Looking for your input
 

Hi folks,
I would like to get some feedback from all of the 336/337 pilots/owners. I am on the road to getting my PPL and am seriously interested in getting a 337 as my aircraft. I fully believe in the 337 attributes (push pull twin engine configuration) are definite assets. I realize that moving into a twin as a 1st aircraft may be a rather large 1st step but all in all I feel that the 337 is the way to go. One of the reasons I have selected the 337 is that I live in Colorado and the altitude as well as mountain flying will be some of the issues that I will encounter and the 337 is the aircraft that will handle this.Can I respectfully ask you your own opinions on this matter?
Respectfully Submitted,
Jon G
Elbert,CO.

Go for it.

I fly 1979 P337H out of KBJC. It is my first aircraft, I bought it six months after my PPL. No regrets.

Pressurized Skymasters are great for flying in the mountains. It is a very safe and forgiving aircraft. It flies nice on one engine. It can climb high and go fast (195 KTAS, 26 gph). It can stay low and go slow (135 KTAS, 15 gph). You get lots of options on how to fly it.

You will love handling and high density altitude performance. Leadville, Granby, Telluride and Glenwood Springs will be easy for you even on a hot July afternoon. Your passengers will enjoy looking at the mountain scenery instead of studying rivets on the wing and engine nacelles up close. Pressurization will spoil you rotten in Colorado.

I cannot think of a better aircraft for Colorado mountain flying.

Alex

Go for it my dad at 55 did half of his training on a single and the balance on a C337b He did his ride for his private licence in the C337b Now he is 83 and still flying his C337b

Frank

I bought my P337 before I finished my private certificate, and started flying it with about 75 hours. In the following two years I put about 150-200 hours of flying time on it.

You just have to be careful that you don't get into situations (i.e. weather) that exceeds your experience. Also, plan on a LOT of dual time before you start soloing in the 337. I had about 25 hours of dual before I started taking solo cross country trips.

My initial reaction was to disagree about the number of dual hours. You see, after you've flown a 337 for a while, it's so easy, the aircraft so forgiving, that I thought 5 or 10 hours of dual, after your single private, would suffice. So I started writing a response along these lines, then decided to go find my 15-year-old logbook where the 337 dual was recorded and, surprise, I had about 30 hours. Oh, that's after my single private and a thousand hours of simulator time, most of it on multi-engine.

Anyhow, long response to say, yes, you'll need a LOT of dual time to fly a 337 safely.

Ernie

There was a C model for sale over in Paonia at the airport. I heard that it was a pretty nice Skymaster for a reasonable price. Not sure if that is in your area or not.

Once you get the bug you won't be satisfied till you taste the real thing .........

Congratulations on not going the SR22 route. Obviously will in part depend on your skill level - I was not ready right after PPL. Bought my first Skymaster at 300 hours. Just don't get seduced by a marginal mission just because you have 2 engines (eg. as you know plenty of dead Cirrus pilots likely over-relied on the fact that they have a chute in their decision making process). Also be very careful about which 337 you buy - plenty of problem aircraft out there for sale with the oil all cleaned off.

Flying to those locations is easy when all is working well.

You won't like them if you experience an engine-out, and that should always be your first consideration when flight planning. We don't plan for everything to work; we plan for failures, and then know we're safe when we can still work the emergencies and have enough margin of performance to get by.

Sometimes people mistake good two-engine performance for a pass to go places they ought not, conveniently forgetting what happens when power is lost. Same for the single engine crowd that forgets basic airmanship is always keeping a landing site within gliding distance.

Of course. You are absolutely right.

Training and planning should never be discounted, especially when flying over extremely hostile terrain: Fly early in the morning. Always check density altitude. Check winds. Fly light. Always (try to) have an out. Take mountain flying course. Read books on mountain flying. Stay proficient. Don't get into the weather. Be prepared.

However, everything happens in a context. Short of turbines, what other twin would you prefer to be in while having an engine failure on takeoff from a high DA mountain airport?

Engine failure after takeoff from Glenwood Springs spells trouble for any piston twin. Most likely it will end in a crash. And crash options are not pretty in Glenwood Springs. My point is that turbo Skymaster or P-Skymaster will do better than most of the other piston twins there.

OP asked about Skymaster performance in the context of flying in Colorado. While I have never experienced complete engine failure in my Skymaster (yet), I have had partial power loss and other system failures over the mountains. It was not fun, but my P337 made it manageable. And, so far, safe.

Would you suggest another twin better suited for the OP mission? If yes, which one and why?

Speaking about single engine piston airplanes always keeping a landing site within gliding distance... this is (realistically) not an option in Colorado. You either take your chances while keeping your time over "no landing options" terrain to a minimum... or you stay home.

Alex

First Plane
 

Your plan to aquire a 337 as your first airplane is solid. I purchased my 337D prior to completing my PPL, however, I did finish on the single (tomahawk) as the 337D was in for the annual for two months. I started my dual 337 flying after a few solo hrs in the single and took my multi ride after 30 hrs of dual. It is now 6 months since my CLT ride and I have 90 hrs Multi.
I remember how "busy" I was for those first 5-10 hrs in the 337 and thought I would never get ahead of the plane. Then, it all clicked. I love the Skymaster and I'm very happy I chose it as my first aircraft.

If possible achieve your Multi engine rating in a standard, side by side, twin. Then you are all set with a Multi engine rating that is not limited to CLT. Trust me, I didn't do it that way and really wished I had. I now have the Multi with no limitation but should have just done so from the beginning. Just my own thoughts. ...... FWIW

I think the centerline thrust limitation has been removed. I can't find any mention of the CLT limitation in the current FAR Part 61 and nothing about it in the multiengine training stuff. I seem to remember it was removed a couple of years ago, but I'm just not sure. Does anyone know one way or another?

Thanks!
Jim

Clt
 

Recieved my Multi in March 2013. Under restrictions it says "Center Line Thrust Only". No VMC training in the 337.

That's pretty definitive!

Thanks!
Jim

Multi-Training
 

There are several schools around the country that do the 5 day Multi engine training. I did that, it's intense, but they are set up with multiple airplanes, all the same, and there is no down time for instructors or airplanes.