If you had that kind of money to invest in a used twin-engine airplane—perhaps for a company aircraft making regional trips with staff and their stuff onboard—you might consider a small King Air, Piper Cheyenne or even an older Cessna Conquest. But step up into the world of turbine twins and you’re in the big leagues, with higher costs and demands for insurance (if you can even get insurance in the current market), intensive maintenance programs and of course the eye-widening fuel bill when the Jet-A truck comes around.
For those reasons, Mike Jones at Mike Jones Aircraft Sales makes a good case for his Lock & Key Navajo refurbishment. The non-pressurized Navajo won’t exactly be cheap to own, but compared to a pressurized turbine twin it can be gentler. Plus, since the Lock & Key is a thorough refurb—nearly as good as a new aircraft—it has a sizable advantage over aging complex twins and turbines when it comes to maintenance costs and dispatch reliability. It’s a ramp-looker with winglets, four-blade props and a high-end paint job. Plus, it has a classy cabin—all things a buyer would expect from an airplane with its price tag.