I thought about converting my piston or buying a turbo beaver for years. Each time I got close I realized that a turbo otter costs the same and uses the same engine but does three time the workload. Both are awesome machines that max out the “way cool” factor.
Fuel burn is the least expensive part of owning any airplane. If you’re thinking of buying a turbo beaver you best be planning to fly it at least 400-600 hours per year. Otherwise the engine maintenance costs will eat you alive. Unlike pistons engines, very spendy turbine engine parts and maintenance are calendar life limited: they wear out just sitting in the hangar.
Yes, -34 or -135 engines are being used nowadays. My post applies regardless of whether it’s a -6, -20, or whatever. They all are expensive to maintain even if they aren’t being flown.
The -6 and -20 engines didn’t like hot weather. They barely performed any better than a piston.
depends...on the engine, the -6 or -20 (probably not even around anymore), the -27, the -34? How fast you wanna go? But I would think 45gph is what most of the guys are pulled back to...
An old time check airman told me one time, as I was getting a float Beaver to a dock (with no assistance from him) that in his opinion, all float pilots should start float flying in a single engine Otter.
His point was, with these big airplanes, you either learn to finesse them, or you get run over and/or wet. But, the real message was that a Cub will run you over just about as quick.
You can't muscle these things around, you've got to finesse them.
One of the prettiest things I've watched was in Victoria, BC, watching the Beavers and Otters coming and going from the dock there.....lots of finesse and skill on display there, and a pleasure to watch.
Oh, yeah, and I didn't ding the Beaver or the dock, and passed the checkride.
MTV
Blade latches solve a lot of problems but for some reason, the operators in Alaska don't want blade latches.
Does anyone know why Alaskan operators (or anyone) would not want blade latches for a floatplane?
I have not been around a lot of turbine floatplanes, but all of the PT6-powered ones I have seen had blade latches and seemed to have no major issues docking without someone to catch them...
anyone know why wipaire stopped making the boss turbo beavers?