Ramp Rot Pics

[flhrci]

NM, found it.

Gonna buy it or pass?

David

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

What a weird world we live in.
Used the tail number to get the owner
Owner is actually a corp
Located the corp which is actually a house address
went to the tax records to get the owner name
went to facebook and messaged the owner.

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

And I see I am way behind. Read the first page and skipped the rest of the thread where all that home work was already done.

 

[Tom-D]

This aircraft sold for over $100,000.00

There is always hope, it brought that price simply because it was all there.

 

[Tom-D]

here is what it looked like when finished

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

So at what point does an owner decide to call the scrapper? Are there even companies that do such a thing, like go out to an airport and pick up a neglected wreck?

How do these airplanes get to be in such a state, what causes it?

Someone buys an airplane, they fly it, love it, keep it in a hanger, have the required inspections and work done on a timely basis, they keep it all nice and clean and polished, then what happens?

They lose their job? They get sick? They get too old to give a crap anymore?

The plane never belonged to an individual but was part of a corporations assets that was not being used anymore? They cut costs to the bare bones since no one met their asking price. They take it out of the hanger to save money, they stop having the annual done to save money, they long ago canceled the cleaning service, and now, anyone in the corporation that was familiar with this asset has long since retired and the tie down is on auto pay?

I'll bet that there are a whole lot of interesting stories about the people who own these derelicts.

-John

At the end of the hangar row is a Colonial Skimmer. The guy that owns it would come out every spring, put the battery in, fire it up, taxi around to warm up, change the oil, put it back. Every fall, the battery came back out. Paid the hangar rent, paid the state registration fee, but just had too many other things going on (built a helicopter, etc.). Last flew in the 1970's IIRC.

Finally, he told a nephew that he could have half of it if he got it flying again. Everything on these is hydraulic - flaps, gear, trim... everything leaked. Issues with the prop, issues with this and that and... But now:

 

[silver-eagle]

I spoke with the owner of this airplane. He believes its worth 60 large. I just walked away shaking my head.

If I were to guess, that's what he told his (now) exwife who is waiting for her 50% stake. Until he sells, she gets nothing.
In my case, all my assets I got to keep, I had to pay her 1/2 fair market value for. All the ones she got to keep were never mentioned. Funny how that worked out.

 

[Dav8or]

Update since my last post here, The Piper Pacer (see below) I posted up is actually being brought back to life! There have been a couple of guys working on it for weeks. Right on the tie down. I don't think it has taken to the air yet, but soon I expect.

 

[saulico]

Every airport has them lets see them.

Coincidentally, I photographed this same airplane last month:

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

This Navion hasn't moved since I got a hangar at Grosse Ile Municipal (ONZ) in 2010

 

[Speedy]

What a shame. There is a Grumman at KPGD rotting on the ramp. I called the owner and asked him if he wanted to sell it. He almost took my head off. That dude should be kicked in the ass.

 

[Foxhole]

Agreed . They are like me...stuck on the ground, not enough money to keep flying.

Me Too

 

[comanche pilot]

it disappeared a few years ago, I have no idea what happened to it.

It belonged to the old man Stevers, when he died the kids sold all his stash of old round engine W 670 W680 and W690 parts and a barn full of aircraft rare parts.

That was a while back, the aircraft disappeared shortly after.

I believe it was donated to the Museum of Flight @ Boeing Field. I think I saw it at Paine Field at their restoration center where it was brought back to display status.

 

[stratobee]

Got plenty.

Here's a rotting Aerostar at Corona (KAJO). Probably beyond saving at this point. She'd been dragged to this spot on flat tires when they relocated her for an event...

Extra sad to see as an Aerostar owner myself.

If I didn't know it was made out of aluminium, I'd say that looked like rust...

A tell tale sign of lost hydraulic pressure on the Aerostars is when the gear doors start sagging.

Mold and rot on the glare shield.

Birds have no regards for their own.

Here's a Bonanza at Twentynine Palms.

Here is an Aero Commander 520 that despite still being shiny after the previous owner polished her...

...hasn't flown in years. The whole interior is torn out.

 

[stratobee]

More…

A De Havilland…..

…Dove outside of….

….Lubbock, TX.

Interior of Dove.

Here's yours truly with a very rare bird. A beautiful Czech Let L-200 Morava light twin from the 50's stored outside of London, UK on a farm. I wanted to restore this one, but it was just too much work.

The Morava was well ahead of its time and a great performer. Think one or two made it to the US. You still see a few around Europe at fly-ins. They were powered by Walther M337 engines and had Avia props. Please Google them - they are very pretty birds.

Here's another Aerostar, a 601P rotting away at Hawthorne (KHHR). The usual story - father dies and the kids fight over who should get the money from the sale….

….whilst the years pass and it rots away all value. This one has so much corrosion now it will never fly again. What a waste. People are stupid.

