views on Apache 235 twin?

"Jim Burns" writes:

Both Apache's and Aztec's have one hydraulic
pump,

Aztecs have two. One just requires a lot more effort from the pilot.

The more we fly our Aztec, the more we like it.

Agreed. Mine has been sitting quite a bit since I stopped commuting to
California (from Indiana) but I just made the trip again a couple weeks
ago. I got bumped the whole way west but it still feels like the right
plane to use for the job. It's a joy to handle, even when banging
around in IMC and operating from smaller strips.

('course I'm still waiting for the bill from my annual, including the
turbo tanks switch...)

--kyler

JUST got our Aztec home from it's week long annual. $2500 including extra
labor to put in the one piece windshield. (All three of us helped with the
annual, so it cut our labor bill way down.) No surprises, just a few
gaskets, nuts, screws, and bolts replaced. Cable spring tail pipe bracket
needed to be replaced on one engine.... $475 from Piper!! Some 1/4"
aluminum stock, new stainless steel cable and 3 hours of my labor later we
were back in business. Pulled the tail to comply with a Piper SB, no
corrosion on the tube or any of the hardware. Found 2 shims/bearings for
the flap torque tube rolling around in the belly. Obviously they were put
in backwards and worked their way out. Now we need to re-tweak the
flap/aileron rigging so it fly's a little straighter.

Anyway, it's done and we didn't even have any extra parts left over!! (other
than the old windshield)
Jim