Subscribe - Secrets of Precision Flight - Training - How to Train Your Flight Instructor
Subscribe - Secrets of Precision Flight - Training - How to Train Your Flight Instructor
Subscribe - 10 Day Instrument Rating Secrets
Subscribe - Buying Your Own Airplane -True Tales From Our Files
Subscribe - Flying Safety Tips - Get Old, Not Bold
Subscribe - Secrets of Precision Flight - Hints from an ATP
Subscribe - Thoughts About Flight From an ATP
Some mechanics are not as attuned to the dangers of operating un-airworthy airplanes because they only work on them, not fly them. Because of this, their perspective on many things is limited.
Ultimately, it is your decision and it is your money. You need to spend it wisely.
If anything in this story sounds familiar, then you may want to consider
Employing a Buyer’s representative.
Pilot Wannabe Bought an Airplane On EBAY?
Buying an Airplane With Missing Logbooks?
Trials and Tribulations of a first time buyer.
A new pilot wannabe purchased a Cessna 152, sight unseen off EBAY and contracted to have aircraft flown back to California from Florida. 20 years of logbooks were missing.
After the purchase, Buyer received an email warning from "Deep Throat" that the airplane had extensive corrosion, defective wiring, and needed a "pre-buy" inspection, the beautiful paint job was not primed properly, allowing corrosion to form under the paint, and causing the paint to start peeling,.
"Deep Throat" also warned that the plane had suffered a prop strike requiring an engine overhaul. "Deep Throat" did not warn of structural damage which was later discovered. "Deep Throat" indicated because the mechanic ran short of money during the re-building of the airplane that many short cuts were taken. By this time the buyer had paid for the airplane.
Our advice resulted in the owner getting a refund of $5,000 for a complete new paint job.
After consideration of the warnings, a pre-buy was conducted by a Cessna Dealership and this evolved into an annual inspection which cost the owner $6,400 in additional repairs.
These negotiations were carried out by telephone. The Cessna dealer IA said the corrosion problem could be dealt with by a spray anti-corrosion treatment inside the wings and fuselage. When the anti-corrosion spray leaked through the seams it caused paint to peel on the pretty paint job.
We suggested at the beginning, before traveling to Florida to pick the plane up, that an oil analysis be made of the engine (for $25.00). This oil analysis, albeit conducted after the plane was paid for, indicated abnormal engine wear and piston scuffing.
As a result of the oil analysis, two cylinders were removed and it was discovered that one cylinder had serious pitting requiring replacement. The other had a blown stack which required repairing but not replacement. One cylinder was replaced, the other was repaired and new rings were installed. The other two cylinders were then removed and sent off for inspection and determined to be serviceable.
The engine had 57 hours SMOH at this time.
The
oil analysis itself only cost $25.00 and allowed the discovery of un-airworthy parts , much sooner than a compression check would have discovered the defective parts which could have progressed to an engine failure. Fixing these items prior to failure may have prevented an engine failure.Non -Complied with AD note.
During the annual, it was discovered that an AD note issued in 1978 had not been complied with for 26 years. This AD note was complied with at an additional cost of approximately $640.This discovery evidenced that the airplane had not been airworthy for the previous 26 years, notwithstanding the fact that a DAR and two IA's had recently inspected the airplane during the previous annual inspection and the issuance of a new Airworthiness Certificate by the DAR.
We documented this fact so that a claim could be made for this cost.
Upon arrival for pickup and delivery, the delivery pilot, discovered additional items needing to be corrected which should have been corrected at the annual inspection.
Among the many additional un-airworthy items discovered after the annual by the delivery pilot:
1. FAA Mandated Placards were missing 8 of 10 required placards were not installed. There is no excuse for an IA missing this or a mechanic returning an aircraft to service without complying with this. This is basic.
a. Required ELT Endorsements missing from logbook
b. Pilot Operating Handbook not in plane ($260 item) There was a Cessna Flight Information Handbook (which is the same thing as the Pilot Operating Handbook, WITHOUT the change notices and serial number page locking the Pilot Operating Handbook to the specific aircraft) The Cessna Flight Information Handbook is NOT LEGAL to replace the PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK. This Cessna could not be operated legally without a Pilot operating handbook on board. (2 IA's missed it, a DAR Missed it, a newly minted commercial pilot who owned the airplane and sold it to the new buyer missed it). The new buyer shelled out another $260 before the plane could legally fly.
