compromise... https://www.controller.com/listings/air ... ey-turbine

She's been out on the market about as long as the Royal Duke in Santa Ynez.

Same broker I bought my plane from.

Also at a different price on aso.com I wondered what was the status of this plane.

Hmm, probably true, though in my case when I owned a C340 many of the fixed costs were similar - same hangar, hull insurance is more on a per-value basis, most of the data costs are the same, etc. Yes, I agree operating costs are significantly more per hour.


I'm not sure where your 5-15% more speed thing comes from. My Mits offers more like 50% more speed than my 340 did. That includes cruise but also block time given higher performance climbs and descents too.

And if one includes dispatch reliability and the time spent in the shop but not flying, then the "speed" comparison really jumps up in favor of the turbine!

So - on a per hour basis, the turbines cost more. No doubt. Anyone who claims otherwise is kidding themselves. But on a per mile basis, not very much. And even if it is a bit more the improvement in dispatch reliability and weather capability makes it worth it, I have not taken the airlines domestically in a couple years, versus with the 340 I would do so if a trip were long or for iffy weather or down for maintenance.

If you can pay the freight, turbines are better. And paying the freight isn't as large a jump as many who compare based only on hourly operating cost seem to think.

Oh, BTW - never, ever, ever, buy a turbine conversion. My $.02.

Agreed, further up the thread was commented that the Duke conversion should not be priced above $375K, that just can't happen with cost of a P&W motor. Maybe that will become a possibility if the EPS conversion will ever occur with a donor airframe you are getting closer to that number. To me the Duke "size" is also a factor.

If you're comparing photo to photo, the MU-2 outruns the 421 by about 100 kts. That's a little more than 15%.

Here you go. You can get a Pilatus with a PT6A for under $600K. Looks like a boat load of fun.

https://www.barnstormers.com/classified ... UNITY.html

The 421 conversions have weird lycoming turbines

I think the real answer to the question is that they all really cost the same thing. Pistons are cheaper to buy but they have more items to maintain. If your turbine eats a wheel or a blade it is way expensive but that doesn't happen very much.

MU-2's have a reputation as dangerous airplanes and every lay person that reads about them agrees. The only people that disagree have owned one -- I used to. In addition to an Aerostar I have an old V-tail Bonanza and most people that know of the V-Tail by reputation also think it is dangerous.

I couldn't tell you what it really costs to operate any plane because I don't keep the records very well. If my wife saw them in grand detail (or this kind of discussion) I would be divorced. As far as she knows we just buy fuel

There are two 421 turbine conversions.

One has Lycoming LTP-101 engines, mostly used in helicopters.

There is also one with PT6A-135s.

Further, there is (was?) a project to convert 421s with PT6A-135s called the "Excalibur" headed by Jack Pelton, former Cessna CEO. I think that's probably dead now.

Turbine conversions of piston aircraft are almost universally bad. Not enough fuel, electrical system not suitable, speed limited to top of green, etc. Being a turboprop requires changes from the ground up to be a good one.

An exception might be the PA-46 Jetprop. I think that's decently done.

Mike C.

Disappointing there are not more options on the low end. A factory certified BE36 with a decent pressurization system and a turbine engine would be an awesome thing to buy new from Beech.

Cirrus came out with it. It's called SF50.