Not many vintage singles in its class can match that. Basic annual inspections are done at a full-service FBO and run about $1400 when owner assisted. Cabin and cowling door repairs are often neglected, so be sure to inspect them for shoddy repairs and improper cabin door seals. There are mixed reviews from owners on maintaining a Comanche. Dont make that mistake with your plane. (Set of Two) 2430WT, Gear Lobe Fairing Kit. The airframe is essentially identical to the 250, except the 400 uses the Piper Aztec stabilizer. If not, the selling price should be adjusted to reflect a cost of $1500 per bladder. However, with care (and thats important), costs will be more than manageable and once a system or component is properly repaired, it can be expected to stay that way for a while. The Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche was designed as a twin-engined variant of the Piper PA-24 Comanche. Products from Knots2U andWebco are respected. Its a worthy suggestion, in our view. Garmin GMA 35c Remote-mount Bluetooth Audio Panel. In this installment, from the May 2022 issue, we move to the panel, and again we see how Comanche plane owner Greg Piehl utilized his skills and his professional workshop to upgrade his plane in a way that teaches us how ingenuity can play a role and allow you to do some of this work yourself. All upgrades get a fresh two-year warranty. Counter rotating with Tip Tanks, complete interior 2021, lots of upgrades and STC's. More Info. Pricing on the base GTX345 (without GPS) is $4995. Ya need to explore the "experimental" side of aviation Greetings fellow fliers and the A&P's that keep us flying. Laminar Flow Systems, Inc. has been manufacturing and selling these modifications since 1984 and we have thousands of satisfied customers worldwide. The 400 will, however, climb like a bat out of hell-every bit of 1600 FPM. contact us for horns, installation kits, horn installations in your Comanche, or
Contrast that with the G3X Touch, which essentially requires a Garmin navigator for its digital data bus interface. The original airplane had a 60-gallon fuel system. Because of that, I had to choose some remote-mounted components such as the transponder, the ADS-B system, and a second communication radio.. for the AUSTRALIAN STABILATOR HORN
As we reported in the July 2019 Aviation Consumer, this new companys AV-series primary EFIS is capable and smartly engineered, with a price that caters to low budgets and an installation that doesnt require shredding the instrument panel. A complex light twin, with retractable landing gear, seating 4 (in original models) to 6 (in later models), and cruise speeds ranging from 160-210 mph on twin 150-160 horsepower engines, it competed with the more-powerful Cessna 310 and Beech Baron . The AD list is pretty long, but most of the items are one-time fixes, followed by future inspection. These days, major avionics upgrades include sourcing a new instrument panel to accommodate large flight displays. // --> . The ICS is extremely resourceful, with a list of qualified instructors and shops familiar with the airplane. The navigator also connects to a Bluetooth keyboard as yet another option for data entry. Click here or above for a free download: Cherokee guide OR free digital issue. PROPELLER and TEXTRON LYCOMING. If you pull carb heat and lean the mixture from that condition, you have less power and go slower. The number of available aftermarket mods for the plane is extensive; some are overpriced and pointless in my view, while othersare fairly cheap and offer great results. Top Efis Upgrades Of all the avionics upgrades, planning a primary flight display retrofit is perhaps the most difficult. The Piper Owner Society would like to thank the following contributors: A sampling of quotes from this first webinar. For more than five decades, active and dedicated aircraft owners and pilots have turned to AVIATION CONSUMER to answer their most important buying questions. I know that I could save fuel instead of the extra speed, but I really enjoy the speed. Aircraft Panel Gallery. The Piper PA 28, 32 and 34 series of aircraft are world renowned for their durability and overall reliability, but they werent built to maximize performance. Twelve pilots simply forgot to extend the Firestones before ground contact. Most of us have heard horror stories about the person who built a dock or deck next to the lake without calling the Department of Natural Resources. (Parts Department). With practice and with the gear down, finals for a precision approach can be flown at 130 knots and, with the gear up, even faster. LYCOMING, BENDIX IGNITION,
