Mu-2 Info

[60 & below]

The longer models are a lot more stable and nicer to fly.
I was fortunate enough to operate various MU-2 models including the longer N models on bank runs and general freight on the east coast of Aus in the late 80’s.Wow what fun we used to have.
You could take off from a short strip and outperform most jets on descent to the circuit area.
I was once asked at an interview for a foreign carrier what were the issues with the aircraft.
Firstly fly it like a fighter don’t let it get slow and low as its sink rate could develop very quickly.
Also your liftoff speed is usually about 100kts but your single engine rate of climb was about 150kts.
Your options at MTOW below 500ft, become a test pilot or above 500ft lower the nose convert your height to airspeed. Secondly icing, crew were trying to out climb the icing layer, all they were doing by lowering their airspeed to increase their climb rate was presenting more belly area for the ice to form which added a lot of extra weight. We added an extra 20kts to our climb speed during icing conditions and usually got above the layer where others didn’t. Also during my endorsement it was suggested that if a spin developed and you had heaps of altitude it might be worth feathering both props to present a clean airflow to the very short wing to recover. The MU2 could take several revolutions and several thousand feet to recover. I knew the Bathurst pilot and some months before his accident he taught me another lesson on how the MU2 can bite. He shutdown on the tarmac area in Sydney and came over to say hello all white and very flustered. He told me he was on descent when the aircraft suddenly yawed to one side, he thought he had suffered an engine failure but after checking his instruments he discovered everything was working correctly, after checking outside he discovered that the top engine cowl was standing upright causing large amount of drag, he commented that the aircraft required a lot of piloting to get it back on the ground.

In short Great Aircraft but don’t let it fly you be proactive and aware of your surroundings.