Jober - Forgot about the new islander, but as i said my boss likes toys that go fast and doing a 350-400NM leg in a Bongo at 120Kt GS isnt really going to take his fancy.
Green Goblin - Sorry has to be M/E for the charter side of the operation. CASA dont exactly hand out ASEPTA approvals. Did have a look at an Oasis Caravan though and it was very sexy indeed.
Wally 2 - You might have seen our 206 around with the Tristar Medical Group logo on the tail. Never said anything about cost being prohibitive, its more a case of finding a suitable aircraft and run with it. And by the way the 206 sale price would buy a whole PT6 and some as well.
Hasherucf - Ive spoken to most of the owners of the new P68s in Australia personally and not one of them had a bad thing to say about the support, or the aircraft itself.
The reasons the P68 is so appealing being: 7 seats, easy and cheap to maintain (nearest LAME is an hour flight away and doesnt have instant availability should something serious go wrong), high wing - there is a lot of possibility of DSE/CFA work around the area, decent space inside with the option of club seating and a large passenger door, high prop clearance as there is a few dirt strips that we do go into. The club seating is a major plus, as it is used for business related flying.
One day in the future we will have a jet, there is no questions about that, but at the moment we need something that CASA will let us put on an AOC with a CP with minimal twin time.
Has anyone (besides Todd Kelly) got any experience with a Panther PA31? Fuel flows and TAS etc.?
Dolling up an older airframe isnt a worry, like I said the new P68 is a million clams before you turn the key on delivery. Are there any good Shrikes out there that GAM dont already own?
Thanks again.