Page 10 - Volume 17 Number 10

type tracks, contributing to a relatively-low stalling speed for a 6,500-pound airplane. The early Navajos have a 6,200-pound maximum landing weight, which requires burning off 50 gallons after a full-gross departure. The wings and tail are protected with deice boots, the four- blade props are heated and the left windshield is heated glass with a wiper.The composite engine cowlings remove with quick- release fasteners, but an oil-door atop the nacelle allows access for preflight; there are left and right dipsticks, Hood noted, because of the engine’s slanted mounting with five degrees of wing dihedral. A louvered door on the side cowl opens to let the pilot look at the turbo and exhaust, along with the engine accessories. A large electrically-actuated cowl flap is under the nacelle. Navajos use an updraft flow of cooling air through the nacelles, so the cowl openings are lower than those typical seen.The empennage is conventional; stabilators weren’t used on the PA-31s, although the right elevator has an anti-servo trim tab to dampen control forces. Tabs are provided for the rudder and right aileron. A spring interconnect between ailerons and rudder aids stability. The tail stands some 13 feet in the air, depending on the inflation of the struts.One of the Navajo’s most impressive features are the huge windows; they are not ersatz-airliner portholes or rectangular slits, but double-pane picture windows that yield a well-lit interior. If you want less light, pull the curtains, as Hood does to keep the heat out when parking.Climbing in and going forward to the flight deck, there’s a main spar step-over to negotiate, on the front face of which one finds the fuel selectors, shutoffs and crossfeed valve. The pedestal is not overly restrictive when entering; it holds the cowl flap switches and indicators, trim wheels, KFC-200 autopilot head and powerplant stalks.An eyebrow panel overhead contains the ignition switches, starter rocker, fuel gauges and boost pump switches. Regretfully, the gauges only indicate the quantity in the tanks selected; if you want to know the level in the non-selected tank, you’ll have to switch momentarily.The rest of the cockpit is set up for single-pilot operation, but with room for right-side instruments. Circuit breaker panels are on both sidewalls, environmentals are on the right subpanel and a double-stack of radios is in the center. Hood’s mix of modern and vintage-but-serviceable equipment included a Garmin GNS-430, a King KLN89B backup GPS, a PMA-7000B audio panel, a KWX 56 radar, and mostly-Collins Microline ADF, DME, transponder and backup nav and comm units. A large iPad mount on the left yoke gave evidence that Hood’s traveling companion would be in place on most trips.Firing Up And Moving OutNo special tricks are needed to bring the big Lycomings on line; boost up fuel pressure, place mixtures in idle-8 • TWIN & TURBINEOCTOBER 2013