When I went to pay at DFW I assumed it would cost me but the guy at the counter said he looked up my tail number and saw I had an AV Fuel account which I had never used. He told me that saved me some money but I never asked how much because I didn't care at the time. I was too busy thinking about the progressive taxi clearances! Turn out I paid under $2 per gallon so even with the landing and facility fee's I came out cheaper than I would have landing elsewhere.

You need to get some fuel program cards! DFW shows as $1.91/gal for me.... which pretty much makes up for the fees...

I mean honestly it really kinda handles like a truck... and with tips full it's even a little sluggisher and a bit more roll inertia I suppose. By the time you are down to 60G each tip its really indiscernible from empty-tips for the most part.

I remember when we first got it and people said how unstable it was and that if you turned away it would be gone in a different direction haha. So far from the truth. Usually it was guys that "had a lot of time in them a few years ago".

My plane has been in TN for the past 6 weeks getting the 600 hour inspection completed. I fly in tomorrow morning to pick it up. As promised I am here to report the result of that inspection.

The total bill was $35,000.
There were 2 items that came up that were not excepted and expensive.

The first one was the co-pilot side window. It needed to be replaced and since I was already replacing the co-pilot windshield, I saved about 25 hours labor doing them both at the same time. I couldn't source a good used one so I bought a new one for $4800. OUCH!
The second was the SOAP sample on my left engine failed because it detected trace amounts of bearing metal. Not the words you want to hear. Further inspection revealed that the torque sensor bearing was failing. The total bill for the engine work was just under $13k.

Subtract out those 2 items and the 600 hour inspection would have been about $15k.

Jim,

Know it sucks to get his with those two items but look at it this way:

- having the window blow out in flight would have been really, really bad.
- having the torque sensor fail would haven meant (at best) a failed NTS test on start and grounding the plane until fixed or (worst) a REALLY bad day if you had an engine issue and the NTS system failed to work.

Recognize that's small comfort when paying the bills, but I'd say your SOAP sample just paid for itself in spades compared to the potential consequences and (having had a window blow out at altitude) I personally would much rather have discovered it on the ground during maintenance than what I went through....

Think about what a great 2017 you'll have flying your incredible bird!

Saw 136 knot winds today at FL240. Really wished I needed to go that direction. 400 knot ground speed possible today!

Highest I achieved was ~450 knots GS, about ~150 knot tailwind.

It is a bummer if you need to go the other way, though.

Mike C.

I have had only 2 tailwind trips in the year I have had the MU2. Got well over 300knots both times but every other flight was crosswind or headwind. I am due for some real nice pushes in 2017.

Tailwinds require cleaner living.

For whatever reason I'm most always enjoying a tailwind. I must be living clean.

You should have 100kts. + on the head at all times.

I read that Trump had promised to double wages for everyone as well as lower taxes. Maybe he'll give all aircraft tailwinds, too?

The air flow will be towards him at all times, so at least that direction you will get a tailwind.

Mike C.

As with most things in life stiff headwinds are there to keep the weak in mind and spirit away from the prize. I am always leery of anything going on that seems to easy.

I departed KADS yesterday. The weather was minimums and 1 1/4 vis. I had departed in weather like this a few times in the Baron and as I recall, I was nervous. The lowest ceilings I had departed in the MU2 was about 500 feet with good visabity. It occurred to me today reflecting on my flight that there was no anxiety or nervousness yesterday. It was business as usual and no big deal. Never looked outside and it was about 15 minutes at 5000ft before I got a climb and out of the soup. Where does one differentiate complacency versus confidence? I have noticed that weather is way less of factor to me since I got the MU2. I don't think about it. I have never been a "pick my way through RED on the screen" kind of pilot so that hasn't changed but the speed and capability of the MU2 no question has made me more confident. I have thought a lot about the CJ4 dark hole departure crash and I'm betting that guy wasn't nervous either. I imagine his plane which is infinitely more advanced, safe and capable than mine had him feeling really confident and safe, but it seems complacency crept in his cockpit like deadly virus unseen until it's too late. What practical steps should one take to be sure there isn't an unseen killer riding with us as the planes we fly give us a feeling of confidence?