Prospective Buyer Questions

[6498w]

Hi John,

I really appreciate you taking the time to address all of my questions - many thanks!

What I am really trying to do regarding the maintenance question is reduce the wide ambiguity by getting some real owner experience. I'm fully onboard with "past performance does not guarantee future investment" disclaimer, but online accounts from supporters are that the airplane requires "no more maintenance than any other light twin" vs the bashers that state "it will quickly drive you into the poor house". I am attempting to go in with eyes wide open, as you say, and so any and all direct experience and real numbers from those operating these aircraft seems the most accurate way of determining the cost:fun ratio.

Edasmus' summary of total annual costs was very enlightening, and roughly where I expected the mean cost to fall (somewhere in the 25-30k range for 70 hours per year, averaged over the course of say, 5 years). Are his averages relatively consistent with your experience? Again, I recognize there are outliers, lemons, etc that completely skew the calculations. I'd love to know your gut-level, "gun to your head" answer to the question, "how much do you spend in an average year on your Skymaster". Is it 30k for 100 hours? 50k? 20k?

I'm in a financial position to easily absorb any of those numbers, however there's a tipping point where a few years of 50k per year would definitely have me thinking I might have more fun using that money somewhere else!

Again, I sincerely appreciate all of you taking the time to respond to all my questions.

[n86121]

CARGO DOOR
I've had my '69 T337D for over 25 years (during which time I've not aged a day). I like having the cargo door in back, both to load and unload 'stuff,' and as alternative means of escape if needed.

SEAT ARRANGMENTS
I bought the airplane from a fellow had a family of five. He kept two front seats, the far-side one in the 2nd row, and the two rear seats. Easy to get to all five seats. Quite comfortable, but you sit on luggage. I have had grown adults fall asleep in the back row because it was so comfortable.

I keep my front two rows in, and use back for luggage.

WATER IN TANKS - HOW TO PREVENT
Having learned the hard way (front engine quit 200 ft in air after takeoff, due to water contamination!), I keep some 12 inch pipe cleaners in the airplane tool kit under the passenger seat. Whenever I fuel I intentionally drool a bit into the fill area around the cap to make sure the though-wing drains are clear. If not, out comes a pipe cleaner.

The tanks will not leak water IF the drains are kept clear.

My guess is a lot of people don't even know there are drains there. They are not marked, nor obvious. Just tiny 1/8 in or so holes in the well. If water allowed to 'fill' the bathtub around the caps, it CAN drool into the tanks.