They were the last of the pressurized, piston, 400-series airplanes Cessna developed, and pilots and mechanics will tell you that Cessna got it right with the Models 414 and 414A. Combining spacious cabins and relatively small, efficient engines, the 414 series can carry lots of fuel or a small crowd with their belongings-but not both. Also, the big Cessnas have safety records that are unmatched by any other light twin. 288 All told, Cessna built nearly 1000 of the airplanes-roughly a 50/50 split between early tip-tanked 414s and wet-wing 414A Chancellors-during 16 years of production. Once in service the airplanes became popular as workhorses for small charter and corporate flight departments, as well as comfortable transports for private owners. Today, prices range from around $160,000 to over $400,000 for typically-equipped 414s with mid-time engines. Operating and maintenance costs are attractive when compared with those of competing airplanes, such as the big-brother 421 and Beech Aircrafts Duke. In a study of accident records some years ago, the 414 stood out as the safest light twin. Of course, any airplanes safety depends a great deal on the proficiency of its pilots. There are several good training programs available to help keep 414 pilots in top form, something we feel to be quite important as, while the accident rate is low, the accidents seem primarily to occur on amateur flown airplanes and involve judgment errors on the part of the pilot rather than anything wrong with the airplane. Cessna borrowed components from existing 400-series airplanes to come out in 1970 with a model to bridge the price gap between unpressurized and pressurized twins. It had basically the same tail and “wide-oval” fuselage as the 421B, and the 401s wing. The engines were adapted from those used on the 401 and 402 models-the differences were intercoolers and provisions for bleed-air cabin pressurization. List price was $138,000 (thats over $740,000 in 2007 dollars)-$35,000 less than the Duke and some $50,000 less than both the 421 and Pipers P-Navajo. Engines were 310-HP Continental TSIO-520-Js, and propellers were three-blade McCauleys. According to Cessna, 4.2-psi cabin pressure differential could be maintained by either engine operating at 60 percent power. Six seats were standard; a seventh was available as an option. Maximum takeoff weight was 6350 pounds; max landing, 6200 pounds. In the years following its introduction, the airplane saw few major changes. One of the most important came in 1973, when cabin length was increased 16 inches and a fifth side window was installed. Electronic prop synchrophasers became standard equipment in 1976, when two versions of the airplane were put on the market: a bare-bones 414 and a 414II, which came with an assortment of ARC 400-series avionics equipment. That year, most limiting and recommended airspeeds were boosted a few knots (except Vmc, which was lowered from 84 to 82 knots), and the -J engines were replaced with TSIO-520-Ns. The difference is that an -N engine uses 38 inches of manifold pressure, rather than 36 inches, and 2700 RPM to produce its rated 310 horsepower. Standard usable fuel capacity of early 414s was 100 gallons (50 in each tip tank). Optional auxiliary and locker tanks were available to boost usable capacity to 180 gallons, then to 203 gallons in 1973. The fuel system in early 414s is complex, especially with wing locker tanks installed and proper fuel management requires attention to detail. There are only two fuel- 288 quantity indicators, both with three-position switches, to help the pilot keep track. The drill is to run the engines off the mains (tip tanks) for 90 minutes before switching to the auxiliary tanks. This makes room in the mains because all return fuel and vapor from the engines is routed back to the mains rather than to the tank selected. To get at the fuel in the wing locker tanks, it must first be transferred to the mains. Before doing so, however, the pilot has to ensure there are fewer than 20 gallons in each main (tip) tank. Fuel transferred too early is pumped overboard. The system left room for error, not only on the part of the pilot, but among line personnel. When told to “top off the mains,” a line person may not realize that the mains are the tip tanks and will fuel only the aux tanks. Pay attention to the fuel system in tip-tanked 414s. A simpler fuel system was among a host of improvements unveiled in 1978 with introduction of the Model 414A Chancellor. Tip, aux and locker tanks were obviated by a 4.5-foot longer, bonded wing holding 206 gallons of usable fuel in internal bays. Controls consisted of on/off/crossfeed valves and a fuel flow computer/indicator was added. A 