c. Multiple radios (4) were illegally installed and without a FAA Form 337 by persons unknown.
d. Fraudulent entries were made on the Weight and Balance Data making the W&B un-reliable for all performance calculations and requiring the plane to be re-weighed.
e. Radios listed on the Equipment List were not in the airplane
f. Compass card illegible and un-usable.
g. Directional Gyro defective and precessing excessively
h. Illegal parts were used on the airplane making the airplane un-airworthy. (2 IA's and 1 DAR Missed it)
i. Hidden electrical defects caused the failure of all communication and navigational radios at a time when they were needed for accurate navigation, nearly causing an accident. The Cessna dealership had been told about the electrical wiring problems and specifically instructed to replace wiring and tie up loose cable bundles. This was not done.
j. Fuel gauges were innacurate.
k. Ashless dispersant oil, instead of the Lycoming mandated mineral oil, had been used after the first 2 hours after the overhaul making it impossible for the rings to seat ensuring that the engine would have high oil consumption during its lifetime.
Mineral Oil is MANDATORY for the first 50 hours after an overhaul or new cylinders or new rings are installed. Also, engine must be operated BELOW 5000 ft density altitude at 65-75% power during first 50 hours to ensure proper ring seating. MANDATORY LYCOMING DIRECTIVE
l. Structural damage to an aileron was discovered requiring replacement of a damaged section of skin.
m. Structural damage to skin sections on horizontal stabilizer, underneath tail outboard wing sections.
n. Un Approved parts were found which did not come from the same make and model aircraft..
Conversation with new owner later indicated the mechanic who performed the annual inspection thought the above items were "un-important"
2. Subsequently, a second oil analysis was returned indicating possible piston scuffing and "Abnormal" wear levels. ?Was this due to "normal" break in?
Or was it due to mis- aligned parts due to the prop strike which were "not important" to a mechanic doing the overhaul and trying to save money or "not important" to the young IA mechanic, who did the inspection (and who was not a pilot) and who had never had an engine failure at night on take-off. The seriousness of this question is not readily apparent to someone who has not had the experience. It is hard to duplicate in training or appreciate by someone who doesn't fly.
The plane owner, anxious to have his new purchase flown to California, had signed a release with the seller upon being re-imbursed $5,900 for the faulty paint job, leaving him unable to institute an action for further recovery, except for the documentation provided by the subsequent inspections by the pilot.
Additional items were discovered after the initial flight which necessitated the grounding of the airplane by the FAA.
The plane owner was told to fix the problems, then he could fly it..
Our comment:
An aircraft purchase is an expensive undertaking. This Cessna was a relatively simple fixed gear aircraft, that was recently inspected and had gone through 2 annuals and had a new airworthiness certificate recently issued by a FAA DAR.
Still, this airplane had major defects that were not addressed by the DAR, and 2 mechanics with Inspection Authorization.
The oil analysis itself only cost $25.00. Had this simple test been performed prior to purchase or as a condition of purchase, major internal damage to the engine would have been immediately apparent, with or without the warnings of "Deep Throat".
When we were at the shop, there were comments made, one by the owner of the business, about the PILOT INFORMATION MANUAL, which is similar to the FAA Required PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK and AIRPLANE FLIGHT MANUAL but is NOT THE SAME and CANNOT be substituted.
However, the PILOT INFORMATION MANUAL is NOT UPDATED and does not contain Important changes and a log of FAA Approved changes.
The shop owner said "If you want to be STRICTLY LEGAL, then you need to buy the PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK ($260.00) (without which the plane is not legal to fly since it is a FAA MANDATORY item required to be onboard). He seemed to feel that the Pilot Information Manual was "GOOD ENOUGH". IT IS A VIOLATION OF THE FAR’S to have a required manual missing. Being almost legal is like being "a little pregnant".
