Originally Posted by
AdamFrisch
Shrikes are very nice. They also retain their value very well and will cost more to get into than an Aerostar. Lovely planes, though. I was also looking into earlier 680FP's (pressurised 680's), as it would be an easy transition, but the GTSIO engines will eat you alive.
I assume you mean the AC 685 with the Continental GTSIO 520 F engines. These airplanes are lovely long range cruisers with up to 322 gals of fuel making one stop trans continental flights possible and a comfortable cabin that is even quieter and just as smooth as a Turbo Commander..... and they are going for a song.
But the engines demand some serious TLC on the part of the pilot although I think the problems with this engine is over rated. I personally operated a C 421 with the same engine (albiet rated at 375 hp, not the 435 hp of the F varient) for 1400 hours with no cylinder changes and no significant engine work at all except for the routine running maintenance. The other problem is the airframe has some expensive recurring AD's.
The 680 FP or 680 FLP (ie the long cabin version) that you mentioned has Lycoming IGSO 480 engines and those are becoming virtually unsupportable. However there are a few Mr RPM conversions with the very reliable direct drive 8 cylinder Lycoming TIO 720 (2000 hr TBO). When most of these were converted the owners also modernized the panel and updated the radios. Finding one that has been "done up" will give you a lot of airplane for not a lot of money. The killer here will be the high fuel flows and at best a mid 1960's vintage airframe with potential for some of the aging airframe issues you are facing now.