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Just a general comment,
Someone has been looking for an Ercoupe to buy and has evidently
run into many that may be not airworthy-see comments below. As someone
who is close to making a purchase, I was disappointed to hear this as
I'm sure many others were. Have others had this same experience?
A buyers experience...
"....as I was told I ought to expect in the first place--that a lot
of Ercoupes are not worth having, at least not unless someone is
willing to take on what amounts to (even if not advertised as) a
project."
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Darick,
There are at least two major concerns that should be addressed by anyone
who is purchasing any aircraft: is it airworthy and is it legal? For
aircraft such as coupes which are up to sixty years old, both
airworthiness issues and legal issues are not uncommon. The
airworthiness issues for coupes include hidden corrosion and possible
wear in parts that could be expensive or even next to impossible to
replace. The legal issues can include undocumented changes, "illegal"
additions, and clouded ownership records.
But, these issues are not always unusual or unsolvable. How many of us
could produce the documentation that we were properly vaccinated as a
child. When I was in the army, I had to carry my shot record as I moved
from post to post. Log books and other documentation does get lost. This
often happens when owners stop flying but don't sell the plane. Or they
may die and their heirs unknowingly throw out all the old papers then
sell the plane. I was considering one plane that looked good and was
priced mid-range, until I found out that the person selling it had owned
it for six years but it was still registered to a previous owner.
And,the current owner had not flown it since the swiss cheese AD came
out. It may have been a great plane, but it wasn't for me.
Many coupes seem to have a limited amount of documentation. Which, if
you want to know what you are considering purchasing, getting the FAA CD
on the aircraft would be a good idea. The CD should contain the
equipment list that came with the original purchase. Compare that with
what is on the plane you are considering and check the aircraft logbooks
and 337s for all changes. It seems that up until the 1970s or so, a lot
of detail was often omitted from logbooks. Starters and generators were
never repaired, oil was seldom changed, and spark plugs lasted forever.
Current logbook entries require documentation showing who, what, and
how. Don't expect that level of detail over sixty years, but look
closely enough to realize what documentation is missing and judge how
important it might become in the future.
Learn as much as you can about the aircraft type(s) you are considering.
Site such as this are a help, but don't stop there. Contact owners in
your area (you can check the FAA registrations by state). Tell them you
are looking for a ???? and ask them if you could look at theirs to learn
more about them. Many owners will be glad to show off their airplanes --
and some will even invite you for a ride. Ask lots of questions and, if
necessary, take notes. You can't learn too much. Then find an IA,
preferably one with some experience with the type aircraft you are
considering. An IA can be invaluable in learning what will be required
to keep the aircraft airworthy. Run the list of ADs on the aircraft
type. With luck, any aircraft you are considering will have a current AD
compliance list from it's last annual. It might also be a good idea to
borrow or purchase the manuals for the aircraft and the engine so you
are more familiar with the aircraft and know what you are looking at.
In short, buying a sixty year old plane is not like buying a new or even
a used car. You are often buying from an individual, far from your home,
with no real warranty, and the pressure of several buyers looking at the
same aircraft. The more prepared you are, the more you know about what
should be, the more likely you'll make a better purchase decision at a
reasonable price. There is nothing wrong with buying a project if you
know that it's a project and you pay a project price. However, some
owners may be flying what amounts to a project and not even know it. As
a prospective purchaser, you have to take responsibility for the final
yes or no decision.
John Roach
N 2427H
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