The modification was said to yield a little extra HP, and about a 1-2gph drop in cruise. Better yet, the Max gives existing Aspen owners an upgrade path, plus it runs upgrade promotions (currently $4995) and can upgrade your existing display or send your shop an exchange. 2-blade Scimitar. . This gave Piper a reason to pull the plug on the Comanche, choosing to concentrate on the more-popular, less-expensive and higher-profit PA-28 line, including the PA-28R Arrow being produced at the Vero Beach site. Budget Buys: The 'Baby' Comanche - AOPA 3-blade Scimitar (260, 260B) 3-blade Scimitar . While offering good looks and good performance for the money, the Comanche 260 may be a handful for the first-time owner. This website contains many older reviews. It expensive enough buying a 40 or 50 year old airplane. Lets equip and move on because the real news in the avionics market is the serious surge in competition, combined with a shift from expensive TSO approvals to STCs. Rare find! Many carb engines will happily run LOP too. contact us for horns, installation kits, horn installations in your Comanche, or or Write for our Comanche Catalog The good news is that lots of shops can work on them (although as the accident reports show, pick one that knows the model well), parts are available and market prices are steady, yet reasonable. To many pilots, Piper's Twin Comanche represents an apex of light twin design. Based on our time in Comanches, we say fly it like its meant to be flown, really, and youll wonder what the barroom chatter was all about. Were told one way to smoothen those landings is by adding the Knots2U wing root fillets, which eliminate the vortex striking the stabilator when flaps are used. Also featuring longtime pilot and electrical engineer Jim "Griff" Griffin, these advice videos feature tips from longtime pilot and CFI Mike Jones, avionics consultant Bob Hart, insurance and business . contact us for horns, installation kits, horn installations in your Comanche, or rebuilds of your existing Piper factory horn/torque tube/balance weight tube assembly. There could be major panel work involved, and it might not work fully with your autopilot. CHOOSE YOUR FREE DOWNLOAD: CHEROKEE GUIDE OR DIGITAL ISSUE, How to Disassemble and Transport a Legacy Piper, How and Why to Strip Your Plane Yourself Before it Gets Repainted, Restoring the Interior of a Legacy Piper: How You Can Save Money, Comanche Engine and Mounts: What Happens During an Upgrade, Comanche Reassembly: What a Legacy Piper Looks Like When Its Taken Apart. Pending TSO certification. Power Flow Systems offers its exhaust mod for the Aviat Husky, Cessna 170, 172, 175, 177 and 177RG, Diamond Star, Beech 19 and 23 series, Grumman Americans and four-cylinder Maules, among others. Basic annual inspections are done at a full-service FBO and run about $1400 when owner assisted. For more than five decades, active and dedicated aircraft owners and pilots have turned to AVIATION CONSUMER to answer their most important buying questions. Intercooler Products From Turboplus Aircraft Systems Inc. Dont underestimate the learning curve that tags along with a new suite, especially if it includes a new-to-you GPS navigator. You need to go to somebody whos trained in that model of aircraft but has not seen it before. -Scott Sherer, Fuel is going to be biggest expense. Not bothering with a preflight briefing, he took off and flew to his Plan B airport, where he learned, on Unicom, that it was closed. Quotes in the photo captions are from Piehl. For dual installations (maybe an IFD550 and IFD440), the connections are independent for redundancy, but have full synchronization. Throttle 1/8 mixture where you set for lean taxi, mags hot, hit the starter. Designed to work with and connects to the existing Mode A/C transponder. Greg Piehl, who lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, with his wife Debbie, spent three years restoring and upgrading their 1959 Piper Comanche 250. // -->. *$4495 with Flight Stream 210 (built-in AHRS), version for helicopters. Also installed was a new glare- shield and a metal panel. What the 180-HP Comanche lacks for cruise speed it certainly makes up for with endurance. Partial plug-and-play with KT76A/C, KT78A transponders, requires WAAS GPS input. The 180 and 250 Comanche airframes are the same and theres an STC to upgrade the 180 to the larger engine-although the 250 boasted a significantly higher gross weight: 2800 pounds versus 2550 pounds for the 180. Piper Comanche PA-24-400, PA-30, PA-39 Models. The overarching theme for his avionics plan was to make the system interact with other elements and to make everything simple. Rebuilding a Piper Engine | Piper Owner Society The International Comanche Society has been an invaluable resource for me. Theres also Knots2U (www.knots2u.net, 262-763-5100) that has, in addition to