Speeds are up around 155 to 160 knots at cruise, burning about 12 GPH. Greg Piehl, who lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, with his wife Debbie, spent three years restoring and upgrading their 1959 Piper Comanche 250. Parts 1 and 2 of this Piper Comanche restoration series are also free to read. Requires WAAS GPS input (Garmin, Avidyne). Find your Customer Number (its on your mailing label) and register here. Everything Laminar Flow Systems makes has integrity, a design philosophy which puts the pilot 1st! Ive found that many aircraft are compliant. Read a Piper door lock review with photos of a Medeco door lock installation. Weve see trade values as high as $8000. Pending TSO certification. Also note that this engine has some really cool colors. Piper designed and built the aircraft from 1956 until 1972, when the manufacturing plant was wiped out by a massive flood and production ceased. And it's fun to recall some Piper engineers, back when it was introduced, boasting that the fat, new, stubby wing was actually every bit as good as the sexier-looking tapered Comanche wing, aerodynamically. if(MSFPhover) { MSFPnav2n=MSFPpreload("_derived/comwingtips.htm_cmp_jas110_hbtn.gif"); MSFPnav2h=MSFPpreload("_derived/comwingtips.htm_cmp_jas110_hbtn_a.gif"); } With a tapered laminar-flow wing, respectable speed (big-engine models make downright impressive numbers), solid handling and lots of available speed mods, the right Comanche could be one of the most desirable vintage piston singles. Insurance runs about $1600 per year. ADS-B is old news. Then Tropical Storm Agnes drove the Susquehanna River out of its banks and wiped out Pipers Lock Haven factory. Piper Aircraft has always offered some of the best aviation values in the sky. 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. Its a worthy suggestion, in our view. But unless you buy one thats been particularly well-restored and cared for, getting an old Comanche up to snuff can be a pricey proposition. SE 57 WE Installation of two Roto-Master Turbochargers P/N 600572-00 on Continental TSIO-520-D engine. If the aircraft has traditional round gauges, do you want to get rid of the vacuum system in favor of an all-electric suite? Standalone ADS-B Out and In, wireless Bluetooth connectivity with Flight Stream 110/210. PRODUCTS], info@johnstonaircraft.com 24LOB, Hub Cap W/Access Door. The 180 Comanches load-carrying capacity is ample but modest. Cessna's owners manual has for decades had pilots run lop. Ive owned my 1961 PA24-250 N7754P for six years, and the airframe has 2200 hours total and the engine has 980 hours since factory reman. There is no doubt that your kit was responsible for our taking second place in the race. The Electronics International MVP-50 is another. If not, the selling price should be adjusted to reflect a cost of $1500 per bladder. My performance improvements are way beyond anything I expected. 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. They gave me a guy to call at Lycoming, and he said, I cant tell you the color of it, its proprietary. to eliminate the repetitive inspections of the factory unit. Its big on features, small on size and works with the Garmin flight displays. Piper then skipped directly to the 400 HP PA-24-400 in . by Piper Owner Society | Feb 13, 2023 | Upgrade & Refurbish | 0. The ICS is extremely resourceful, with a list of qualified instructors and shops familiar with the airplane. There are no downloads available of this content. O.E.M. 24WS, Arapaho Dorsal Fin. Posted by Rocky Landsverk | Sep 13, 2022 | Comanche Restoration Series, Upgrade & Refurbish. Here that sucking sound? Engine Upgrades. Garmin Budget Glass Cockpits Remember when a basic. [service, repairs] [emco The only major issues have been a nosegear door repair and re-rigging the trim cable. Oh, and it looks good, too. The Comanches have a speed wing so its not a comfortable ride in moderate or greater turbulence, so slowing it down softens the bumps. 