New SkyMaster owner

Shanmoon · #1 04-18-23, 10:12 PM

I'm joining the ranks of Skymaster owners, trading in my beloved straight-tail 172 towards a Super Skymaster. Due diligence and paperwork are in the final stages, and hopefully, I will take ownership either this weekend or (more likely) next weekend.

Insurance wants me to have 10 hours with an experienced Skymaster instructor since all my prior MEL hours were in baby Barons). Hopefully, I can get one of the CFIs I know in North Carolina with 337 experience to go to Florida with me. I know two but am not sure of their availability. Alternatively, maybe I can find one somewhere near Daytona Beach, Florida to help me ferry it back to the Charlotte area.

I'm glad there is an owner's group like this to support these great airplanes!

mshac · #2 04-19-23, 10:43 AM

I'm sure you will love your Skymaster. 10 hours with a CFI is pretty standard these days. If it was pressurized, they'd make you go to annual sim school.

Best if the CFI has 337 time, obviously. I believe the CFI needs 5 hours in type to legally be able to instruct in it. If he has no 337 time, you and your CFI could spend 5 hours with him as PIC, then in turn he can instruct you for your required 10. Best if the CFI has 337 time, obviously. Check your policy for pilot requirements as even a CFI may not be covered without time in type.

Its a chicken and egg thing. How do you get time in type as PIC as a CFI if insurance requires a certain number of hours to be covered? Someone, somewhere along the way has to fly without insurance coverage to get those basic hours...the strange ins and outs of aviation insurance.

How much is your premium, and what is the hull value and deductible? Inquiring minds want to know.

GAdams · #3 04-19-23, 07:56 PM

A friend of mine bought a 337 in NY and hired an instructor to "instruct" him on the 337 as they brought the aircraft to South Florida. This would satisfy the insurance company's 10 hour requirements. My friend had Seneca time but no 337 time. After the instructor departed, my friend took out his 337 for some pattern work and low and behold he landed the aircraft wheels up on one of his first solo landings. Major damage, but did not total the aircraft. But his ego was shattered. I'm a CFI-ASMEL-Instrument with 500+ hours in the 337, my 337 is based just a few hangars away from his and I offered to ride with him in the 337 free of charge but he never called. We had spent countless hours talking about the 337, pros and cons, values and market research but he never thought to take me up on my offer. My advice is to hire someone who will really instruct you in the aircraft and after your insurance is satisfied, ferry the airplane solo to wherever you need to be.

Shanmoon · #4 04-19-23, 09:32 PM

Thanks for the replies! Happily, I have a couple of CFIs lined up with SkyMaster experience. One is a 20+ year Skymaster owner, it is just a matter of coordinating who is available and when. I definitely don't want to fly without insurance or without proper instruction. I'm a brand new part 135 captain, and the last thing I want is an incident or worse on my record related to lack of training that would tank my career.

mshac · #5 04-19-23, 09:38 PM

Your hangar buddy does not sound like the sharpest knife in the drawer. He would've been much better off had he accepted your kind offer.

The "Gear not down" horn would've been blaring at him when he pulled the power back to land! Should've anyway.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GAdams

A friend of mine bought a 337 in NY and hired an instructor to "instruct" him on the 337 as they brought the aircraft to South Florida. This would satisfy the insurance company's 10 hour requirements. My friend had Seneca time but no 337 time. After the instructor departed, my friend took out his 337 for some pattern work and low and behold he landed the aircraft wheels up on one of his first solo landings. Major damage, but did not total the aircraft. But his ego was shattered. I'm a CFI-ASMEL-Instrument with 500+ hours in the 337, my 337 is based just a few hangars away from his and I offered to ride with him in the 337 free of charge but he never called. We had spent countless hours talking about the 337, pros and cons, values and market research but he never thought to take me up on my offer. My advice is to hire someone who will really instruct you in the aircraft and after your insurance is satisfied, ferry the airplane solo to wherever you need to be.

Shanmoon · #6 05-19-23, 12:46 PM

I'm almost done with transition training in my Skymaster. One more flight should do it. It's been a joy to fly, with docile handling. She feels like a faster heavier 182, only not as nose heavy. Steep turns are fun. Single engine (simulated) climb performance was a bit better than I expected. Stalls have been straightforward (although it does seem like the stall horn sounds 5-7 MPH sooner than I would have expected.... I wonder if the tab is slightly bent).

All in all, I am ecstatic with the plane! First annual I'm hoping to add a GPS navigator to make the panel perfect, and perhaps the rear engine access STC.

mshac · #7 05-20-23, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shanmoon

I'm almost done with transition training in my Skymaster. One more flight should do it. It's been a joy to fly, with docile handling. She feels like a faster heavier 182, only not as nose heavy. Steep turns are fun. Single engine (simulated) climb performance was a bit better than I expected. Stalls have been straightforward (although it does seem like the stall horn sounds 5-7 MPH sooner than I would have expected.... I wonder if the tab is slightly bent).

All in all, I am ecstatic with the plane! First annual I'm hoping to add a GPS navigator to make the panel perfect, and perhaps the rear engine access STC.

Glad to hear you're enjoying your new bird! We all wish you happy flying!

A panel mounted GPS is great, but unless you have an autopilot to connect it to, its not much better than a portable like Foreflight, and may be very costly to install if you want WAAS, LPV, TRAFFIC, ADS-B IN/OUT, WX/XM MUSIC, TERRAIN, BT, WIFI and all the other goodies so be cautious in your budgeting.

The rear access hatch is a real timesaver (and headache saver!). I had to install the rear alternator TWICE on my airplane (long story) and had I not had the access hatch, I can only imagine how much more difficult the job would be! Access to the mags is great too. There are reports of mags being loose on the rear engine after annual or other work, because the A&P couldn't get good access to the bolts to tighten the mag correctly. The rear access panel solves this issue as well. Just a great addition IMHO.