Posted on 12/21/2009 6:59:29 PM PST by The Magical Mischief Tour
Well, after spending most all of my adult life flying other peoples toys, I'm officially in the market to buy myself a plane.
I have spent the better part of the past year narrowing my search for the perfect steed and have settled upon the Piper Malibu Series.
This seems to have the best combo of speed, range, economy and cabin size for my personal travel needs. Plus I like the idea of the pressurized cabin over the supplemental oxygen system especially for passengers mostly the younger ones.
I have found a sweet deal on one nicely appointed, modern avionics, well maintained with fresh inspection and annual that has the Piper certified long range tank installed and is more or less a turn key purchase.
My question to those who own has to do with current insurance rates on comparable airframes.
Who did you have write your policy?
As a member of AOPA, I have been in contact with their Insurance Agency Reps but wanted to see if anyone has a successful story from another vendor.
AOPA is concerned over the pressurization of the aircraft, they lump it into the same category as a turboprop. They wanted me to talk more with an Agent and submit proof of experience etc... Which I have no problem with, I hold an ATP with multiple type ratings, Gold Seal CFII, MEI and over 12,000 hours in jets up to the Gulfstream V. No FAA violations etc, ever...
I have found an approved training course taught by Flight Safety In't at Vero Beach specifically for the Malibu.
Anyone have any advice to give, any holes, craters or trip wires to look out for?
Some of these Insurance folks seem like used car salesmen to me at times.
Didn’t FR have a General Aviation ping list at one time? I can’t help you, but I can bump your thread.
You’re right about a ping list. I’m not sure but I’m thinking it might have been PukinDog who headed the list.
Somebody mentioned a crash in FL recently in a single engine. They said that certain plane had some issue and if the engine started smoking it was a problem and you could not see where you are going. I forget the specifics.
I would assume it was not a pressurized cabin and I think it was a Piper.
Yeah one did, does exist but for the life of me, I couldn’t remember who maintained it.
ping
Have you ever run into one that didn't?
Wow! I do envy you!
I have only flown twice in my life.
A 1935 Taylorcraft when I was 15, and a Navy T-6 for my 50th Birthday.
Both models a bit too “retro” for your taste, I’m sure! LOL.
They put a parachute on me for the T-6, and taught me how to “Bail-Out”. :-)
I always try to have special “adventures” on my birthday.
Having owned and operated a complex aircraft for 32+ years, it seems like I’ve bounced back and forth between insurance companies and come back to AV**CO more than half of the time.
Yeah, pressurization is something of a problem when it comes to getting a reasonable insurance rate. Realize that you’re in a fairly narrow corner of the GA market. What will save you is your experience, license and (hopefully) continued currency and training. It’s not so difficult if you’re working for the scheds, where they’re throwing you in the sim every six months with lotsa’ flight time in between. If you’re “winding down” from that mode it becomes more difficult to get a good rate from the insurance companies. That’s where the “approved” course comes in. My guess is that the folks that offer such a curriculum are fairly few and far between, but it will probably pay for itself if it gets you insured. Best to pencil it out.
Not that the course is going to be anything you can’t handle. If you’re typed in the G’s, this aircraft will be a walk in the park. Training is a given, but time and currency in type is where it’s at (which you knew as well).
I’ve always felt that the SF-340 would make a nice family airplane, but apparently you already have a preference. :-)
Fiddle - buy a Cessna 152 and have fun ......
They are easy to work with but have tighter rules. Be prepared to change companies from time to time if your looking for the best price. I own a complex but not as complex as the one you're looking at. ;-)
Good luck!
Thanks,
I’ve went back and forth over several different types both single engine and multi. But I started renting a Malibu from a local club when I lived in LA a few years ago and fell in love with it.
I’m a bit of a stickler for training, one of those who believes you can’t ever have too much and always enjoyed recurrent training trip back to FSI. At one time I was Part 135 current on the G-IV, G-V and a King Air. Acting Chief Pilot of the Flight Department, Regional FAA Safety Manager and a current Part 135 Check Airman. All of which had me “in class” about once every three to four months through out the calendar year.
Thanks for the insurance info.
Thanks for the link!
Gave it up 10 years ago with only about 150 hours. Didn’t feel like I was able to fly often enough to maintain my skills. Then, when I got married, I didn’t want to get AIDS (Aviation Induced Divorce Syndrome).
Hey, whatever you do, Good Work! Keep it up.
I learned to fly in a 46 BC-12D. Retro is the way!
Oh...and I think you a budgeting too much money on airplane and too little on 100LL and Adventure.
Beech 18 man!
I really love old aircraft.
You really get the wind in your HAIR! LOL. (NOW THAT’S retro! hee hee!)
“Thanks for the insurance info.”
You’re welcome. I wish I could have been a bit more comprehensive in my recommendations, but it seems like I kept coming back to that particular company (mostly based on the lowest premium). I never collected on any of the policies in all that time, nor did I bend any of the metal on the stuff I drove for a living (Boeing aluminum is SO expensive to replace). :-)
Amazing that I never bent anything, or had a violation over the career. Given all of that TT, it was probably divine intervention that accounted for it. I hope you enjoy that aircraft. Pressurized piston stuff, especially SE, is interesting equipment.
Piston or turboprop?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.