Twin Commander

General Category => Airframe => Twin Commander Turbine => Topic started by: donv on April 24, 2019, 12:51:33 pm

Title: Paint
Post by: donv on April 24, 2019, 12:51:33 pm
I got a quote of approximately $44,000 to paint my 980, in a relatively complex scheme (factory scheme was $42,500). Does that seem about ballpark? And, anything special I should ask for, or things I should ask about?

This is a reputable paint shop fairly close to me, so going to Mena to save a few thousand doesn't make much sense, as I would burn up all the savings flying there and back. These guys have painted Commanders (and, in particular, Jetprops) before.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: Adam Frisch on April 24, 2019, 05:34:36 pm
Sounds about right, but at the upper end. I got quotes between $18K and all the way up to $50K when I checked. If they do a nice job for that then it's worth it if it's close.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on April 25, 2019, 12:24:04 am
It's Sunquest Air in Everett, WA.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: JMA on April 25, 2019, 10:40:52 am
DonV- we took our 980 our to Oklahoma.  Let me get you a name and pricing.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on April 25, 2019, 08:17:30 pm
Were the 980 numbers and little stripes on the winglets painted, or stickers?
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: Bruce Byerly on April 25, 2019, 09:42:52 pm
There’s a custom shop in Peoria, IL that does fantastic work. They have been painting Commanders for over 40 years. Satisfaction guaranteed!  ;)

Seriously ... I grew up around aircraft paint shops. I have painted planes myself and feel like I could write a book on those experiences. But one thing I have learned for sure is that there is no short cutting the process for quality and a Commander 980 or the like takes 600+ hours of labor to do right.  You can get a $25k paint job and it may even shine but there are going to be compromises made. Some irreversible.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: Steve binnette on April 26, 2019, 04:01:28 am
Don, Byerly did my paint job and it looks fantastic.  I did 4 colors with a complicated scheme and it cost 50k or there abouts.

I have no regrets, they polished a bunch of things I never thought of, like tail skid, drain post on bottom of engine.

The plane looks awesome.  I get compliments every where I go.

Don’t skimp on the paint.  It is all in the preparation and they do a great job.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: Adam Frisch on April 26, 2019, 02:12:56 pm
I can attest that Steve's paint job is first class.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on April 29, 2019, 07:14:54 pm
Are there any tools for paint scheme design out there? I could hire a scheme designer, and maybe that's what I need to do.

Byerly would be a good option, but flying across the country for something I can get 45 minutes away doesn't make much sense to me... I'm sure they would do a great job, but from what I can find out, SunQuest has painted a lot of Commanders, with fine results.

I'm still vacillating between the stock 980 paint scheme and a more custom one. My wife says she prefers the factory scheme, but also says how I paint my airplane (within reason) simply isn't something she cares that much about...
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: JMA on April 30, 2019, 03:31:06 pm
Don, ours was done at Servicenter in OK.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: Steve binnette on May 14, 2019, 11:57:30 am
Don do you have any photos of the original scheme you might use?
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on May 14, 2019, 12:44:59 pm
I saw your airplane at HIO this weekend!

The original scheme looks like this:

Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on May 14, 2019, 12:45:36 pm
I am leaning against doing that, however. I'm thinking of hiring Scheme Designers, who I think did your airplane, to come up with something with more of a solid blue bottom and white top.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: Steve binnette on May 14, 2019, 03:59:20 pm
Working with scheme designers was fun.  Try working with them, if you cannot come up with something better than the original paint, then just fall back on that.  I bet you will end up with an updated original design.

I was in Hillsboro for my sons first MMA fight in Portland.  The Rumble at the Roseland.  Scary for a Parent.

The fight went to a decision and my son lost.  He did really well for his first fight.  I kind of hope he stops but I think he wants to fight again.

He is a senior in mechanical engineering and has his private and multi rating. I told him your head can only take so much abuse.  He is 22 and bulletproof, what do I know?

I completely forgot HIO was your home airport until I saw aero air on taxi in.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: JMA on May 14, 2019, 04:48:47 pm
Steve- see if you can sway him a little more.  Have a friend who was seriously injured in that sport.

Don- great pic, where did that come from?!?
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on May 14, 2019, 06:43:45 pm
Barry Collman. Hopefully he's not mad that I posted it here.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: Steve binnette on May 17, 2019, 02:48:58 pm
Steve- see if you can sway him a little more.  Have a friend who was seriously injured in that sport.

Don- great pic, where did that come from?!?

I am hoping when he leaves Oregon State and the gym he trains at he will give it up. 

You never now how one decision affects other decisions. I was happy when he decided to not play D2 football in college, although had  he played football he would not have gotten into MMA.

So who knows?

Sorry to hear about your friend,  things like that remind us how precious every day is.

Title: Re: Paint
Post by: JMA on May 20, 2019, 10:58:10 am
Thanks Steve- yeah never know what the ripple effect will be.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on October 08, 2019, 06:54:52 pm
Well, it's off to the paint shop Monday. We'll see how it goes! I'm hopeful they will send some in-progress pictures.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: Bruce Byerly on October 09, 2019, 11:32:47 pm
Well, it's off to the paint shop Monday. We'll see how it goes! I'm hopeful they will send some in-progress pictures.

Don - make sure you get EXACTLY what you expect out of the layout.  Nothing worse than crooked stripes on a new paint job. Stainless Phillips camlocs and all the little details like polishing the hydraulic reservoir door hinge make me smile but I’m a nut job when it comes to paint jobs. 
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on October 10, 2019, 01:47:04 pm
Thank you for that. Sunquest seems pretty good, and my scheme is pretty simple, but worth paying attention to.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: SKYFLYER on October 13, 2019, 07:41:54 pm
Are you doing the NOAA colors and pattern?
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on October 14, 2019, 10:15:54 pm
Are you doing the NOAA colors and pattern?

