERFORMANCE: Every day of the week 150kts, 6000-7000 ft 13.5 gph.

The plane will land and fly better at gross then it does light.

Regardless of what anyone else says with proper technique you can fly this bird out of 1500 ft grass runway no problem.

Use top of the white arc 120mph for gear not 150 as per the book and you will save your gear doors ( warping, cracking) and motor.

By the way each piece of the plane was alodined and zinc chromated BEFORE assembly!

Most importantly check the insurance.. Many carriers wont write a plane that old.. Plus there have been numerous accidents and the insurers are gun shy.

FYI: I was paying $3150 for $130,000 hull with a smooth million in liability 1969 C Model

My 310 is $3200 $170,000 hull smooth mil
Hope this helps...

http://www.webcoaircraft.com/

 

[crash-proof]

Comanche 400

Forget all you've heard about the Comanche 180-260 series, those are girly-man planes, if you want to join the big boys you need one of these:

http://www.comanche400.com

imp: imp: imp:

 

[Dr Pokenhiemer]

Very durable plane--I know used to know a guy who geared on up--TWICE!! He then went on to fly an airliner in the UAE. Look at the history for the plane you are buying. If it is or ever was owned by Mike Wilson, let it gooooooooooo!

 

[Flyin Tony]

We have a 64 250 we are putting up for sale right now. 4300TT 900SMOH and 5STOH. I have done 7 hours non stop. I get 155-160 ture on 12 GPH. I would look for a 62-64 250 if your going to buy one. They do get costly had a 8,000 annual last month.

 

[AC560]

I got an hour in a PA24-400 a couple years back, was wicked fun.

 

[AirBadger]

Anyone got 200 grand I could have?

http://www.aso.com/aircraft/97066/

 

[AC560]

Anyone got 200 grand I could have?

http://www.aso.com/aircraft/97066/

260C is faster plus I can think of a lot better planes for $200k. I will say though when you put the power in you feel it.

 

[GoingHot]

I have done 7 hours non stop. I get 155-160 ture on 12 GPH.

WOW! That thing can glide for 2 hours? (unless you have something more than the standard 2x30 gal tanks).

 

[User546]

Thanks for all the suggestions and information. It never donned on me to ask about a trial membership. I also realized I was being a bit silly in the first place about the $64 membership fee. If I do buy an aircraft, that $64 will be relatively a drop in the bucket compared to whats coming.

And if I was going to drop 200 grand on an aircraft, it sure wouldn't be a 400hp single! I'd be getting me a pimpin' multi for that!

Flying Tony... tell me a bit more about your $8,000 annual. I made mention of this to another pilot at the airport, and he was taken back a bit by it. I know annuals aren't cheap, but is that something I can expect every year, or did your guy do a lot of fixing and replacing?

And in answer to another posters, it's got the original, cluster-f#*k of a layout panel. Nothing exciting on the radios either. Anyone have any idea what I could epxect to pay to put a new panel in that would allow me to "six pack" the instruments, and give everything a more newer look to it? I've seen some other panels of similiar years on AeroTrader and Trade A Plane that have have been re-laid out great, and look like a more modern day Piper. Curious how much that might set me back, and if it's easy to do.

 

[Vector4fun]

Simply updating the radios is relatively simple for a good shop, depends on what you're wanting and willing to spend. A new 430 and a couple other new radios will cost around $20k installed. We paid around $7000 for a used KY97 and KNS80 plus new CDI plus used KR86 and plus dual avionics masters and some other minor work, installed. Understand those were all used, refurbed radios, not new.


Remanufacturing the panel to move the gauges around can be more complicated and would require a field approval I believe. You've got to change the plumbing and wiring, look at lighting etc. I know some guys have spent $40-$50K on their Cessna panels. Most all will tell you it's far cheaper to buy an airplane with radios and panel you can live with. I've been dreaming of a new, powder-coated and silk-screened metal panel for the Cessna, along with a refurb of the electrical bus, breakers and panel lighting, and that's around $7K installed as well, with a pre-engineered kit that's already been field approved numerous times. You might double that figure and add 1-2 months for a one-off Commanche panel.

All the above might well be worth the money and effort if you plan on keeping the airplane for 10 or more years, otherwise, it's money you'll never get back. Consider a newer Arrow with modern panel.