runge

Hey,
My club is offering a special on their Piper Apache that has me tempted to pursue my private multi addon, and, later, maybe my commercial add-on.

It's $170/hr wet (and $28/hr for instruction).

It's a 1958, in decent condition, and very conveniently located. But supposedly the instrument arrangement is rather poor, as I've heard is typical of older planes.

Here are some informational links:

Yellow Jacket Flying Club - N4016P - Piper PA23-160
N4016P, 1958 Piper PA-23-160

Well, what do you think? And for those of you who've got your multi-addon, was it worth it? My fear is that I'll get the rating, and never again fly a multi unless I rent one for fun or get a job flying one.... But it sure would be fun. (No, I'm not particularly interested in a career in civil aviation)

IC ALL

I'd spend the money on something more fun and useful, like a tailwheel endorsement or a seaplane rating. I own an Apache and it's a good airplane for what it is, but if it was me, I'd spend the money on something else.

rickair7777

Apaches (and Aztecs) are fine to fly. Those rates are similar to a duchess at my club.

If you are not career bound or have plans to fly twins it would be more of a been-there-done-that-got-the-tshirt kind of thing.

Clubs will generally require a minimum ME time and time in type to rent a twin, probably 25-30 ME and 5-10 in type. So if you just go get a ME add-on you will still need some more dual-received to rent one.

Like IC ALL said, there are probably funner things you could do with the money but that all depends on you. If you don't have an IR do that first...never know when that will come in handy.

runge

I've got my instrument already. I can say with some certainty that the multi is not something I'd be using in the immediate future. I hope to be a CFI within two years or so, and that'd be the soonest that I would ahve any chance of actually making use of a multi rating. At best it'd be something that I get now while it's cheap (if this is a good rate) and keep in my back pocket for later. At worst it'd be an expensive adventure and a way of increasing my knowledge/skill as a pilot.

We'll see. I'm still interested to hear just how much of a bargain $170/hr is for an apache. They keep pitching it as "you'll never find it this cheap anywhere else ever, so get your multi now even if you're not going to use it immediately." I'm just wondering whether or not that is good advice, at the offered price.

IC ALL

I think that's an average price for an Apache but worth it if it's well maintained. They aren't hard to fly, about like a Piper Arrow. You just have two of everything in the engine catagory. You can buy Apache's for 30K. You could buy a nice one (mine) for 40K.

Cubdriver

This one appears to be a good one- a rich carpet manufacturer in Dalton recently donated it to the Club, and it has an excellent maintenance history. YJFC isn't out to make any money on it. They are a non-profit group and they recoup their operating losses from subsidies. They just want to make sure it breaks even. I am not sure how good their instructors are, but they have a careful management so I am sure they will have a few good ones if you ask around. It's a square deal if you plan to fly twins. Otherwise, get a tailwheel endorsement or learn to skydive.

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