Is an Aerostar hard to fly?
There’s a lot to like about a Piper/Smith Aerostar. As piston twins go, the airplane has decent ramp appeal and passengers generally don’t complain about its cabin dwelling. Fly one and you’ll see why it has a rep for being blazingly fast, while demanding a healthy amount of pilot proficiency.
Why is the Aerostar so fast?
Ted Smith did things his own way, and that’s apparent in the Aerostar’s design and systems. Aerostars aren’t cabin-class airplanes in the classic sense. You might say they’re reverse cabin class: Everyone climbs aboard from the front and moves aft rather than vice versa.
How much does an Aerostar cost?
Depending on numerous factors, the average price for a pre-owned PIPER Aerostar is $277,711.28. A $175,000.00 loan over 120 months including $729.17 per month in interest equates to a $8,775.15 per-period payment.
Are Aerostars good planes?
As with any reputation, there is a certain element of truth to the Aerostar fame — it is a quirky airplane that provides outstanding performance at the expense of a safety margin thick as a Super Cub’s wing. It is a complicated, tightly packaged mechanism that will not tolerate lackluster maintenance.
How fast is a Piper Aerostar?
306 mph
Piper Aerostar/Top speed
What is the fastest GA aircraft?
Gulfstream G650 Gulfstream’s latest is all bluster – it’s the biggest, fastest, farthest-flying private plane around. The Gulfstream G650 flies at speeds of up to 0.925 Mach (or 0.85 – 0.9 Mach at cruising), faster than anything outside of the military, including commercial airliners.
Is the Piper Aerostar pressurized?
By the end of the series’ run in 1984 the ultimate Aerostar, by then built by Piper, was a pressurized 260-knot machine with an impressive suite of avionics and a ceiling of 25,000 feet. It was the hottest piston-powered production airplane of the day.
What is the fastest piston twin?
The Aerostar
Fastest Piston Twin: The Aerostar was designed by Ted Smith and built in Van Nuys, California, under the name Ted Smith Aircraft Co.
What is the range of a Piper Aerostar?
868 nm
Range 868 nm (w/o optional fuel). Takeoff distance (50′) 3,080′. Landing distance (50′) 2,100′.
What plane did Barry Seal use?
He asks Seal, who has been smuggling Cuban cigars into the country via Canada, to fly clandestine reconnaissance missions for the CIA over Central America using a small, fast, twin-engine Piper Smith Aerostar 600, outfitted with sophisticated aerial surveillance cameras. Seal tells his wife, Lucy, he’s still with TWA.
How many aerostars were built?
Piper Aerostar
| Aerostar / Sequoia | |
|---|---|
| First flight | 1967 |
| Status | Active service |
| Produced | 1967–1984 |
| Number built | 1,010 |
Did Barry Seal fly an Aerostar?
When did the Aerostar 602P series come out?
Piper improved the waste gate system in the 601B and 601P, increasing critical altitude from 16,000 to 21,500 feet, and certified known-icing equipment for the airplanes. In 1981, the 602P was introduced with engines and turbo systems certified and installed as a package by Lycoming.
When was the last Piper Aerostar 700P built?
The last 25 Aerostars built (the model year 1984 Piper Aerostar 700P’s) are rumored to never be eligible for the latest 6850 lb gross weight increase as they were built on a separate type certificate. This low time 602P has no known damage history. The original owner of Aerostar number 898 was Rombauer Vineyards in the Napa Valley.
What is the gross weight of a Aerostar 601P?
The gross weight of the 601P and the 601B is 6000 lbs. Oh yes, in 1976 Ted introduced the 601B, which has the wing extensions and the wastegate actuator system of the 601P, but is not pressurized. There were very few built, but what a payload.
When was the last pressurized Aerostar made?
This Aerostar is one the last of the pressurized Aerostars produced, and includes the many improvments started with the 602P production. The last 25 Aerostars built (the model year 1984 Piper Aerostar 700P’s) are rumored to never be eligible for the latest 6850 lb gross weight increase as they were built on a separate type certificate.