Introduction
 

Hi all, I am new to this forum and want to introduce myself. I do not currently have an airplane and have not really flow much of any for the last 17 years. I swore I would not fly business again but I am in a position once again to do just that.

I have about 700 hours, 150 of which was actual IRF in a C337B 20 years ago. The plane at that time was in very good condition complete with de-ice, radar, King avionics including coupled HSI and Northstar Loran. No GPS then. I flew it about 2000 miles a week all over the eastern US.

My complaints about the C337 are probably typical. It was a clean airframe that could have benefited from 50% more power and a set of air brakes. What I liked about the plane was its predictability, stability on approach and its ability to carry a ton of ice on the non booted areas. I also liked the short field performance and the fact that if the doors would close it would probably fly. I also liked the fact that it would fit in my garage. I liked the plane well enough that if I have to fly buisness again, a C337 is what I would prefer.

I still live in a fly-in subdivision called Skypark here in Wadsworth, Ohio so I am still well connected.

What I leaning towards is a Riley Superskyrocket. Riley had a nice web site about a year or so ago but I cannot find it nor any current information. What happened to Riley?

I have some questions about the plane. I do kinda remember the stats on the plane and can do the math. I would expect this plane to be great in the 14k-17k altitude range with 18k-20k hard to get from ARTC. If I remember the red line and yellow line ranges I would expect that you cannot utilize all that power a good share of the time without exceeding something at those altitudes. Am I correct or can you run 70% power much of the time.

My guess is that the airplane would burn 34 gph at around 230 knots if you could go that fast. My guess would be its more of a solid 210 knot airplane at around 30gph. Am I about right? My perceptions are a bit foggy on all this stuff after being away so long.

I am not sure the plane with the TSIO 520's is worth it, in my opinion. There are quite a few nice Riley Rocket P337's for sale now if the TSIO 360 engines will work for you. Quite a bit less expensive to buy. Look at www.skymaster.com. Hope you find a nice plane!!

Riley folded up several years ago. Their website was up for a couple of years after they ceased doing business. I once chatted with an owner o a Super, and he normally cruised at 188 kts., at altitude. There was a picture of him, and a travelling companion, on his blog site, over Iceland at 21K. The 520's had a terrible reputation for cracking cylinders. Keeping the temps up during descent was critical for engine longevity.

That's about all I can remember about the Super Skyrocket. There is no longer anyone who can build a new one for you.

As an alternative, you might consider the modified airplane that Owen Bell is producing. It has TIO550's, and it does move along very well.

I had the opportunity to fly his demonstrator earlier this year.

http://337skymaster.com/messages/sho...ght=skymonster

How does one go about aquiring one of the TSIO 550 skymasters. I have never been fond of the TSIO 520's or for that matter the TSIO 360's.

If I can't quite swing it yet maybe I should just settle for a regular Riley and wait till I can aquire one of these.

Contact Owen Bell

Aviation Enterprises
Nashville, TN

615-865-1802

http://www.aviationenterprises.us/

I would like to thank everyone for their responses. I don't know yet which way I will go but I am leaning towards the TSIO 550 conversions.

tsio 360 is almost bulletproof, add big mills in tight cowling and you have a t210 that overheats all the time. 100g's and 30mph faster????????????