30-square-foot increase in wing area accommodated a 400-pound increase in maximum takeoff weight and a 550-pound increase in landing weight. A ramp weight of 6785 pounds was approved to allow for the consumption of six gallons of fuel during start, taxi and runup. Also, a zero-fuel weight of 6515 pounds was published to preclude excessive wing bending loads. The 421s longer nose also was grafted onto the 414A, making space for an extra 410 pounds of baggage and avionics. All told, maximum useful load was boosted about 200 pounds and an eighth seat was added to the options list. Pressurization differential was increased to 5.0 PSI to enable the airplane to maintain cabin altitudes of 10,000 and 11,950 feet at cruising altitudes of 26,500 and 30,000 feet, respectively. (RVSM rules have generally limited 414s to 28,000 feet.) Limiting speed for the extension of 15 degrees of flap was raised from 164 to 177 knots; Vlo and Vle were increased to an impressive 177 knots, from 143 knots. Beginning in 1978, Cessna offered three basic equipment packages. In addition to the bare-bones model and the ARC 400-equipped 414AII, there was a III version with ARC 800- and 1000-series avionics, a Bendix RDR 160 weather radar and 100-amp alternators. After the Chancellor debuted, there were few further refinements. One of the most important was the switch in 1979 to TSIO-520-NB engines, which have improved crankshafts. Four years later, Continental incorporated some changes to the -NBs cylinders, valve lifters and piston pins, and increased the engines recommended TBO from 1400 to 1600 hours. Continental also published overhaul procedures to enable -NB engines to get the TBO boost. Despite that, cylinder head cracking has been a persistent problem for the -N and -NB engines (as well as for other IO-, TSIO- and GTSIO-520s). An AD issued in 1986 requires cylinders to be pressure-checked for leaks every 50 hours until the engine has amassed 500 hours. Four different pressurization systems were offered during the run of the 414A, so its essential that the maintenance technician working on a pressurization glitch confirm which system by aircraft serial number. Service ceilings are above 30,000 feet, but few owners fly that high. Most prefer the upper teens and lower 20s, where they get about 190 knots on 32 to 34 GPH at 65 percent power. A pilot in a hurry will see 205 knots on 38 GPH at 75 percent power rich of peak, although few operate that way anymore. With GAMIjectors and lean-of-peak operation owners report a reduction of about 3 gph per engine at all power settings as well as cooler operating temperatures. Single-engine performance at sea level is average; about 240 FPM for the 414 and 290 FPM for the A model. At 11,350 feet, the 414s single-engine service ceiling was a bit below average; but, at 19,850, the 414A is tops in its class. Owner-pilots give high marks to cockpit room and layout of systems controls and enthuse about handling characteristics. The 414 and 414A share the distinctive silky smooth, control response of the other 400 series Cessnas. They are the Cadillacs of the piston line, with attention having been paid to detail; even on an 288 airplane of this vintage, only slight trim changes are needed when flaps or landing gear are reconfigured, although single-engine handling, as with any piston twin, is demanding and requires regular practice. The big cabin, wider than it is tall, makes for comfortable seating and copious baggage space is the 414s forte. Theres enough room in the aft cabin, the nose and wing lockers of a 414 to hold 930 pounds of baggage. With its bigger nose and lockers, the 414A can carry 1500 pounds. Loading must be watched carefully to avoid going out of the rear CG limit. The nose baggage compartment of the 414A made CG juggling easier. With full tanks-enough fuel for nearly 4.5 hours with IFR reserves-a well-equipped Chancellor will have room left in its weight-and-balance envelope to accommodate six FAA-standard people with their toothbrushes. Load a six-person marketing staff with 800 pounds of equipment, and there will be room left for only about 1.5 hours of fuel. Its important to note that a 414 is 7 knots slower than its little brother, the 340, which has the same engines and many of the same systems, but a notably smaller cabin. So, if its just pressurization youre looking for and youre going to be flying with only another person or two aboard, you might want to look at the 340 for a personal hot rod. A 414 appears to be a good choice for anyone who wants a pressurized airplane with a big cabin and lots of baggage space. Compared to its biggest competitors-the 421 and Duke-a 414 provides a more room than the Duke, as much as the 421, travels a