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rsrandazzo(at)precisionma
Guest

Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 10:55 pm Post subject: Introduction

Fellow Commanders-



I have just joined this list after a recommendation from Twin Commander

Corp.  I don't know what the local customs are- so  I thought I'd at least

introduce myself!



I have had MSN 12021, a 1973 685 series Commander (N414C) for slightly more

than a year.  The airplane is currently based in western Nevada at

Reno-Stead Airport (4SD) and will be in use for a range of business and

private missions.



Although we brought this magnificent airplane here last April, I've only

managed to acquire about 40hrs of time in up to today, as it has spent

almost the entire year in a significant maintenance refit.



At the time we purchased the bird, it was clear that it was going to need

some TLC to get it back up to the level of mechanical integrity that I

demand from an airplane-  we found some things buried in the engine

compartments that hinted of some non standard maintenance practices (nylocks

holding the turbo casings in place and safety wire holding the heat shields

to their mounts... (!?!)) but overall the airplane is a fantastic specimen

completely free of corrosion and some of the wear and tear you'd expect on a

32 year old bird.



The right engine was exhibiting some signs of stress- but gave only a few

hints to it's illness in spite of a significant maintenance inspection.

During a test flight in August the engine suffered an uncontained failure

that put the final exclamation point on my concerns about it's health. (to

say the least!)  I had the good fortune of gaining some live single engine

experience with the airplane on a clear, windless day while at 16,500' and

directly over the top of my home field....  It doesn't get much better than

that!



Upon removal and inspection- it appears that the engine builder elected to

use a silicone sealant inside the engine case.  The sealant came free in

globs and clogged the oil system- causing a complete meltdown in mere

seconds.  Fortunately the left engine came from a different and (we think)

more reputable engine shop!



I've flown a number of turbine/turboprop/large piston twins-  and I will

swear to the fact that the Commander is the finest flying twin I've ever

driven with an engine shut down.  Absolutely predictable, stable and well

mannered.  If any of you have never had the opportunity to fly your airplane

single engine down to a landing (I hope you never do) you can rest assured

that if you keep your wits about you and plan your landing thoughtfully -

your airplane will look after you.



We've just received the new engine that is to be hung on N414C-  along with

two overhauled props.  We've just finished replacing every hose on the

airplane (some dated to date of manufacture...oops...that slipped through

the pre-buy...) and have gutted the entire avionics package to make room for

modern technology.



N414C is expected to fly again in late May/early June with a full new

cockpit setup that is built around a two screen Chelton Flight Systems

Synthetic Vision package.  Since we were gutting, we're also installing two

Garmin SL30 Nav/Coms, a full set of electric backup 2 inch

Attitude/Altimeter/Nav gauges, and a PS audio control panel.  This cockpit

layout will be a bit unique in that we are putting the navcoms/audio panel

into a center console along with the color radar unit in order to open up

panel space and arrange things more cleanly for pilot use.



We are also adding a Gemini engine monitoring package to the airplane in

order to try and extend engine life as much as possible- and possibly see

any further engine aberrations before the pieces fly out of the cowling...



We are working closely with the great folks at Chelton who are expanding the

STC list for their AP-3C autopilot to include the 685 series commanders

specifically so that we can install the unit on this airplane.  We'll likely

have to fly the airplane to Idaho upon completion so that they can

demonstrate the installation to their FISDO in order to complete the STC

approval- but we felt that this was a small price to pay for the improvement

in safety and functionality that would come with the new system.  (Aside

from which, when the good old M4 stopped working- it was going to cost as

much to repair is it would to install the new Chelton autopilot....)



No decision on overhauling the cabin or repainting the exterior- but I'm

sure these will come in due time.  Looking forward to getting this grand old

bird flying again in fantastic new style.



For those interested-  we estimate that approximately 300lbs of weight will

be shed from the airplane before this overhaul is finished....



My only wish for the airplane is that sometime soon- all of us 680/685

owners can get access to an engine that is more dependable than the

GTSIO-520-Ks....   I really haven't had much chance to work with these

engines- but from what I've read they can be a temperamental lot if not

cared for precisely in flight.  I'm comfortable with the process- but it

would be nice to have an alternative....



At any rate- that's a long winded introduction- but I'm a great fan of

Commander aircraft- and I'm looking forward to expanding my fund of

knowledge with all of you folks-  and hopefully meeting you all one day at a

gathering!



Robert Randazzo

cschuerm(at)cox.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 2:32 am Post subject: Introduction

Robert S. Randazzo wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   I don't know what the local customs are- so  I thought I'd at least

 introduce myself!


	


Welcome Robert.  Congrats on the acquisition of "Charlie" - she's a fine 

bird!

If you can manage to wade through the 'noise' that has been archived 

from this list, you'll likely find that almost every topic related to 

Commanders has been discussed over the ages.  Lots of great info there, 

but feel free to give up trying to find it and just ask questions 

There are a couple of true guru's that hang around here and the tribal 

knowledge is pretty extensive.

Sorry to hear about your engine trauma.  Those K motors are pressed to 

the limit and do have a history of breaking in exciting ways that result 

in parts becoming located in different locations than specified by the 

manufacturer.  There have been some attempts to re-engine the 685, but 

it doesn't appear that there are any options available at this time. 

Sure would be nice if shops would quit using RTV (and my personal pet 

peeve - teflon tape) on airplanes.

Sure hope you'll share info and pictures of your new panel - that's an 

exciting upgrade and I'm sure you'll love the results!

I'll email you a couple of pictures of your bird off-list that I think 

you'll enjoy.  (list does not accept email attachments).



cheers,

Chris Schuermann



DO NOT ARCHIVE

n395v

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 450

Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 4:24 am Post subject: Re: Introduction

Robert,

I owned N414C for about 2 years prior to the sorry SOBs you purchased it from. Had it in pretty pristine condition when I sold it. I hate that my baby was mistreated. I too have several photos I will send you off list.



Wing Commander Gordon (a list participant) who I am sure will pipe in has many hours flying N414C when she was only in her 20s.



You have purchased a fine basic airframe and if you cruise the logs you will find many SBs were performed in preparation for a 135 operation. You will not find many 685s with these mods.



I also suggest you have a knowledgable Twin Commander Mech. Go through the logs and over the plane with a fine tooth comb for other non standard items or deferred maint.



When I sold 414C part of the deal was a trade on a Cessna 414 owned by none other than those who sold you N414C. I had it thouroughly inspected and was prepared for what I had to deal with. I have absolutely no kind words for the folks you bought the plane from..



Enjoy 414C it is a dream to travel in.





