Twin Commander
General Category => Commander Travels => Topic started by: Mike Lever on November 28, 2018, 09:02:57 pm
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Picked up our new commander 1000 from Bruce and Scott and had a great flight home to CYVR. I had forgotten what a sweet ride these airplanes are. Climbs like crazy. Ran 30 degrees cool and still sped along at 299 knots at FL240 at ISA. 540 pph. Best of all is the wonderful control forces.
I need to figure out how to post pics.
In training now working with the guys from Airspray. They have a fleet of 12 commanders used as bird dogs for their tankers. Training has been really interesting so far. We did airwork yesterday including full-on stalls. The wing drop on a long wing commander is really something!!
Ex N71MR. Now C-GSHQ. based at YVR Vancouver. We have spent a ton of money restoring this bird but it's worth it. Hoping to make our first business trip down to Mexico next week once I have my type rating and PCC.
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Congratulations!
Where are you based in YVR? I get up to Landmark there several times a year.
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Cool! Landmark fuels our Beaver. They are good guys and offer great service. Their pricing on CAA is better than World Fuel everywhere else.
We have the Commander hangared temporarily at Signature while we sort out a permanent deal. I think we will end up at either Signature or out at CZBB Boundary Bay.
If you come through when I'm out of town, you are very welcome to use my hangar spot and get your commander inside.. And if I'm in town, I'd love to see your bird and soak up some more tribal knowledge on Commanders.
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Congrats Mike- great plane...
N515AM, been at PHL (Atlantic Aviation) since '80 (come to think of it thats a ton of money spent for monthly hangar fees for almost 40 years!)
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This thread is worthless without pics! ;D ;D
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One thing is for sure... everyone will know who you are and that will be a good thing for business.
A great look for a great white.
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Fantastic Paint Job-
So let me get this straight- we now have a dolphin, shark, and mouse on commander's out there!
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Looks great! So envious.
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That does look great!
JMA, there is also one with a large hummingbird on the side! Or at least, that's how it used to look, anyway. I don't know if it still has that paint job or not.
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It would seem that you have a big brother
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So nice, we need to see the inside now. You have years of enjoyment in front of you.
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I see a trend
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So how was your first trip to Mexico???
Give us a PIREP
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We've been having lots of fun with SHQ. Did the training and completed my type rating with the help of some guys from Airspray, the fire suppression guys out in Red Deer, Alberta. They operate 12 twin commanders as bird dogs including another 1000. The training was comprehensive and I'm starting to feel comfortable in the airplane. Banged out our first trip this week with a quick jaunt on Tuesday from Vancouver YVR nonstop to Ensenada MMES. We're having some teething problems with the airplane including a wonky EGT indication on the RH engine and very little heat in the cabin but the airplane did it's job magnificently. ~ 4 hours each way with a stiff crosswind from the pacific - up to 60 knots on the nose on the way down - landing with 1000 lbs to spare on the way down and 1200 lbs landing in Vancouver the following evening. It's everything we had hoped for. other than frostbitten toes and fingers!! The airplane was so cold soaked that we had an instant fog and condensation opening the door on the Ensenada ramp. I was especially pleased at how the airplane handled with full anti-ice running in IMC northbound punching through the big front that swept through California on Wednesday. it was no sweat with all the systems and radar working properly. Funniest comment was the same question from 3 different different Canadian controllers on the way down - "confirm your destination is MMES" yes. "that's in Mexico right" affirmative. "confirm you are going nonstop in a prop airplane". affirmative. "cool!! cleared for takeoff 26L". I was surprised to get that reaction on an 1100 nm trip. That's not that far for a twin commander! pics' following if I can figure out a way to get them off my phone.
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Flying over Mt. St. Helens southbound before the weather turned snotty.
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southbound. wonky EGT gauge RHS. We've been working on the pressurization and it's holding 6.7 psi quite nicely now. Saw a steady 300 knots TAS at 250 southbound and 280 northbound
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On top before heading into the clag for almost 2 hours over southern oregon and california
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On the ramp at Ensenada. Note how all the window are fogged over. The inside of the airplane was extremely cold soaked. I shivered all night trying to warm up
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On my way home the next day. central oregon after punching through the front that creamed California on Wednesday. We are so lucky to have these magic carpets.
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Mike - I love the pics and updates and glad you a knocking out some flying in your awesome 1000!
Disclaimer: (since you guys reading know where this plane came from) I believe Mike will agree that allowing the shop the opportunity to put the required time sorting out the plane reduces the teething issues in the filed dramatically. As it happened, Mike needed the plane at any cost prior to the shop finishing the final flight checking. The shop did the best given the constraints. We’ll get it perfected but it’s challenging from afar.
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Looks like the right aircraft for the mission... even if a bit on the frosty side of warm.
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Thanks, enjoyed the update. Keep them coming.
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Mike - I love the pics and updates and glad you a knocking out some flying in your awesome 1000!
Disclaimer: (since you guys reading know where this plane came from) I believe Mike will agree that allowing the shop the opportunity to put the required time sorting out the plane reduces the teething issues in the filed dramatically. As it happened, Mike needed the plane at any cost prior to the shop finishing the final flight checking. The shop did the best given the constraints. We’ll get it perfected but it’s challenging from afar.
Agree 100%. Bruce, Scott, Ryan, Tim, Bryan and the gang at Byerly did a h*lluva job getting the airplane out especially given our time constraint. The only way I was going to complete my type rating was to get it done with a Canadian guy who was heading to Australia on contract at the end of November. There are very very few guys with a type rating on a 1000 which is what we needed to keep Transport Canada happy. We would have otherwise been delayed for five months. Kudos to Byerly for getting the airplane out the door and for their continued support as we trouble shoot the last bits and pieces in the field. I'm looking forward to getting the airplane back to them in the new year to finish up the detailing and some other projects.
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Looks like the right aircraft for the mission... even if a bit on the frosty side of warm.
I finally have feeling back in my fingers and toes! Heading back down to Mexico this coming week and really REALLY hoping for more heat in the airplane. I'm thinking of bringing long underwear and my parka just in case..
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Spend a couple of days in Mexico next time; you'll thaw out ;)
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I'm envious of your Mmo and cabin altitude!
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All you need are the 5-blade props from MT, and you have the ultimate dream ship!
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All you need are the 5-blade props from MT, and you have the ultimate dream ship!
Don’t they look fantastic! make the aircraft look as if it rolled off the production line in the last couple of years - looking forward to some real world pireps of just how they perform.
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Kind of few out there still. There's a guy named DeLaurentis who's got some on his 900 and he's very happy. But that's just one data point. I keep trying to convince Steve Binnette he needs a pair! ;D