little slower, but does so more economically. Ensuring that all ADs have been complied with before buying a 414 will take work, because there have been several dozen of them (not counting a flurry of service bulletins), although the rate of issuance slowed down dramatically in the last 10 years. The current concern is with wing spar cracking in high-time airplanes; with a series of ADs calling for inspections and modifications to the spar-compliance is expensive. One owner reported discovering mis-drilled holes in the spar of his airplane when it was opened up to install the spar strap: ADs 2005-05-52 and 2005-12-13 are current. (As of this writing there is an alternative method of compliance published by the FAA in CE-05-35.) A potential buyer should carefully investigate the compliance status of the airplane by flight time and serial number, especially if the airplane is high time. The exhaust system sees a great deal of heat and vibration, thus components wear out. An exhaust leak is a critical item on a turbocharged airplane and can lead to a serious fire in flight. (See page 25 for an abbreviated AD list.) We spoke with Michael Cook and Todd Voshell who direct maintenance at Rapid Air, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which has been operating 300 and 400 series Cessna twins for over 25 years. Both were quick to praise the 414 and especially the 414A as the best of the Cessna piston twins, with good systems, particularly the hydraulic gear on the 414A. They said that the Cessna inspection procedure manual for the airplane is one of the best such manuals written. If followed carefully, a mechanic wont miss anything. Areas to watch on the pressurization system are to make sure the nine drain seals are changed regularly as they deteriorate and become brittle and to regularly check the pressurization ducts off of the heater, forward of the forward pressure bulkhead as they can develop major leaks. The exhaust system AD must be followed carefully, including the 30-day checks whether the airplane flies or not. The gear system of the 414A is easy to maintain, with one spot to watch: When assembling the center bolt on the main landing gear scissors, the correct washers must be installed in the correct sequence or the bolt can pull out, allowing the main gear wheel to turn sideways. Boost pumps seem to be a weak point, requiring what seems to be frequent replacement. The deice light on the panel illuminates only very briefly when the pneumatic deicing system is activated and only indicates that theres pressure to the tail boots. The switch for that light is on the underside of a Tee fitting in the pressure line to the tail and thus fills with water, rust and crud and should be pulled and cleaned periodically, or it will fail. Its an $800 part. Among the most popular mods are the RAM Aircraft Corporation engine swaps. Four variations are available, all of which offer a boost in useful load, increased TBOs and new props. The top of the line for the 414 is the series VI. In addition to 335-HP engines, new props and intercooler scoops, it includes a set of vortex generators and gives an increase in useful load of 415 pounds. Owners of 414As can opt for the series V conversion, which includes Continentals 350-HP liquid cooled Voyager engines, which have a TBO of 2000 hours. RAM also makes winglets and vortex generators. (See www.ramaircraft.com
HISTORY
PERFORMANCE, LOADING
MAINTENANCE
MODS, CLUBS
VGs are also available from Micro Aerodynamics (www.microaero.com) and V/G Systems, phone 800-328-4629. By all accounts, vortex generators reduce Vmc and stall speeds. We highly recommend them. MicroAerodynamics VGs provide a 350-pound gross-weight increase.
Speed brakes/spoilers are available from PowerPac Spoilers (www.powerpacspoilers.com) and more advanced intercoolers come from American Aviation (www.americanaviationinc.com).
One club offers extensive support for the 414, in addition to all other twin Cessnas. The Twin Cessna Flyer (www.twincessna.org) is headed by Larry A. Ball at 219-749-2520. Also worth joining is the Cessna Pilots Association (www.cessna.org and 805-934-0493).
Owner Feedback
I have owned and flown a 1979 Cessna 414A for 14 months, accumulating 235 hours in all sorts of conditions. I bought it to replace a nice Cessna T310R, which I flew for about a year. The upgrade from the T310R came about because my family, including a dog, cannot all be wearing nosebags. The pressurized comfort of the 414A, which produces an 8000-foot cabin at 22,800 feet, cannot be overemphasized. It is the flying carpet my wife always wanted, including a potty! The winglet mod works; I typically get 215 to 218 knots at mid-weight at FL220, running 72 percent power.
