Anyone here still flying piston version?

[donv]

The 680F is the one I like! More power is always good!

[appleseed]

I like how the 680F is almost indistinguishable from a 500, but has enough juice stuffed in those cowlings to outrun any light twin.

[appleseed]

Hey Popeye,

I haven't seen your plane on flightaware this year. If I can't find the time or money to fly, I always get a kick out of seeing what your hotrod is up to.

[Popeye]

Thanks for looking out. Indeed I did fly a few months back, but a piece in the nose wheel broke so back doors would not come up. Should have been an easy fix. But the people working it turned into a project, taht took them a couple of months, coincidentally running my annual to expire. So now I am at annual, so I should be taking a spin in a few weeks, and start flying anywhere I can find a hangar at an acceptable price. KTMB became prohibitive at $3000/month large T, and must do maintenance with their shop. So....give me an address and I can enjoy the flight there. N630TA

[appleseed]

Come on members. Let's help a brother out. Somebody in South Florida must have hangar space for a Commander that is a little more reasonable than 3k/month?

What is the best shop to trust with your piston Commander in the SE US?
 
Is anybody taking their plane Central Air Southwest? I've heard, maybe third hand, they don't have time to take on GA commanders right now.

[donv]

I'm on the opposite corner of the country, or I'd have some suggestions-- sorry!

[JimC]

Is anybody taking their plane Central Air Southwest? I've heard, maybe third hand, they don't have time to take on GA commanders right now.

A late update, but when I called them a year ago they weren't taking outside aircraft.

[donv]

If you are on the west coast, I would call Aero Air.

[Badger]

Is anybody taking their plane Central Air Southwest? I've heard, maybe third hand, they don't have time to take on GA commanders right now.

A late update, but when I called them a year ago they weren't taking outside aircraft.

I would still recommend giving Central a call.  Their workload has decreased a bit and they just completed my Annual (500B).

[Popeye]

Well....I did manage to find a more affordable or reasonably priced Large T in Melbourne FL.  As far as maintenance places, am still hunting around for enamored shops for these classics, and trying to find valu driven shops. I feel I own a rather unique aircraft, and certainly deserves a good eye, not a hungry one or lazy one. I might just try to go to Commander fly in and check them out, yet I would try Legacy Aviation in Oklahoma City. Raul the owner has been around commanders for more than 30 years. But I need something closer.

[donv]

@Popeye what about Naples?

[Popeye]

Naples??? They seem like a good place, but I guess they charge by the consultation, and I might not afford them. I have called them a couple of times and have not been called back. Most shops have fallen into the "we make more money with a caravan". Still will not discard them, but still on the hunt. I will keep you posted and am all ears.

[donv]

Paging @Bruce Byerly...

[Bruce Byerly]

I greatly appreciate the generous thoughts. While we happily support the turbines we’ve grown up with in Florida, the pistons are simply no longer a specialty. Don’t forget I own one. One I’ve spent 6 years painstakingly undoing the previous deferred maintenance and bad decisions done in Arizona. It’s now in Peoria about 10th in line for a 100 hour because I forgot to schedule.  Scott, a business partner of mine and an actual Lycoming professor, recently passed away.  Huge loss of knowledge.

With my Aerostar, I had to fly it 1000 miles to get pro level support. Frankly, yes, we know Commanders but  I can’t ask my team, already short staffed, to move from an AOG jet to a piston Commander as it doesn’t make business sense. It’s a big challenge to find a Lycoming savvy tech today, unfortunately.  A 500A with a Continental is even tougher. In Peoria we have that expertise and I get to test out my long ranger fuel on the way up there 

We’ll be happy to inspect a 500.  But I recommend scheduling way in advance.

[donv]

Sorry to hear about Scott.