Milt

_________________
Milt

CloudCraft(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 8:01 am Post subject: Introduction

In a message dated 10-Apr-06 23:56:14 Pacific Daylight Time, 

rsrandazzo(at)precisionmanuals.com writes:

My only wish for the airplane is that sometime soon- all of us 680/685

owners can get access to an engine that is more dependable than the

GTSIO-520-Ks.... 

<><><><><><><><>



Welcome, Robert!



It's nice to know where N414C went and that her future is in good hands.  

I've been worried about her since she left Milt's stewardship.



I few N414C back in 1997-98.  At that time it was owned by Dick MacCoon (MR 

RPM) and was targeted to be the conformity airplane for the Orenda engine 

project.  MR. RPM leased the airplane to McKinley Communications, the prior "host" 

of the Twin Commander Flight Group and I was brought on full time to fly her 

and run the Flight Group.



The AC-685 is a wonderful airplane; Turbo Commander systems (geeezzzz that's 

a lot of Av Gas!, Known Ice and bleed air pressurization) and eerily quiet on 

the inside.



The AC-685 was a stroke of marketing genius (opinions vary) in Rockwell's 

attempt to have a product between the Shrike and the Turbo Commander.  The 

GTSIO-520s that produce 385 hp on the Cessna 421 were pressed into service on an 

airframe that was used to 717 shp per side.



In order to get some performance, the GTSIO-520-Ks are pushed to 425 hp in 

the AC-685 installation and that's a lot of power to extract from 520 cubic 

inches.  



An alternative engine for this and the "bathtub" nacelle Commanders is a 

recurring dream shared by lots of guys on this list.  We get our hopes up with 

talk of some kind of diesel powered rotary liquid cooled turbocompound perpetual 

motion limitless TBO shoebox-sized powerplant from the cover of Popular 

Science about every two years.



Uh huh.



Meanwhile, there is a place either in Heaven or the State Mental Hospital for 

people like you who upgrade the avionics and care for the airframes of the 

Aero Commanders.  Keep up the good work!



Wing Commander Gordon



PS: aside from holding the GTSIO-520 together, finding the Adell clamps that 

connects the exhaust to the turbocharger outlet is going to be one of your 

favorite Easter Egg Hunts.   Also the -520-K is NOT the same engine as what's on 

the Cessna 421, so don't expect an ace 421 shop to know anything about your 

engine set-up (especially the fuel controlls).   DO bring Morris Kernick up to 

Stead to train your local A&P if you have one.

Life is not simple anywhere. Probably less so elsewhere.

n395v

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 450

Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 8:32 am Post subject: Re: Introduction

 	  Quote: 	
		  PS: aside from holding the GTSIO-520 together, finding the Adell clamps that 

connects the exhaust to the turbocharger outlet is going to be one of your 

favorite Easter Egg Hunts. Also the -520-K is NOT the same engine as what's on 

the Cessna 421, so don't expect an ace 421 shop to know anything about your 

engine set-up (especially the fuel controlls). 	




Engrave the above quote on the aircraft data plate.

Personally inspect the exhaust system before every flight including feeling the areas of the exhaust system that you cannot see for holes and cracks, check all the hardware for tightness frequently.



Also at least every 100 hrs check cylinder head bolt torque.



If the prior owners re engined the airplane or replaced the motor mounts or if you plan on doing so check to see if they areb placed by part number to the drawing. If they are check for engine droop. There should be a little when setting on the ramp. If there isn't consider reversing them so you get a small amount of droop.



Under power the engines rotate up slightly and this stresses the turbo charger inlet system causing cracks and separation as it does to the turbo to exhaust connection causing cracks. These hot gasses inside the nacelle ain't good. I had to terminate 3 flights due to the induction system separating and cancelled 2 trips due to cracked exhaust stacks and burnt components in the nacelle. The folks who bought the plane from me blew a jug out the side most likely due to a loose bolt and had to put down due to an engine fire another time due to ?????



Several of the 1st 685s crashed due to engine fires.

IMHO the positioning of the lord mounts on the factory spec drawings are the reverse of what they should be.

Also ALWAYS personally check that the fuel caps are tightened after every re fuel. Line personell do it incorrectly 80% of the time and the damn caps are $400 each. Do not attempt to solve the problem by re installing the fuel cap chains. TThey invariably get into the anti siphon flap and hold it open resulting in fuel starvation.

_________________
Milt

Skyhawkc-172

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 84

Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:57 am Post subject: Introduction

Robert,

Word of caution...when aquiring our commander we searched the aerocommander.com list and were diverted to a man named Morris Kernick for a pre-buy inspection.  We don't like to name names, but find it somewhat appropriate being there have been at least one member on this board that is beyond the normal realm of just being upset about his dealings with Morris and ending up with smoked engines and the like.  There are also at least one NTSB listing of a nasty firy Commander downing with relation to Morris.  I shyed away from him once I found this info and the NTSB findings.  Our little way of shedding a little truth to this otherwise non-perfect world...take it like a grain of salt.



 We wish you well and are excited to here more on your beautiful bird.



Take care...

twincommanderflyer.com



This is what we found prior to our pre-buy with Morris on a Google search useing Morris Kernicks name.

Office of Inspector GeneralAbout|Contact|Home|Jobs|Privacy





Title:Mechanic Placed on Probation for Lying About Aircraft Inspection

Date:November, 19 2001

Type:Investigation

Summary:Melvin Morris Kernick, of Oakland, CA, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Oakland, CA for falsely certifying that maintenance he had done on a private plane was reviewed by a certified inspector. Kernick pleaded guilty August 13 to charges of falsely representing that an annual inspection had been performed on a privately owned Aerocommander aircraft, located in Danbury, CT, by signing the name of an FAA certified inspector in the planes logbook. He was sentenced to 3 years supervised probation and ordered to pay $5,870 in restitution.

Related Information: OIG 



-------------- Original message -------------- 

From: "Robert S. Randazzo" <rsrandazzo(at)precisionmanuals.com> 



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 

 

 Fellow Commanders- 

 

 I have just joined this list after a recommendation from Twin Commander 

 Corp. I don't know what the local customs are- so I thought I'd at least 

 introduce myself! 

 

 I have had MSN 12021, a 1973 685 series Commander (N414C) for slightly more 

 than a year. The airplane is currently based in western Nevada at 

 Reno-Stead Airport (4SD) and will be in use for a range of business and 

 private missions. 

 

 Although we brought this magnificent airplane here last April, I've only 

 managed to acquire about 40hrs of time in up to today, as it has spent 

 almost the entire year in a significant maintenance refit. 

