Your Opinions on a Navajo P

[Say Again Over]

"Stay away from geared engines?"

Anyway, the CE-421 is a good airplane, not too bad on maintenance if you operate it properly, the B model should be in your price range.

 

[JimG]

I share a hangar with a guy who's trading his Seneca V in on a Chieftan.

We climbed up in it yesterday as a matter of fact, while it's sitting on our ramp waiting for the pre-buy inspection on Monday. The guy and his son were more than anxious to invite us in as we walked by to show it off.

It's nice and roomy and would be very comfortable to ride in for an extended period of time and enjoy the view out those large windows, but I don't understand his desire to pour alot of avgas through those big Lycomings to fly low and slow, or in the mid-teens with a tube up his nose, just to have a large cabin for his wife, 2 kids, and 2 dogs to be "comfortable".

He's not using it for business (he's a famous Hollywood actor who lives here instead of California), it's a toy/hobby plane, and he can afford it, so I guess it doesn't matter.

But it isn't one I'd ever consider....I got tired of a hose up my nose a long time ago.

 

[FR8mastr]

If your not afraid of the geared engines, and dont need or want the pressurization, look into the Cessna 404. It has a huge cabin, and because it shares the wing with the bigger conquest it holds a tremedous amount of fuel for a very impressive range. Trailing link gear, and a really nice ramp presence. the engines are the same as the 421, 375 Hp geared. Cruise prop rpm is 1700 so it is very quiet for a piston aircraft. You would also never have a problem taking whatever load you need in that bird. I used to carry 1900-2000 lbs in the back with 2.5 to 3 hours fuel. Long range at reduced power your looking at 10 hours of duration, not that your bladder can handle that.

 

[Headwind]

NoPax your numbers are correct for the C-421. I flew a B model for a couple of years and thats the numbers I used. I think the engine turns 1.5 rmp for each turn of the prop.
I agree that a B model 421 would be a much better choice than the P-Navoje. The 421 is very quiet and has a nice cabin. We sometimes would fly at gross in hot weather and it was a dog (600fpm) in those conditions. With 3 pax and 100 gallons it handles very well.
We did regular maintenance and treated the engines proper. Never had the problems you hear from people who have never operated one.

HEADWIND