No, but something sort of similar. I will have an all-blue tail (I don't have a cool bird logo, unfortunately), and some red accents.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: JMA on October 15, 2019, 10:39:22 am
Make sure you send pics DonV.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on October 16, 2019, 01:20:47 am
Oh I will. I just dropped her off yesterday at the paint shop, so now I wait... and wait. They said they will send some in-progress pictures.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: Steve binnette on October 16, 2019, 08:11:23 pm
Very cool Don.  What fun it will be like flying a new plane.

It is great to see people dressing up their commanders.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on November 11, 2019, 06:09:03 pm
Bare metal now! Paint going on next week.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: SKYFLYER on November 12, 2019, 06:42:18 am
Show us some pics of the naked bird...
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on November 12, 2019, 12:56:44 pm
Okay...

Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on November 12, 2019, 12:59:11 pm
And here is what it will look like when done...

Title: Re: Paint
Post by: JMA on November 12, 2019, 02:12:43 pm
Awesome!  Great look!
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: Adam Frisch on November 12, 2019, 03:05:51 pm
Nice! I had somehow missed she was in for paint, Don. Where you doing it? And dare I ask what the quote was?
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: SKYFLYER on November 12, 2019, 03:24:57 pm
Will be nice looking paint... and smooth flow
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on November 12, 2019, 06:35:24 pm
It's at SunQuest, in Everett, WA.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: Roy on November 12, 2019, 10:45:18 pm
Will the US Flag go on the tail still?   ;)

Roy
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on November 12, 2019, 11:15:46 pm
No more US flag.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on November 24, 2019, 02:00:40 pm
Getting close! If it weren't for Thanksgiving, I would probably pick it up this week, but instead it looks like next week.

Any preflight/test flight suggestions? Since the controls have been off, I intend to do a full and complete control and trim check. Any other specific things I should look at?

These guys have painted lots of Commanders, so that makes me a bit more comfortable.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on December 07, 2019, 05:16:15 pm
Back in the hangar!

The process was surprisingly smooth. I did a very thorough preflight (with a control check from both inside and outside), but no issues. There were a couple of small paint spots that they quickly addressed, and overall I'm very happy with how it turned out. Everything worked on the way home, so all is good!

Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on December 07, 2019, 05:17:12 pm
One more, back in the hangar!

Title: Re: Paint
Post by: Adam Frisch on December 08, 2019, 09:33:21 pm
Looks amazing, Don!
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: JMA on December 10, 2019, 09:15:59 am
Awesome Awesome Awesome!
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: schrambow on December 10, 2019, 05:55:21 pm
Looks nice Don!  Neat paint scheme.

I'd get some air in those struts on the mains though before flying it, i am kind of chicken to fly it when they are that low, as i am scared of it getting stuck or jammed up in the wheel wells without the extension would be my luck.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on December 10, 2019, 06:19:32 pm
Left strut is really low. I'm going to pump it up in the next day or so. Right one is not so bad.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: SKYFLYER on December 12, 2019, 08:25:39 am
Paint looks very nice Don...  And that strut is looking pretty low for sure
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on December 12, 2019, 11:47:30 am
Strut has already been addressed.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: JMA on December 12, 2019, 02:56:09 pm
DonV- whats on the winglets?  '980'?
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on December 12, 2019, 05:07:47 pm
"Twin Commander 980"
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: Steve binnette on December 14, 2019, 07:55:06 am
Fantastic!

It looks like a new machine.  The solid color on the tail was a great choice.
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: JMA on January 09, 2020, 08:57:00 am
Great new shot on flightaware Don-
https://flightaware.com/photos/view/2457-56f2a7f1167d6ff8f1e6b355640394613fcc444e/aircrafttype/AC95/sort/date/page/1
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: Badger on January 09, 2020, 09:46:34 am
Beautiful!
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: JMA on January 09, 2020, 10:12:17 am
Another new paint job on a 980... love the '980' on the tail!!!

https://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled/Rockwell-695-Jetprop-980/5719723?qsp=eJwtjbEKwkAQRP9lay1EsEgXsTcEG8vlbogHZ%2B7YXSEh5N9dD7vhzWNmo1Bmw2KPtYI6UrCEFx2osvBbqdtIMCU1YUtl7oN9OLs3jMfb%2BHRPi9h1dRLZ0IeAaoh/fpcI%2BVXQ0CYnvzh5gAwt0/niPCatmdsGjFOmff8CW3cyVg%3D%3D
Title: Re: Paint
Post by: donv on January 09, 2020, 11:49:30 am
Another new paint job on a 980... love the '980' on the tail!!!

https://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled/Rockwell-695-Jetprop-980/5719723?qsp=eJwtjbEKwkAQRP9lay1EsEgXsTcEG8vlbogHZ%2B7YXSEh5N9dD7vhzWNmo1Bmw2KPtYI6UrCEFx2osvBbqdtIMCU1YUtl7oN9OLs3jMfb%2BHRPi9h1dRLZ0IeAaoh/fpcI%2BVXQ0CYnvzh5gAwt0/niPCatmdsGjFOmff8CW3cyVg%3D%3D

First 980 I ever flew! Glad to see it's doing better than it was when I flew it. I ferried it from Oregon to Texas when Evergreen International owned it. Del bought it as a race team support airplane for his younger son, and I think the flight I did was when they sold it.