Click on pic for full size

The plane was test flown on February 15, 1997 for one hour at 75% power within glide distance of the airport. Egt, Cht, and oil temperatures were recorded every 5 minutes along with oil pressure readings. The flight went very well, and succeeding break in flights went very well. Only adjustment that was made was to decrease the oil pressure slightly.  Click on engine picture to see more.

The aircraft is IFR certified, and I am maintaining the certification even tho I am not instrument rated. The paint is in excellent condition, and a new interior is planned soon. This should bring the aircraft into show condition.

As of August, 2006, the new engine has about 750 hours on it, and is purring like a kitten. No oil leaks at all!  Many Fly-In's and Air Shows are always planned for the summer, including the Arlington Fly-In and Air Show.  The third largest in the nation behind Oshkosh and Sun-n-Fun in Florida.  The tent gets pitched next to the plane for 3 days of relaxation and airplanes.

On July 27, 2001 I had a new Garmin GTX 327 Transponder installed at Troutdale Avionics located at the Portland, OR reliever Class D Troutdale Airport (TTD).  The panel photo above shows the new transponder.

On September 10, 2003, I replaced the vacuum pump and the Directional Gyro.  Tach time 3314 hours.

From a distance, the plane is sometimes mistaken for a Piper Cherokee at towered airports. I usually shrug that off. But the one time I was called a Cessna by a temporary tower at an Air Fair in California was almost too much. After the second time of being called a Cessna, I informed the tower that the aircraft on left base was a Beechcraft, not a Cessna. Seconds later I was told not to land, but to go around in a very urgent sounding voice. "There's a Cessna on right base, and he not talking to us"!! I looked over, and sure enough, there was a Cessna turning final from right base at the same time I was turning final from left base! Now I always make absolute certain that towers, particularly temporary towers, know for sure Who I am, What I am, and Where I am!

If you are a Musketeer owner, or a Sundowner or Sierra owner, or an owner wanabe, then you can subscribe to a good web site with over 1,200 owners currently in the group and active.   This growth has occurred since May, 1999.  There is a message board where members post problems they are having, or experiences with their aircraft.  Other members reply to these posts.  There are AI's and A&P's, also Musketeer Owners, that are very active in the group.    The group moderator is a Musketeer owner and an A&P, and very active in the group.  We are currently getting about 10 messages a day in the forum.  Click on the join Yahoo Groups icon, and you can soon be active in the group.  There is currently discussions about organizing fly-In's for Musketeers.  I was the organizer for a West Coast Fly-In for the group.
 

West Coast Fly-In (AKA Musketeer Gathering)

World Beechcraft Society