Comanche 400?
I've also been told that at the same speed as a 250/260 they burn the same amount of fuel, but when you want to go faster you can.
And I had an engine failure in one - I "blew a pot" during the run-up (good time/place I guess...).
All in all, the 260C was a much sweeter aeroplane.
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Hey Dora, unless there were two at Guildford, I was the Instructor in that start fire.
Student would NOT take advice, saw the puff of flame, let go the starter, put his foot on my N#&$ on the way out, passed me at the speed of light.
Fire went out, consumed the air cleaner, fire crew couldn't find us as there was no longer a fire.
I did a couple of charters in that one, AMI, around April '67
Student would NOT take advice, saw the puff of flame, let go the starter, put his foot on my N#&$ on the way out, passed me at the speed of light.
Fire went out, consumed the air cleaner, fire crew couldn't find us as there was no longer a fire.
I did a couple of charters in that one, AMI, around April '67
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but recall somewhere between 15 and 18 gph in those days (??).
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Bloody hell. What is going on here!
PPRune giving a warm glow, rather than a sense of impending doom of vicious anger!
Things are looking up!
I went for a circuit in a 400 at Coolangatta as a pax in a year I cannot remember at a Bonanza society function. The aircraft was immaculate and was a credit to it's owner (whose name also escapes my aged mind). Have quite a few hours in the the 260C, but still remember the impressive take-off performance of the 400 that day.
PPRune giving a warm glow, rather than a sense of impending doom of vicious anger!
Things are looking up!
I went for a circuit in a 400 at Coolangatta as a pax in a year I cannot remember at a Bonanza society function. The aircraft was immaculate and was a credit to it's owner (whose name also escapes my aged mind). Have quite a few hours in the the 260C, but still remember the impressive take-off performance of the 400 that day.
Folks,
For my two bob's worth, the Comanche 400 achieved a small increase in TAS for a very large increase in fuel flow, compare to a -260C, otherwise much the same as any Comanche 250/260.
I remember our -260C (first one in Australia- delivered across the pacific by a QF Captain who had not flown anything with less than four engines since his Lincoln conversion in the RAAF) with great affection, pity it got written of in Standard GA Accident Scenario No. 3
The 400, a good example of "hull speed" where the increase in the rate of knots is marginal, despite the extra HP.
Tootle pip!!
PS: If you are going to fly any of them, tight control of IAS on approach is essential to achieving something approximating the book landing field length (including factoring) ---- no carrying 10 kts for Mum and the kids.
For my two bob's worth, the Comanche 400 achieved a small increase in TAS for a very large increase in fuel flow, compare to a -260C, otherwise much the same as any Comanche 250/260.
I remember our -260C (first one in Australia- delivered across the pacific by a QF Captain who had not flown anything with less than four engines since his Lincoln conversion in the RAAF) with great affection, pity it got written of in Standard GA Accident Scenario No. 3
The 400, a good example of "hull speed" where the increase in the rate of knots is marginal, despite the extra HP.
Tootle pip!!
PS: If you are going to fly any of them, tight control of IAS on approach is essential to achieving something approximating the book landing field length (including factoring) ---- no carrying 10 kts for Mum and the kids.
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Indeed. Approach at the low end of the book speeds, full flap with a proper flare. Tiny burst of power in the flare if you've slightly mis-judged it. It was frustrating to watch the +10 (or more!) kt, half flap, brigade drive them on in a 3 point touchdown. The aircraft will drop suddenly and shake the bones if you get it wrong and I can only assume that's why there were so many old wives' tales.
Greybeard! No, not you I don't think. I didn't think you ever flew for CFS?
AMI appears in my logbook a few times from December 1965 to February 1966.
As a background, CFS not only had a flying school and charter operation, but they also bought and sold aircraft. They had a constantly changing fleet of "trade-ins", which is how we acquired AMI. Our manager, the irascible A-Mac, never one to hide his feelings, had a real "set" against the Comanche 400. So when the hapless PPL set fire to it (adjacent to the MMA Bellman hangars at Perth Airport) he was first on the scene, got everyone out, made no effort to extinguish the fire but removed the fuel caps and stood well clear! The ensuing argument between him and the firemen was something to behold!
The PPL (initials KP, does this ring a bell?), a nice guy, was undeterred, as I subsequently endorsed him on the B55...
At the risk of (again) going OT, the "trade-ins" were available for staff use (for free, we didn't even have to pay for the fuel!!) - at the time we also had a B33 Debonair (about as under-powered as the 400 was over-powered) which was much preferred by one and all over the 400.
AMI appears in my logbook a few times from December 1965 to February 1966.
As a background, CFS not only had a flying school and charter operation, but they also bought and sold aircraft. They had a constantly changing fleet of "trade-ins", which is how we acquired AMI. Our manager, the irascible A-Mac, never one to hide his feelings, had a real "set" against the Comanche 400. So when the hapless PPL set fire to it (adjacent to the MMA Bellman hangars at Perth Airport) he was first on the scene, got everyone out, made no effort to extinguish the fire but removed the fuel caps and stood well clear! The ensuing argument between him and the firemen was something to behold!
The PPL (initials KP, does this ring a bell?), a nice guy, was undeterred, as I subsequently endorsed him on the B55...
At the risk of (again) going OT, the "trade-ins" were available for staff use (for free, we didn't even have to pay for the fuel!!) - at the time we also had a B33 Debonair (about as under-powered as the 400 was over-powered) which was much preferred by one and all over the 400.
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Dora, yes for a few months I was with CFS Jandakot, did my rating and then got the call from MMA may '67
Your fire was a different one, much more fun and less pain to my parts.
Cheers
Your fire was a different one, much more fun and less pain to my parts.
Cheers
Sorry Greybeard, my memory ain't what it used to be!
I think AMI was the Comanche 400 that got itself written off in a forced landing at Adelaide Airport c.1979(?).
Another quirk of CFS' ever changing fleet of trade-ins was that a C.182 disappeared and nobody realized this for two months! The Perth Airport staff thought it was at Jandakot while the Jandakot staff thought it was at Perth. It was eventually located abandoned at Orange NSW, so someone got a free transcontinental flight...
I think AMI was the Comanche 400 that got itself written off in a forced landing at Adelaide Airport c.1979(?).
Another quirk of CFS' ever changing fleet of trade-ins was that a C.182 disappeared and nobody realized this for two months! The Perth Airport staff thought it was at Jandakot while the Jandakot staff thought it was at Perth. It was eventually located abandoned at Orange NSW, so someone got a free transcontinental flight...
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Oklahoma to Missouri at 170kts 9000' in 1983. Wont get that out of a 260 B or C. I agree the 260C is a real mans aeroplane. I think Jim Conrad still holds the speed record for a 400 at 180+.
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Sure
Ha ha Comanchie... Tetchy, overrated and a maintenance black hole. There's stuff around with a lot less than 400HP that will do better with wheels sticking out ....
Sure but we're talkin' 1964!!
Sure but we're talkin' 1964!!
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PA24 400
FWIW Jimmy Hazelton bought Ernie Mills EDM out and most of the other (very few) 400's that came to Oz. Cant remember the number but there were not that many made.