Cessna 340s

[Dave Siciliano]

I’ve been poking around a lot trying to figure out where to head after selling the King Air. After considering a lot of options, the Cessna 340 seems to fit the bill. I had a P-Baron before but am finding few available and pricey. There are a lot more 340s that seem more reasonable price wise. I keep coming back to a pressurized twin because of some of the long trips I take where weather is an issue and for passenger comfort higher up. Still going back and forth a bit but this seems to be a good direction for me. Flew an SR-22 last week and a Cessna 421 couple months back. 421 just looks like over kill for my mission and SR-22 isn’t pressured (although very capable. This one had the G-1000, AC, TKS and turbo.)
Anyway, I’ve looked at a couple 340s and am considering going that direction.

[Scott Dyer HPN/NY]

I’ve been poking around a lot trying to figure out where to head after selling the King Air. After considering a lot of options, the Cessna 340 seems to fit the bill. I had a P-Baron before but am finding few available and pricey. There are a lot more 340s that seem more reasonable price wise. I keep coming back to a pressurized twin because of some of the long trips I take where weather is an issue and for passenger comfort higher up. Still going back and forth a bit but this seems to be a good direction for me. Flew an SR-22 last week and a Cessna 421 couple months back. 421 just looks like over kill for my mission and SR-22 isn’t pressured (although very capable. This one had the G-1000, AC, TKS and turbo.)
Anyway, I’ve looked at a couple 340s and am considering going that direction.

You should talk to Rick Durden, who was at Cessna when they were made, and Hilary Miller, who owned one until the Snowmageddon IAD hangar collapse in a blizzard. Watch fuel management, it's a bid issue...mains are the tips, use first then transfer. Watch the exhaust-related AD. But you likely knew those.

[Dave Siciliano]

Yes Scott. Aux fuel on birds I’m looking at. The Baron and King Air were simpler. I had to run mains until I could transfer tips in the A-36. I usually log fuel every hour. On long trips 30 minutes. Each of these has their gotchas. How’s the 210 running?

[Scott Dyer HPN/NY]

210 is doing great, thanks! Just need somewhere to go, a trip to fly.....

[Rick Durden]

Always liked the 340A. Same engines as the 414, but faster due to the smaller diameter fuselage. Some have as many as six fuel tanks. Unless it has VGs installed, the useful load is limited once you load up with fuel. Scott's right that the exhaust system needs regular attention. The good news is that Cessna did figure out how to inspect it so you can catch stuff before it becomes a problem.

I made a number of long trips in 340As when I worked for Cessna. Got spoiled by pressurization, liked it a lot. Insurance will probably require annual training. The airplane handles well, but I sometimes felt that it would run out from under me if I hadn't flown one in a while.

Gear system is dependable, but the person maintaining it has to do it by the book. You cannot rig just one leg of the gear - you have to start in the middle and work progressively outward. Good news is that the Service Manual has clear instructions on how to do it. Bad news is that it takes two people eight hours to rig it.

You might look at the 414A (no tip tanks, hydraulic gear). Slightly larger cabin and 400-series handling, which is lovely.

[Dave Siciliano]

Thanks Rick. Always nice to hear from folks with time in them. CPA says it's $100 an hour more to fly the 414 and another $100 to fly the 421. I'm trying to retire . 340 will fit in a more reasonable hangar here. As always, there's so much variability in these older birds. Some folks have had great experiences and some tell horror stories as to maintenance. 40 plus year old birds now. Lots of upgrades, etc. I'm looking for Keith air, decent avionics, at least mid time engines, AP upgrade from the 400B and long range fuel. There's one here that has most of that but interior and hot plate need replacement. The market seems a bit funny now. This bird has been on the market over six months, so we're telling the seller the price needs to come down some and those fixes need to be done to sell the plane. We'll see. It's 4.5 inches wider than my old P-Baron and almost the same engines. Some of the guys flying them say it's a 20/20/20 plane. 200PPH (30 gallons) at FL200 and 200 knots. Was that your experience.?

[Jeff Hartmann]

You might look at the 414A (no tip tanks, hydraulic gear). Slightly larger cabin and 400-series handling, which is lovely.

If I was looking at a Cessna 340 (and could afford it) I would buy a 414. I have a lot of time in 414s, with and without tip tanks. They both fly great, 400 series Cessnas are really stable. Without tip tanks there is a simpler fuel system... and the Looong nose give you much better baggage space. Cabin door and entry is easier in 400 series than the 340. I recall the tip tank version flying a little more "sporty" than the long wing, which flies more like a 421 (not a bad thing). I don't know why it would cost 100 more an hour than a 340... (?)
I have to admit, I love the deep throated rumbling thrum sound that the 421 makes, compared to the standard airplane roar of the 414.
Vortex generators and Ram engines are good additions to a 414.

Or... maybe a 425...

[Rick Durden]

Dave,

You might check with Brent Blue - used to be on Avsig - he's had two 340As and last I heard he was trying to sell the current one.

[Dave Siciliano]

Rick:I remember some of Brent's early posts but never met or kept contact with him. Do you have an email address? There's a fella on Beechtalk selling one too. Just getting info on that one. Thanks.

[Dave Siciliano]

Thanks Jeff. Fella here has a 414 he's offered to let me fly in with him but it's down for maintenance now. I have some 421 time. There's a lot to like there if one's not paying for the maintenance.

[Rick Durden]

brent at emergacare.com

[Dave Siciliano]

It's easy to just keep paying stuff when you're flying. Now that I've sold the plane, dropped the hangar lease etc., it's quite a bit different looking at getting back into plane ownership. Looks like a hangar will be $800 a month here. Insurance is doable around $550 a month. Initial and recurrent training, data cards and subscriptions, etc. etc. Then, about $300,000 for a plane I'd want and that's all before I fly.
So, I'm scratching my head about getting back into ownership. Weighing other options.

[Scott Dyer HPN/NY]

It's easy to just keep paying stuff when you're flying. Now that I've sold the plane, dropped the hangar lease etc., it's quite a bit different looking at getting back into plane ownership. Looks like a hangar will be $800 a month here. Insurance is doable around $550 a month. Initial and recurrent training, data cards and subscriptions, etc. etc. Then, about $300,000 for a plane I'd want and that's all before I fly.
So, I'm scratching my head about getting back into ownership. Weighing other options.

You're too good a pilot who enjoys it too much not to get back into something. Maybe it's not a cabin class twin, maybe it's a Cirrus. But something.

[Dave Siciliano]

Sigh, it does become part of one’s life. True enough.

[Dave Siciliano]

Meanwhile, I did make an offer on a nice plane but below ask. Seller seems flexible, but still a bit outside my budget. We’ll see.