The Boyds are an aviation family. John Boyd is an A&P and retired Boeing 737 captain from Alaska Airlines. John’s sons, Jason, 32, and Justin, 30, both hold instructor ratings and are planning aviation careers. Jason is also an A&P. The family also owns a Cessna 182 Skylane that it flies regularly. In summer 2017, John Boyd decided it was time to get something a little more comfortable for family travel, and something for the boys to build their multiengine time in.

“I chose the Twin Comanche because I flew one back in the 1980s, and I loved it,” says Boyd. It’s an efficient twin and faster than the 182.”

The ‘Before’

N7163Y rolled out of the factory in 1963. When the Boyds acquired it, the aircraft still had most of the original panel in the original layout—the instruments were scattered, as the classic six-pack arrangement we know did not become the norm for Piper Aircraft until the late 1960s.

The original instrument installation made the airplane difficult to fly sometimes, says Jason Boyd: “I flew an IFR approach at night with that old panel, and my scan was terrible! I vowed never to do it again.”

There were other surprises from the older technology: Activation of the vintage autopilot for the first (and only) time resulted in an “unexpected flight event,” and the Boyds decided “never to turn it on again.”

Shortly after acquiring the aircraft, they began an interior restoration, replacing the brown cloth seats and side panels with cool, gray leather. The interior project spanned several years because John Boyd was still flying the line, and the boys were working full time at a local flight school.

• READ MORE: All Flight Jackets Tell a Story

The panel was not strictly 1960s, says Boyd, as it sported a 1980s-era BendixKing KNS 80 nav unit, which they replaced with a Garmin GNS 530 and flew it like that for a while, getting used to the airplane. If they ever had a question about systems or aircraft quirks, Boyd reached out to Webco Aircraft, the Comanche specialists, located in Newton, Kansas.

“They’ve seen everything,” says Boyd.

Planning for the panel upgrade was meticulous. They went through the aircraft system by system to determine what they wanted to keep and what would be replaced.

Some of the engine instruments or their components were no longer available. They learned that some of the avionics and instrument manufacturers were out of business. Other times, the cost of repair to the often 50-plus-year-old technology made them balk.

There was also the question of instrument reliability.

“The mechanical tachometers were off,” says Jason Boyd. “It made it difficult to sync up the propellers. If you tried to do it with the levers, they would be way off.”

“Finally, the last straw was the erroneous reading on the fuel gauges,” says John Boyd, noting that while no pilot truly trusts their fuel gauges, there is technology available that makes them more reliable, and therefore safer than they used to be, so the pilot has a better idea of how much time they have in the tanks.

Instrument Selection

The decision was made to remove all the analog instruments and replace them with digital. But there is so much out there to choose from, they spent several months shopping and eventually decided to delay, as they waited for Garmin to certify the GFC 500 3-axis autopilot.

“We knew they were working on it, and it was close,” says John Boyd. “I wanted them to certify it before I pulled the trigger. I even offered my airplane as a testbed, but Garmin said no thank you, we already have an airplane.”

• READ MORE: Be Safe But Authentic with Your New Old Panel

Jason Boyd, the family techno-geek, supplied a list of the new instruments, noting his favorite item is the autopilot. “The fact I can pull an engine back in cruise and have the yaw damper hold the airplane straight and level and continue on course is, in my opinion, the ultimate in safety,” he says. “The technology makes this an airplane you can fly single-pilot IFR day or night, as long as you are ahead of the programming.”

The aircraft now sports touch screen panels, top-of-the-line nav/coms, engine monitoring systems, and backup instruments to help a pilot maintain situational awareness even if they are task saturated.

All this glass meant an overhaul of the electrical system was needed, says Boyd.

“When we first got the airplane, it had alternators with old internav voltage regulators,” Jason says. “The old over-voltage regulator was a problem, so we swapped them out for Hartzell Plane Power R1224 regulators. Now the airplane has paralleling alternators.”

Says John: “Everything was chosen for safety. I wanted redundancy and reliability.”

It wasn’t just on the inside. The exterior lighting was also upgraded. One of the first items to be replaced was the 1960s-era tail beacon, which was swapped for a Whelen beacon and Orion navs and strobes that are synced when activated.

“The shell of the rotating beacon is original to keep the aesthetic look of 1963, but the internals are updated to the Whelen/Orion LED Beacon,” says Jason.

Makeover Prep

The combination of a busy avionics shop and global supply chain challenges made for an interesting experience.

“We had to wait our turn at the shop,” says John. “We got on the waiting list at Spencer Aircraft in September of 2022.”

“And it was nearly a year before we got in,” notes Jason, adding that they spent that downtime in their hangar at Pierce County Airport-Thun Field (KPLU) not far away from Spencer preparing the twin for the new digital devices by removing the old mechanical instruments. Doing the removal themselves saved money and, according to John, made for a cleaner installation because they took out all of the unnecessary lines and wiring.

