So the other day, I went to take a look at another airplane It was a fair number of miles there and back: 385 in the 340, then 98 in an MU-2 short body, then about 60 miles as a test flight in another MU-2 (only this one a long body).., then another 92 back then 385 back home… All in one day.
Drove to KGYY where the 340A was parked, preflighted the plane, and filed a flight plan to KSRB at 17,000 feet direct (fastest route and altitude based on the wind forecast) Got the routing I requested and left a bit after 8:30 Central (1330Z)
Climbed out at about 140 knots/800 FPM and leveled off at 17K with a nice 25 knot tailwind. Made my groundspeed about 225 knots at about 67% power:
I cruised over Central Indiana quickly….Passed over a LOT of farmland
and then over Indianapolis Indiana (KIND)
And about a half hour later began the descent to Sparta, Tn…… my destination. Sorry, no pictures. It was just hazy enough that the photos didn’t turn out.
I wanted to look at the long-body, Mitsubishi MU-2, but was directed to meet at Sparta, Tn (Upper Cumberland Regional (KSRB))…but the long-body MU-2 wasn’t there, so we took a short-body MU-2 that the dealer wanted me to try out from Sparta to Dickson, TN (M-02). Up and over the class C airspace around Nashville. Kinda nice climbing out at 2500 FPM at an airspeed of 160 knots. The descent is nearly as nice, you can lose altitude at over 2000 FPM and not gain airspeed.
Of course, this comes at a price. to fly at those power levels you burn more fuel….lots more. L:ike double what the 340 burns. (increase the speed/performance by 50%, double the fuel burn, is pretty much a constant in the airplane world). Still, being able to carry a full compliment of passengers (the short-body is 7 passengers, the longer body is 10 plus pilot with a couch and a potty) at a cruise speed of up to 310 knots and full fuel is a lot of performance…so is the 1100 mile range. It isn’t Jet performance, but it is a LOT more than I have now.
I’m probably not gonna buy the airplane that I went and looked at, but I am looking hard. I mean, right now, I own a perfectly good airplane, so I can afford to be picky. Faster, higher and better performance is an addictive thing though.
As it is, I can fly over a thousand miles and still be home the same day…..
Coming back it was pretty cloudy at times, the afternoon heat making for some buildups that never quite turned into storms.
Plus, of course, that tailwind on the way out was a headwind coming back, so it took a bit longer getting home…
I am of the belief that any day you can fly, or shoot, or go camping is a Good Day.
This was one of them.
Cut out of middle, go direct to King Air. You’ll end up there anyway.
Frank Borman had a Mu-2, which he liked. (My dad knew him.)
But Rick is probably correct: You’re going to end up in a King Air, eventually.
Thank you for sharing your journey with us so openly and honestly.
Nope, don’t like the king airs that I can afford. The smaller ones like the 90’s are getting longer in the tooth than I am willing to deal with, yet command (still) premium prices..They don’t carry appreciably more and don’t go appreciably faster. For the money I could get a lot more airplane than a -90…The biggger/newer king airs cost a LOT more and burn a LOT more fuel and are A LOT bigger (except the -90’s but they are expensive)…And they cost about twicer as much per hour to fly.
IF I were to look at other airplanes than an MU-2 it would likely be a C-441. Maybe a Turbo commander, but those are like 1.2 million and JUST a bit outside of my price range. Plus neither has the short field or payload performance that an MU-2 has.
King airs are for people that don’t ever have to ask “How much does this cost?” I am not in that group, at least not yet.
That’s a heck of a day !!!!!
MU-2s are ‘touchy’ beasts… Lot of maintenance required, and you MUST stay current to keep up with the airplane.
If you buy an MU-2, make certain you get a good, thorough checkout. The high wing loading of those airplanes make them a bit of a handful. They aren’t overly dangerous or anything, but they do require attention!
There is a SFAR that REQUIRES both an initial training and yearly refresher training. Not just mandated by the insurance companies, but required by Federal Regulation.
I have to do it every two years for my 340 per the insurance company.
Hey I saw my house .
Maybe, kinda flew right over it. But up pretty high.
Way, way, way back in the day I saw Bob Hoover demonstrating an MU-2 at an airshow in Cleveland OH. Impressive airplane ( and pilot).
Probably a Commander rather than an MU-2. Similar profile. Hoover was an excellent demonstrator of how to use the energy in a plane wisely. .