Most Comanche owners can vouch for them. "Piper manufactured the Comanche line as their first all-metal airplane. Also, the carbureted O-540 found in the Comanche 250 may be upgraded to fuel injection. Youll need a reliable unit for the long term. It tends to be nose-heavy on landing so I use a lot of nose-up trim for an easier flare. Throttle 1/8 mixture where you set for lean taxi, mags hot, hit the starter. Legroom is good for both pilots and passengers, and the cabin is definitely more spacious than the Arrow that followed. If you wanted to start out with a cheaper airframe, buy a 180-HP model and do a 260-HP conversion with fuel injection. HAS WAAS GPS, touchscreen, displays traffic and weather on some aspen, avidyne and garmin displays. Four of those involved inflight breakups-the clean Comanche airframe will smoke through Vne in short order once the nose is down or in a diving spiral. The Piper Arrow has similar engine benefits. You might hear some say the Comanche is tough to land smoothly, and that it floats when in the flare, and then drops on. After 34 years, the first flight of N6494P took place at Zephyrhills Airport, three days before leaving on a trip to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, just in time for AirVenture in July and August 2021. It's a pricey and time-consuming effort that many Belvoir Media Group, LLC. The plane is ADS-B Out compliant with a Stratus transponder installed in 2016. Supports diversity (top and bottom antenna). Can you rewire and move the circuit breakers on a Piper. Call
Garmin GTN 750 Touchscreen GPS/Nav/Comm. Prices vary with engine size, but start at around $5000 plus installation. I actually contacted them and asked them what color that is. When youre in the cockpit flying, using the avionics has to be second nature., The Comanche panel is not large, so youll notice in the photos that follow that Piehl twice mentions the installation of hidden transponders. Thats just what Aspen offers with the Evolution MAX displays. 24RS $399.40 Add to Cart sku: 24WR Wing Root Fairing Kit. Piper Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 Engine Upgrade STC The Piper Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 engine upgrade STC removes and replaces the OEM installed Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D that was certified on the Piper Lance, Lance II, and Saratoga SP model aircraft. They all seem to run somewhat rough when you get all cylinders LOP. displays TIS-B, FIS-B ATAS (ADS-B Traffic Alerting System), includes Active Traffic (Interrogates Non-ADS-B Aircraft). Piper Comanche. Location: SF Bay area. We had requirements, in our MIL specs, that our avionics must communicate with the established protocols. What differentiates the IFD550 from the IFD540 is the IFD550s ARS, or attitude reference system. First, weve worked on enough Comanches to say that the airplane is perhaps one of the best built all-metal singles of its time. As one result, many have opted to replace their old Hartzells for new two- or three-blade Hartzell or McCauley propellers, which terminates the AD. WORK
Its also intended as an easy replacement for the S-TEC 55-series autopilot with minimal rewiring. $795 software unlock required to interface traffic/weather with Aspen display. There were a number of different models built during that . Both models had carbureted engines mated to constant-speed props. Theres also the $289 Hubba Hubba wheel cap, with an access door for the tires air valve. Quotes in the photo captions are from Piehl. The Comanche panel has limited space, vertically, Piehl said. Well start by saying that primary monitors (ones that are approved to replace all of the OEM gauges-including fuel quantity) require a sizable installation. Only engines for which that ends up with all cylinders well LOP are injected, with well-tuned injectors. The Piper PA-24 Comanche 180 first flew on May 24, 1956, the first of what would become one of Piper Aircraft's most successful single-engine series. Total time 3505. The only major issues have been a nosegear door repair and re-rigging the trim cable. All rights reserved. Turboplus was granted multiple Supplemental Type Certificates to upgrade many Continental TSIO-360 and LTSIO-360 engines to the 220HP operating limits of