Learned a lesson today

[Jim K]

3 days, 3 threads.... promise this is the last one for a while. Probably.

Pa-32-300 popped up on FB.... looks perfect. Call the guy... seems friendly.... tells me useful load is 1480... airplane is perfect.

Drop everything.... kids to grandparents.... reserve the Dakota.... fly 3 hours.

No current w&b, major avionics work done since the last one in the poh. Last on in the book is from 1999 and lists useful at 1350. They don't know, their mechanic doesn't know..... they bought it 6 months ago and have flown it 100 hours and never done w&b.....

Tried to figure out the engine, previous owner had it opened up presumably for a cam... it hadn't flown for several years before he bought it. Advertised as 1000 smoh, looked to me like almost 2000, but it would've taken an hour to tease it out as logbooks were a mess.

Heartbreaking as it was beautiful with a new interior, gns750, hsi, 3 blade prop; everything you could SEE was perfect.

Oh well. Had a nice flight, got to exercise the new instrument ticket and cross a new state off my list. Hadn't flown the Dakota in a while. Learned that I'm going to have to cut one of my kids legs off to fit behind me in that middle row. Next time I'll ask for photo of the w&b before I go.

 

[texasag93]

PA 32 300 is known as a flying truck. A W&B would not be the issue, the engine would be the issue but you have to do a pre buy.

Kiss a few frogs to find a prince.

I am very glad you had a nice flight to a new area.

 

[Racerx]

In a previous thread I was gonna ask if you've ever sat in a middle row of a six. It's tight behind the front seats, which is presumably why they turned them around. That middle seat is pretty much reserved for toddlers. No shoulder room. But total time only tells part of the story. If it sat for a few years time since major is pretty irrelevant as you know it's probably only a matter of time

 

[scottfromboston]

I can’t imagine that I’m the only one thinking “this could be worth another hour sifting through the logbooks”.

The engine needs closer inspection (and perhaps a call to the engine shop) but these items sound somewhat normal for an older bird. No W+B is odd, agreed, so it does warrant concern for deferred maintenance, but could be an oversight and is easily remedied.

 

[scottfromboston]

Was it sitting before the cam work, or before the current owner bought it (after the cam work)?

 

[Jim K]

Middle row will be 2,3,and 5 year old. Oldest is almost 13, so it's gonna get tight, but I think we'll all fit until she's out of the house. 4 of them are girls. I didn't realize the front seat back would actually touch the middle row though. The pa28s actually have more leg room behind the pilots seat. I think im going to take my wife to see a club configuration and discuss leaving one with grandma.

My calculation is that I need at least 1420 useful for the whole crew, bags, and 3 hours gas +reserve, which is why I'm so hung up on it. Their use case they were almost certainly safe, although technically unairworthy, without the w&b. If im loading up to max gross though, i want to be sure.

Was it sitting before the cam work, or before the current owner bought it (after the cam work)?

before the current owners bought it. What little i could piece together, the previous owner flew it a couple hundred hours over 3 years, after doing the engine work. Im sure the engine has a bunch of life in it, but they were asking 150k, and I can't see taking that kind of risk. I'd rather buy a run out engine and replace it myself.

 

[Jim K]

Kiss a few frogs to find a prince.

No doubt

 

[Racerx]

150k. Pass. I'd rather buy the 28k 260 (I know less desirable hp) on barnstormers and put that same money into building it up.

 

[scottfromboston]

Middle row will be 2,3,and 5 year old. Oldest is almost 13, so it's gonna get tight, but I think we'll all fit until she's out of the house. 4 of them are girls. I didn't realize the front seat back would actually touch the middle row though. The pa28s actually have more leg room behind the pilots seat. I think im going to take my wife to see a club configuration and discuss leaving one with grandma.

My calculation is that I need at least 1420 useful for the whole crew, bags, and 3 hours gas +reserve, which is why I'm so hung up on it. Their use case they were almost certainly safe, although technically unairworthy, without the w&b. If im loading up to max gross though, i want to be sure.

before the current owners bought it. What little i could piece together, the previous owner flew it a couple hundred hours over 3 years, after doing the engine work. Im sure the engine has a bunch of life in it, but they were asking 150k, and I can't see taking that kind of risk. I'd rather buy a run out engine and replace it myself.

Same! Kiss a few more frogs and you'll find one. Silly market right now.