bought me an aeroplane

Paul, I bought my Navion in Kankakee during a weather layover in Chicago
on a commercial flight. I was headed to the left coast, and it was
obvious I wasn't going anywhere for a coupla days. So I rented a car and
made the drive to Kankakee, almost on a whim. The poor old girl sat
lonely and neglected in a hanger. Her owner had moved to Southern
California and told me over the phone what hanger she was in and to
"help myself". I gave her a cursory look-see, and departed the next day
from Chicago on my interrupted business trip.
While in California I had the chance to look at a LOT of Navions, and
the one back in Kankakee started to look pretty good. Called the guy,
made an offer, and became an airplane owner (again). Keep in mind I had
seen this bird once for a total of maybe an hour. Never ran it, never
flew it, never saw the logs. It just felt right.
Four years later it's still right.

Rip

Paul Folbrecht wrote:
Hmm. The 180 is still there. He must be in no hurry to sell it. Like
I said - the guy's obviously got money coming out of his ears. Dick
somebody for a $20K airplane? Doesn't seem likely. Why replace wheels,
discs, windshield just before sale on a plane you want to dump on somebody?

(Brain: to mask another, major problem.
Shutup, brain, or I'll go kill more of you with alcohol right now!)

The guy I was dealing with at the school - who seems to be acting as
broker or something - assured me that the guy wants no problems with
anybody. If I demand my money back and threaten to sue, I would not
expect an issue.

One more thing I forgot to mention - I asked to talk to one of their
instructors who'd flown the plane. He dialed a number and handed me the
phone, and I was talking to a old-timer with 40 years instructing behind
him. He said it was a quite typical 152. If they've got the whole
place setup to BS prospective buyers about this airplane, they're doing
a good job.

Wonder if he reads this NG.

I looked at a Cherokee 180 this guy had for sale back in September. I
remember seeing the Yak, Stearman, and a twin in there. I think I
remember
the 152 being there, but I never looked at it much. We were looking at
the
180.
We talked to the guy briefly. Kinda made me nervous. Too many
planes, too
little time. The 180 only had a handful of hours on it since the major
about
4 years prior (like 3 hours in one year. Yikes!). 180 was out of annual,
looked worn & just gave an overall impression of "hmmm. interesting". We
told the owner to call us when it was airworthy again & we'd come back.
Never heard from him since.
Of course, that was a whole different plane. Sounds like your 152 *was*
being flown by the school. Cool.
The guys just set some alarms off in my head, though. Best of luck
with
your (possible) new bird!

Oh, can someone please turn off the wind here in IL? Thanks. ;-)

While in California I had the chance to look at a LOT of Navions, and
the one back in Kankakee started to look pretty good. Called the guy,
made an offer, and became an airplane owner (again). Keep in mind I had
seen this bird once for a total of maybe an hour. Never ran it, never
flew it, never saw the logs. It just felt right.
Four years later it's still right.

Whoa. And I though *I* was a risk taker...

Of course, buying a classic Navion is a bit different than buying a
Cessnoid/Piper/Beech, but still...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

While in California I had the chance to look at a LOT of Navions, and
the one back in Kankakee started to look pretty good. Called the guy,
made an offer, and became an airplane owner (again). Keep in mind I had
seen this bird once for a total of maybe an hour. Never ran it, never
flew it, never saw the logs. It just felt right.
Four years later it's still right.

I bought my 182 sight unseen, except that I did see a few pics on the
dealers website. A previous prospective buyer had a prebuy done and
then couldn't come to terms with the dealer. The dealer gave me the
name of the mechanic that did that prebuy. He told me what he found,
sounded good so I sent the dealer $1000 until I could get there to pick
it up. When I went to pick it up the dealer told me he could have sold
it 5 more times that day alone that I originally called. I had no way
of knowing if that was true at the time but I don't doubt it now.

Well, the next time you see that pretty little blue '58 182 on the ramp in Iowa
City, understand that:

1. I found it in a farmer's chicken coop in Fresno; there were biddy hens
sitting on eggs in the back seat that did NOT want to depart the airframe for my
inspection.

2. The wings were off, but the cropduster owner told me that they were in
"perfect condition" in a barn fifty miles away. This happened to be the truth.
Not only perfect condition, but aftermarket corrosion preventive inside the
wings all over.

3. The internal plastic fairings (instrument cover, side panels, door covers)
were in a barn fifty miles in the OTHER direction. Again, the cropduster owner
told me that they were all in perfect condition. This happened to be the truth.

