Compared to twins of similar weights, the Aerostar has less wing area, which results in higher approach speeds but a delightfully solid ride in turbulence. A fairly tight cabin, combined with excellent attention to aerodynamic detail, helped to make the most of the available thrust. Capable of better than 210 knots at optimum cruise, the Aerostar blew the doors off similarly powered twins. Its sleek lines unusual mid-fuselage wing tightly cowled engines and single, pilot-side access door immediately set it apart from the other twins. Stemming from a model initially flown with a pair of 180-horsepower Lycomings, the 600 that finally arrived in time for the moonshot wore instead a pair of 290-hp Lycomings. Into this crowd of familiar airplanes burst the Aerostar in 1969. Cessna continued to tweak the 310, while the 340 and 414 were still a few years away Beech evolved the Baron, although the long-body 58 was still on the horizon and Piper soldiered on with the Aztec. But there weren't a lot of all-new designs. General aviation was booming when Ted Smith, formerly of Douglas Aircraft and designer of the Aero Commander twins, started on the Aerostar. Machen continues to sell engine upgrade kits (boosting power by as much as 70 horsepower total) and intercoolers. And because the company principals were part of Machen, a well-known mod house for Aerostars, many of the aftermarket goodies came in house. Cost, naturally, is the controlling issue. Moreover, the company has all the factory tooling stored and a stockpile of new/old stock spares in theora hard-to-find part could be produced by the company at any time. (The company recently completed a move to Coeur D'alene, Idaho, netting a larger shop and more commodious production facilities.) Aerostar makes just about every wear item on the airplane, with many that have been upgraded from the original specifications. At least parts and support are readily available, thanks to the Aerostar Aircraft Corporation, a company that is joined at the hip to the Machen outfit in Spokane, Washington. It is a complicated, tightly packaged mechanism that will not tolerate lackluster maintenance.Īerostar pilots say that properly managed - both from the maintenance and pilot-proficiency standpoints - Ted Smith's speedster is no more burdensome than any piston twin. As with any reputation, there is a certain element of truth to the Aerostar fame - it is a quirky airplane that provides outstanding performance at the expense of a safety margin thick as a Super Cub's wing. Some, like the Aerostar, gain a clear-cut distinction as fast and alluring airplanes that will eat you alive at the maintenance shop or at the slightest hint of relaxed vigilance on the controls. Some come to be known as docile, Sunday afternoon playthings, or maybe heft-hauling utility players. It's not by accident that many aircraft gain a reputation.
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