 

 At the time we purchased the bird, it was clear that it was going to need 

 some TLC to get it back up to the level of mechanical integrity that I 

 demand from an airplane- we found some things buried in the engine 

 compartments that hinted of some non standard maintenance practices (nylocks 

 holding the turbo casings in place and safety wire holding the heat shields 

 to their mounts... (!?!)) but overall the airplane is a fantastic specimen 

 completely free of corrosion and some of the wear and tear you'd expect on a 

 32 year old bird. 

 

 The right engine was exhibiting some signs of stress- but gave only a few 

 hints to it's illness in spite of a significant maintenance inspection. 

 During a test flight in August the engine suffered an uncontained failure 

 that put the final exclamation point on my concerns about it's health. (to 

 say the least!) I had the good fortune of gaining some live single engine 

 experience with the airplane on a clear, windless day while at 16,500' and 

 directly over the top of my home field.... It doesn't get much better than 

 that! 

 

 Upon removal and inspection- it appears that the engine builder elected to 

 use a silicone sealant inside the engine case. The sealant came free in 

 globs and clogged the oil system- causing a complete meltdown in mere 

 seconds. Fortunately the left engine came from a different and (we think) 

 more reputable engine shop! 

 

 I've flown a number of turbine/turboprop/large piston twins- and I will 

 swear to the fact that the Commander is the finest flying twin I've ever 

 driven with an engine shut down. Absolutely predictable, stable and well 

 mannered. If any of you have never had the opportunity to fly your airplane 

 single engine down to a landing (I hope you never do) you can rest assured 

 that if you keep your wits about you and plan your landing thoughtfully - 

 your airplane will look after you. 

 

 We've just received the new engine that is to be hung on N414C- along with 

 two overhauled props. We've just finished replacing every hose on the 

 airplane (some dated to date of manufacture...oops...that slipped through 

 the pre-buy...) and have gutted the entire avionics package to make room for 

 modern technology. 

 

 N414C is expected to fly again in late May/early June with a full new 

 cockpit setup that is built around a two screen Chelton Flight Systems 

 Synthetic Vision package. Since we were gutting, we're also installing two 

 Garmin SL30 Nav/Coms, a full set of electric backup 2 inch 

 Attitude/Altimeter/Nav gauges, and a PS audio control panel. This cockpit 

 layout will be a bit unique in that we are putting the navcoms/audio panel 

 into a center console along with the color radar unit in order to open up 

 panel space and arrange things more cleanly for pilot use. 

 

 We are also adding a Gemini engine monitoring package to the airplane in 

 order to try and extend engine life as much as possible- and possibly see 

 any further engine aberrations before the pieces fly out of the cowling... 

 

 We are working closely with the great folks at Chelton who are expanding the 

 STC list for their AP-3C autopilot to include the 685 series commanders 

 specifically so that we can install the unit on this airplane. We'll likely 

 have to fly the airplane to Idaho upon completion so that they can 

 demonstrate the installation to their FISDO in order to complete the STC 

 approval- but we felt that this was a small price to pay for the improvement 

 in safety and functionality that would come with the new system. (Aside 

 from which, when the good old M4 stopped working- it was going to cost as 

 much to repair is it would to install the new Chelton autopilot....) 

 

 No decision on overhauling the cabin or repainting the exterior- but I'm 

 sure these will come in due time. Looking forward to getting this grand old 

 bird flying again in fantastic new style. 

 

 For those interested- we estimate that approximately 300lbs of weight will 

 be shed from the airplane before this overhaul is finished.... 

 

 My only wish for the airplane is that sometime soon- all of us 680/685 

 owners can get access to an engine that is more dependable than the 

 GTSIO-520-Ks.... I really haven't had much chance to work with these 

 engines- but from what I've read they can be a temperamental lot if not 

 cared for precisely in flight. I'm comfortable with the process- but it 

 would be nice to have an alternative.... 

 

 At any rate- that's a long winded introduction- but I'm a great fan of 

 Commander aircraft- and I'm looking forward to expanding my fund of 

 knowledge with all of you folks- and hopefully meeting you all one day at a 

 gathering! 

 

 Robert Randazzo 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	


Robert,

Word of caution...when aquiring our commander we searched the aerocommander.comlist and were diverted to a man named Morris Kernick for a pre-buy inspection. We don't like to name names, but find it somewhat appropriate being there have been at least one member on this board that is beyond the normal realm of just being upset about his dealings with Morris and ending up with smoked engines and the like. There are also at least one NTSB listing of a nasty firy Commander downing with relation to Morris. I shyed away from him once I found this info and the NTSB findings. Our littleway of shedding a little truth to this otherwise non-perfect world...take it like a grain of salt.



<EM>We wish you well and are excited to here more on your beautiful bird.</EM>



Take care...

twincommanderflyer.com

This is what we found prior to our pre-buy with Morris on a Google search useing Morris Kernicks name.



<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" summary="" background=/images/button_table_bg.gif border=0>

<IMG alt="DOT Logo" src="http://www.oig.dot.gov/images/dot.gif">

Office of Inspector General





<IMG alt="" src="http://www.oig.dot.gov/images/button_table_bg.gif">



About



|



Contact



|



Home



|

<NOBR>

Jobs</NOBR>



|



Privacy





Title:

Mechanic Placed on Probation for Lying About Aircraft Inspection



Date:

November, 19 2001



Type:

Investigation



Summary:

Melvin Morris Kernick, of Oakland, CA, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Oakland, CA for falsely certifying that maintenance he had done on a private plane was reviewed by a certified inspector. Kernick pleaded guilty August 13 to charges of falsely representing that an annual inspection had been performed on a privately owned Aerocommander aircraft, located in Danbury, CT, by signing the name of an FAA certified inspector in the planes logbook. He was sentenced to 3 years supervised probation and ordered to pay $5,870 in restitution.



<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" summary="" background=/images/button_table_bg2.gif border=0>

Related Information: OIG 

-------------- Original message -------------- 

From: "Robert S. Randazzo" rsrandazzo(at)precisionmanuals.com 



 -- Commander-List message posted by: "Robert S. Randazzo" 

 <RSRANDAZZO(at)PRECISIONMANUALS.COM>

 

 Fellow Commanders- 

 

 I have just joined this list after a recommendation from Twin Commander 

 Corp. I don't know what the local customs are- so I thought I'd at least 

 introduce myself! 

 

 I have had MSN 12021, a 1973 685 series Commander (N414C) for slightly more 

 than a year. The airplane is currently based in western Nevada at 

 Reno-Stead Airport (4SD) and will be in use for a range of business and 

 private missions. 

 

 Although we brought this magnificent airplane here last April, I've only 

 managed to acquire about 40hrs of time in up to today,

  as it has spent 

 almost the entire year in a significant maintenance refit. 

