MTOW OF 4,400 lbs (EUROCONTROL FEES)

Living near Paris I'd like to buy a Skymaster, ideally turbo and pressurized. There is a slight problem : while you fly IFR in Europe you are being looked after by Eurocontrol (i.e. radar control). That is actually a free service as long as your aircraft's official MTOW doesn't exceed 1,999 kilogrammes (approx. 4,400 lbs).

As far as I know this basically limits my purchasing options to the C337 C and D models, the turbo and pressurized versions being too heavy. (I was told that the Eurocontrol fees would add more than 40 $ per hour (!) to the cost of flying...)

So my question is simple : Is it possible to have a turbo / pressurized Skymaster without exceeding 4,400 lbs MTOW?

Thanks a lot in advance to anybody who might be able to help me.

[Bob Cook]

Chris

Remove one engine and recertify <G>.

Seriously, the certification determines the gross weight and that is what all airtraffic services use. There is no simple way to "short" the system that I can see. You are going to be limited. The P210 is the only alternative that I can think of that would give you the performance of the 337 but........... one engine. The one you really want is the O&N turbine conversion... now that is the "spaceship" for Europe.

Bob



Bob

[SkyKing]

Chris,

I believe if you will dig into the so-called "Eurocontrol" you might be surprised to find that this is being administered under the United Nation's ICAO ... under the UN's edict to "direct and control ALL human and natural resources". Be that as it may, since the POH empty weight for the P337 is around 3176 lbs, perhaps you can find a loophole in these Eurocontrol/ICAO regs to get around it. Conceivably, you could fly with four people (based on 170#) and still have room for 544 pounds of fuel, which would bring you to 4400 MTOW. I haven't read these regs, but insofar as reading any laws, you will find that what you're told and what the law actually says to be two different things.

BTW, the United Nation's ICAO proceeds on the basis of 'gradualism' ...and don't beleive for a moment they're not desirous of spreading their globalist "sustainability" to literally every endeavor... and every corner of the globe.

SkyKing

[SkyKing]

Forgot to add... part of the 'gradualism' was getting our long-standing Aviation Weather Service to 'adopt' the new METAR nomenclature, which is the UN's ICAO in action... part of the conditioning for the next step here in the USA: Privatization and USER FEES. This needs to be nipped in the bud.

SkyKing

[Paul Sharp]

My 1967 Turbo model has a 4300 lb. gross weight limit.

[Dave Underwood]

Easy depending on the registration. The owners of most UK registered Senecas have restricted the MTOW with the CAA to a MTOW of 1999 kilos. You then register that fact with Euro Control and then no charges.

I have an N registered 77 FT337G and am in the process of trying to do the same thing and based on early reaction it should be ok. In my plane the reduction is only 300 lbs and no one checks anyways or so I am told. Can you imagine a ramp check that includes a weight check?

I don't want to pay Euro Control - it is expensive enough to fly as it is.

I will let you know if you like.

Dear Paul,

This was real help for me. At least I now know that it's possible.

Thanks again,

Chris


Originally posted by Paul Sharp
My 1967 Turbo model has a 4300 lb. gross weight limit.

Dear Dave,

Thank you very much for your help. You are absolutely right : flying is already expensive enough. And yes, please, keep me posted. I'd also be quite eager to have your opinion on the average hourly cost of flying this type of a/c.

Thanks again,

Chris


Originally posted by Dave Underwood
Easy depending on the registration. The owners of most UK registered Senecas have restricted the MTOW with the CAA to a MTOW of 1999 kilos. You then register that fact with Euro Control and then no charges.

I have an N registered 77 FT337G and am in the process of trying to do the same thing and based on early reaction it should be ok. In my plane the reduction is only 300 lbs and no one checks anyways or so I am told. Can you imagine a ramp check that includes a weight check?

I don't want to pay Euro Control - it is expensive enough to fly as it is.

I will let you know if you like.