As this adventure progressed and additional items were discovered, some in flight, things went from bad to worse, including radio communication and navigation failures which could easily have caused an accident or violation by blundering into restricted airspace or Class B airspace while "threading a needle" in a narrow channel between Class B airspace and a "hot" restricted area when the radios failed and were needed for precise navigation. This may not have been "important" to the mechanic, that there were multiple radios on one circuit breaker, causing them to blow and creating a fire hazard, but they were very distracting to the pilot, worrying about a "hot" restricted area, just off a wingtip.
The radio problems could have also caused a weather related accident while trying to get into an airport for fuel, relying on radar vectors to maneuver around building thunderstorms, when the radios again blew out, due to the improper and illegal installation.
This story is both about money, (It is going to cost the new pilot aircraft owner wannabe a considerable amount to fix these items, which should have been discovered and fixed during the initial pre-buy. It is also about the attitude of the powers that be at the shop, towards fixing things properly, as well as the IA who performed the inspection as well as about the real immediate safety issues which arose due to defective equipment and the failure to discover these items and fix them properly at the annual inspection
.A tolerance for this sort of discrepancy allowed more serious discrepancies than paperwork problems to creep in.
The IA who performed the last inspection of the airplane offered go to the place of last landing of the airplane, remove the wings and truck it to California, at his own expense, according to a statement of the aircraft owner.
This $40,000 investment may turn out to be junk before the saga ends.
Moral: If you are going to purchase a plane, LOOK AT IT YOURSELF.
GET A PILOT TO FLY IT if you are not yet a pilot.
HAVE A ZERO TOLERANCE ATTITUDE FOR ANY DEFECTS.
REMEMBER: THE PILOT (YOU) will be the first one to the scene of an accident.
Oftentimes, (usually) a mechanic is NOT A PILOT. He may not see things through a pilot’s eyes. The pilot (YOU) can be held responsible for his mistakes. YOU, the pilot, are the final inspector and make the final determination if the aircraft is airworthy or not.
A PLANE WITH ILLEGAL ITEMS is NOT AIRWORTHY, even though it may fly.
This airplane had many illegal paperwork, electrical and structural defects, most not obvious, to the new and un-suspecting pilot-owner wannabe.
If there is an accident and these items are discovered, as they will be if there is an accident, then your insurance will not pay for the claim. So, it is a very serious and expensive matter.
If you are the pilot when they happen, you may not have to worry about making a claim.
If anything in this story sounds familiar, then you may want to consider
A non US citizen, not familiar with US laws, attempted to follow the trail of a number of friends in his home country who had organized corporations in offshore jurisdictions, then organized a Delaware corporation to act as Trustee but did not file proper paperwork and have the required officer structure.
This individual utilized one of the many companies advertising this service in one of the populatAviation publications, paid a fee, and thought he was in compliance with US laws.
This resulted in having the registration certificate invalidated by the FAA during a routine inspection during a border crossing. Inspectors are required to check this item.
If anything in this story sounds familiar, then you may want to consider
This person purchased a Beechcraft King Air 200, thought to be located in Columbia and being sold by the Colombian Government, through an aircraft broker.
The buyer paid for the airplane ($300,000) and closed on the transaction, registering the airplane in his name having gotten a pink slip registration and proceeded to hire a flight crew to return the airplane to the United States. (A temporary registration certificate is not legal for international flights.)As the crew was preparing to leave to go to Colombia to pick up the airplane, they were told that there would be a slight delay because there was a "problem".
The problem was, that the owner could not locate the airplane.
As this saga progressed, we learned that there was "good news and bad news". The good news was that there were three airplanes with the same N Number. (Great. Maybe we could fly one of them). The bad news was the plane was no longer in Colombia. The worse news is that they still don’t know where it is.
The broker was in jail, last we heard. So, some progress is being made.
Several years have elapsed. The owner is still looking for the plane.
If anything in this story sounds familiar, then you may want to consider
Things to Check Before You Turn Loose of Your Money
Does whoever is selling the plane really own it or are you buying a pretty picture?
Are there any Liens on the Airplane. Some Bank may still own more of it than you do after you pay for it..
Does the plane really exist. Or are you buying a phantom? Look and See? This means a trip to the buyer.
Everything on the airplane should work properly. If they don’t it is not airworthy and you cannot fly it legally. This is a ZERO TOLERANCE ITEM.
