Eh....690B?

[Adam Frisch]

I know the market is hot, but it ain't this hot. A 690B with -5's and no spar mod for $1.3million? Any takers?

https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?category_level1=Turboprop&make=COMMANDER&model=690B&listing_id=2404881&s-type=aircraft

[JimC]

It's set up and ready to make money flying attack today.

Who wants to split the 680 with me and sell it for $1.3M??? It's not like fires are going away.

[donv]

I bet it sells.

[Mark S]

Hi Adam,
Stan will likely tell you the spar is really a non -issue anymore for resale, and there is a FSDO is the south somewhere that will extend the inspection to 5 years.
I have the contact in my files somewhere.
But if that 690B sells for that, I’ll be a bit surprised, but if it’s setup for fire flights and special radios, maybe that’s a unique buyer with deep pockets?

Relative to that dash 5–
A low time dash10T/Woodward/Fairchild/garmin-glass 690B  would be worth more, which is hard to believe in the declining market environment.

[donv]

I think airplanes set up for fire work are worth a big premium at the start of the fire season. If you have a contract and need an airplane, you don't have the luxury of waiting for a shop to install all that stuff and get it signed off. That makes it worth a lot more than a normal 690B, even one with nice avionics and interior (and -10s).

[Mark S]

What exactly do they do with this fire setup?
Loiter for spotting, and then communicate to the other aircraft?
What altitude’s?
Given the great visibility, I can see why they are popular, but I thought the operators were phasing in PC-12’s or something newer.
Glad to see the Commanders are still earning their keep.

[donv]

I'm not an expert, but I believe they do both overall command as well as lead-in... so the Commander leads the tankers over the fire.

They used to use Shrikes for this, but over the last few years they have upgraded to Turbo Commanders, mostly because of the pressurization.

[JimC]

They also use Shrikes for crew and equipment transport.

One of the turbines will have the air boss on board and circle endlessly over the fire.

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N425DT/history/20220616/2326Z/KTUS/KTUS

[Adam Frisch]

Well, it's now down to half, $649K, in 6 months. And still not sold.

[donv]

Talk about chasing the market down! I wonder if they ended up using it this past season?

Of course, I don't think fire season was nearly as long or as bad this past summer as in other summers.