What to look for - bringing an aircraft back to life

"Ben Jackson" wrote in message
news:Iomcd.142069$He1.20085@attbi_s01...
In article ,
Louis L. Perley III wrote:
I seek the collective wisdom of the group. As I have mentioned
previously, I
was the co-owner of a 1965 Piper Aztec, due to various conflicts in the
partnership, the plane has not flown in two and a half years (approx.)

Personally I wouldn't do any major maintenance to that plane until you're
either 1) sure the engines have not had their lives significantly
shortened
by corrosion or 2) prepared to have to overhaul them both. In fact, I
think you've gone out on a limb by buying out your partners without
knowing the condition of $50-60,000 worth of the plane's value.


I've always been able to swallow the cost of an overhaul (I don't
believe anyone has any business owning an airplane unless they can,
otherwise the plane ends up sitting and rotting when something unexpected
happens), I think that ended up being part of the problem with the
partnership. I had such flexibility, they did not, so when it came to doing
maintenance, it was however they could get the best deal (i.e.. having one
of the owners who had his A&P do the annual, well, that annual has now ended
up taking 2+ years and is still incomplete. I became tired of waiting, so I
bought them out so I could get someone who had the time to get it done.
Actually, I'm having the whole thing redone, just as a cross-check. Plus,
I'll be able to assist in the annual, so I'll hopefully learn a lot more. I
did this when I did the annual on my 152 and learned a lot.