spent 2 years overhauling them: like the airplane a lot.
very much like the dash 8: built as a workhorse, has some quirks, no worse than any other A/C.
reliable engines, cheap interiors, lots of re-racking to fix avionic problems.tires don''t seem to last as long as they should, and rims and bolts need NDT at every tire change.corrosion around the steps and cargo door to watch out for. door closing mechanism is a bit finicky.
cockpit is a bit cramped if you have to work under the floor, but lots of room up through the nose door for behind the instruments.
belly is close to the ground, so it''s worthwhile to apply the rubber padding on the underbelly (particularly if your a northern operator). specs call for that cancerous yellow lubricant (mastinox) on lots of major bolts, so don''t forget to wear your gloves...
let me know if your still looking for people, I would like to wrench on them again...