 

 At the time we purchased the bird, it was clear that it was going to need 

 some TLC to get it back up to the level of mechanical integrity that I 

 demand from an airplane- we found some things buried in the engine 

 compartments that hinted of some non standard maintenance practices (nylocks 

 holding the turbo casings in place and safety wire holding the heat shields 

 to their mounts... (!?!)) but overall the airplane is a fantastic specimen 

 completely free of corrosion and some of the wear and tear you'd expect on a 

 32 year old bird. 

 

 The right engine was exhibiting some signs of stress- but gave only a few 

 hints to it's illness in spite of a significant maintenance inspection. 

 During a test flight in August the engine suffered an uncontained failure 

 that put the final excl

 amation point on my concerns about it's health. (to 

 say the least!) I had the good fortune of gaining some live single engine 

 experience with the airplane on a clear, windless day while at 16,500' and 

 directly over the top of my home field.... It doesn't get much better than 

 that! 

 

 Upon removal and inspection- it appears that the engine builder elected to 

 use a silicone sealant inside the engine case. The sealant came free in 

 globs and clogged the oil system- causing a complete meltdown in mere 

 seconds. Fortunately the left engine came from a different and (we think) 

 more reputable engine shop! 

 

 I've flown a number of turbine/turboprop/large piston twins- and I will 

 swear to the fact that the Commander is the finest flying twin I've ever 

 driven with an engine shut down. Absolutely predictable, stable and well 

 mannered. If any of you have never 

 had the opportunity to fly your airplane 

 single engine down to a landing (I hope you never do) you can rest assured 

 that if you keep your wits about you and plan your landing thoughtfully - 

 your airplane will look after you. 

 

 We've just received the new engine that is to be hung on N414C- along with 

 two overhauled props. We've just finished replacing every hose on the 

 airplane (some dated to date of manufacture...oops...that slipped through 

 the pre-buy...) and have gutted the entire avionics package to make room for 

 modern technology. 

 

 N414C is expected to fly again in late May/early June with a full new 

 cockpit setup that is built around a two screen Chelton Flight Systems 

 Synthetic Vision package. Since we were gutting, we're also installing two 

 Garmin SL30 Nav/Coms, a full set of electric backup 2 inch 

 Attitude/Altimeter/Nav gauges, and a PS

  audio control panel. This cockpit 

 layout will be a bit unique in that we are putting the navcoms/audio panel 

 into a center console along with the color radar unit in order to open up 

 panel space and arrange things more cleanly for pilot use. 

 

 We are also adding a Gemini engine monitoring package to the airplane in 

 order to try and extend engine life as much as possible- and possibly see 

 any further engine aberrations before the pieces fly out of the cowling... 

 

 We are working closely with the great folks at Chelton who are expanding the 

 STC list for their AP-3C autopilot to include the 685 series commanders 

 specifically so that we can install the unit on this airplane. We'll likely 

 have to fly the airplane to Idaho upon completion so that they can 

 demonstrate the installation to their FISDO in order to complete the STC 

 approval- but we felt that this w

 as a small price to pay for the improvement 

 in safety and functionality that would come with the new system. (Aside 

 from which, when the good old M4 stopped working- it was going to cost as 

 much to repair is it would to install the new Chelton autopilot....) 

 

 No decision on overhauling the cabin or repainting the exterior- but I'm 

 sure these will come in due time. Looking forward to getting this grand old 

 bird flying again in fantastic new style. 

 

 For those interested- we estimate that approximately 300lbs of weight will 

 be shed from the airplane before this overhaul is finished.... 

 

 My only wish for the airplane is that sometime soon- all of us 680/685 

 owners can get access to an engine that is more dependable than the 

 GTSIO-520-Ks.... I really haven't had much chance to work with these 

 engines- but from what I've read they can be a temperament

 al lot if not 

 cared for precisely in flight. I'm comfortable with the process- but it 

 would be nice to have an alternative.... 

 

 At any rate- that's a long winded introduction- but I'm a great fan of 

 Commander aircraft- and I'm looking forward to expanding my fund of 

 knowledge with all of you folks- and hopefully meeting you all one day at a 

 gathering! 

 

 Robert Randazzo 

 

 

 

 

 ===================

Skyhawkc-172

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 84

Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:05 am Post subject: Introduction

One last note...Harry Merrit listed on the AreoCommander site as avtec2(at)bellsouth.net is Morris Kernicks best friend.  Just thought you should have a little info prior to going in blind like us and others before us.



Good Luck and Happy skies...

-------------- Original message -------------- 

From: "Robert S. Randazzo" <rsrandazzo(at)precisionmanuals.com> 



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 

 

 Fellow Commanders- 

 

 I have just joined this list after a recommendation from Twin Commander 

 Corp. I don't know what the local customs are- so I thought I'd at least 

 introduce myself! 

 

 I have had MSN 12021, a 1973 685 series Commander (N414C) for slightly more 

 than a year. The airplane is currently based in western Nevada at 

 Reno-Stead Airport (4SD) and will be in use for a range of business and 

 private missions. 

 

 Although we brought this magnificent airplane here last April, I've only 

 managed to acquire about 40hrs of time in up to today, as it has spent 

 almost the entire year in a significant maintenance refit. 

 

 At the time we purchased the bird, it was clear that it was going to need 

 some TLC to get it back up to the level of mechanical integrity that I 

 demand from an airplane- we found some things buried in the engine 

 compartments that hinted of some non standard maintenance practices (nylocks 

 holding the turbo casings in place and safety wire holding the heat shields 

 to their mounts... (!?!)) but overall the airplane is a fantastic specimen 

 completely free of corrosion and some of the wear and tear you'd expect on a 

 32 year old bird. 

 

 The right engine was exhibiting some signs of stress- but gave only a few 

 hints to it's illness in spite of a significant maintenance inspection. 

 During a test flight in August the engine suffered an uncontained failure 

 that put the final exclamation point on my concerns about it's health. (to 

 say the least!) I had the good fortune of gaining some live single engine 

 experience with the airplane on a clear, windless day while at 16,500' and 

 directly over the top of my home field.... It doesn't get much better than 

 that! 

 

 Upon removal and inspection- it appears that the engine builder elected to 

 use a silicone sealant inside the engine case. The sealant came free in 

 globs and clogged the oil system- causing a complete meltdown in mere 

 seconds. Fortunately the left engine came from a different and (we think) 

 more reputable engine shop! 

 

 I've flown a number of turbine/turboprop/large piston twins- and I will 

 swear to the fact that the Commander is the finest flying twin I've ever 

 driven with an engine shut down. Absolutely predictable, stable and well 

 mannered. If any of you have never had the opportunity to fly your airplane 

 single engine down to a landing (I hope you never do) you can rest assured 

 that if you keep your wits about you and plan your landing thoughtfully - 

 your airplane will look after you. 

