[Ernie Martin]

If you are a fairly new user of this forum, the following points will help you navigate and obtain faster results.

For general information about Skymasters please do a Search before posting a question. The matter has probably been addressed before and it's already here. You will find that the Search feature (on the top dark blue line) might get you both a quicker answer and a greater number of opinions.

If you are considering buying a Skymaster read this first. It not only tells you what to look for before you buy, but covers the different models and even operating costs. Two points in brief. First, Skymasters can be purchased cheaply, but a number of people who have bought them over the years were not financially able to maintain them right so they got run down. Buy one of these and you have a major expense getting them up to snuff and large recurring costs thereafter. That's one of the reasons Skymasters developed for a time a reputation for costly maintenance, but the reputation is unwarranted, and if you buy one that's been properly maintained the costs are comparable to other twins. Second, a Skymaster is designed to be, and can be, safer than conventional twins. But only if you treat it for what it is -- a complex, high-performance, retractable-gear, variable-speed-prop twin -- and if you maintain it properly, and if you do thorough pre-flights, and if you stay proficient. Regrettably, because the aircraft is very forgiving and easy to fly compared to a conventional twin, too many pilots don't do this. They cut corners on maintenance or think they can just get in and fly, and you find an unusually large number of accidents -- like simple fuel starvation or landing gear problems -- because pilots did not give the aircraft the attention it deserves.

We hope you find the site enjoyable and informative.

Ernie