Looking at a plane in Florida

Caramon13 said:
Oh please...all this hate for FL-based planes. I had a Cherokee for a while down here, previous home was in Alabama. Properly maintained and ZERO corrosion issues. It was even tied-down outside the entire time, not in a hangar.

You don't have to be a hangar snob to take good care of your planes. Proper inspection, treatment and just flying the thing will help keep the parts free from any major issues.
.
Click to expand...
While what you say is true, I have honestly seen enough airplanes in/from Florida to say that if it is a common type (172/PA28/BE35....etc) the odds are it isn't worth to effort and cost to do the due diligence to determine the true condition.

When you are trying to decide which of ten airplanes for sale you are willing to put an offer on and do the prebuy and two of those 10 are in Florida, those are an easy two to scratch off the list.
 
Morgan3820 said:
The question remains. Is it possible to do an effective corrosion inspection during a prebuy.
Click to expand...

I would think so on a Cherokee, do the SB1006 if it hasn't been done in the last 10 years. Then crawl in the tail area and look around, then get a bore scope and commit airplane rape by sticking that scope in any little hole and inspection panel you can find. You will be surprised what all you can see on a Cherokee..lift up that back seat and check out the cables and spare carry through.

You really cant beat a Cherokee and parts are relatively inexpensive and pipers are cheaper to acquire than Cessna's usually too.
 
Fearless Tower said:
Yes, it is, provided you use an A&P who knows the airframe well and you trust them.
Click to expand...

Well, my AP/AI is going in 50% with me. He will be doing the prebuy. He is smart, experienced, but corrosion is not a big issue where we live.
 
Morgan3820 said:
Well, my AP/AI is going in 50% with me. He will be doing the prebuy. He is smart, experienced, but corrosion is not a big issue where we live.
Click to expand...

The lack of corrosion in your area might actually be a good thing from a mechanic's standpoint. If he has never seen much corrosion before he might reject the plane for what a mechanic accustomed to seeing corrosion would consider to be minor. Plus, if he is going to be a partner in the plane he has a vested interest in finding a nice airframe and will likely scrutinize it more than he might if he wasn't the one buying it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top