 

 We've just received the new engine that is to be hung on N414C- along with 

 two overhauled props. We've just finished replacing every hose on the 

 airplane (some dated to date of manufacture...oops...that slipped through 

 the pre-buy...) and have gutted the entire avionics package to make room for 

 modern technology. 

 

 N414C is expected to fly again in late May/early June with a full new 

 cockpit setup that is built around a two screen Chelton Flight Systems 

 Synthetic Vision package. Since we were gutting, we're also installing two 

 Garmin SL30 Nav/Coms, a full set of electric backup 2 inch 

 Attitude/Altimeter/Nav gauges, and a PS audio control panel. This cockpit 

 layout will be a bit unique in that we are putting the navcoms/audio panel 

 into a center console along with the color radar unit in order to open up 

 panel space and arrange things more cleanly for pilot use. 

 

 We are also adding a Gemini engine monitoring package to the airplane in 

 order to try and extend engine life as much as possible- and possibly see 

 any further engine aberrations before the pieces fly out of the cowling... 

 

 We are working closely with the great folks at Chelton who are expanding the 

 STC list for their AP-3C autopilot to include the 685 series commanders 

 specifically so that we can install the unit on this airplane. We'll likely 

 have to fly the airplane to Idaho upon completion so that they can 

 demonstrate the installation to their FISDO in order to complete the STC 

 approval- but we felt that this was a small price to pay for the improvement 

 in safety and functionality that would come with the new system. (Aside 

 from which, when the good old M4 stopped working- it was going to cost as 

 much to repair is it would to install the new Chelton autopilot....) 

 

 No decision on overhauling the cabin or repainting the exterior- but I'm 

 sure these will come in due time. Looking forward to getting this grand old 

 bird flying again in fantastic new style. 

 

 For those interested- we estimate that approximately 300lbs of weight will 

 be shed from the airplane before this overhaul is finished.... 

 

 My only wish for the airplane is that sometime soon- all of us 680/685 

 owners can get access to an engine that is more dependable than the 

 GTSIO-520-Ks.... I really haven't had much chance to work with these 

 engines- but from what I've read they can be a temperamental lot if not 

 cared for precisely in flight. I'm comfortable with the process- but it 

 would be nice to have an alternative.... 

 

 At any rate- that's a long winded introduction- but I'm a great fan of 

 Commander aircraft- and I'm looking forward to expanding my fund of 

 knowledge with all of you folks- and hopefully meeting you all one day at a 

 gathering! 

 

 Robert Randazzo 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	


One last note...Harry Merrit listed on the AreoCommander site as avtec2(at)bellsouth.net is Morris Kernicks best friend. Just thought you should have a little info prior to going in blind like us and others before us.



<EM>Good Luck and Happy skies...</EM>

-------------- Original message -------------- 

From: "Robert S. Randazzo" rsrandazzo(at)precisionmanuals.com 



 -- Commander-List message posted by: "Robert S. Randazzo" 

 <RSRANDAZZO(at)PRECISIONMANUALS.COM>

 

 Fellow Commanders- 

 

 I have just joined this list after a recommendation from Twin Commander 

 Corp. I don't know what the local customs are- so I thought I'd at least 

 introduce myself! 

 

 I have had MSN 12021, a 1973 685 series Commander (N414C) for slightly more 

 than a year. The airplane is currently based in western Nevada at 

 Reno-Stead Airport (4SD) and will be in use for a range of business and 

 private missions. 

 

 Although we brought this magnificent airplane here last April, I've only 

 managed to acquire about 40hrs of time in up to today,

  as it has spent 

 almost the entire year in a significant maintenance refit. 

 

 At the time we purchased the bird, it was clear that it was going to need 

 some TLC to get it back up to the level of mechanical integrity that I 

 demand from an airplane- we found some things buried in the engine 

 compartments that hinted of some non standard maintenance practices (nylocks 

 holding the turbo casings in place and safety wire holding the heat shields 

 to their mounts... (!?!)) but overall the airplane is a fantastic specimen 

 completely free of corrosion and some of the wear and tear you'd expect on a 

 32 year old bird. 

 

 The right engine was exhibiting some signs of stress- but gave only a few 

 hints to it's illness in spite of a significant maintenance inspection. 

 During a test flight in August the engine suffered an uncontained failure 

 that put the final excl

 amation point on my concerns about it's health. (to 

 say the least!) I had the good fortune of gaining some live single engine 

 experience with the airplane on a clear, windless day while at 16,500' and 

 directly over the top of my home field.... It doesn't get much better than 

 that! 

 

 Upon removal and inspection- it appears that the engine builder elected to 

 use a silicone sealant inside the engine case. The sealant came free in 

 globs and clogged the oil system- causing a complete meltdown in mere 

 seconds. Fortunately the left engine came from a different and (we think) 

 more reputable engine shop! 

 

 I've flown a number of turbine/turboprop/large piston twins- and I will 

 swear to the fact that the Commander is the finest flying twin I've ever 

 driven with an engine shut down. Absolutely predictable, stable and well 

 mannered. If any of you have never 

 had the opportunity to fly your airplane 

 single engine down to a landing (I hope you never do) you can rest assured 

 that if you keep your wits about you and plan your landing thoughtfully - 

 your airplane will look after you. 

 

 We've just received the new engine that is to be hung on N414C- along with 

 two overhauled props. We've just finished replacing every hose on the 

 airplane (some dated to date of manufacture...oops...that slipped through 

 the pre-buy...) and have gutted the entire avionics package to make room for 

 modern technology. 

 

 N414C is expected to fly again in late May/early June with a full new 

 cockpit setup that is built around a two screen Chelton Flight Systems 

 Synthetic Vision package. Since we were gutting, we're also installing two 

 Garmin SL30 Nav/Coms, a full set of electric backup 2 inch 

 Attitude/Altimeter/Nav gauges, and a PS

  audio control panel. This cockpit 

 layout will be a bit unique in that we are putting the navcoms/audio panel 

 into a center console along with the color radar unit in order to open up 

 panel space and arrange things more cleanly for pilot use. 

 

 We are also adding a Gemini engine monitoring package to the airplane in 

 order to try and extend engine life as much as possible- and possibly see 

 any further engine aberrations before the pieces fly out of the cowling... 

 

 We are working closely with the great folks at Chelton who are expanding the 

 STC list for their AP-3C autopilot to include the 685 series commanders 

 specifically so that we can install the unit on this airplane. We'll likely 

 have to fly the airplane to Idaho upon completion so that they can 

 demonstrate the installation to their FISDO in order to complete the STC 

 approval- but we felt that this w

 as a small price to pay for the improvement 

 in safety and functionality that would come with the new system. (Aside 

 from which, when the good old M4 stopped working- it was going to cost as 

 much to repair is it would to install the new Chelton autopilot....) 