Now this is a rare bird. An Aero Commander 720 Alticruiser. One of only 12 built, I think. It was the first pressurised GA twin to ever come to the market in the late 50's. Ahead of it's time. This has been rotting away at Torrance airport for decades. Last I heard someone was trying to save it.

This old 520 Commander was sitting at Sedona, AZ for about ten years. Owner took off and one engine failed, he managed to get it back down, but never did repair it….

…finally the airport sold it for scrap to cover the unpaid tie down fees. I managed to buy the flaps and some ailerons off of this bird for my 520.

 

[DaveA]

I relate to these posts. A widowed childhood friend of Dad's and fellow pilot/airstrip owner died tragically in an automobile accident about 15 years ago. He and I had reconnected after Dad's death, since we both owned TriPacers. This man also was building a replica biplane of a 1930's design, an was well along with it, and had just finished a SuperCruiser restoration. After his death, I spoke to the AI we both knew in common, inquiring of the disposition of the aircraft in the estate. The daughter was wanting $50k for the TriPacer (out of annual and fabric no longer airworthy) and $100k for the SuperCruiser (not a showplane- just a 'daily driver' at best). I can't recall the price on the biplane, but it made me cringe. All this and a huge car collection of derelict VW Beetles and parts. She was contending with her brother somehow on all this...what a mess.

It doesn't always pay to deal with the heirs.

 

[JHW]

where is the De Havilland ? I'm surprised no one has helped themselves to the rangers yet

 

[Henning]

where is the De Havilland ? I'm surprised no one has helped themselves to the rangers yet

I thought they had Gypsy Queens.

 

[JHW]

I thought they had Gypsy Queens.

if that's the case you could put it anywhere and no one would touch them

 

[yakdriver]

My SNJ (T-6) sat for 22 years next to the tower at Spirit of St Louis airport when I bought it. Three of us flew out in a 206 with tools etc and flew it home three days later to Twin Falls, ID. That engine ran great for 8 years and 450 hrs before I slod the airplane. So yes you can resurrect an old ramp queen. Don

 

[N801BH]

Got plenty.

Here is an Aero Commander 520 that despite still being shiny after the previous owner polished her...

...hasn't flown in years. The whole interior is torn out.

This plane would make a perfect test bed for developing my V-8 engine program.... Reclass it to experimental R&D and have a ball...

 

[Henning]

This plane would make a perfect test bed for developing my V-8 engine program.... Reclass it to experimental R&D and have a ball...

Orenda used a Commander as well.

 

[DC34ME]

Hampton, Ga. (4A7)

Griffin, Ga. (6A2)

Oklahoma City, Ok. (KRCE)

 

[Dav8or]

This plane would make a perfect test bed for developing my V-8 engine program.... Reclass it to experimental R&D and have a ball...

Seems like a great idea! You could hang a conventional, certified engine of whatever HP you're shooting for on one side and your project on the other. Then you not only have redundancy, but also a side by side comparison of actual performance. Great use for a ramp queen with shot engines.

 

[Old97]

That square - tail 172 looks like it could be a flier. Unusual paint scheme. I kinda like it.

 

[JHW]

That square - tail 172 looks like it could be a flier. Unusual paint scheme. I kinda like it.

I dont know about that when there are thousands of flying ones for sale at any time. But the abandoned t-bone in the same post, makes me want to cry.

 

[Henning]

I dont know about that when there are thousands of flying ones for sale at any time. But the abandoned t-bone in the same post, makes me want to cry.

I'd like to have the engines off the Mojave.

 

[us AAirways]

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Beech-55-Baron/2397999/L/&sid=79ef21b4b31445936356f718f380b1f1

 

[N747JB]

I'd like to have the engines off the Mojave.

The engines are probably why it's sitting there.

 

[Flavius Renatus]

This thread makes the baby Jesus cry.....

 

[Dan Thomas]

Hampton, Ga. (4A7)







Griffin, Ga. (6A2)





Oklahoma City, Ok. (KRCE)

This thing. What a waste of a fine old airplane. It almost looks like a metalized version of the 108.

Dan

 

[Jthamilton]

Located south of Tulsa at KOKM, flew several years ago. Experienced some engine issues and has sat ever since. Now has so much rot it probably won't fly again. Owner nice guy and is looking for investors to bring back to flying shape and do National Geo trip around world. I'm not going to hold my breath.

 

[Henning]

The engines are probably why it's sitting there.

Yep, but my use would not be certified, so I can replace the parts with aftermarket. With modern 5&7 axis machines, I can have billet parts custom made cheaper than Lycoming's stuff.

 

[kkoran]

This thing. What a waste of a fine old airplane. It almost looks like a metalized version of the 108.

Almost? It's definitely a metalized Stinson.