the Continental TSIO-360KB engine. Piper Comanche PA-24 Models. Garmin will upgrade it to the GTX330ES, which has ADS-B Out, but requires a WAAS GPS input. Subscribe today to read the entire series, which chronicles: What You Will Learn in This Article: Rebuilding a Piper Engine in a Comanche. Before even asking a shop for a price quote, bring them the aircraft. I would prove that time and again in my Comanche 250. Why would I want to reduce engine power output by effectively increasing the engine's density altitude? In 1961, Piper offered an optional 90-gallon system, which gave the Comanche 180 seriously long legs: nine hours, provided it was only loaded with the pilot, one passenger and a little baggage. The datalink processor connects in line with the existing transponder antenna and has a built-in WAAS GPS. While Comanche engines are generally dependable, beware of top-end overhauls that were accomplished without replacing the cylinders with new ones. Discussion in 'Maintenance Bay' started by bjohnsonmn, Oct 6, . 2-blade Scimitar. Your Garmin dealers most likely top recommendation for a lower-end EFIS upgrade might be Garmins $2249 G5 display, of which there are two. 2 U Mods,Weight and Balance, - WHATEVER
L3 Avionics product sold by Aspen. }
You can modify its engine, its look, its handling, its panel and its features. The engine case is running oil temperature, which is right around 180 degrees. It put the Comanches on the map. Model 415 O200A Engine Upgrade STC SA2628WE . General Tiger with fixed gear goes just as fast and another contemporary retractable, the Mooney M20C or M20E, will outrun the 180. Plus, it can be well-maintained at a lower cost than aircraft of lesser performance due to the widespread use of generic parts. Some years ago, there was some thought given to resurrecting the design at the hands of the legendary and brilliant Roy LoPresti, but like the Swift Fury, it came to nothing. Never created a website login before? Those familiar with the Comanche maintain major causes of gear-system problems are poor maintenance or rigging by mechanics unfamiliar with it. The same goes for the interior, obviously, although weve seen some Comanches decked out with some pretty nice and modern custom leather seating and trim. CHOOSE YOUR FREE DOWNLOAD: CHEROKEE GUIDE OR DIGITAL ISSUE, Sky Smith, Editorial Board, Aviation Insurance Expert, Bob Hart, Editorial Board & Avionics Guru. Everything Laminar Flow Systems makes has integrity, a design philosophy which puts the pilot 1st! Piper Comanche PA-24 Models. It'll start in a couple of blades. YOU NEED!!!! Turns out the claim was close enough to crown the skyBeacon a winner for a budget-based solution, the deal sweetened with a two-for LED lighting upgrade. When planning the G3X Touch, first consider which screen configuration works best for the panel and the budget. Tony_Scarpelli, Oct 6, 2013 #7. . Piper Comanche PA-24-400, PA-30, PA-39 Models. Two interesting facts related to this section of the overhaul: Just about the only things that survived to todays version of this Comanche are the seat frames, and just about the only thing that Piehl or his friends didnt do on this plane comes in this installment the leather upholstery work. I've yet to see one do that "happily." Its a small panel; its wide but not tall. I see no one else other than Robin Thomas who makes a promise that if youre not satisfied, no questions asked, you get your money back. Buy 3+ Items & Get 10% Off Your Purchase. Products (www.aviationperformanceproducts.com), which claims that its Eagle XP cowling increases speed, economy and improves maintenance access. Well hammer out the difference in the upcoming market scan. The 180, which obviously came second to its bigger brother in load carrying and was not selling as well as the 250, was dropped altogether while the 250 was upgraded to the 260. Has built-in WAAS GPS receiver, diversity (requires top and bottom antenna installation), tablet interface requires Flight Stream wireless Bluetooth module, ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot app. The paint I use is Imron, with an epoxy primer. Approach Fast StackModular Wiring Systemwww.approachfaststack.com, Aspen AvionicsPrimary Flight Displayaspenavionics.com, PS EngineeringAudio Panelwww.ps-engineering.com, Adventure Pilot iFly GPSBackup GPS (uncertified)www.iflygps.com. ADS-B In only, for use with 1090ES transponder. 24WR $445.06 Add to Cart sku: 24WF // -->