the wing fillet mod, a dorsal fin kit, speedbrakes and a variety of other mods for Comanches. Engine Upgrades. Given their size, expect your shop to do substantial panel rework to make the big-screen display fit in a location thats within your scan and reach. We are certified to install Continental TSIO-360KB engines in your Seneca II. Click here. (Set of Two) 2430WT, Gear Lobe Fairing Kit. These two models remained in production until 1964. (620) 782-3317, Robert Williams. Connecting the G5 directional instrument to third-party autopilots and earlier GPS navigators requires the $699 GAD29B nav interface module. At this point the ADS-B buy-in decision should be easy. PROPELLER and TEXTRON LYCOMING. Here that sucking sound? The 250 can haul 750 pounds with full standard fuel, while the 260s and 400 can lift up to 1000 pounds. What makes this system our top pick for a high-end EFIS is the number of display options and the 500-plus approved model STC. Weve covered this system extensively, and most recently in the May 2019 Aviation Consumer where we installed one in a Piper Cherokee to see if it really was the worlds easiest ADS-B upgrade as the company claims. Finally, we felt the pain of the pilot who flew to a neighboring airport for fuel, only to find the tanks locked. Those owners will eventually spend big money at the avionics shop for new metal panels and modern avionics, including autopilots and engine displays. The engines are identical, but with a different propeller redline. Speed gains are reported to be from 5-10 MPH. This beast had a normally aspirated, fuel-injected, eight-cylinder Lycoming IO-720-A1A fitted with a three-blade prop. After 34 years, the first flight of N6494P took place at Zephyrhills Airport, three days before leaving on a trip to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, just in time for AirVenture in July and August 2021. Diversity and the version made for helicopters. Theres also the Delphi Airworthy Comanche Forum (https://forums.delphiforums.com/Comanches), and we spotted tons of useful threads on all things Comanche-from avionics to lighting to service parts. Can you hide the transponders if a Piper panel is small? facilities and look us over. Piper Comanche PA-24 Models. If so, does the products STC include removing the vacuum system? What about temperatures in the 15-30 degree range? There is no doubt that your kit was responsible for our taking second place in the race. The Comanche is gentle when it comes to stalls and is stable for flying instruments. 24DF, Vortex Generator Kit, Piper PA-24 Models, Challenger Air Filter, High Performance (CP-3110). by Rocky Landsverk | Sep 14, 2022 | Comanche Restoration Series, Piper Comanche 250, Piper Comanche 250 Reviews, Upgrade & Refurbish | 0. Heres how to replace your Piper seat covers, which was one step in my Arrows long by Piper Owner Society | Dec 8, 2022 | Upgrade & Refurbish | 0. I believe it indicated fuel injection or electric ignition. The ICS is extremely resourceful, with a list of qualified instructors and shops familiar with the airplane. There were eight LOC events in IMC or dark night conditions. Its available with and without WAAS GPS and has built-in Bluetooth for sending flight data, ADS-B traffic and weather data to a tablet or smartphone running the Garmin Pilot or ForeFlight tablet apps. 2 U Mods,Weight and Balance, - WHATEVER We think the effort and cost is worth it given the added utility, including minimum callouts when on an approach. The 1965 Comanches are transitionairplanes in that they have the earlier fuselage mated to the later 260-HP engine, albeit with a carburetor. Youve heard it all before but well tell it to you again: If you fly above 18,000 feet, youll need an ADS-B transponder. 24WF, Wing Tips. ((navigator.appName == "Microsoft Internet Explorer") && This rebuilding a Piper engine article is from Greg Piehl, who lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, with his wife Debbie, spent three years restoring and upgrading their 1959 Piper Comanche 250. Everything Laminar Flow Systems makes has integrity, a design philosophy which puts the pilot 1st! Consider that the airplane had a tail-low stance when its weight is on the wheels. The list price of the IFD550 is $21,999, but if you have a clean and fully functional Garmin GNS530W, you can cut that cost substantially. We think at least two of those pilots did change to a tank with fuel, but didnt wait long enough for it to fill the empty fuel lines between the selector and the engine before concluding that the new tank was dry as well and switching into another empty tank (or the original tank). Subscribe today to read the entire series, which chronicles: What You Will Learn in This Article: Rebuilding a Piper Engine in a Comanche. Upgrading a Comanche Panel: Photo Gallery. Recommended: Click on a photo for a popup