795 Fentress Blvd Use the downtime to hit the pilots guides. Arch-Warrior, Inc. offers an STC to covert a Warrior to 180 HP. Its sturdy, which it makes it a good instrument airplane, plus its easy to fly in busy traffic patterns since its comfortably flown slow or fast. You need to go to somebody whos trained in that model of aircraft but has not seen it before. -Scott Sherer, Fuel is going to be biggest expense. We like that it keeps grime and dirt away from wheel assembly. My engine is carbureted. What stands out in this section of our overhaul is the way that Piehl again constructs a template with which to practice and test his major work. In its basic form, a single G5 attitude indicator can be installed as primary. Its a buyers market with lots of choices. For ease of watching, we have broken these videos into 3 parts. Cowlings are also offered by Aviation Performance. Thats just what Aspen offers with the Evolution MAX displays. A prop inspection (AD 2005-18-12) is the most oft-complained about, costing nearly $1000 every 500 hours or five years. They all seem to run somewhat rough when you get all cylinders LOP. The Comanche line debuted in 1958, with the Comanche 180 and 250 models. These mods are available for all Comanches except the 400. horn/torque tube/balance weight tube I cannot remember what I read, and where I read it. The performance change has been incredibleI cant begin to explain how different the plane feels. You might hear some say the Comanche is tough to land smoothly, and that it floats when in the flare, and then drops on. Avidyne was the first with a hybrid user interface, which means you use a combination of touch and button presses. In other words, our equipment had to talk with anything else installed in theairframe. 24DF, Vortex Generator Kit, Piper PA-24 Models, Challenger Air Filter, High Performance (CP-3110). The list price of the IFD550 is $21,999, but if you have a clean and fully functional Garmin GNS530W, you can cut that cost substantially. Your Garmin dealers most likely top recommendation for a lower-end EFIS upgrade might be Garmins $2249 G5 display, of which there are two. Unless otherwise noted, these reviews carry product pricing from the time of the original review. For more than five decades, active and dedicated aircraft owners and pilots have turned to AVIATION CONSUMER to answer their most important buying questions. What makes this system our top pick for a high-end EFIS is the number of display options and the 500-plus approved model STC. We are certified to install Continental TSIO-360KB engines in your Seneca II. SE 51 WE Installation of two Rotor-Master (Rajay) P/N 600573-00 or 600576-00 (or any combination thereof) Turbocharger on Avco Lycoming Model IO-720-A1A and IO-720-A1B engines. 685. Belts: Replace / Upgrade; Piper; PA24/30/39 Comanche; PA24/30/39 Comanche FAA/TSO-C114 OEM quality AmSafe 3-point diagonal replacement restraints for PA24 & PA30 Comaches with existing factory installed shoulder harnesses, or a replacement for an STC installation. Piper Lance Restoration Continues With Dual Electronic Ignition Upgrade This is the second of two by Scott Sherer | Sep 15, 2022 | Upgrade & Refurbish | 0. by Rocky Landsverk | Sep 14, 2022 | Comanche Restoration Series, Piper Comanche 250, Piper Comanche 250 Reviews, Upgrade & Refurbish | 0. This gave Piper a reason to pull the plug on the Comanche, choosing to concentrate on the more-popular, less-expensive and higher-profit PA-28 line, including the PA-28R Arrow being produced at the Vero Beach site. This time, he had an old Comanche panel to use as a framework for his new panel layout, along with a photo from a magazine ad. Its a small panel; its wide but not tall. The AD list is pretty long, but most of the items are one-time fixes, followed by future inspection. In fact, the IFD100 app essentially adds a second IFD550 display/control set on the tablet. You don't have to go wide open with it, typically in my Travelair I would lose 2-3kts and save 3gph while still running smooth. Even heeding all of my advice, expect to spend money to acquire and keep an aging Comanche. All of the fuel bladders should be replaced with new ones. PROPELLER and TEXTRON LYCOMING. The good news for owners left in the cold is that many of the probes and sensors for this system can work with a JP Instruments engine monitor, including the EDM930. The installation requires mounting the GPS antenna on the cabin and wiring the unit. Same as FDL-978-XVR but with internal WAAS GPS. Diversity model (requires top and bottom antenna installation), requires WAAS GPS input, tablet interface requires Flight Stream wireless Bluetooth module, ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot app. LJ Warren, owner of Zephyr Aircraft Engines, is a friend of Piehls. *$4495 with Flight Stream 210 (built-in AHRS), version for helicopters. Depending on the model and mods, it seems like a Comanche can have a never-ending supply of fuel tanks. Engine SMOH: 998. Total time 3505. I didnt really want to paint the engine all Lycoming gray, Piehl said. Requires WAAS GPS input, tablet interface requires Flight Stream wireless Bluetooth module, Garmin Pilot or ForeFlight app. The Comanche C was rolled out in 1969, with further refinements, including another gross weight increase and a distinctive shark nose cowl starting with serial number 24-4804. All were zinc-chromated during assembly, for corrosion protection. If so, does the products STC include removing the vacuum system? 24WF, Wing Tips. 30RS, Rudder Gap Seal Kit. Weve covered this system extensively, and most recently in the May 2019 Aviation Consumer where we installed one in a Piper Cherokee to see if it really was the worlds easiest ADS-B upgrade as the company claims. Just mows through turbulence, unlike my t-wagging Bonanza. Models: 421C. AVCON Conversions in Udall KS has an STC to upgrade a Cherokee with an O-320 to an O-360 180 HP. 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. Speaking of ICS, owners tell us the group is an exceptionally good resource for Comanche owners. There could be major panel work involved, and it might not work fully with your autopilot. For comparison, an American. Displays TIS-B, FIS-B ATAS (ADS-B Traffic Alerting System), includes Active Traffic (Interrogates Non-ADS-B Aircraft). Its so tolerant of any heat that its not going to hurt it, so I used the same paint., Piehl also wanted to stress that this article is very abbreviated. WORK Other than accepting a heading input from Aspens Evolution PFD, in addition to Garmins G500/600 PFD, the Avidyne ARS is self-contained. Realistically, youll want to budget $2000 for an easy installation (including the strobe light), paperwork and flight testing, and a bit more if the light doesnt exactly bolt directly in place of the existing lamp assembly. Posted by Rocky Landsverk | Sep 13, 2022 | Comanche Restoration Series, Upgrade & Refurbish This "rebuilding a Piper engine" article is from Greg Piehl, who lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, with his wife Debbie, spent three years restoring and upgrading their 1959 Piper Comanche 250. Theres also an AD on the vertical fin attachment (AD 75-12-06). Photos of this 1959 Piper PA-24 Comanche Review by Jack Fleetwood ( www.JackFleetwood.com ). A complete overhaul must also include inspection and measurements on all engine components. Seven approached so low that they hit an obstruction or impacted the ground short of the runway. Meanwhile, the ultimate in wretched excess, or perfection, depending on your point of view, has to go to the Comanche 400. A turbonormalized version of the Comanche C was offered alongside the normally aspirated model in 1970. The Comanche is gentle when it comes to stalls and is stable for flying instruments. Because of that, I had to choose some remote-mounted components such as the transponder, the ADS-B system, and a second communication radio.. 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. Thats the 20 to 22 GPH at 75 percent power that engine is consuming. Pricing on the base GTX345 (without GPS) is $4995. Piper Comanche PA-24 Models. The installation was straight-forward with no surprises. The G5 has an STC that currently covers 560 aircraft models-a huge swath. No, its not complicated but a review of service difficulty reports (and the NTSB accident reports) indicates its a top sore spot, along with general airframe corrosion and engine/ prop issues. We pride ourselves that we can make your Comanche go Faster, Theres roughly a $6000 greater price delta between the 10-inch G500TXi ($15,995) and the 10-inch G3X Touch. Piper Comanche PA-24 Models. For sure, the Comanches list of mods, modifiers and parts resources is long and best accessed from involvement with the ICS and its members and publications. Its a true traveling airplane and I flight plan for 157 knots when at full throttle. Email: darren@powerflowsystems.com, Address: Like the first two installments of this series, were making this article free to all website visitors. I used the company Approach Fast Stack to build the wiring harness for the entire panel, he said. Keep it on the centerline! I get approximately 200 feet per minute in climb increase and 15 knots in cruise. New prop 50 hours. 