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served me well, but I need to operate in the higher flight levels. In addition, the 3.5 to 4-hour legs were becoming a drag. This brings us to my calculated conclusion.
My Latest (And Likely Last) Aircraft A jet...who would have thought!
The very thought of owning a turbine originally was out of reach. What changed? The sustainability and longevity of older general aviation turbine aircraft. Much of the GA turbine fleet has no life limit if properly maintained. The pressure on the aircraft manufacturers to sell new aircraft drove good performing aircraft to the bottom of the economic scale. Fuel efficiency and the newer airplane smell depressed the purchase price of many good turbine aircraft into my acquisition range.
I looked at twin turboprops (no single engine for me) first and concluded while they met the first requirement, they did not meet the performance needs of f light in the
higher flight levels. Secondly, they had better speed than the 421C but did not significantly reduce the leg time. Lastly, the acquisition price for many of the mainstream turboprops remained quite high (i.e., King Air and Conquest I and II). In comparing the cost of operating the turboprop and maintenance, another choice was obvious.
This is where our industry colleague Dick Karl and his wisdom come into play. While we share similar paths of going from a technical career to retiring in a flying job, I chose a significantly different aircraft as my first foray into turbine ownership.
I selected the Cessna 500 series (501, 550, S550, 560) to evaluate my needs. I began with the 501 and quickly moved on due to limited range and performance. I entertained the Citation II (550) because the later Bravo and Ultra/V were late models holding their higher prices. I explored the Citation S550. It was originally developed for the military ergo the TKS wing deice versus boots. It married
the Citation Ultra/V wing on the 550 fuselage and updated the engines to PW JT15D-4B. This created a 400- knot 1,900-mile aircraft with a service ceiling in the low 40s. I have TKS experience flying the Hawkers and can honestly say they are as effective as boots and are a reliable method to remove ice from the airframe. Yes, I would agree that fuel consumption is higher than many turboprops and new jets, but at the lower acquisition cost of this aircraft, I can buy a lot of jet fuel.
This aircraft/airframe/engine combination is one of the most popular and supported around. Service centers and maintenance facilities are widespread over this country. The likelihood of getting stuck somewhere without a repair facility is minimal. The Citation 500 series has a comprehensive maintenance program that consists of five phases that are basically calendar year driven. The fifth phase is a detailed and in-depth inspection that really opens the entire aircraft up inside and out. It is required every 3 years. But wait, have you heard about Richard Bacon and the Bacon Aviation low-utilization inspection program? This FAA-approved program extends the inspections for Phase 1-4 to every three years and the Phase 5 to every six years. The key is that you are limited to 200 hours per year. So, I selected a Cessna S550 with about 800 to 1,000 hours left on the engines and the Bacon maintenance program. Based on my expected 10 to 15 years of flying, the operating costs compare very favorably to a turboprop with jet performance and comfort – quite a deal.
This brings us to the final element of the aircraft acquisition – the “better
28 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2021
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