---------------------------------------------------------- Commander-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Mon 06/28/04: 5 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 08:21 AM - Twin Commander in the news today (Tylor Hall) 2. 02:03 PM - Re: Twin Commander in the news today (Barry Collman) 3. 02:35 PM - Re: Twin Commander in the news today (Tom Fisher) 4. 09:32 PM - Re: Twin Commander in the news today (tylor.hall) 5. 10:38 PM - Re: (Phil Stubbs) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 08:21:50 AM PST US From: Tylor Hall Subject: Commander-List: Twin Commander in the news today --> Commander-List message posted by: Tylor Hall In the local paper and on www.aero-news.net is a story about the State of New Mexico wanting to sell their 1966 Aero Commander, a 680FLP with Mr RPM engines to buy a used turbo prop for $4,000,000. The local paper said something about moving money from the road department to the general fund to buy the new airplane. Something about the legislature not being in session and want to do the purchase very soon with out their approval. Some creative accounting? Politics as usual I am told here in NM. I am new to the state. The story said that they would have to spend over $225,000 per year on maintenance on it. I think they are using numbers to include all costs like fuel and pilot? I wounder how much a $4,000,000 turbo prop is going to cost them to run? Aero-News got the photo wrong. Tom, there may be a FLP available soon. NM has owned this aircraft since new and had the Mr RPM conversion done to it. It has over 7000 hours. Tylor Hall ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 02:03:38 PM PST US From: "Barry Collman" Subject: Re: Commander-List: Twin Commander in the news today --> Commander-List message posted by: "Barry Collman" Thanks for the 'heads-up' Tylor! It seems to me that the only candidate is not a 680FLP, but a 680FL. Serial number is probably 1642-122, N1414S. This is a 1966-build, with the Mr. RPM conversion. As Tylor points out, the photo is totally wrong and is probably N808NC a Model 695B (converted from a 695A) with the Aerosensing terrain mapping radar system. This is very evident in the photo! Best Regards, Barry Collman ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tylor Hall" Subject: Commander-List: Twin Commander in the news today | --> Commander-List message posted by: Tylor Hall | | In the local paper and on www.aero-news.net is a story about the State of New Mexico wanting to sell their 1966 Aero Commander, a 680FLP with Mr RPM engines to buy a used turbo prop for $4,000,000. | The local paper said something about moving money from the road department to the general fund to buy the new airplane. Something about the legislature not being in session and want to do the purchase very soon with out their approval. Some creative accounting? Politics as usual I am told here in NM. I am new to the state. | | The story said that they would have to spend over $225,000 per year on maintenance on it. I think they are using numbers to include all costs like fuel and pilot? I wounder how much a $4,000,000 turbo prop is going to cost them to run? | | Aero-News got the photo wrong. | | Tom, there may be a FLP available soon. NM has owned this aircraft since new and had the Mr RPM conversion done to it. It has over 7000 hours. | | Tylor Hall | | | | | | | ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 02:35:22 PM PST US From: "Tom Fisher" Subject: Re: Commander-List: Twin Commander in the news today --> Commander-List message posted by: "Tom Fisher" Found it, thanks. I hear it may not be a "P". given the number of FLP's that I have seen on the market I may have to settle for a non-pressurized machine. Let me know. Tom F. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tylor Hall" Subject: Commander-List: Twin Commander in the news today > --> Commander-List message posted by: Tylor Hall > > In the local paper and on www.aero-news.net is a story about the State of New Mexico wanting to sell their 1966 Aero Commander, a 680FLP with Mr RPM engines to buy a used turbo prop for $4,000,000. > The local paper said something about moving money from the road department to the general fund to buy the new airplane. Something about the legislature not being in session and want to do the purchase very soon with out their approval. Some creative accounting? Politics as usual I am told here in NM. I am new to the state. > > The story said that they would have to spend over $225,000 per year on maintenance on it. I think they are using numbers to include all costs like fuel and pilot? I wounder how much a $4,000,000 turbo prop is going to cost them to run? > > Aero-News got the photo wrong. > > Tom, there may be a FLP available soon. NM has owned this aircraft since new and had the Mr RPM conversion done to it. It has over 7000 hours. > > Tylor Hall > > ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 09:32:31 PM PST US From: "tylor.hall" Subject: RE: Commander-List: Twin Commander in the news today --> Commander-List message posted by: "tylor.hall" Barry, I spoke to the pilot that flew it for 20 years before retiring. It has two camera holes in it with a quick change seats that have to come out to use the camera. The Highway dept seems to use it. I know it is a Mr. RPM from Dick MacCoon's records. It Sate of New Mexico has a hangar up at Santa Fe. I will have to go look for it. Tylor Hall --> Commander-List message posted by: "Barry Collman" Thanks for the 'heads-up' Tylor! It seems to me that the only candidate is not a 680FLP, but a 680FL. Serial number is probably 1642-122, N1414S. This is a 1966-build, with the Mr. RPM conversion. As Tylor points out, the photo is totally wrong and is probably N808NC a Model 695B (converted from a 695A) with the Aerosensing terrain mapping radar system. This is very evident in the photo! Best Regards, Barry Collman ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tylor Hall" Subject: Commander-List: Twin Commander in the news today | --> Commander-List message posted by: Tylor Hall | | In the local paper and on www.aero-news.net is a story about the State of New Mexico wanting to sell their 1966 Aero Commander, a 680FLP with Mr RPM engines to buy a used turbo prop for $4,000,000. | The local paper said something about moving money from the road department to the general fund to buy the new airplane. Something about the legislature not being in session and want to do the purchase very soon with out their approval. Some creative accounting? Politics as usual I am told here in NM. I am new to the state. | | The story said that they would have to spend over $225,000 per year on maintenance on it. I think they are using numbers to include all costs like fuel and pilot? I wounder how much a $4,000,000 turbo prop is going to cost them to run? | | Aero-News got the photo wrong. | | Tom, there may be a FLP available soon. NM has owned this aircraft since new and had the Mr RPM conversion done to it. It has over 7000 hours. | | Tylor Hall | | | | | | | ________________________________ Message 5 _____________________________________ Time: 10:38:15 PM PST US From: "Phil Stubbs" Subject: RE: Commander-List: --> Commander-List message posted by: "Phil Stubbs" I haven't laughed that hard in years. Thanks Jim > [Original Message] > From: Jim Addington > To: COMMANDER-LIST > Date: 6/27/2004 12:36:44 PM > Subject: Commander-List: > > --> Commander-List message posted by: "Jim Addington" > > This is long but so funny and I thought the guys down under would really get > a chuckle out of this. > > Jim Addington > N444BD > > > An "Aussie" Bush Pilot's First Check Ride, Upon Returning From Vietnam > > Hi Mate, I am writing to you, because I need your help to get me bloody > pilots licence back (you keep telling me you got all the right contacts, > well now's your chance to make something happen for me because, mate, I'm > bloody desperate). But first, I'd better tell you what happened during my > last flight review with the CAA Examiner. On the phone, Ron (that's the CAA > dorkhead) seemed a reasonable sort of bloke. He politely reminded me of the > need to do a flight review every two years, since I had been flying Caribou > in Vietnam for a year. He even offered to drive out, have look over my > property and let me operate from my own strip. Naturally I agreed to that. > > Anyway, Ron turned up last Wednesday. First up, he said he was a bit > surprised to see the plane on a small strip outside my homestead because the > ALA (Authorized Landing Area) is about a mile away. I explained that because > this strip was so close to the homestead, it was more convenient than that > strip, despite the power lines crossing about midway down the strip (it's > really not a problem to land and takeoff because at the halfway point down > the strip you're usually still on the ground). > > For some reason Ron seemed nervous. So, although I had done the preflight > inspection only four days earlier, I decided to do it all over again. > Because he was watching me carefully, I walked around the plane three times > instead of my usual two. > > My effort was rewarded because the colour finally returned to Ron's cheeks - > in fact they went a bright red. In view of Ron's obviously better mood, I > told him I was going to combine the test flight with farm work as I had to > deliver three poddy calves from the home paddock to the main herd. After a > bit of a chase I finally caught the calves and threw them into the back of > the ol' Cessna 172. We climbed aboard but Ron started getting' into me about > weight and balance calculations and all that crap. Of course I knew that > sort of thing was a waste of time because, calves like to move around a bit, > particularly when they see themselves 500 feet off the ground! So, its > bloody pointless trying to secure them as you know. However, I did tell Ron > that he shouldn't worry as I always keep the trim wheel set on neutral to > ensure we remain pretty stable at all stages throughout the flight. > > Anyway, I started the engine and cleverly minimised the warm-up time by > tramping hard on the brakes and gunning her to 2,500rpm. I then discovered > that Ron has very acute hearing, even though he was wearing a bloody > headset. Through all that noise he detected a metallic rattle and demanded I > account for it. Actually it began about a month ago and was caused by a > screwdriver that fell down a hole in the floor and lodged in the fuel > selector mechanism. The selector can't be moved now, but it doesn't matter > because it's jammed on 'All tanks', so I suppose that's OK. > > However, as Ron was obviously a real nit-picker, I blamed the noise on > vibration from a stainless steel thermos flask, which I keep in a beaut > little possie between the windshield and the magnetic compass. My > explanation seemed to relax Ron because he slumped back in the seat and kept > looking up at the cockpit roof. I released the brakes to taxi out but > unfortunately the plane gave a leap and spun to the right, "Hell" I thought, > "not the starboard wheel chock again." The bump jolted Ron back to full > alertness. He looked wildly around just in time to see a rock thrown by the > propwash disappear completely through the windscreen of his brand new > Commodore. "Now I'm really in trouble," I thought. > > While Ron was busy ranting about his car, I ignored his requirement that we > taxi to the ALA and instead took off under the power lines. Ron didn't say a > word, at least not until the engine started coughing right at the lift off > point, then he bloody screamed his head off, "Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!" > > "Now take it easy, Ron" I told him firmly, "that often happens on takeoff > and there is a good reason for it." I explained patiently that I usually run > the plane on