How to fin A&P?

[bigred177]

How to find an A&P?

I am looking at a plane down southeast of Dallas and thought I had a mechanic lined up to fly down with me to look at it. He is getting flakey on me and I think I'd like to just drive down there and use a local mechanic for a pre-buy and ferry permit.

I'm not sure where to go about looking for one though. The only thing I can think of is call the local airport and ask around. Is there any other way to find them?

Thanks

 

[poadeleted21]

Go to one of the Brand/Type specific forums (or here) state the type of plane and general location... Should turn up an A&P. That's how I've found mine.

 

[Steve Foley]

I would much rather have the IA who will be performing the annuals also do the pre-buy. That way you have a better chance of avoiding the 25% of purchase price first annual.

 

[bigred177]

Well, the problem I am running in to is his schedule. If we get a fast plane to go down there we might can squeeze it in on Friday. But I also don't want him hurrying to try and get home and miss something important. Additionally, a fast plane means more gas for me to get us all down there.

The price on this plane is such that I'm afraid it's not going to be available for long and the seller is not willing to hold for a deposit.

 

[bigred177]

I got an email showing a reply but it's not coming up on the board.

Well, if you're in Dallas and it's a Beechcraft, call Jerry Hammock. But, if you are looking at something else, why not tell us? Folks from all over the place with no shortage of opinions on here. And this place is infested with Texans. Other than that, look up the airport it's at on Airnav, call the manager/fbo and get a list of mechanic's in the area.

It's a Piper Cherokee 140 down in Crockett. I started another thread for that but double exposure doesn't hurt.

I called the airport but as it turns out, the broker with the plane is also the local A&P. I called the next closest airport but their guy is significantly more than my mechanic from OKC would be.

Does anyone know if the FAA will issue a ferry permit for an airplane with an expired registration but with the N-number still linked to the plane?

 

[poadeleted21]

I got an email showing a reply but it's not coming up on the board.



It's a Piper Cherokee 140 down in Crockett. I started another thread for that but double exposure doesn't hurt.

I called the airport but as it turns out, the broker with the plane is also the local A&P. I called the next closest airport but their guy is significantly more than my mechanic from OKC would be.

Does anyone know if the FAA will issue a ferry permit for an airplane with an expired registration but with the N-number still linked to the plane?

Assuming no hangups with the registration, IIRC it's $5.00 (maybe a late fee) , a phone call and a Fax (they can issue temporaries). Probably less trouble than a ferry permit. I'm just guessing here, I've never let mine lapse, it's only had one opportunity to do so thus far. Probably be to your advantage to get a lien search done too assuming you're paying cash, a bank will do it for you if you're financing it using the plane as collateral. A LOT of planes have old (and new) liens on them. Most any mechanic that wrenches on light planes will probably be somewhat familiar with the Cherokee, there's SB-1006 that I'd like to see complied with before I purchased a PA28 and that might get left off a pre-buy checklist, mention that

 

[bigred177]

Well my mechanic just tapped out on me. He is going to meet with me to show me how to go over log books and what to look for though.

The broker is also an A&P. I called some of the other local airports and it seems he has a pretty good reputation. Do you think that between my mechanic showing me what to look for and asking the broker to show me in a detailed way around the airplane it would be an okay gamble at annual time?

I plan on doing an owner assisted annual to cut down my costs as much as possible. Maybe I can get this all done for a reasonable price?

 

[poadeleted21]

Well my mechanic just tapped out on me. He is going to meet with me to show me how to go over log books and what to look for though.

The broker is also an A&P. I called some of the other local airports and it seems he has a pretty good reputation. Do you think that between my mechanic showing me what to look for and asking the broker to show me in a detailed way around the airplane it would be an okay gamble at annual time?

I plan on doing an owner assisted annual to cut down my costs as much as possible. Maybe I can get this all done for a reasonable price?

Probably not... seriously. A pre-buy is whatever you and the seller are comfortable with. Cherokee's are very simple planes, a very simple problem can cost you a very large sum of money. DO NOT RUSH TO BUY IT!! Let me tell you it's still a buyers market. Unless this is a Cherry 140 selling for sub 15K. It's not the best deal out there. This is a broker.. They know the ropes, or should know them. I'd be very suspicious of one not willing to have you put a deposit in escrow with a standard pre-purchase agreement. That means PRE BUY and LIEN search. This is SOP any good buyer is going to want to do both and the seller can't reasonably expect you to get all that organized and done with cash in hand in the amount of time it takes you to get there. If he insists on it, walk. I can assure you, there's probably not a conga line of people lined up with cash in hand to buy this plane. It might sell out from under you, it might not. But do your due dillegence. An escrow deposit, pre-purchase agreement, pre-buy inspection and lien search are not excessive requests as a buyer, even for a fire sale Cherokee 140.

If you do go out on your own, know that PA28s have numerous service bulletins out now for corrosion inspections, most are no big deal/nothing to even worry about if they aren't complied with. The wing spar one would be done on any PA28 I purchase, based in TX or not. It is a $350 kit to perform the inspection, and can take a substantial amount of time depending on the tank screw conditions and ease of removing them. If you're a half decent wrench, the inspection is straightforward and can be performed easily by a non-A&P while under an A&P's supervision. If the problem is found, a "cheap" 140 is now a "parts only" 140 unless you just want to toss another 10-15K at it. There are oil cooler hose ADs, a new Yoke AD. Looking for things that even an annual inspection doesn't catch is good to do to i.e. when were the fuel lines replaces, the mags overhauled, how long has it been sitting, how old is the overhaul.. things like that. Paperwork can be expensive too. Know what you need. I have a little bit of a feeling that a broker is trying to rush you. I owned my PA28 for 3 years, did substantial amounts of upgrades/maintenance to it. Started the piperforum.com site and read about every post on there for 3 years. I'd feel comfortable with myself as a non-A&P doing a pre-buy and purchase on a PA28. Most boilerplate pre-purchase agreements I have seen stipulate an A&P/IA doing the pre-buy to get your deposit back. Hang in there, someone on here or on piperforum.com will know someone.... If you want to call me to keep the particulars off the internet, you can. I'm by no means an expert, just a guy who went a little overboard on information gathering with the PA28 line of planes...

 

[Clark1961]

If the seller won't hold for a deposit and purchase agreement which stipulates airworthy condition then *runaway* now. It's a buyers market so get the deal you want.