The keepers of the Cessna Conquest

His first airplane was a Piper PA 32-R Lance. That was followed by a Stinson 108 and a seaplane. As the family grew, Meek began looking for an airplane that could take them farther. He also wanted more speed, the ability to get above weather, and an airplane that still could land at airports. His research led him to the Cessna 425 Conquest I.

At first, Meek thought a twin turboprop was more airplane than he needed, but the more he learned about the Conquest, the more sense it made. "It just became evident that the Conquest was the greatest airplane ever built," Meek said. He is now on his second one.

Speed and range were only part of the appeal. The Conquest also fit his family’s needs. They travel across the United States and fly to the Bahamas. With trips that can last more than five hours and for a family with children, he found that one of the Conquest’s most useful features is the onboard lavatory.

"Our family and friends, they feel so comfortable, and they love it," Meek said. He describes the airplane as "a Ferrari living room," a combination of performance and comfort that is difficult to replace without spending considerably more.

For years, the flow packs that help regulate cabin pressurization and air conditioning rarely caused trouble. Meek said some have flown 40 years. Now the problem is what happens when one fails. The part is no longer manufactured, and Meek said the few companies that once overhauled flow packs no longer do the work. Owners estimate about 108 Cessna Conquests are still flying. Meek said six or seven are grounded right now because of flow pack failures. A handful of replacement units occasionally become available, but they are expensive. Meek said owners have paid $60,000 to $70,000 for them. Some operators have replaced an internal diaphragm; Meek said that's problematic without the original manufacturer's drawings and maintenance approvals needed to support the repair.

Four Conquest owners–Scott Dickey, Todd Mercer, Andrew Johnson and Meek–formed a limited liability company and partnered with Thermal Systems, which works on aircraft environmental control systems and already has FAA-certified repair stations.

More than 70 owners have committed capital to fund the program—enough, Meek said to move ahead with engineering, certification, and manufacturing work. The total investment is expected to reach hundreds of thousands of dollars, paid by the people who fly the Conquest.

"This is what I do between when I put my kids down and when I go to bed at night," Meek said. The group has established a bank account, operating agreement, and participation contract. Members will fund the initial development and in return receive priority access to replacement units, member pricing, and extended warranty coverage. The benefit follows the aircraft's serial number, rather than the individual owner, meaning it can remain with the airplane when it is sold. That could impact the resale value as awareness of the parts problem spreads. "Not only does this fleet program keep our aircraft safe and flying, but it also substantially increases the value of the aircraft," he said. "As this problem becomes more widely known throughout the broker and insurance community, we believe Conquest valuations will be off anywhere from 10 to 15 percent for those who don't participate." Owners who skip the initial program will still be able to purchase new flow packs, Meek said.

The shortage is also forcing owners to think differently about maintaining aging aircraft. Meek said more problems have been reported in coastal areas due to heat and salt air. One step is to leave the pressurization system off while the airplane is sitting on the ground. The flow pack is probably not the last part owners will have to replace or redesign. With the fleet getting older, other components will become harder to find. Meek sees the project as a test of whether owners can solve some of those problems together.

Many Conquest owners also own or have flown larger and more expensive aircraft but continue to return to the Cessna because of what it can do. "If you take care of these birds, they'll fly forever," he said. Some Conquests are approaching 18,000 airframe hours, according to Meek.

Over time Meek's sense of ownership has changed. "We may be the owners of these Conquests," Meek said. "I'm the keeper of my Conquest right now. And it will go, at some point, to another keeper, and I want to be able to give that keeper the best possible Conquest I can."

Meek and the other owners are not simply trying to keep an old aircraft flying. They are trying to make sure there is something left to pass on.

Conquest owners interested in learning more or participating in the program can find details online.