30RS $399.40 Add to Cart sku: 24RS Rudder Gap Seal Kit. The navigator also connects to a Bluetooth keyboard as yet another option for data entry. If you already invested in Aspens Evolution retrofit EFIS, you probably recognize that the system can use a jumpstart in processing speed and graphics display. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Electronic Aircraft Ignition Electroair Review, How to Replace Your Piper Door Lock: Medeco Lock Review, Piper PA-24-250 Comanche Review: Restored Plane Flies for the First Time in 34 Years (Series Part 7, Finale), Reassembling a Restored Piper (Comanche Restoration Series Part 6), Rebuilding a Piper Engine in a Comanche (Comanche Restoration Series Part 5), Upgrading a Comanche Panel (Comanche Restoration Series Part 4), Restoring a Piper Interior (Comanche Restoration Series Part 3), How to Save Money When You Get Your Piper Repainted (Comanche Restoration Series Part 2), https://www.facebook.com/PiperOwnerSociety?fref=ts. Once off the ground, inflight handling is responsive and Comanche pilots will attest that its a delightful airplane to hand fly. Money back guarantee on all modifications. The airplane also gained cowl flaps and an aileron-rudder interconnect. If you want to coax Comanche 260 speeds from a 250 model, try using the 260s power settings. Its pretty much plug and play. Single-box solution that works with Garmin GNS430W/530W navigators, works with a Wi-Fi module for connecting to tablets. PA24-260( ) Comanche. So that was #1 on my list: The avionics I chose had to communicate with the other avionics., His next requirement was the ability to self-install the instruments, with the help of his A&P. Walter Sykes, (561) 278-1964. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Restoring a Piper Interior (Comanche Restoration Series Part 3), Rebuilding a Piper Engine in a Comanche (Comanche Restoration Series Part 5), Piper Avionics: Digital Autopilots 5 Years Later, Evolution of the Piper Panel (and What It Means to You Today), https://www.facebook.com/PiperOwnerSociety?fref=ts. Moreover, the aircraft are relatively complex-certainly when compared to, for example, a Cessna 182-so dont assume it will be as cheap to maintain. AUSTRALIAN HORN COMPRISES, Please 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 . Most of my flight time is in single-engine Cessnas. Were told one way to smoothen those landings is by adding the Knots2U wing root fillets, which eliminate the vortex striking the stabilator when flaps are used. Both models had carbureted engines mated to constant-speed props. 2-blade Scimitar. var a=new Image(); a.src=img; return a; Piper Comanche PA-24 Models. If youve already invested in a modern transponder upgrade and dont fly above 18,000 feet, one top pick is the uAvionix skyBeacon wingtip unit with LED position and strobe lamps. That number is high, and we dont have a hypothesis to explain it, although we saw that three were at night and one of those hit power lines more than two miles short of the runway. Ive found that landing gear bungees generally need replacement at every annual inspection. The 260's Lycoming IO-540 engine could cruise at 142 to 161 knots, burning 13 to 19 gallons per hour. Its available with and without WAAS GPS and has built-in Bluetooth for sending flight data, ADS-B traffic and weather data to a tablet or smartphone running the Garmin Pilot or ForeFlight tablet apps. Sun n Fun 2023: Superior Custom Instrument Panels. Why would I want to reduce engine power output by effectively increasing the engine's density altitude? All upgrades get a fresh two-year warranty. I know that I could save fuel instead of the extra speed, but I really enjoy the speed. Theres also the Delphi Airworthy Comanche Forum (https://forums.delphiforums.com/Comanches), and we spotted tons of useful threads on all things Comanche-from avionics to lighting to service parts. . It offers an excellent blend of speed, fuel economy, control feel, and range. This was once a flagship monitor with a good display. [home] Buying (an airplane) is not as hard as dealing with it in the first few years. A few words on avionics projects. Also featuring longtime pilot and electrical engineer Jim "Griff" Griffin, these advice videos feature tips from longtime pilot and CFI Mike Jones, avionics consultant Bob Hart, insurance and business . With the primitive indicating systems associated with many of the airplanes in the field, too often a pilot is faced with the dilemma, Now where did I put that fuel?. With that as mindset, that eliminated some of the equipment on the market. And you cant do it with the mechanic whos already maintaining the airplane. 