337 ownership

sonyalex · #1 09-09-12, 08:09 PM

Thanks Ernie just the kind of information I was looking for.

edasmus · #2 09-10-12, 08:41 AM

Hi Alex,

I have been operating my Skymaster for 10 years and 700 hours out of Aurora, IL (ARR). I would be happy to sit down with you and share all my maintenance experiences with the airplane. I will show you actual numbers on the actual invoices. Almost all of my maintenance service has been handled by Lumanair, Inc based at Aurora.

I believe ALL airplanes are expensive to operate. I do not believe the Skymaster is any different to operate then any other comparable 40 year old twin. My experience has been that people who make the types of negative comments about the Skymaster that you reference, do not speak from personal experience.

Good Luck,

Ed

sonyalex · #3 09-10-12, 06:18 PM

Ed, that would be great to get together to go over the cost. Just let me know how you would like me to contact you and we can meet in the near future.

Thanks,
Alex

edasmus · #4 09-10-12, 10:57 PM

Alex,

My email is edasmus3@aol.com.

Ed

Ernie Martin · #5 09-11-12, 12:35 AM

Alex, I think meeting with Ed is a wise idea. Nothing like getting it first-hand from a present owner. I am concerned, however, that Ed's maintenence costs, based on his prior postings on the link I provided earlier, are on the high side. I think that there are steps that can be taken to reduce maintenance costs significantly WITHOUT adversely affecting reliability. If you read my posting on that link, I have been able to keep Annuals to an average of about $2,200 per year, including parts and biennial transponder tests. When I add other repairs done between Annuals and engine/prop reserves (for 100 hrs of flight per year), my maintenance expenses total about $6,000 per year. In my posting I tell you the steps I take to achieve these numbers -- and it's NOT by cutting corners, because virtually all of my flights are over water and in the majority of those I'm carrying my family.

Thought you should be exposed to all sides of this issue.

Ernie Martin

edasmus · #6 09-11-12, 06:11 AM

Fear not Ernie....I will share my experience with Alex and why I think it costs what it does. And I will also share other options that I think can save him money without cutting corners. I'm rather "chuckling" here as I write this because I had a feeling you would be concerned.

Ed

sonyalex · #7 09-11-12, 12:30 PM

Let me start out by saying thxs 4 all the great info thus far.
Through one of Ernie’s links provided it took me to a thread where guys were talking about hard numbers for their annuals. This was very informative. A kinda what to expect from a stand point of owning a twin. Would you believe me if I told you I was very comfortable with what I read, it’s true & I’ll tell u why.
I’ve always wanted to fly but didn’t think it would ever happen, but you grow up u start to well and u pick up this hobby which is not cheap but for me I don’t have season tixs to sporting events, I don’t belong to a country club, I pretty much keep to myself so this was perfect 4 me.
I joined a flying club which had ONE PLANE a late 2004 piper archer w/glass. The club was young but had 25 flying members u can imagine how often I was able to get up in the air w/ur work schedule and family life. Houston we have a problem.
2 other club members and I bought a 2007 cirrus SR20gts with 375hrs on the tach. Boy was I excited and 8 months left on the factory warranty & thx goodness 4 that.
Not to bore u w/2 many details but here r a couple of numbers from my end on the cirrus. Annual from 2010 was $9848 of wish we only had to pay $5713 b/c of a warranty item, a nose landing gear assembly kit. Like how I said only. Then the comment I make to my partners is that it’s divided by 3 so I can live w/the price. In 2011 it was $9287 which $2837 was for new mags.
Wisconsin Aviation did these 2 annuals, and since the very beginning we have had the services a Mike Busch’s savvy maintenance.
2012 well that’s another story, we had an IRAN done last October because of copper in the oil analysis that we were keeping an eye on. We still an issue w/something so it’s @ G&N 4 the repair. This is another long story not to bore anyone here. They will get the ferry permit & send it home so the guys on the field can do the annual not Wisconsin Aviation this time. G&N still r not clear if they fixed the problem tho.
So my feeling is this, I feel like I already pay a maintenance bill almost like the price of a excellent running twin.
My friend owns a Cessna 310 every yr his annual is right around 9k & his plane is in tip top shape. 3 guys in that partnership and they r not involved w/any doings during the annual. Another friend of mine in KC owns a 310 but he is much more intimate w/the aircraft & takes the week off of work to assist in the opening & closing like a few of u do here, so his annual is $2500 if they don’t find anything wrong.
So if I have 3 owners in a nice 337 I can live w/this type of bill. I too don’t want to cut corners b/c like u guys my family will be in this plane. My answer when something is questionable is change it.
I also am in the camp of paying a bit more 4 a good plane then something that needs a lot of work and from time to time something does come up.
Ed I will b in contact w/u.
Sorry guys I abbreviate everywhere I can.
Alex