Heres an even more interesting thing-normally, the RAM engines want to gulp down 19 to 22 GPH a side at higher power settings. However, thanks to GAMIjectors and the graphic engine monitor, I can set the fuels flows at 13 to 14 GPH (thats not a typo) at altitude, watch the TAS sink to 195 KTS and drive the aircraft for nearly seven hours.
The 414A has an excellent safety record for good reason. It is a very stable instrument platform and I find it as easy to land as the T310 or any of the large singles Ive flown. The crosswind characteristics are good, and its easy to make squeaker landings. Im required to attend an approved school for recurrent training. Its an excellent idea, regardless of how much time you have. I use SimCom.
Glenn Kautt
North Palm Beach, Florida
I own a 1978 Cessna 414A which I acquired in 1989. During that period, I have exchanged two sets of engines (RAM IV), two props (one new set), two paint jobs, an interior and updated the avionics. Insurance costs have equaled $7000 per year for the last couple of years for $1 million smooth with a hull value of $350,000.
Fuel burn is about 45 gallons the first hour and 35 to 38 GPH in cruise, rich of peak. My flights range from an hour to four hours and while I have flown the airplane from coast to coast, I find trips of three hours or less are well suited for the airplane. I usually see 190 knots TAS in the teens and on a good, cold day, 200 to 205 knots in the low 20s.
I have had my share of problems with turbos, turbo controllers, cylinders and cracked cases. Maintenance costs vary from year to year, but $300 to $350 direct per hour is a good estimate for the 125 to 150 hours per year I fly. However, some years, unexpected maintenance can eat your lunch.
Even with aging aircraft and occasional engine-related issues, the 414A offers a large cabin, the comfort and convenience of pressurization and the performance and safety of turbo charging. With the RAM IV, useful load is over 2100 pounds, which enables one to carry full fuel plus 900 pounds.
Dale C. Eisenman
I have owned a 1979 C414AW (a 414A with RAM winglets) for five years and about 2400 flight hours. I’ve previously owned and flown a Seneca and a Mooney, both of which were equipped with weather radar, full deice and Stormscope. However, only upon acquiring the 414 did I finally attain my goal-virtually complete independence from the airlines for domestic travel.
With the O&N tanks in both nacelles, I can carry up to 260 gallons of fuel, good for over seven hours of endurance. It is the first GA airplane I’ve ever owned or flown that treats passengers as comfort-seeking humans and not adventurous sardines. It’s a combination of the airstair door, large cabin, air conditioning, abundant baggage space, large picture windows, pressurization and -not to be discounted-the potty!
I have split my time about equally between the RAM IV 325-HP engines and the RAM VII 335-HP engines and Scimitar props that I had installed when the RAM IVs hit their TBO. What a difference! The RAM IV struggled in the flight levels, especially in the summer. To keep CHTs below red line I had to fly at no more than 55 percent power and with the cowl flaps open at high altitudes.
That resulted in cruise speeds of only about 180 to 185 KTAS up high. Mandatory power reductions during the climb above FL220 meant long climb times and getting above FL250 seemed to take forever at the 200 FPM climb rate that could be achieved up there. The RAM VII changed all that. With bigger turbochargers and intercoolers, much larger cowl flaps, new intake air scoops, and Scimitar props, the airplane becomes an entirely new animal within seconds of leaving the runway.
Initial climbout increased by at least 200 FPM to more than 1000 FPM. Cowl flaps can be fully closed for cruise on even ISO +30 degrees F days, while the cylinders rarely go much over 400 degrees F. At full gross takeoff weight, I see normal 69 percent power cruise speeds in the 195 to 205 KTAS range in the flight levels. Down low under 10,000 feet, things are much slower, more like 170 to 175 KTAS. Fuel burn is the same, 34 GPH in cruise at all altitudes, with the RAM VII at 69 percent.
