I (and dad) have owned 2JF for 34 years. That’s a lot of history on one Skymaster. Insurance the last 10 years has been pretty linier, $2900.00 for $85K on the hull and all the usual liabilities. As of the last three years there has been 3 pilots on the policy. Skysmith has had most of the biz but currently I am with Travers.
Maintenance has been the same policy for the last 18 years that I have made the decisions. Dad’s maintenance was a little different than my policy but we won’t go there. While located in Idaho in 1991 I took the airplane to have the first annual that I would be responsible for and it was a shock. Because one rear blade had to be replaced and this shop had not ever scene the plane before it was close to $10K for the annual. Welcome to aircraft ownership. I was wondering how long I was going to last with this hobby. I then located a FBO near my home base that I developed a long, wonderful relationship with. They loved the airplane, were very thorough and passionate with their work. They had low overhead because they were based at a smaller airport and just really fair guys. This company maintained the aircraft throughout the next 10 or 11 years. My policy like others on this board is, if it needs fixed or looks like it might need fixed just fix it. I have never been one to skimp on a maintenance item. Throughout the time that this FBO shop did the work we did some major items; rear engine, gear door removal, vacuum pumps, etc. The annuals averaged over the 11 years about $2500.00, except the engine change. Each year there was at least two or three items to do service or replacement on. Rear mufflers seem to be about every two years. I had it welded most of the time and would cost about $300 on average. After several times a rebuilt was purchased. Now with the MT props I have only had to weld the rear muffler once in 9 years. I did not do owner assist with this shop. I was too busy running 3 companies that I could not take the time to join in on the fun. One year during this time I decided to have the home base FBO shop do an annual. I had an acquaintance with one of the IA’s at this local shop and he talked me into having him do the annual. Figuring that it was probably a good idea to have another set of eyes look at the airframe I brought the aircraft to the shop just a few hangers down from mine. They found a few little things that I agreed to have repaired or replaced but nothing earth shattering. The bill was over $6K. I was again shocked. I went back to my regular guys for the next annual and again it was in the $2-2500 range.
In 2002 I brought the aircraft to Michigan and was based at GRR with a choice of two large airport FBO shops. I talked to both and chose one to start the work on 2JF for annuals and PM. The first year I bought the MT props so that was a large bill for that work. But after that routine annuals were done with an average price of $3500. There were a couple of years that I needed something special like a seat rail or tires but for the most part there really wasn’t anything huge through the 6 or 7 years that they looked over the plane. It was great to have them on staff because there was a couple times something was needed between annuals and they would jump at the opportunity to serve me as a preferred customer. I figured after paying $2.5K for many years at the small little airport that the $3.5 at the big metro airport was still a good price. And both shops were top notch at their work. It was a pleasure to do biz with them. Again at the big shop here in GRR I did not assist with the annual.
Well here goes again, somewhere in the mix while in Michigan; a guy talked me into going to a shop that had some kind of Skymaster expert. This shop was south of GRR so it was a pain to deliver and pick up. But I decided again that it is always a good idea to have another set of eyes look at the plane every so often. Well it was a horrible experience. I am not an impatient kind of guy but when the annual goes on for over twice as long as they originally say I started to feel the friction coming on. Come to find out the so-called Skymaster expert never even touched the plane. One of his A&P’s did all the work. Again nothing earth shattering had to be done, pretty much a routine inspection. How much? $6.5K, yes I got a royal screwing on that one. Live and learn they say. In fact Larry got the same treatment when he went there, only he had an engine changed and it really got expensive. So I went back to the big guys shop in GRR and again only $3.5K.
Today I do owner assist annuals. Sometimes it’s a party. I have taken my plane to Larry’s hanger and we do mine and his together. I have learned so much that I could in no way put a price on the knowledge and experience. My annuals now average $900- $1500. I end up putting in a good 40 to 50 hours of time but it’s worth it right now. I have the time to be able to do this. That makes a big difference. But to know my airplane is invaluable.
To sum it up, I think you have to seek the right shop. There are some shops that have a price to do business. Lots of overhead, employees, costs, etc and their fixed cost just require a higher initial price. $15K to $25K is way too much. You need to shop around. My current IA works on 4 different Skymasters and lots of Bonanzas, Pipers, Cessna’s, Homebuilt, vintage and the likes. He has low overhead but is very good. His base price for a owner assist 300 series Cessna is $750.00.
http://griswoldaviation.com/rates.aspx
If you don’t have the time then his full service price is $1,100.00. This is base price and as we all know things happen and stuff needs fixed or replaced so that is extra above the base price. I just think that there are shops out there that will be much more reasonable than others and that the cover on the book doesn’t always dictate the price.
These Skymasters are complex aircraft, compared to a 172, so expect to have high maintenance costs. The more they have, like turbo, pressurization, air conditioning, the more it is going to cost to maintain them. Mine is simpler, normal aspirated and non-pressurized. I like it that way. But these are complex machines. Buying the airplane is the easy part, maintaining it will be the real challenge. Buying is fixed price, you can prepare yourself to buy but on the contrary, maintenance is an unknown, this is where the rubber meets the road. A well maintained used Skymaster with mid times that has been flown regularly will always be a better choice than the low time not flown for the last 2 years ramp queen. A pre buy by a qualified maintenance person that knows Skymasters in a must. Don’t ever attempt to do a pre buy with the seller’s maintenance shop or someone that does not know Skymasters. You will be asking for disaster.
There are a lot of Skymasters out there on the market right now and I am sure that some of them are great airplanes. But watch out because I have seen some that look really inviting that may carry a vicious bite. It’s a buyers market and I would buy a Skymaster that has the most candy that I am looking for, especially in the avionics arena. In today’s market you will spend literally as little as 25% of the value of new for some upgraded panels. I would buy all the goodies I could on the right plane.
I will be in Oshkosh from Saturday thru Tuesday. Parking with all the Cessna’s in the North 40. Look us up.