“Sometimes avionics shops simply cut the lines or wires to the old instruments and leave them there to save time,” John explains. “We had the time, so we figured why not?”

Says Jason: “I think we removed about 30 pounds from the aircraft.”

When parts arrived, the PA-30 returned to the shop. When there was a parts delay, the airplane would move back to the Boyds’ hangar. This process continued for several months.

Time to Test Fly

The aircraft was back together by October, and John and Jason took it up for flight tests. There were no surprises, they note. “But it did require a few tweaks,” says Jason.

John points out that they are making adjustments to establish a baseline for operations, such as engine temperatures, so they don’t get erroneous warnings.

“Pretty much the only thing that will keep us on the ground now is icing,” he says.

Flying the aircraft is a different experience now, says Justin Boyd, who shortly after the family purchased the airplane flew it to Iowa with his father and found it labor intensive.

“It’s almost like a different airplane,” Justin says. “The modern Garmin displays and autopilot make it a night-and-day difference from what it was.”

The senior Boyd figures they spent about $80,000 on the panel upgrade, but there is still one more element: the Beth test. Beth Boyd is John’s wife and the boys’ mother. It was because of Beth that John insisted that the aircraft be equipped with Garmin Smart Glide.

With the mere press of a button, the avionics return the wings to level flight, and the aircraft goes into a controlled descent on autopilot. This allows the pilot more time to focus on troubleshooting whatever issue there may be—a big win for safety and peace of mind.

Everything the Boyds Added to Their Panel

• G500 NXi GDU

• 1060 PFD/MFD

• G500 NXi GDU with 700L EIS

• GDL 69A SiriusXM satellite weather, music

• GTN 650 Xi GPS/nav/com 1

• GMA 345 Bluetooth audio panel

• GTX 345 transponder with dedicated ADS-B In and Out

• GNC 255A nav/com 2

• GI 275 backup electronic instrument

• Garmin GFC 500 autopilot

• GMC 507 control head

• GSA 28 Roll

• GSA 28 Pitch

• GSA 28 Pitch Trim

• GSA 28 Yaw

• Falcon angle-of-attack indicator

• DSTR-AOA-9200K with heads-up display

This column first appeared in the December 2023/Issue 944 of FLYING’s print edition.

The post Going with Glass: The Mother of All Panel Upgrades appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

According to MT-Propeller, STC SA04587CH covers the installation of the Goodrich Electric Propeller de-ice boots on Piper PA-30/PA-39s equipped with MT-Propeller MTV-12-C-C-F/CF(L)180-57. The company notes the de-ice boots must be installed in accordance with STC SA03563NY.

According to MT-Propeller, the MTV-12 MT-Propeller with the de-ice Boots provides numerous advantages:

• If the aircraft encounters unexpected icing conditions, it will have unchanged performance from the propellers and less unbalance is expected.
• Best vibration damping characteristics for almost vibration free propeller operations.
• Bonded on a stainless steel leading edge for best erosion protection of the blades.
• Enhanced take-off performance by approximately 15 percent (maximum takeoff weight at sea level on a standard day).
• Enhanced single-engine climb performance by approximately 10 percent ( maximum takeoff weight at sea level on a standard day).
• Enhanced cruise performance by two to three kts (maximum takeoff weight at sea level on a standard day)  
• Unlimited blade life: FOD repairable blades.
• Significant inside and outside noise reductions.

About the Company

MT-Propellers can be used on aircraft with piston engines and propeller turbines, as well as on airships, wind tunnels, and hovercraft. The company, which claims to be the leading natural composite propeller manufacturer, notes MT-Propellers can be developed for nearly every aircraft type, from motor gliders to regional airliners.

MT-Propellers has a factory-certified network of 62 service centers providing service and maintenance all over the world. 

The company offers 30 certified propeller models ranging from two-blade to seven-blade hydraulically-controlled, variable pitch propellers for engines producing up to 5,000 hp, and two-blade to four-blade electrically-controlled variable pitch propellers for engines producing up to 350 hp, as well as two-blade fixed pitch propellers. In addition to providing significant noise reduction, they have no life limitation and are repairable in case of damage from foreign object debris (FOD). MT-Propellers also provide the best vibration-damping characteristics for almost vibration-free propeller operation, and have bonded-on nickel alloy leading edges for superior erosion protection of the blades.

The company holds over 220 STCs worldwide and is an OEM supplier for more than 90 percent of the European aircraft industry, as well as 30 percent of the U.S. aircraft industry. The company has more than 28,000 propeller systems with more than 90,000 blades in service.

The post MT-Propeller Adds De-Ice Boots for Twin Comanche appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

For much of the time since, Stateler has been a part-time fly-in community resident alongside his wife, Chan, son, Logan, and their dog, Joey. At present, the family splits their time between a typical subdivision residence in Fort Worth, Texas, and a runway-adjacent home at Lost Mine Airpark (MO56) in Theodosia, Missouri.