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. LYCOMING, BENDIX IGNITION, Also, as with the fuel injection system, earlier airplanes can have a turbo added. I could not believe the difference. The Piper Owner Society would like to thank the following contributors: A sampling of quotes from this first webinar. The trick-as it is with any older aircraft-is finding a shop or technician experienced in the type. Piper Comanche. This is part four of seven parts. To hold more fuel needed to feed it, there were optional 130-gallon tanks. 3-blade Scimitar (260, 260B) 3-blade Scimitar . 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. The Comanche market has two price points, really. If you find the right person and keep them happy, youll be happy. For dual installations (maybe an IFD550 and IFD440), the connections are independent for redundancy, but have full synchronization. Can you hide the transponders if a Piper panel is small? Theres plenty of instrument panel real estate to pretty much do whatever you can afford. The plane is owned by Greg Piehl and his wife Deb. Their excellent build quality with total corrosion proofing before assembly and compound curve panels meant that the underlying cost structure was greater than emerging designs from either Piper or its competitors. When deciding on either system, ask your shop what makes the most sense from a compatibility standpoint. We invite you to look around and come see why we have the best made, lowest priced and best warranty of any modifications available for your Piper. Twelve pilots simply forgot to extend the Firestones before ground contact. Lets begin with an ADS-B wrap-up. CHOOSE YOUR FREE DOWNLOAD: CHEROKEE GUIDE OR DIGITAL ISSUE, How to Disassemble and Transport a Legacy Piper, How and Why to Strip Your Plane Yourself Before it Gets Repainted, Restoring the Interior of a Legacy Piper: How You Can Save Money, Comanche Engine and Mounts: What Happens During an Upgrade, Comanche Reassembly: What a Legacy Piper Looks Like When Its Taken Apart. A major problem with older aircraft is the condition of the interior plastic trim. At first glance the Avidyne IFD navigator product line may seem confusing, but it doesnt have to be. 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. The modification was said to yield a little extra HP, and about a 1-2gph drop in cruise. We dont sell anything unless it is GUARANTEED to give you increased cruise, climb & fuel economy performance. Aside from the engine and prop, it involves the engine mounts, some baffling, controls and the exhaust system. Consider that you can buy a cream puff in the $125,000 to $150,000 range, and an airplane that needs serious work for $19,000. As for range, even an old 250 model with 60 gallons of fuel will generally go from Western Massachusetts to North Carolina in 3.5 hours with one hour of fuel remaining. [ag In 1966, the Comanche B, with a fuel-injected 260-HP Lycoming IO-540-D4A5, a boosted gross weight (now 3100 pounds) and two more seats, was added to the lineup, starting with serial number 24-4300. Ya need to explore the "experimental" side of aviation Greetings fellow fliers and the A&P's that keep us flying. For more than five decades, active and dedicated aircraft owners and pilots have turned to AVIATION CONSUMER to answer their most important buying questions. Garmins GFC500 started life as an autopilot for experimental aircraft, but now has a sizable STC list for certified aircraft. Read about the 1959 Piper Comanche that was restored to pristine condition, and what you can learn from the process. The panel is what one would expect from a circa-1960s airplane, with good space for instruments but early, unrestored models will look dated by modern standards. Piper Comanche PA-24 Models. First, weve worked on enough Comanches to say that the airplane is perhaps one of the best built all-metal singles of its time. In 1958, Piper introduced a 250 hp (190 kW) version using a Lycoming O-540 engine, giving the PA-24-250 Comanche a top cruise speed of 160 kn (180 mph; 300 km/h).
Play On Words For The Name Rachel, Articles P