 

 No decision on overhauling the cabin or repainting the exterior- but I'm 

 sure these will come in due time. Looking forward to getting this grand old 

 bird flying again in fantastic new style. 

 

 For those interested- we estimate that approximately 300lbs of weight will 

 be shed from the airplane before this overhaul is finished.... 

 

 My only wish for the airplane is that sometime soon- all of us 680/685 

 owners can get access to an engine that is more dependable than the 

 GTSIO-520-Ks.... I really haven't had much chance to work with these 

 engines- but from what I've read they can be a temperament

 al lot if not 

 cared for precisely in flight. I'm comfortable with the process- but it 

 would be nice to have an alternative.... 

 

 At any rate- that's a long winded introduction- but I'm a great fan of 

 Commander aircraft- and I'm looking forward to expanding my fund of 

 knowledge with all of you folks- and hopefully meeting you all one day at a 

 gathering! 

 

 Robert Randazzo 

 

 

 

 

 ===================

vinophile(at)yahoo.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:17 am Post subject: Introduction

Oh Boy, here we go again.  Tighten your belts and put

your helmet on...



--- skyhawkc-172(at)comcast.net wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 skyhawkc-172(at)comcast.net

 

 Robert,

 Word of caution...when aquiring our commander we

 searched the aerocommander.com list and were

 diverted to a man named Morris Kernick for a pre-buy

 inspection.  We don't like to name names, but find

 it somewhat appropriate being there have been at

 least one member on this board that is beyond the

 normal realm of just being upset about his dealings

 with Morris and ending up with smoked engines and

 the like.  There are also at least one NTSB listing

 of a nasty firy Commander downing with relation to

 Morris.  I shyed away from him once I found this

 info and the NTSB findings.  Our little way of

 shedding a little truth to this otherwise

 non-perfect world...take it like a grain of salt.

 

  We wish you well and are excited to here more on

 your beautiful bird.

 

 Take care...

 twincommanderflyer.com

 

 This is what we found prior to our pre-buy with

 Morris on a Google search useing Morris Kernicks

 name.

 Office of Inspector

 GeneralAbout|Contact|Home|Jobs|Privacy

 

 

 

 

 Title:Mechanic Placed on Probation for Lying About

 Aircraft Inspection

 Date:November, 19 2001

 Type:Investigation

 Summary:Melvin Morris Kernick, of Oakland, CA, was

 sentenced in U.S. District Court in Oakland, CA for

 falsely certifying that maintenance he had done on a

 private plane was reviewed by a certified inspector.

 Kernick pleaded guilty August 13 to charges of

 falsely representing that an annual inspection had

 been performed on a privately owned Aerocommander

 aircraft, located in Danbury, CT, by signing the

 name of an FAA certified inspector in the planes

 logbook. He was sentenced to 3 years supervised

 probation and ordered to pay $5,870 in restitution.

 

 

 Related Information: OIG 

 

 -------------- Original message -------------- 

 From: "Robert S. Randazzo"

 <rsrandazzo(at)precisionmanuals.com> 

 

 > 

 Randazzo" 

 > 

 > 

 > Fellow Commanders- 

 > 

 > I have just joined this list after a

 recommendation from Twin Commander 

 > Corp. I don't know what the local customs are- so

 I thought I'd at least 

 > introduce myself! 

 > 

 > I have had MSN 12021, a 1973 685 series Commander

 (N414C) for slightly more 

 > than a year. The airplane is currently based in

 western Nevada at 

 > Reno-Stead Airport (4SD) and will be in use for a

 range of business and 

 > private missions. 

 > 

 > Although we brought this magnificent airplane here

 last April, I've only 

 > managed to acquire about 40hrs of time in up to

 today, as it has spent 

 > almost the entire year in a significant

 maintenance refit. 

 > 

 > At the time we purchased the bird, it was clear

 that it was going to need 

 > some TLC to get it back up to the level of

 mechanical integrity that I 

 > demand from an airplane- we found some things

 buried in the engine 

 > compartments that hinted of some non standard

 maintenance practices (nylocks 

 > holding the turbo casings in place and safety wire

 holding the heat shields 

 > to their mounts... (!?!)) but overall the airplane

 is a fantastic specimen 

 > completely free of corrosion and some of the wear

 and tear you'd expect on a 

 > 32 year old bird. 

 > 

 > The right engine was exhibiting some signs of

 stress- but gave only a few 

 > hints to it's illness in spite of a significant

 maintenance inspection. 

 > During a test flight in August the engine suffered

 an uncontained failure 

 > that put the final exclamation point on my

 concerns about it's health. (to 

 > say the least!) I had the good fortune of gaining

 some live single engine 

 > experience with the airplane on a clear, windless

 day while at 16,500' and 

 > directly over the top of my home field.... It

 doesn't get much better than 

 > that! 

 > 

 > Upon removal and inspection- it appears that the

 engine builder elected to 

 > use a silicone sealant inside the engine case. The

 sealant came free in 

 > globs and clogged the oil system- causing a

 complete meltdown in mere 

 > seconds. Fortunately the left engine came from a

 different and (we think) 

 > more reputable engine shop! 

 > 

 > I've flown a number of turbine/turboprop/large

 piston twins- and I will 

 > swear to the fact that the Commander is the finest

 flying twin I've ever 

 > driven with an engine shut down. Absolutely

 predictable, stable and well 

 > mannered. If any of you have never had the

 opportunity to fly your airplane 

 > single engine down to a landing (I hope you never

 do) you can rest assured 

 > that if you keep your wits about you and plan your

 landing thoughtfully - 

 > your airplane will look after you. 

 > 

 > We've just received the new engine that is to be

 hung on N414C- along with 

 > two overhauled props. We've just finished

 replacing every hose on the 

 > airplane (some dated to date of

 manufacture...oops...that slipped through 

 > the pre-buy...) and have gutted the entire

 avionics package to make room for 

 > modern technology. 

 > 

 > N414C is expected to fly again in late May/early

 June with a full new 

 > cockpit setup that is built around a two screen

 Chelton Flight Systems 

 > Synthetic Vision package. Since we were gutting,

 we're also installing two 

 > Garmin SL30 Nav/Coms, a full set of electric

 backup 2 inch 

 > Attitude/Altimeter/Nav gauges, and a PS audio

 control panel. This cockpit 

 > layout will be a bit unique in that we are putting

 the navcoms/audio panel 

 > into a center console along with the color radar

 unit in order to open up 

 > panel space and arrange things more cleanly for

 pilot use. 