Their choosing of this airpark over others in the country was the byproduct of a simple flight planning calculation, as well as an initial bout of hangar home heartbreak. 

“It’s a good story. I grew up in Pennsylvania on a windy lake in a mountain environment and kind of wanted to reproduce that with our child, who at the time was 1 [year old]. So, I took a sectional chart and made a two-hour circle around it,” Stateler recalled. 

“Then I said to myself, ‘Where in two hours can I find mountains, as well as a clear water lake that had airpark abilities.’” 

Out toward the upper portion of this range circle, the Missouri Ozarks were an option that Stateler thought could satisfy his wishes. After some searching, the couple found a property that they felt would be perfect. 

“We had originally bought a lot at an airpark that was in development on western Bull Shoals Lake. When we bought into that in 2007, they had dirt movers out, [and] had plowed a 5,000-foot area to build a runway and a fully plotted-out airpark.”

Stateler noted that the runway was never finished, and the airpark’s marketed vision never came to fruition. As a result, the family was flying their airplane into Branson and then driving an hour to get to their on-property cabin. “This was not the plan,” he added, recalling that they did the flight and driving combination for several years. 

Despite his initial airpark choice being a flop, Stateler wasn’t deterred from living alongside his aircraft. Fortunately, he was already familiar with a more than suitable backup option in the area. 

“You know, in 2007, I had also met with the president of the Lost Mine Airpark HOA and flew out there. It seemed good but we were being told a whole bunch of stuff about this new airpark, how much better it was going to be and we kind of bought off on it. And we regret that. During our seven years at the other place, Lost Mine was always in the back of my mind.” 

Since deciding to make the move to Lost Mine Airpark, Stateler has invested a lot of effort in the community’s continued success. He is now president of the HOA and owns several lots that he purchased from “the airpark matriarch,” Mary Newton, when she decided to move on from the community. Newton’s late husband, Grant Finley, was an initial driving force behind the community, which at the time was called the Ozark Country Estates. 

An original brochure (circa 1970s) from the development touted the ability for pilots and others to “get away from it all.” The ability to relax and take life a little slower has been attractive for Stateler and something that initially caught his attention about the community. 

The aforementioned four-page pamphlet for the residential airpark began by noting, “The day is bathed in sunlight filtered through a leafy screen that seems to always be kept in motion by delightful refreshing breezes. The lake is so clear and blue that you doubt at first that it can be real. Thousands of delightful caves await your exploration. The air is so free of pollution that the night sky sparkles with the light from a thousand stars that appear but an arm’s reach away. A home nestled in the quiet woods of these gently rolling Ozark hills can bring to you and your family a remarkable new ‘way of life’ whether for vacations or retirement.”

The name Lost Mine reportedly comes from a mining lease in the area that operated the majority of the 20th century. But there was no record of its owner on file. 

That said, “lost” isn’t such an uncommon phrase in the area, with little known residential treasures nestled along the lake’s hundreds of miles of shoreline and in its wooded areas.

“It’s a great place to be, but you got to want to be there. You’re not going to luck across it or come across it by accident. I kind of did, but through the sectional chart. But you’re not going to drive by it on accident or anything like that. You kind of have to know that it’s there and want to be remote,” Stateler said. 

With Lost Mine Airpark being on Bull Shoals Lake, ease of access to water sports of several kinds is a draw for many residents of the area. 

“I’m not sure where the term Caribbean of the Midwest started, but it has to do with the water here that is so clear. The lake that Lost Mine is on is the last in a chain of four lakes, so water starts in the White River and then goes into Beaver Lake. Then it goes into Table Rock, Taneycomo, and then it goes into Bull Shoals. It gets filtered so much through all of these lakes that Bull Shoals is a super clear water lake. There is a lot of diving there and some places to get certified,” Stateler explained. 

While the corporate pilot’s airpark experience changed course from his initial heading, Lost Mine has become more than a second place of residence. 

“We really fell in love with the area and the locals there. It’s different from one side of the lake to the other. It’s just a completely different class of people who are really friendly and everyone in the neighborhood has always been willing to help out with our transition. I have another ten years flying [for work] yet, but we are planning retirement at Lost Mine. There is a great group of folks, and we love it there.”

Stateler continued, noting that with his job’s schedule and an aircraft ownership transition it may not be until this fall that he flies back to the community, “We’ve been there for five years now and until a few weeks ago, until I sold it, the Twin Comanche has been our primary transport to the airpark. The market is hot right now and I had bought a Seneca last year to redo completely with a new interior and new avionics. I’m currently working on that now with my IA, but it’s a way bigger project than I had envisioned. But I wanted to get out of the Comanche in a high market.”

With an initial hangar home heartbreak, Stateler’s perseverance enabled him to experience the fruits of airpark living, albeit on a part-time basis. As a byproduct, he and his family may experience what original marketing materials for Old Country Estates touted, “When people come to Lost Mine, they come to stay.” 

The post Mountain and Lake Airpark Provides Residential Treasures appeared first on FLYING Magazine.