Blog

New Life for a Baron - Part One

Posted on May 22, 2025 by Todd Peterson

During their 9 years of ownership, Bill and Lynne greatly enjoyed the speed and reliability of their well-equipped 58P Baron, N3871C. However, their mission had changed over time, and now rarely had a need for their highly capable traveling machine. Meanwhile, Kevin had dreamt of owning a Baron since he was 12 years old and decided that now was the time to fulfill his life-long goal.

As Kevin searched Controller for a 58P, Elite Air Center’s ad for N3664G caught his eye first. He really liked the idea of purchasing a beautiful, turn key airplane that he could start flying immediately. However, after initially contacting me in September, his thoughts began shifting towards the idea of buying a low-time aircraft with no damage history that he could have rebuilt from the wheels up, tailored specifically to his tastes and preferences.

While we started putting together the plan for an Extreme Makeover on 71C, Kevin went for a demonstration flight with our instructor, Matt Pearson, and was extremely impressed with both the quality and flight characteristics of the aircraft. Next steps included having a thorough and independent pre-purchase inspection completed by Robert Benda, and final negotiations of the purchase price. With the purchase successfully completed by the end of November, there were smiles all around. It was the end of a chapter for Bill and Lynne, and the beginning of an exciting journey for Kevin.

Although one of Kevin’s grandparents was originally from nearby North Dakota, the 5-hour flight in 71C from Arizona to Minnesota was his first to this part of the country. The weather was sunny, cool, and clear the day of the flight - perfect conditions for a scenic flight over the mountains. As I met him at the airport, it was obviously a bit of a shock for him leaving the warm comfort of the pressurized cabin, and into the cold winter night air of Minnesota.

Every owner who has had a makeover done on their aircraft has told me how fun and exciting it is to experience one of these projects. Kevin’s excitement and enthusiasm for his makeover are no exception, and we were back at the airport early the next morning. We arrived eager to finalize the layout of the avionics panel, the interior design, and the selection of materials that will cover the seats, sidewalls, headliner, and floor. Within three hours, all these decisions had been made, the airframe upgrades and repairs had been discussed & finalized, and the old interior had been completely removed from the aircraft. This was a great start to the project, and the teamwork exhibited that first day will continue, and allow us to deliver the Baron that Kevin has been dreaming about for so many years.

While every plane that receives an Extreme Makeover is special, our goal is to make 71C one of the finest P-Barons in the country and better than when it was new. I’ll wait with the details until you can see them for yourself in the months ahead, but here is a partial list of the items we’re including in the makeover:

Elite Diamond Coat Paint Job, Customized by Scheme Designers

Elite Series Overhaul of TSIO-520-WB Blueprint Engines

Airframe

• Fuel Cells
• De-ice Boots
• Windshield and Hot Plate
• Spoilers
• Micro Vortex Generators
• Overhaul of Flap & Landing Gear Motors
• G&D Thermal Window Inserts
• Whelen LED Beacon and Nav/Strobe Lights
• Whelen LED Landing, Taxi, and Tail Lights

Avionics

• G600TXi Electronic Flight Display System
• G600TXI Co-pilot Display
• Garmin Engine Information System
• GI275 Standby Flight Display
• GFC600 Automated Flight Control System
• GTN750Xi GPS/Nav/Comm Transceiver
• GTN650Xi GPS/Nav/Comm Transceiver
• GTX345 ADS-B In/Out Transponder
• GDL69A Satellite Data Receiver
• GMA350c Remote Audio Control Panel with Bluetooth
• GWX75 Weather Radar
• Flight Stream 510
• GSB15 USB Ports
• One-Piece Instrument Panel

Ultra Leather Interior

• Seats
• Recessed Sidewalls & Armrests
• Headliner
• Window Trims
• Lap Belts & Shoulder Harnesses
• Wool Carpet
• Glare Shield
• Super Soundproofing & Insulation
• Executive Writing Desk

With the plan in place and 6 months of work ahead, it’s time for us to get busy. I hope you enjoy seeing and learning about our Extreme Makeover over the course of this project, and I look forward to providing an update next month. See you then!