Nick, the SAS system is not a required flight item. Last night I spent four hours in 30 kt winds flying a 520N without one. It wouldn't have made much difference though. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" /> . .. .Flight Safety, our 520N's spend as much or more in maint for tail related items (liners. blades) then our D/E models. The 600's are just hangar queens. With the aft transmission for the fan, hub, 13 blades on the fan, pitch control, thruster control, they did not reduce the number of parts, just the shaft lengths.. .. .And look at what Border Patrol just did. Bought A-Stars instead of the 600N.