BIXBY JOHN DAVID, COTTER JOHN LEE· ICAO24 ab579c· last seen 4d ago

N83SL is a Piper Aero Star, a twin-engine piston aircraft operated by BIXBY JOHN DAVID, COTTER JOHN LEE. SkyMeter has tracked 66 flights totalling 50 hours of airtime via ADS-B across 2 callsigns. The most frequent segment is T13 to KRBD. Service window in our records spans 411 days. Of those flights, 6 (9.1%) carry at least one detected incident: a go-around, unstable approach, stall warning, or runway excursion. The Piper Aero Star has a 37 ft wingspan, a maximum takeoff weight of 6,315 lb.

About the Piper Aero Star

The Aérospatiale AS 350 Ecureuil, marketed in North America as the AStar, is one of the most successful light utility helicopters ever built, with over 6,000 delivered since its first flight in 1974. Designed as a rugged single-engine workhorse, the AS 350 became the go-to platform for high-altitude operations, emergency medical services, law enforcement, and scenic tours, roles where reliability and hot-and-high performance matter more than speed or payload. Its Turbomeca Arriel engine and efficient rotor system allow it to operate comfortably at density altitudes that ground many competitors, and modified versions have set multiple altitude records, including the first helicopter landing on Mount Everest's summit in 2005.

The type's versatility shows in its operator base: air ambulance services prize its cabin access and single-pilot IFR capability, police departments value the stable camera platform, and tour operators in Hawaii, the Grand Canyon, and the Swiss Alps rely on its docile handling and passenger-friendly visibility. With a cruise speed around 120 knots, a service ceiling near 15,000 feet, and endurance of roughly three hours, the AS 350 trades raw performance for operational flexibility and cost-effectiveness. SkyMeter has tracked flights across airframes and operators, with the largest observed operator.

FLIGHTS
66
all time
FLOWN HOURS
50
tracked time
📍
AIRPORTS VISITED
21
unique
📡
CALLSIGNS
2
24 routes
📅
SERVICE PERIOD
06/03/2025 → 07/19/2026
first → last
INCIDENT RATE
9.1%
6 flagged

Top routes

By flight count

6
T13 KRBD
1
1
1
1
1
1

Flight numbers

Most-flown by this airframe

2

Aircraft specifications

Piper Aero Star

Engines
Twin Piston
Vref (approach)
96 kt
MTOW
6,315 lb
Wingspan
37 ft
Length
35 ft
Wake category
Light

Recent flights

Newest 33 operations of N83SL

33
07/19/2026
2h 11m
△ Low approach-stability score
07/15/2026
1h 8m
No alerts
06/29/2026
1h 35m
No alerts
06/09/2026
3h 22m
No alerts
04/02/2026
1h 8m
△ Low approach-stability score
03/22/2026
3h 46m
No alerts
06/03/2025
14m
△ Low approach-stability score
© SkyMeter · All flight data subject to ODbL attribution