Pre-buy after Annual

On 23-May-2005, " wrote:

I'll second Jack's advice on this one. The only way to detect
corrosion in that area is to perform SB #1006. That area is not
normally inspected as part of an annual inspection. If it hasn't been
performed, the long term condition of the plane is a question mark. It
could be fine (as in most cases), or it could have some intergranular
corrosion of the spar which will render your wings basically useless.


Yes indeed, SB 1006 is a "must do" as far as I'm concerned. If I was
considering purchase of an older PA-28 I would check the logs to verify
compliance. If it hadn't yet been done, I would make successful compliance
part of any purchase agreement. An A&P familiar with the SB, and that
should be any A&P familiar with PA-28s, should be able to pull off the
inspection in a few hours. Most of the work entails removal and replacement
of the many screws holding the tanks in place, and that part can be done by
anybody.

BTW, when SB 106 is done the fuel lines behind the tanks should be routinely
replaced, as should the fuel gauge senders if they are giving any problems.
None of that is mentioned in the SB, but if the lines are more than 10 years
old it would be dumb not to take advantage of having the tanks off as an
opportunity to replace them. The lines themselves don't cost that much.

How to deal with the inspection as part of a purchase deal? As a buyer, I
would offer this: If the inspection shows either no corrosion or minor,
easily corrected corrosion, I buy the plane at the agreed price and pay for
the inspection (and fuel line replacements). If major corrosion is found
(requiring more than, say, $200 to correct) then the deal is off and I owe
nothing.

--
-Elliott Drucker