 > 

 > We are also adding a Gemini engine monitoring

 package to the airplane in 

 > order to try and extend engine life as much as

 possible- and possibly see 

 > any further engine aberrations before the pieces

 fly out of the cowling... 

 > 

 > We are working closely with the great folks at

 Chelton who are expanding the 

 > STC list for their AP-3C autopilot to include the

 685 series commanders 

 > specifically so that we can install the unit on

 this airplane. We'll likely 

 > have to fly the airplane to Idaho upon completion

 so that they can 

 > demonstrate the installation to their FISDO in

 order to complete the STC 

 > approval- but we felt that this was a small price

 to pay for the improvement 

 > in safety and functionality that would come with

 the new system. (Aside 

 > from which, when the good old M4 stopped working-

 it was going to cost as 

 > much to repair is it would to install the new

 Chelton autopilot....) 

 > 

 > No decision on overhauling the cabin or repainting

 the exterior- but I'm 

 > sure these will come in due time. Looking forward

 to getting this grand old 

 > bird flying again in fantastic new style. 

 > 

 > For those interested- we estimate that

 approximately 300lbs of weight will 

 

=== message truncated ===

john(at)vormbaum.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:34 am Post subject: Introduction

I am very familiar with the crash that happened many years ago; Morris was 

essentially threatened in order to force him to sign off & release the 

airplane to the owner, even after Morris declared it unsafe to fly. Morris 

specifically grounded the airplane, but the owner wouldn't listen. What 

would you expect to happen?



Nobody works on my airplane except Morris, and I've had NO issues in 7 years 

of flying my 500B that was ONLY maintained by Morris. There are only a 

couple of people left alive that know as much about these airplanes as 

Morris. I've seen many people burned on Commander purchases. People who get 

a pre-buy from Morris and LISTEN to him don't get burned.



There are two sides to every story. Morris can be grumpy, opinionated, 

occasionally rude and non-social, but is a wealth of knowledge. The only 

people who've dealt with him that have been burned, in my experience 

(granted, only 7 years' worth) are people who don't listen to his advice, or 

listen and then try to cut corners on maintenance.



Like dealing with doctors, you should always get a 2nd opinion. That's one 

of the reasons the list is here. But I think you'd be surprised how many of 

the highly praised Commander shops just call Morris when they come upon a 

difficult Commander problem.



/J

---

rsrandazzo(at)precisionma
Guest

Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 1:23 pm Post subject: Introduction

Milt-



Great stuff!  Your post makes me feel even better about owning N414C.  I

occasionally wonder if I've not slipped the main bus circuit breaker by

committing such a substantial investment to the rehabilitation of this old

girl- but I'm sure with some care, sound preventative maintenance and good

advice from all of you, I'll prove that my "hunch" here was a good one.



Funny you mention the yahoos I rescued her from.  My maintenance guys

(Aviation Classics here at 4SD) have mentioned a couple of dozen times that

N414C "was clearly very well cared for until a couple of years ago- and

she's been receiving lowest bidder maintenance since then."



Some of the things we found were downright illegal- but inexpensive to

correct.  Really makes you wonder why they didn't do it right the first

time- but I suppose that's what separates some owners from others.



I weighed for some time picking up a 685/680FLP or a 690- and eventually

settled on the 685 because I'd be able to acquire a decent quality airframe

and invest money to bring the avionics up to new standards- and still have a

nice chunk of change left over for care and feeding.  (Feeding is

important!)  With a 690, I'd have had to spend all my time sitting in the

cockpit making airplane noises and pretending to fly- since I wouldn't have

any bankroll left over for fuel and oil....HAHAHAHAH...



I've been gone through the logbooks in detail- I'm glad I have your old

airplane, Milt.  When she's done we might have to jog down your way and show

her off....



Sat up all night last night reading old posts from this list and saw you

mention the 757/767/400 in a post someplace...That tells me you are a UAL

guy, no?  (400 was the give away.)  I spent 13 years at UAL before leaving

management to take a flying job at another carrier...  Hope you didn't get

beaten down too badly with the whole retirement debacle.  Those bastards

should be lynched for what they've done.



Robert Randazzo



--

allen_reed2(at)hotmail.co
Guest

Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 5:18 pm Post subject: Introduction

you dont mean  the same ones that got Chris  do ya??

 	  Quote: 	
		  From: "N395V" <N395V(at)direcway.com>

Reply-To: commander-list(at)matronics.com

To: commander-list(at)matronics.com

Subject: Re: Introduction

Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2006 05:24:02 -0700

Robert,

I owned N414C for about 2 years prior to the sorry SOBs you purchased it 

from. Had it in pretty pristine condition when I sold it. I hate that my 

baby was mistreated. I too have several photos I will send you off list.

Wing Commander Gordon (a list participant) who I am sure will pipe in has 

many hours flying N414C when she was only in her 20s.

You have purchased a fine basic airframe and if you cruise the logs you 

will find many SBs were performed in preparation for a 135 operation. You 

will not find many 685s with these mods.

I also suggest you have a knowledgable Twin Commander Mech. Go through the 

logs and over the plane with a fine tooth comb for other non standard items 

or deferred maint.

When I sold 414C part of the deal was a trade on a Cessna 414 owned by none 

other than those who sold you N414C. I had it thouroughly inspected and was 

prepared for what I had to deal with. I have absolutely no kind words for 

the folks you bought the plane from..

Enjoy 414C it is a dream to travel in.

  (http://img230.imageshack.us/my.php?image=airborne44cx.jpg)

Milt

--------

Milt

N395V

F1 Rocket

Read this topic online here:

http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=27541#27541

n395v

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 450

Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 5:23 pm Post subject: Re: Introduction

 	  Quote: 	
		  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

you dont mean the same ones that got Chris do ya?? 

Quote: 

 

	




Nope.

_________________
Milt

STOLHorse(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 9:35 pm Post subject: Introduction

Hello Robert - And hello again to the rest of you Commander fans.

 

I have not contributed to this list in probably two years or more but  I have 

been reading virtually every post.  This list is definitely my  support group 

as I am certain my brain will end up in a glass jar right  alongside most of 

yours in the Center for the Study of Creative  Aircraft Expenditure 

Justifications.  But, that's OK with me because we all  know that these airplanes are as 

superior as they are unique.  I've owned a  690B, 681B twice, a 560F briefly, 

and now the 685.  I'm sure we all have  our favorite model but what I've 

learned from my small sampling is that they are  all fantastic airplanes.

 

It was a real pleasure to read your introduction Robert (and the  resultant 

685 specific advise) because I have been getting acquainted  with MSN 12057 

over the past year and a half.  I'm not sure but I think  Milt was the only 685 

owner on the list and I knew he sold his (yours) a couple  years ago.

