Page 14 - March23T

Many Mustangs are enrolled in maintenance programs whereby the owner pays an hourly rate for parts coverage and engine overhaul costs.
very well and have an “automatic” function with a two-minute cycle versus the manual switch on the King Airs I flew previously. Expect to re- place the boots after about 10 years of operation.
The Mustang landing gear can be extended up to 250 KT IAS. And they do not require a very expensive, 10- year overhaul found on the Phenom series of aircraft. Mustang speed brakes are also very effective for the occasional rapid descent.
The air conditioning will blow you out of the cockpit if set to the highest setting. I’ve found it cools well in the Texas heat.
Cabin Comfort
Five passengers and no more, but the four in the back never complain. Sound levels are low. If the Mustang is your first jet, you will be pleas- antly surprised at the lack of noise and vibration, which is especially nice on longer f lights. Some own- ers have installed various internet
12 • TWIN & TURBINE / March 2023
options, which work well but add sig- nificant cost.
The baggage compartments are huge, with 320 pounds of capacity in the nose and 300 pounds in the rear. If it fits in a Chevy Suburban, it will fit in a Mustang. And the aft baggage compartment includes a ski extension, thanks to a request from the late Dave Goode, who owned the very first one.
Interestingly, the original Mus- tangs were not offered with an XM music option for the cockpit. The decision-makers at Cessna decided no pilot should be distracted when operating a jet. That train of thought lasted a very short time, and now you can listen to your favorite entertain- ment. I am one of a dying breed that chooses not to. But the folks in the back appreciate it.
The potty...well, think of a camping toilet at FL 410. But it works! More robust designs like those found on the Citation 525 series are prone to expensive corrosion. Ask any owner
of a proper “flushing potty” if they ever use it, and the majority will say, “Only as a storage shelf.” The simple Mustang design has saved the day on more than one occasion.
Cost & Support
Many Mustangs are enrolled in maintenance “programs” whereby the owner pays an hourly rate for parts coverage and engine overhaul costs. It’s like a big bank account to prepare for future expenses. Currently, both of these programs run about $600/ f light hour total. I recommend them, especially for the engines, for which a repair can easily exceed six figures.
Inspections on jets are frequent and rigid. It’s more than just your average annual. And about every six years the airplane is taken apart into what looks like a thousand pieces and put back together. I have used Textron Aviation facilities exclusively for all my Mustangs. While not the cheapest, they have provided excel- lent service.