New member intro and questions

[gerryvisser3@hotmail.com]

Hi all! I just wanted to introduce myself and share a photo I just took today. I just bought an old 1973 P337G "fixer upper".

A very good high time life long pilot and friend of mine just hung up his headset and offered me his very low time Pressurized Super Skymaster, turbo, fully deiced for less than the 2 new engines and props are worth. It only has 2207 hrs and all the log books are impeccable.

I can honestly tell you all I'm probably one of those guys that prior to me actually flying this plane, you would not have liked the uneducated comments I used to make about the "mixmaster".
I used to say they weren't a real twin and looked goofy........
As a high time Navajo, Kingair guy who flew an old 62 Aztec for years (awesome Chevy truck!)
Buying a Cessna 337 was the last thing I ever thought I would do. Especially one as ugly as above with terrible paint, oldschoôl interior and other than a Garmin 430W. ADSB in/out Lynx transponder and a new G4 engine analyser, all the old school steam gauges.
But my friend was persistent and then myself as a 337 skeptic was humbled.
I flew it! I realize all of you may know this but the first thing I noticed is that even with leading with the rear engine, it went lazer straight down the center of the runway. Every twin I've ever flown ( over 12,000 hrs) has always needed rudder input to keep it straight. Not this thing. And then after it gently lifted off, I swear I could have just let go of everything and it just climbed out perfect.
I had been told not to lift the gear till 1000´ due to transition drag which I understand but much to my surprise after raising the flaps, bringing the power and props back a bit into the upper green and levelling out, just before lifting the gear I look and I'm grounding over 150kts, close to max gear speed so I actually had to slow down to raise the gear. Then I'm almost 180 kts gear up, cowl flaps closed with power at top of the green. That thing is faster than the gas guzzling Navajos I flew for years!!!
So why do I tell you all something you all already know????
I guess in life AND AVIATION, it's ok to be wrong about something!
I was wrong about the 337, but mine is going into the paint shop Jan 2 and then avionics and interior.

I have 3 questions for anyone who cares to answer.

1. I am interested in improvement mods and obviously the STOL kit or BLR VG's are always worth it but I have new deice boots so no STOL and my local airport CYXX and all airports are long so short fields are not a priority. However I have heard a lot of owners recommend the Stc'd kit to remove the rear gear doors. My question is simply this.
What's wrong with saving several thousand and many hours of labour to install what probably is a good mod when the other option is simply wait until your 1000' AGL and well over blueline before lifting the gear? I just think it looks cleaner with those openings closed with the original doors. Am I missing something?

2. I am pricing out a left side only Garmin Glass panel upgrade retaining my old steam gauges for back up. I got told the Garmin G3x is not certified for twin engine. It has to be a Garmin GDU1060,G500TXI.
The trouble is my nonfunctional Navomatic 400A autopilot is not listed as a compatible unit for the upgrade. And neither the Stec or Garmin autopilot are stc'd for the 337???? Also the very knowledgeable gentleman at autopilots central in Tulsa told me my Navomatic 400 A is worth fixing and I was planning to send him my controller.
If anyone knows a legal, stc'd solution for a glass panel that will work with the Navomatic, I sure would like to know.
3. And finally I need a replacement door seal as my pressurization components are sent to Gain in Georgia for overhaul but I doubt it's going to pressurize with a over 50 year old worn door seal. Any ideas?

And finally any fellow 337 owner who comes near Abbotsford BC Canada CYXX, please stop and say hi. I run the Godspeed Aviation FBO and can give you a decent discount on already much lower than our larger Competitor Shell on self serve av gas as long as I know your coming .
I'm not afraid to post my phone/text no 604-854-0887
I sure hope I hear from some of you as aviation is a small, but awesome world! Ps the 14 yr old in the pic is my son Garrett named after the Kingair B100 engines and has already soloed in a 150. He has no problem flying and loves our new Skymaster!
Gerry Visser C-GDAL

[Learjetter]

Welcome to the 337 land of misfit owners!

1. MicroAero VGs are not STOL but seem to improve short field TO and landing performance. I like ‘em on my NA 337G. The removal of the rear gear doors gets rid of multiple switches, hyd lines, and an actuator. The one “flaw” with 337s is if you lose hyd fluid you’re (hopefully) landing gear up. So anything that simplifies the hydraulics in terms of reducing leak potential is a good thing. As a bonus, you get improved after takeoff climb performance on one engine.

2. Aspen displays are fully compatible with 400A autopilot. Lots of threads on this board about autopilot and avionics upgrade paths. Big G may do an STC for a modern autopilot but they’ve been saying that for years. Another option is pairing a DAC GDC31 with your 430w and a Sandel 3100 HSI to get GPSS steering and heading. If it was me, I’d fly as is or put a stopgap AV30 for electric AI backup for a year or so while big G makes up its mind.

3.sorry, no clue on door seals, maybe search this board for ideas?

Glad you’re enjoying your new to you bird! Blue skies and tailwinds!

-LJ

[Mich3773]

Congratulations!

Q. What are you missing with the mod to remove the rear doors?
A. The single engine climb rate.

The Skymaster two engine climb rate is great. In contrast, the single engine climb rate is poor; about 150ft/min. If you unexpectedly lose an engine on takeoff, and you lift the gear to "clean-up" the airplane too low to the ground, the drag from the doors in transit could easily result in collision with trees or buildings at the end of the runway. Removing the rear gear doors, eliminates this problem and greatly simplifies your response to a loss of engine emergency.

There's a good discussion of take-off techniques, with and without the rear gear doors at this link: https://www.337skymaster.com/message...read.php?t=790

I've been told MAG Aerospace has implemented this mod on all their Skymasters. For you, flying in mountainous BC, this might be a worthwhile modification. But fly the airplane for a bit and see what you think.