standard MOGAS, but one day I accidentally put in a gallon or > two of kerosene. To compensate for the low octane of the kerosene, I > siphoned in a few gallons off super MOGAS and shook the wings up and down a > few times to mix it up. Since then, the engine has been coughing a bit but > in general it works just fine, if you know how to coax it properly. Anyway, > at this stage Ron seemed to lose all interest in my flight test. He pulled > out some rosary beads, closed his eyes and became lost in prayer (I didn't > think anyone was a Catholic these days). I selected some nice music on the > HF radio to help him relax. > > Meanwhile I climbed to my normal cruising altitude of 10,500 feet (I don't > normally put in a flight plan or get the weather because as you know getting > Fax access out here is just a joke and the bloody weather is always 8/8 blue > anyway. But since I had that near miss with a Saab 340, I might have to > change me thinking). Anyhow, on leveling out I noticed some wild camels > heading into my improved pasture. I hate camels and always carry a loaded > .303 clipped inside the door of the Cessna just in case I see any of the > blokes. > > We were too high to hit them, but as a matter of principle, I decided to > have a go through the open window. Mate, when I pulled the bloody rifle out, > the effect on Ron was totally electric. As I fired the first shot his neck > lengthened by about six inches and his eyes bulged like a rabbit with myxo. > He really looked as if he had been jabbed with an electric cattle prod on > full power. In fact, Ron's reaction was so distracting that I lost > concentration for a second and the next shot went straight through the port > tyre. Ron was a bit upset about the shooting (probably one of those pinko > animal lovers I guess) so I decided not to tell him about our little problem > with the tyre. Shortly afterwards I located the main herd and decided to do > my fighter pilot trick. > > Ron had gone back to praying when, in one smooth sequence, I pulled on full > flap, cut the power and started a sideslip from 10,500 feet down to 500 feet > at 130 knots indicated (the last time I looked anyway) and the little needle > rushing up to the red area on me ASI. What a buzz, mate! About half way > through the descent I looked back in the cabin to see the calves gracefully > suspended in mid air and mooing like crazy. I was going to comment on this > unusual sight but Ron looked a bit green and had rolled himself into the > fetal position and was screamin' his head off. Mate, talk about being in a > bloody zoo. You should've been there, it was so bloody funny! > > At about 500 feet I leveled out, but for some reason we continued sinking. > When we reached 50 feet I applied full power but nothin' happened; no noise > no nothin.' Then, luckily, I heard me instructor's voice in me head saying > "carby heat, carby heat," so I pulled carby heat on and that helped quite a > lot, with the engine finally regaining full power. Whew, that was really > close, let me tell you! > > Then mate, you'll never guess what happened next! As luck would have it, at > that height we flew into a massive dust cloud caused by the cattle and > suddenly went I.F. bloody R, mate. You would've been bloody proud of me as I > didn't panic once, not once, but I did make a mental note to consider > getting a civil instrument rating as soon as me gyro is repaired (something > I've been meaning to do for a while now). > > Suddenly Ron's elongated neck and bulging eyes reappeared. His mouth opened > wide, very wide, but no sound emerged. "Take it easy," I told him. "we'll be > out of this in a minute." Sure enough, about a minute later we emerge; still > straight and level and still at 50 feet. Admittedly I was surprised to > notice that we were upside down, and I kept thinking to myself, "I hope Ron > didn't notice that I had forgotten to set the QNH when we were taxying." > This minor tribulation forced me to fly to a nearby valley in which I had to > do a half roll to get upright again. > > By now the main herd had divided into two groups leaving a narrow strip > between them. "Ah!" I thought, "there's an omen. We'll land right there." > Knowing that the tyre problem demanded a slow approach, I flew a couple of > steep turns with full flap. Soon the stall warning horn was blaring so loud > in me ear that I cut its circuit breaker to shut it up, but by then I knew > we were slow enough anyway. I turned steeply onto a 75 foot final and put > her down with a real thud. Strangely enough, I had always thought you could > only ground loop in a tail dragger but, as usual, I was proved wrong again! > > Halfway through our third loop Ron at last recovered his sense of humour. > Talk about laugh. I've never seen the likes of it; he couldn't stop. We > finally rolled to a halt and I released the calves, who bolted out of the > aircraft like there was no tomorrow. I then began picking clumps of dry > grass. Between gut wrenching fits of laughter Ron asked what I was doing. I > explained that we had to stuff the port tyre with grass so we could fly back > to the homestead. It was then that Ron really lost the plot and started > running away from the aircraft. Can you believe it? > > The last time I saw him he was off into the distance, arms flailing in the > air and still shrieking with laughter. I later heard that he had been > confined to a psychiatric institution - poor bugger! > > Anyhow, mate, that's enough about Ron. The problem is I just got a letter > from CASA withdrawing, as they put it, my privileges to fly; until I have > undergone a complete pilot training course again and undertaken another > flight proficiency test. > > Now I admit that I made a mistake in taxiing over the wheel chock and not > setting the QNH using strip elevation, but I can't see what else I did that > was so bloody bad that they have to withdraw me flamin' licence. Can you? > >