Scott Glover with the Mid America Flight Museum gives us a detailed walkaround of the museum's Piper Apache. This is one of Scott's favorite planes and it's easy to see why as he explains the good qualities of the Apache to us.
N2108P This was my father's Piper Apache. He owned it in the 1960's and early 70's. He loved this airplane and maintained it in excellent condition, always in a hangar. Nice to see it again being cared for still flying! Betty Ramer Carpenter
When my father was active duty in the USAF, and for his day job he was the Pilot in Command of RC-135s, and he was also the commandant of the Offutt AFB Aero Club, one year he took the family on vacation in an Aero Club Apache, registration N28RB. That was the COOLEST way to take a vacation a 9 year old boy like me could have imagined! Mom and my oldest brother would take turns as navigator/copilot, and myself and my other brother just enjoyed the ride in the back. (Five people in the plane, yes, but two of us were small and didn't weigh much. We were totally within all safety limits, dad would not play games with that.) Last I checked, N28RB is still active and in annual.
I bought a 1956 PA-23-150 N94M in 1976 as a time builder for $12,900. It had 3500TT and mid to low time engines and props. They are such a rock solid airplane, with plenty of room inside. Interior was new, but it badly needed a paint job. I remember a magazine review of the plane calling it a 3500 lb. sweet potato...LOL and it pretty much is! My plane's starters had a hard time occasionally cranking the engines over. Twice I had faulty gear down indicator light, due to the gear micro switch wires getting snagged during extension. If you don't mind the panel looking like it was arranged with a shotgun, it,s a great plane. I now wish I had it back. It was a plane with personality!
I've got 200 hours in a 150hp 1956 Apache. Bought it for $20k, put about $4k in it....got the 200hrs multi in it, and eventually sold it for about $22k. Loved the plane although many people talked trash about it. I'm over at Mid America in Mt. Pleasant every couple of months...I'll have to ask Scott to let me see it!
What a great video ! I'm thankful you shared your insight on this classic aircraft. The color and general repair is truly amazing. I recently inherited a mint condition POH for the Apache and look forward to digging in to the particulars.
Looks like a sweet ride. I did my multi training in one out in Barstow at the Barstow-Daggett airport in 1971 ... and I gotta tell ya, I wish it had the 180hp engines in it rather than the 150's, with that Mojave heat.
N2108Papa originally painted red and white belonged to my step father Elmo Holder , senator and oil man , was bought to chase his 4 drilling rigs around in the mid 50's , many good memories in that plane , I was 18 years old when he demonstrated a dead stick landing 1st one engine and the kill the other , nothing but air wooshing over the wings , that will give your butt pucker power , but not Elmo , cool as a cucumber 1 2 3 and we're down .Elmo passed in 1987 , originally from Wichita Falls , Texas , he is buried in Evansville Ind . Sold the plane in 1984 to Don Davis aviation , guess its fitting it in Texas , if planes could talk the stories they could tell. Great to see it is still flying .
This is the exact twin I'm looking at purchasing. Found a few reasonable ones for under $35k. While I know this question is very subjective to individual aircraft, how reasonable is the cost to maintain in comparison to the older Aztecs and twin Commanche? Annuals? Insurance?
Love that. By the way I have never understood keeping the old all black artificial horizon. That is one thing I would modernize !!! In any old plane. Where is Mt Pleasant, as referred to in the video ?
Man, that is one sharp plane! I also like that it has been kept in it's original style. I can still see them in my mind's eye flying over when I was a kid out of CMH. I always to thought an Apache on one engine turned into a rock?!! Would love to take a ride it that one, (hint hint), it would a trip back in time.
wait till my next video. we take it flying and shut down an engine to demonstrate the single engine performance. you will love that one. I'll go live with it tomorrow.
muy buenas tarde estimado un fabor soy tecnico de un piper azteca necesito saber para el cambio de motor si se cambia los cables de throttle mixture and propeller
Hello Erik, I'm about to turn 60, plan to retire in 2 or 3 years, have always had a fascination with flying since childhood (and Sky King) and wonder what advice you'd give to someone who is thinking about learning to fly at my age? I've been up in light aircraft a few times and understand the basics, but think it would be interesting to go through ground school and learn like everyone else on a single engine plane, then possibly learn how to fly twins. My question is, what is the cost to acquire, then maintain your flying status, and is flying twins appreciably more expensive than single engine planes? I've always kinda been a Cessna fan, but the more I learn about Piper Pacers, Tri-Pacers, Cherokees, and Apaches, the more I find myself attracted to them. I've asked a lot of questions to be sure but I'd sure respect your advice.
Engine out performance is only a rumor. Especially with 150hp. 3,000ft on single engine is all it will do. Fly on one engine all the way to the crash site. Many call the Apache on one engine a glide extender. Not really bad airplane. Just don't expect a lot.
