Page 10 - Volume 15 Number 8

Meet Mojave Owner Dennis Dovey
For Dennis Dovey, discovering the Piper Mojave was a stroke of luck. A successful entrepreneur and commercial real estate owner, Dovey was looking for an aircraft with more speed, range and cabin volume than his Piper Seneca could deliver. After researching every cabin-class twin on the market, including turboprops, he discovered a little- known gem amidst the hundreds of airplane-for-sale ads on the Internet.
“The Mojave offered everything our family needed – twin engines, big cabin, good speed and 1,000-nm-plus range – for a really great value,” said Dovey, who lives in Austin, Texas with his wife and young son.
After narrowing his search down, he began the patient exercise of waiting for the right aircraft at the right price. Last February, he purchased the boldly painted Mojave and then began the painstaking process of bringing the engine and electrical systems up to standard. Now that the aircraft
is mechanically sound, his next project is to add a few bells and whistles to his otherwise capable cockpit containing a GNS 530/430 and Garmin transponder.
Dovey has flown helicopters since he was 16, but didn’t begin flying fixed-wing aircraft until much later in life. His father was an avid rotor pilot and Dovey continues to own and fly a helicopter today.
After selling his successful boat dealership in 2005, Dovey had time devote more time and energy to his avia- tion pursuits. After quickly getting his private, instrument and multi-engine ratings, he purchased a Seneca, which proved to be a great step-up airplane. He and his family regularly fly from their home base in Austin to Atlanta, Colorado and Missouri.
“We were always wanting a little more range than the Seneca could give us. That began our search that eventu- ally led to the Mojave,” he said. “I looked at other twins, but from a safety standpoint, I really like that the Mojave has counter-rotating props. It also has a roomy cabin where my wife and son can spread out.”
Dovey also points out the aircraft’s simple fuel manage- ment system (no crossfeeding to maintain fuel balance), docile handling characteristics and its strong, beefy land- ing gear.
“Overall, it’s a great airplane. It is economical to operate, especially compared to a turboprop,” Dovey concluded. “For the money, I wouldn’t want anything else.” uy
The airplane was powered by two Textron Lycoming TIO-540-V2AD engines, each rated at 350 hp., and the right engine (LTIO-540-V2AD) turned the propeller counter-clockwise.
“It’s Everything Our Family Needs”
8 • TWIN & TURBINE
AUGUST 2011