4. The paint was peeling in a dozen directions from hens roosting on the
elevator, rudder, and fuselage.

5. They stopped flying it because the engine had a "real bad knock in it". It
turned out to be a defective starter adapter plate. It could have been an
engine bearing. That is the crapshoot.

6. It had a midtime engine overhauled by a company that had since gone out of
business. The company did NOT have a savory reputation. Five of the six
cylinders were chromed back to standard. The sixth was bored oversize. Just a
bit shakey when it started.

7. There were zero radios in the stack. Zero. We ferried it home on a
handheld.

8. On the way home, the horizon was about 45° to the real horizon, the DG kept
a constant course no matter which way I turned, and the turn coordinator didn't.

9. The paperwork was...ummm..."cropduster correct." Even as an A&P IA, it took
me damned near a year to get a handle on the "undocumented mods" and installed
equipment with not even a HINT of how, who, or when it was installed. (And, in
a couple of instances, what it DID.)

10. On the other hand, I got a C-182 with a mid-time engine for $5K. Every
bolt, nut, and screw on it is now new. Every cable on it is new. The radios
are all "JimTagged" and working. The instruments are all overhauled. I've got
a $50K airplane for $25K in parts and one hell of a lot of sweat.

And, I can go to that airplane blindfolded and tell you what every single bolt,
nut, and fitting does. I can also tell you where the weak parts are, and what I
expect will happen should they fail.

It only took me two years to complete the task. You might just consider how
well you know your airplane and what it is worth to you to know just exactly how
well it is constructed and maintained.

Jim





"Jay Honeck"
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

- While in California I had the chance to look at a LOT of Navions
-
-Whoa. And I though *I* was a risk taker...
-
-Of course, buying a classic Navion is a bit different than buying a
-Cessnoid/Piper/Beech, but still...

Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

Well, the next time you see that pretty little blue '58 182 on the ramp in
Iowa
City, understand that:

(great story snipped)

No fair, Jim! You've done exactly what I would do, if I had your aptitude
and abilities.

In my next life, I will understand electricity. And how to build an engine.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:

In my next life, I will understand electricity. And how to build an engine.

And you'll never leave the ground because you'll be a lousy businessman (not that
Jim is). Be glad for what you have.

George Patterson
Battle, n; A method of untying with the teeth a political knot that would
not yield to the tongue.

In article , Jim Weir wrote:
And, I can go to that airplane blindfolded and tell you what every single
bolt, nut, and fitting does. I can also tell you where the weak parts are,
and what I expect will happen should they fail.

This is utterly priceless.

There is nothing like rebuilding (or at least participating in the rebuilding)
of an airplane from the ground up. It never ceases to amaze me how many
people don't want to get involved in the maintenance of their airplane -
something breaks, they take it to a mechanic, he fixes it, they pay the
bill.

Knowing your airplane intimately is one of the great benefits of owning -
how can you do that if you've never even looked under the cowling, let
alone under the wing root fairings?

Tina Marie

Knowing your airplane intimately is one of the great benefits of owning -
how can you do that if you've never even looked under the cowling, let
alone under the wing root fairings?

On a lesser level (not all of us get the opportunity to rebuild an airplane
from the ground up) the owner-assisted annual is incredibly valuable. To
know how each part is attached, with what screw (or bolts, or nuts), where
it goes and what it does is worth any amount of hours invested.

I'm coming up on my sixth owner-assisted annual (third on this plane), and
I'm really looking forward to it. Despite everything we've done to our
Pathfinder, I guarantee I'll learn something new.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Well in my opinion I think that just owning is a learning experience and
well worth the money spent in education value. Cannot wait till I get my
service manuals so I can learn every thing about my airplane.


"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:Bxf9c.106220$Cb.1307221@attbi_s51...
Knowing your airplane intimately is one of the great benefits of
owning -
how can you do that if you've never even looked under the cowling, let
alone under the wing root fairings?

On a lesser level (not all of us get the opportunity to rebuild an
airplane
from the ground up) the owner-assisted annual is incredibly valuable. To
know how each part is attached, with what screw (or bolts, or nuts), where
it goes and what it does is worth any amount of hours invested.

I'm coming up on my sixth owner-assisted annual (third on this plane), and
I'm really looking forward to it. Despite everything we've done to our
Pathfinder, I guarantee I'll learn something new.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:

On a lesser level (not all of us get the opportunity to rebuild an airplane
from the ground up) the owner-assisted annual is incredibly valuable.

Yep. Just finished getting my bird back together. Had to do the Lycoming crank
inspection this time. Man, that junk inside is filthy!

George Patterson
Battle, n; A method of untying with the teeth a political knot that would
not yield to the tongue.