How Maintenance hungry are these?

[JSeward]

Hello everyone,

Starting to look into the used aircraft market and wanted some FACTS about certain types of planes and UNEXPECTED maintenance. Naturally with some from these list you would expect to pay more maintenance due to complex systems but I am talking about sort of unexpected maintenance.

What is the unexpected maintenance like on the following aircraft:
-Cessna 414 and 340
-Bonanza A36 and V35
-Cessna 182 fixed gear
-Piper Comanche and Twin Comanche

Help is appreciated, thank you.

[wrench1]

J....

-Cessna 414 and 340
>>Cessna wants the 3 and 4 hundred series to go away...these go cheap over on my side of the big pond for this same reason. Mfg'r supports FAA on "old" aircraft added inspection requirements, etc.

-Bonanza A36 and V35
>>Beech parts are...and always...have been expensive on this side...I can only imagine the their cost on your side. Otherwise good aircraft...A36 tops.

-Cessna 182 fixed gear
>>Best bet...good parts supply...most wrenches know the 100 series airframe...etc, etc

-Piper Comanche and Twin Comanche
>>Parts, parts, parts....

Main issue in used market is what YOU want out of aircraft...price, function, lifespan, etc.....hope this helps...

w1

[LASJayhawk]

2nd what wrench1 said.

Beech has become psycho on parts pricing. Some examples:

We needed a landing gear warning horn for a B200. $3,500. I called the company that makes them for Beech and found I could order direct from the company, so I did. Came with the Beech part number stamped on it and everything. Cost $24

We needed one of the heat shields for the exhaust for a P Baron. This is something you could dang near make out of a soup can. $14,000. :eek:

We sent a nasty email to a contact at Beech, and they dropped the price of the heat shield to $700 and the horn to $135.

Then again, there are generic parts that everyone will want say $80 for and Beech will sell them for $15

[JSeward]

We are probably going to be looking at a Twin Comanche, do you have any more info on the parts situations, I hear the engines are very reliable so I suppose it's just airframe parts.

[wrench1]

J....

I find that when maintaining a Piper product it is very MODEL specific when it comes to parts, support, etc. Also, on engine side even though the core series model type...ie IO-320...is reported as reliable...it's the letters /numbers following the base number that count. For example...and this is not accurate but only to show a point...an IO-320-AB1 could be a reliable engine with excellent support. Whereas an IO-320-CD1 could be a limited or specific engine, or counter-rotating, etc... where piston ring kits are triple in cost or spark plugs cost double, etc.

So if you want good input I think a specific airframe w/ engines would get you a better base reply to your questions. Plus what you expect out of airframe, time frame of use, etc.

That said...Twin Comanche is a good ride...for the right reason and function.

W1

[heated ice detector]

Have a look at webco aircraft for Comanche parts

[NutLoose]

One thing to be aware of on the Cessna is the SID inspections that have recently been released, these need to be completed by next April and are quite intensive, involving a lot of NDT... Now a lot probably are not doing them and burying their heads in the sand, which will catch up with them. Beware some may try to offload them to the unaware before that date... They also are repetitive inspections, you can register on Cessna.com and download them to see what is involved, bar that a nice aircraft, the new ones are very well equipped.