The Achilles heel of the airplane for me has been the cabin heater. I have put in three different heaters over the past several years and changed out all the blower motors, ductwork, fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator, igniter, air flow sensor and thermostat at least once and I still plan for failure in flight. I cannot count the number of heater failures I’ve suffered over the years and the number of maintenance folks who have done their best to help me. Another point of consideration for a 414 buyer is the SB/AD on the wing spar. Although not required on my serial number for many thousands of more hours, I had the spar strap mod installed and I can’t emphasize enough how happy I am that I did it. The mod is expensive, but in my case we found serious factory mis-drilled wing spar attachment holes that could have caused a spar failure at any time!
Kudos go to Cessna for rising to the occasion. They dedicated an engineer to my problem and working with my maintenance shop, they developed an approved repair for my wing, possibly saving the ship from the scrap yard! While bad quality procedures in Wichita back in 1979 had probably caused my problem, the current staff at Cessna really impressed me with their efforts to help save this 27-year-old ship. Their parts may seem expensive, but they continue supporting us owners, and for that I am very willing to see them earn a fair profit.
Reed R. Prior
Waltham, Massachusetts
I am a professional aircraft broker who specializes in Twin Cessnas. I sell 25 Twin Cessnas a year, which usually includes six to eight 414s and 414As. When discussing 414s and 414As, one must speak correctly. The 1970 to 77 Cessna 414 is often referred to as a straight 414, straight meaning no suffix A and not meaning a straight wing. The 1970 to 1972 models are referred to as short-bodied 414s. The 1973 to 1977s are the long bodies. The 16 inches of extra length and the added side window do not directly mean much, but short-bodied 414s rarely have the typical cabin-class size refreshment center nor a potty.
The 414A, aka Chancellor, was introduced in model year 1978 with the last built in 1985. With rare exception, all 414As have an aft potty. Refreshment centers can be aft or a vertical unit positioned behind the pilot or copilot seat. Some potties have a flushing feature. Most are the basic “bucket.”
Any purchase of a Cessna twin- pressurized and non-pressurized-requires greater detailed analysis, airplane by airplane, than any other models. Each model has different after-market engine/prop conversions and when other performance-enhancing modifications are factored in, weights and other performance criteria vary. Frequently, a a buyer makes assumptions that arent correct. For example, the 414 may be powered by a standard 310-HP engine, a 325-HP RAM Series IV or a 335-HP RAM VI or VII. Straight 414s with only 310-HP standard engines or even with a 325-HP RAM Series IV conversion will often have low useful loads. With 1000 pounds of fuel, the payload may be 400 to 600 pounds. This can be a great aircraft and a good buy, but only for a pilot who doesnt need lots of payload. However, a 414 RAM VI and VII can often have an excellent useful load with an impressive range/payload chart.
Chancellors are as roomy as 421B/Cs. A 414A RAM Series VII with Winglets (AW) will compete in many ways with a 421C. The efficiency of the 414As long high-aspect ratio wing is highlighted by noting the 414As single-engine service ceiling is 19,850 feet. The 375-HP 421Cs single engine ceiling is 14,900 feet.
Much has been written about the 414s, but its no big deal. Give me one three-hour cross country with any new owner and hell be able to teach the system. Admittedly, the 414As wet-wing fuel system is an improvement and is simplified. The hydraulic landing gear, with its high gear speed is a great by-product of the wet wing. Some low-time pilots might be approved for 340 insurance, but rejected for a 414/414A. Go figure. The 414 and 414A truly provide a great family or business aircraft. Lots of external baggage in the nose and wing lockers, a pressurized aft cabin baggage area for desired in-flight items, like food, toys/games, cosmetics and a roomy pressurized 6000-foot cabin at 20,000 feet.
Quality initial and recurrent training is critical. Membership in and attending the Twin Cessna Flyer Organizations Pilot Seminars should be required. Mike Buschs Savvy Owners seminar is valuable. Annual inspections, repairs and pre-buys must be conducted by specialists. As has often been said, Cessna really got it right with the 414/414As.
Jerry A. Temple
Jerry Temple Aviation, Inc.
www.jtatwins.com
