I am looking for an entry level TP to run transplant doctors, parts, and patients around in the northeast normally within 500 miles from home. Looking at a Cheyenne, King Air 90, maybe a Merlin III. Trying to keep the price close to $300k. Interested in maintenance cost per hour and big ticket items.

Thanks

Much of this applies:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=137017

Mike C.

Was gonna say.. wait a minute!

Guess we're both on the prowl. GL.

This sounds mission critical. Any time, all weather, reliable.

Typically these sorts of movements occur at night or late in the day since donor organs come from accidents during the day. This sets in motion activity trying to get organs, patients, and doctors all in the right places. It is not a casual exercise to serve as a pilot in these circumstances.

A basic King Air 90 would do the job and provides an option to hire pilots (or copilots) for missions more easily than any other type. I sense that would be a valuable feature. There are a number of older King Airs in the $300K price range.

The distances you are flying suggest the King Air main negative, slow speed, isn't too much of a problem.

Mike C.

We have Lear 31s and a Lear 60 for the longer more urgent flights. Boss man gave me the thumbs up to get a TP to help on the shorter flights and create a little flow through into the jets.

Seems like any turboprop would do the trick, just trying to find the most financial intelligent solution.

No offense but most hospitals require a jet for this purpose. An old Citation or Eclipse is perfect for these organ runs. Check with the hospital's insurance to see if they will allow doctors to ride in a prop plane. Also, ask some doctors what they think (show a picture) and ask if they would get in it; most are going to say no. If you're just picking up organs and not transplant docs then it may not matter that its a prop.

BTW, this is a really fun business to be in! Nothing like flying at night with a mystery cooler in the back. I'm jealous.

The two hospitals I have worked at have not had this policy.

I've flown on at least two transplant harvest missions (as a physician) in a King Air.

No reason not to get a turboprop.

Are you going to be using the King Air enough to amortize the calendar based maintenance items? KA vs. other TP is a much different discussion at 100 hours/yr compared to 400.

IMO, for personal travel $/hr is less an issue (at least to an arbitrary point) than for a business needing to justify the cost for the accountants.

What exactly does it cost (reasonably close) over say a five year term to cover just the calendar items? Total cost of ownership might work out for an old , cheap to acquire KA vs buying a more expensive SETP or newer TETP... of course, luck comes into play with big ticket repairs. Assuming you're going to part it out when you're done with it.

We have a contract with a transplant organization. Only one doctor has the say about flying in a jet vs turboprop. The organization actually request a turboprop (15 hours a month) that we end up farming out. We could easily ad more hours to that by offering the TP when our jets are scheduled or broke.

Seems to me the Cheyenne I is lower cost to run than a KA. Some Garrett power animals might be cheaper but their acquisition cost is more.

500mile average trip and a jet is being suggested lol

You have in-house A&P's to maintain the Cheyenne?

Expect it to come in with little squawks on almost every trip.

I've probably done 20 organ harvest team transports in the last year. All in the 425 Conquest. All under an hour flight from either MDW or MSN as that's where the two teams we fly are from.

No chance of a decent 425 for $300K but double that and lots of options. KA200 speed on less than KA90 fuel flows. And more leg room in the back than the 90 for pax. Had 8 people on board for the last one. 2 pilots and 6 pax. Through 100lbs of lead in the nose before we left home to stay in CG and was still 100lbs under zero fuel weight.

Late night flights, trying to sleep in the FBO, followed up with being the Docs personal catering service. Yup that's organ harvest flying!

My favorite was the 8 leg night where we hauled both the abdominal team and the cardiothoracic team. Logged 8 night approaches that night!

If it's a CJ series or a Premier, they'll do it faster and as cheap as the King Air...

BUT... there's that extra Million bucks for the acquisition cost!

If it's a CJ series or a Premier, they'll do it faster and as cheap as the King Air...

BUT... there's that extra Million bucks for the acquisition cost!

Sorry I'm not answering the OP's question because I don't have any Cheyenne experience/knowledge. A KS hospital I'm familiar with transports their specialists back and forth from Denver with their own older KA 90. It will do the job and based on their pilots reports handles weather very well. Mike is right lots of KA pilots. Good luck with the search.