An airworthy airplane must have the paperwork act together and all of the equipment must be on one of the following pieces of paper.
If it is in the airplane and not listed on one of the above pieces of paper it is illegal and the plane is not airworthy.
Radios get old. Because the frequency tolerances keep changing some radios become obsolete. There are many radios which are obsolete and are illegal.
Radios that have become illegal are
There are lots of illegal radios in existence.
An airplane must have legal paperwork or it is NOT AIRWORTHY. That means if you fly it and break it and the paperwork is not legal, your insurance company won't buy it.
There are many pieces of paper for an airplane That need to be checked. It is easy for a mechanic to miss an AD note on an item that is not on the original Type Certificate Data Sheet and has been installed by a Form 337.
ALL of the accessories are potential places for an AD note to slip in un-noticed.
Things like altimeters, gyroscopes, vaccum pumps, propellers, tires, radios, elt’s transponders, are items that may or may not be accurately listed on your equipment list. These items are subject to AD’s. If they are not listed by accurate make and model, then the mechanic cannot determine if there are any outstanding AD notes.This needs to be watched like a hawk. A good system and well worth the price Is the AD LOG system. However, this is only as good as the attention to detail you put into it if you are either purchasing a new system or taking over an ongoing one. If ADLOG does not have an accurate equipment list, then their computer does not know what the equipment is in your airplane.
An airplane may have many inspections that come due when you are not thinking about them and all it is doing is just sitting still, parked.
Inspections are not merely every so many hours of flight, or the once a year annual inspection you have to worry about.
There are AD notes that require inspection every 25, 50, 100, 500, 800, hours, or at overhaul, or once every so many months or years. AD notes can be applied differently to airplanes operated commercially or privately. Propeller AD notes fall into the category of needing compliance every so many hours and every so many years, whether the plane is flown or not.
We have found two airplanes that came out of the factory with incorrect totals on the weight and balance data.
We have checked this item a year later with the owner and still found that it remained uncorrected.
We have found one instance where this is a suspected cause of a crash.
DO THE ARITHMETIC.
If you are in the airplane and it is out of CG or you mis-calculate the weight or CG because of an error, you are still the one who will get hurt. The mechanic is still on the ground.
Things to Buy
Title insurance is cheap to be sure there are no liens that you missed when you closed the purchase.
Most countries require insurance when you transit them, on the way to the plane’s new home.
All require proof of insurance. Your pilot will need an original copy of your policy.
Some, require THE POLICY TO BE ISSUED BY A COMPANY WITHIN THE COUNTRY......MEXICO is a large country and is one of them.
Planes without insurance are subject to impoundment and confiscation.
If you would like to speak with someone who can assist you as a Buyer's Representative, or to help you find a suitable aircraft to purchase, please contact Fred Quarles, 434-220-4880, for a Free Evaluation of your upcoming purchase and an estimate of the time and cost involved to do a THOROUGH check on your upcoming purchase.
I am able to assist you with going to view the airplane, inspecting the records, determining the airworthiness status, and otherwise REPRESENTING YOU in the purchase, just as if I were purchasing an aircraft of my own.
I have negotiated the purchase of a number of single and multi engine airplanes, both for myself and for others.
I have been accused of being a "nit picker", but I have not had the problems with my own purchases, that some of my customers above have had as enumerated above. These problems were discovered after the purchase had been made and a pilot was employed to deliver the airplane.
I have been involved in aviation for over 45 years now, paid my dues and I have learned many hard and expensive lessons . I may be of help to you and save you some of the money you may not have budgeted for expensive aircraft ownership lessons, to use for flying and fuel instead.
From the first hand experience, of watching some of these mistakes, after the mistake was made, but before I became involved, I can assure you, that having someone who has "been there", "done that", these people would have saved enough money for a lot of extra flying hours, another rating, or even for more than one , slightly smaller, airplane, had they taken the time to do a THOROUGH job of inspecting their purchase, and researching registration legalities, and actually VIEWING THE AIRPLANE, prior to parting with their money.
If You Would Like To Employ a Buyers Representative To Assist With An Aircraft Purchase Please Send an Email to aircraft-delivery@gmx.us. Click Here. There is no charge for a free estimate.