 

Anyway,  I am pleasantly surprised with the airplane.  I bought  it for the 

same reasons you did and, after flying the 690's so much, I figured  I'd really 

not like it much. But, as long as I keep it in perspective and  don't ask it 

for 690 type capabilities, it has worked very well.  I  run the airplane 

fairly heavy (its hard not to because they are so heavy empty)  and I go to high 

altitude airports with it -- but not in mountainous  areas.  I do use full power 

on take off, because it needs it, but I do it  very slowly. 

 

I am currently doing my second annual on it (I do most of my own  

maintenance) and this is definitely the time of year when I am continuously  arguing with 

myself about how much I need a Commander.  I was  pretty worried about 

finding parts for it but, so far, I have been able to find  all that I need.  That 

is not to say that there haven't been some  challenging "Easter egg hunts" but, 

actually it has been much better than I  expected.  I can echo the concerns 

about the exhaust system  inspections.  Right after I got the plane I found a 

crack in one exhaust  stack that started right at the weld of the flange and 

had worked its way about  5/8 around the tube.  I open both sides of that 

cowling and get my flash  light and rag and study and grab and touch and wipe 

everything thoroughly before  every flight.  The stories of broken exhaust and fires 

is plenty  of motivation to spend 45 minutes or so preflighting the airplane. 

 I have  never spent anywhere near the amount of time on preflight 

inspections with any  other airplane but I feel better doing it on this one.  

 

I have only flown it about 130 hours but, so far it has been a sound  

airplane and I'm glad I gave it a try.  I would love to upgrade the panel  like you 

are doing.  (I am currently doing a very similar panel with the  Chelton 

displays in a customers Helio Courier.)  I also gave a considerable  amount of 

thought to an engine conversion but, like Keith said, I think I'll  wait for the 

next Popular Mechanics to come out.

 

Well, maybe I rarely contribute to this list because I don't know when to  

stop.  Sorry to ramble on.

 

Welcome to the list and I look forward to hearing more about your  685.  

Let's talk about power settings sometime.

 

Best regards,

 

David Maytag

rsrandazzo(at)precisionma
Guest

Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 12:09 am Post subject: Introduction

David-



Ah, Great!  Another 685 owner!



I have not had any problems with parts- EXCEPT that I'm currently having a

hard time finding a turbo housing.  Everyone seems to think they are

available- but nobody seems to know where.  Apparently this happens with

turbo housings from time to time- so I'm not sweating it just yet.  



My operating with the airplane has been mostly pretty heavy as well.  Three

legs were with 322gal of fuel- and I was glad to have some time in larger

transport category airplanes that suffer in climb performance when full of

gas.  I honestly never considered "Step climbs" in a GA airplane before- but

they worked perfectly. 



Once I'm finished with this refit, most of my flying will be up/down the

west coast.  Reno is mountainous terrain- which is why I was so inteersted

in the Cheltons.  I like the idea of being able to see in the dark with the

synthetic vision- and in the event I have to find a landing strip with one

prop not turning- the Flight Path Vector is an incredibly useful tool.  Most

of my flying will be single pilot- so I am a big fan of automation.



Store my email address, David-  I'd like to make good acquaintance with

fellow 685 owners.  I can't wait to get our bird flying again.  Every time I

squeeze myself into the back of some airline's equipment- I look more and

more forward to having this upgrade completed.



Must be a way we can strap a pair of Garrets to our airplanes without anyone

noticing, David...  Just might have to use some good old Yankee Ingenuity.

Hahahahah.....   ("No, Mr. FAA Man. I don't know why the dataplate says

GTSO-520-K on it. I mean- look! Those are clearly Garrets!")



Robert Randazzo



--

br549phil(at)mindspring.c
Guest

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 10:42 am Post subject: Introduction

I contracted with Morris four years ago to do the pre-buy on my 560F

knowing of his past problems.  I am an A&P with an IA but knew it was well

worth my while to have someone who knows what to look for do the

inspection.  After eight hours and a list of 124 discrepancies(on an

aircraft about to be signed off for an annual) there was no question it was

money well spent.  



Over the years his store of spares and freely given advice have saved me

much time, money and aggravation.

We all make mistakes. His value to the Commander community is hard to

dispute.



Phil Stubbs

 	  Quote: 	
		   [Original Message]

 From: John Vormbaum <john(at)vormbaum.com>

 To: <commander-list(at)matronics.com>

 Date: 4/11/2006 3:40:10 PM

 Subject: Re: Introduction



 



 I am very familiar with the crash that happened many years ago; Morris

was 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		   essentially threatened in order to force him to sign off & release the 

 airplane to the owner, even after Morris declared it unsafe to fly.

Morris 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		   specifically grounded the airplane, but the owner wouldn't listen. What 

 would you expect to happen?



 Nobody works on my airplane except Morris, and I've had NO issues in 7

years 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		   of flying my 500B that was ONLY maintained by Morris. There are only a 

 couple of people left alive that know as much about these airplanes as 

 Morris. I've seen many people burned on Commander purchases. People who

get 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		   a pre-buy from Morris and LISTEN to him don't get burned.



 There are two sides to every story. Morris can be grumpy, opinionated, 

 occasionally rude and non-social, but is a wealth of knowledge. The only 

 people who've dealt with him that have been burned, in my experience 

 (granted, only 7 years' worth) are people who don't listen to his advice,

or 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		   listen and then try to cut corners on maintenance.



 Like dealing with doctors, you should always get a 2nd opinion. That's

one 
	


 	  Quote: 	
		   of the reasons the list is here. But I think you'd be surprised how many

of 
	


[quote] the highly praised Commander shops just call Morris when they come upon a 

 difficult Commander problem.



 /J

 ---

moe(at)rosspistons.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 11:08 am Post subject: Introduction

Gents,



Morris has always dealt with me very fairly. My mechanic has called Morris

numerous times for (free) advice when working on my 680F(p).  I would

recommend Morris to anyone.

Moe

N680RR

---

kamala(at)msn.com
Guest

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 4:30 pm Post subject: Introduction

mk, so morris how many buttons are left on the chest of your shirt?  you now 

have a real clear picture of what your friends think of you, kept secret 

until now.  congradulations.   mason

[quote]From: "Moe" <moe(at)rosspistons.com>

Reply-To: commander-list(at)matronics.com

To: <commander-list(at)matronics.com>

Subject: Re: Introduction

Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 12:02:35 -0700






Gents,



Morris has always dealt with me very fairly. My mechanic has called Morris

numerous times for (free) advice when working on my 680F(p).  I would

recommend Morris to anyone.

Moe

N680RR

---

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