photo gallery. The navigator also sends GPS nav and course data into the displays over an ARINC 429 data stream. Wingtip mount with WAAS GPS, LED nav light, LED strobe light. When temps drop to -40 or lower many carbs must use heat to raise temps up to where the fuel air ratio is rich enough, but that is still way to low for induction icing. [home] Some years ago, there was some thought given to resurrecting the design at the hands of the legendary and brilliant Roy LoPresti, but like the Swift Fury, it came to nothing. AUSTRALIAN HORN COMPRISES, Please Flap / Aileron Gap Seal Kit. The big engine gives these airplanes excellent climb performance, as much as 1500 FPM. The Comanche hit the market running in 1958 and in its first production year, Piper offered the 180-HP PA-24-180 (Lycoming O-360) and the 250-HP PA-24-250 (Lycoming O-540). Pick one and work to maintain a good relationship. The landing gear on the Comanche gets our attention. Approach Fast StackModular Wiring Systemwww.approachfaststack.com, Aspen AvionicsPrimary Flight Displayaspenavionics.com, PS EngineeringAudio Panelwww.ps-engineering.com, Adventure Pilot iFly GPSBackup GPS (uncertified)www.iflygps.com. SE 51 WE Installation of two Rotor-Master (Rajay) P/N 600573-00 or 600576-00 (or any combination thereof) Turbocharger on Avco Lycoming Model IO-720-A1A and IO-720-A1B engines. He headed back to home plate and ran the airplane dry on downwind. The straight roofline giving theComanche its distinctive crewcut looks also reduces visibility upward, although its not as bad as some airplanes and does provide welcome shade in hot climates. 30RS $399.40 Add to Cart sku: 24RS Rudder Gap Seal Kit. For training info, try www.comanchetraining.com. That may or may not even out the distribution, and you don't get much fuel flow reduction, either. How can you improve the oil-change interval from 25 hours to 50 hours on a legacy Piper. -Scott Sherer. The old boys that I learned to fly with would say that if you can shut the door on whatever you got into a Comanche, it would fly away without a problem. Coming next month: Engine, prop, and motor mount. Still, there were some notable improvements over early models. Greg Piehl, who lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, with his wife Debbie, spent three years restoring and upgrading their 1959 Piper Comanche 250. 24LOB, Hub Cap W/Access Door. This is a great airspeed for 160 hp and roughly 10 gph of 100LL. But it's a nice theory. What differentiates the IFD550 from the IFD540 is the IFD550s ARS, or attitude reference system. In 1958, Piper introduced a 250 hp (190 kW) version using a Lycoming O-540 engine, giving the PA-24-250 Comanche a top cruise speed of 160 kn (180 mph; 300 km/h). Theres also an AD on the vertical fin attachment (AD 75-12-06). Cessna's owners manual has for decades had pilots run lop. It put the Comanches on the map. Most 250s had carbureted Lycoming O-540-AIA5 engines, but a small number were fitted out with fuel-injected versions of the same engine. Piper Cherokee Modifications & SpeedImprovements, :uninterrupted flow in which the direction of flow. if(MSFPhover) { MSFPnav2n=MSFPpreload("_derived/comwingtips.htm_cmp_jas110_hbtn.gif"); MSFPnav2h=MSFPpreload("_derived/comwingtips.htm_cmp_jas110_hbtn_a.gif"); } There are so many mods available for the Comanche line that probably no two aircraft are alike today. Single-box solution that works with Garmin GNS430W/530W navigators, works with a Wi-Fi module for connecting to tablets. As one result, many have opted to replace their old Hartzells for new two- or three-blade Hartzell or McCauley propellers, which terminates the AD. Avidyne was the first with a hybrid user interface, which means you use a combination of touch and button presses. Parts 1 and 2 of this Piper Comanche restoration series are free to read. Dont make that mistake with your plane. Youll need a reliable unit for the long term. A side benefit of the standard turbo installation is that its quieter than the normally aspirated Comanche C. The -N1A5 engine, beefed up to handle the boost pressure and higher temperatures at altitude, is just as robust as the normally aspirated engine; both have a 2000-hour TBO. A prop inspection (AD 2005-18-12) is the most oft-complained about, costing nearly $1000 every 500 hours or five years. The TruTrak Vizion has a straightforward installation. function MSFPpreload(img) Call or Write for our Comanche Catalog 180-250-260-400- TWIN COMANCHES WE LIKE ALL OF THEM COMPLETE AIRCRAFT SERVICE FACILITIES I remember seeing something regarding an upgrade STC for various 4 and 6 cylinder engines (172/182, etc). I could not believe the difference. Piper Lance Restoration Continues With Dual Electronic Ignition Upgrade This is the second of two by Scott Sherer | Sep 15, 2022 | Upgrade & Refurbish | 0. Thats just what Aspen offers with the