680V, 690A, 690B’s for sale!

[schrambow]

Just sold my Grand Rennaissance 690. Those looking to buy, and also current owners, should be aware of the potential for upcoming mandatory crack inspections. I just spent $71,000 to have the tail cracks fixed. Also, the maintenance costs of this aircraft have been way higher than I ever expected. I ended up paying over $50,000 a year on average, this after having Winner Aviation perform a very thorough pre purchase. Perhaps I chose the wrong maintenance company for annuals and the sale - Eagle Creek?
These are great performing aircraft and a pleasure to fly but the cost of upkeep became untenable. I ended up spending almost $140,000 to comply with the new buyers pre purchase repairs. This on a supposedly airworthy aircraft. I am sorry to see such a great aircraft go but relieved that I no longer have to spend that sort of money to keep it flying.

I guess I don’t understand how this is supposed to work. When did spending $50k per year to maintain a 300 knot plane become an unexpected thing? It costs about double that plus the effectively mandatory engine hourly payments of $500/hour to maintain a brand new jet of the exact same size.  So with a 50 year old plane, it sounds like you may have had great value?

What did you expect?

So Bruce, are you saying the Phoemon 300 is about $100K of annual maintenance expenses and about 1K per hour for both engines from Pratt? 

[Bruce Byerly]

No, just saying a 100 is $500/hour for engines total and about $500/hour for airframe parts and labor. Or thereabouts.

[Adam Frisch]

Thanks Don. Now I just need to sell it to the wife somehow. 

Funny, when you've kind of decided that you don't care if it sells, all of a sudden I get a ton of guys wanting to talk about buying it...

[DarylW]

Adam…
keep her!
we can never rationalize the expenses of our planes… we just love them!
mmmmm
much like the relationship with our wives… 

same with my little 520… and the economic downturn the last three years - hard to justify
and yet
and yet

enjoy your wonderful life!
Daryl W

[Adam Frisch]

Yes, tempting.

But after speaking with Brian and Arkansas Turbine, it's unfortunate that the hot sections have gone up like everything else. He said hard to get under $60-75K on a hot these days, many in the $100K region. But he did say the overhauls were still kinda in the $250K ballpark, which was good news all things considering. That's a ton better than the uptick in cost for PT6's.

[Adam Frisch]

BTW, my buddy Stan Perkins is considering selling his 681. It's got great times on it, the new STEC 65 A/P and he has tons of spares including the on-condition Hamilton Standard props that are very cheap to maintain. It's an immaculate plane, although with a mostly steam panel. He's not officially put it on the market, but if anyone is interested, I can forward contact.

Here is a video of panel I took years ago:

https://youtu.be/dWgEPvx8p6g?si=JbdH652xMlvqTYqh

[donv]

Why is he selling it? Is he upgrading or something, or stepping back from aviation?

[Adam Frisch]

He's hitting 70 in a few years and the insurance has told him they won't insure after that. Plus I don't think he flies it enough to justify it.

[donv]

The 70 thing is unfortunate. I don't fly mine enough to justify it, so that's not much of an argument.

[Adam Frisch]

Ha!

How many hours makes it justifiable? Asking for a friend.

[Roberto]

hi Adam what are the times on 681?

[Adam Frisch]

Not sure, but I think there's decent time left on the engines, prob around 2000hrs.

[Roberto]

ty Adam, as a former piston commander owner, trying to crunch the numbers. I might have to wait a 6-12 months to justify stepping up to a -5 ac. but the entry point on -151 is inviting along with hourly vs calendar inspection.

[JMA]

Removed

[Adam Frisch]

Roberto, the 681 does have 2 added inspections the 680V doesn't have and that's the 5 year gear inspection/overhaul and the spar inspection every 3 years. Other than that, it's a better airplane than the 680V in many regards as it's the first Commander really designed as a turbine from scratch.