Evolution MAX displays. And you should. Installation of the Kudos to them-we think every retrac pilot should witness a gear swing on the appropriate model. If theres any doubt about its health, have your shop evaluate it. The original airplane had a 60-gallon fuel system. I would always recommend getting a pre-purchase inspection. Engine Upgrades, What is possible | Pilots of America Upgrading a Comanche Panel (Comanche Restoration Series Part 4) | Piper The MAX, which is available in one-, two- and three-screen versions (just like the original Evolution), is designed as a drop-in replacement for the older displays. Upon shutdown, this allows the oil to drain from the hot turbos instead of remaining inside them and cooking. Well start by saying that primary monitors (ones that are approved to replace all of the OEM gauges-including fuel quantity) require a sizable installation. The installation was straight-forward with no surprises. Requires WAAS GPS input, tablet interface requires Flight Stream wireless Bluetooth module, Garmin Pilot or ForeFlight app. Yes, you can usually run fine with one or two a shade LOP, and the rest at or rich of peak, but not all of them. Theres good reason to consider going vac-less. With the TXi, you can interface your analog KX155 nav radio, as one example. Products (www.aviationperformanceproducts.com), which claims that its Eagle XP cowling increases speed, economy and improves maintenance access. You don't have to go wide open with it, typically in my Travelair I would lose 2-3kts and save 3gph while still running smooth. WITH HARTZELL specials*] A few words on avionics projects. Supports diversity (top and bottom antenna). If youve already invested in a modern transponder upgrade and dont fly above 18,000 feet, one top pick is the uAvionix skyBeacon wingtip unit with LED position and strobe lamps. Our journey has reached the engine of Greg Piehls Comanche. That number is high, and we dont have a hypothesis to explain it, although we saw that three were at night and one of those hit power lines more than two miles short of the runway. We invite you to look around and come see why we have the best made, lowest priced and best warranty of any modifications available for your Piper. The 100-pound rise in gross gave the airplane a hefty 1427-pound useful load. Even if youre not qualified to paint your plane yourself, you can still do most of the work. In fact, the IFD100 app essentially adds a second IFD550 display/control set on the tablet. The result is essentially a Comanche 250 with a low gross weight. Call You heat the mixture up just enough so that when it goes into the venturi it can now ice up. Thats working out to the benefit of avionics buyers, especially ones with lower budgets. In my opinion, there is no reason to own a 180 Comanche unless you are consumed with fuel range and can tolerate the vibration from the engine being so far out from the firewall. Turns out the claim was close enough to crown the skyBeacon a winner for a budget-based solution, the deal sweetened with a two-for LED lighting upgrade. This website contains many older reviews. That didnt mean he went cheap. Its big on features, small on size and works with the Garmin flight displays. Display name: Doug. Most of the avionics manufacturers have established communication protocols that will work with other equipment. Youll need them for support, including software and hardware upgrades as the systems mature. The Comanche market has two price points, really. The 250 and 260 are better performers. SAVE Last Update: 04/10/2023 . Thats the Trio Pro Pilot autopilot, which also has a growing STC list and some smart features as standard. by Rocky Landsverk | Sep 9, 2022 | Comanche Restoration Series, Maintenance, Upgrade & Refurbish | 0. No, its not complicated but a review of service difficulty reports (and the NTSB accident reports) indicates its a top sore spot, along with general airframe corrosion and engine/ prop issues. The early panel layout doesnt conform to the later standard T configuration, so it may be unfamiliar to recently trained pilots or those coming from more modern rides. That extra payload has to go for fuel to feed the IO-720, meaning that for flights of more than 300 miles, the 400 actually has less payload available than the 260. by Scott Sherer | Jan 20, 2023 | Upgrade & Refurbish | 0. On November 24, 1959, Max Conrad landed a Piper Comanche equipped with a Lycoming four-cylinder 180-horsepower engine in El Paso, Texas. A turbonormalized version of the Comanche C was offered alongside the normally aspirated model in 1970. It's a pricey and time-consuming effort that many Belvoir Media Group, LLC. $795 software unlock required to interface traffic/weather with Aspen display. There were eight runway loss of control incidents, low, we think-and one of them involved a student pilot.