I missed a couple of potential good buys waiting for the FAA CD &/or inspection. Good deals seem to go fast. I solved that problem by making a deposit and having a pre-buy contract that I would pay the negotiated price if CD and inspection confirmed what the seller was telling me about the plane. If not, he refunds the deposit. They won't go along with this if they are hiding something; but I've done this 3 times in my flying career with no glitches or hesitation by the seller. In the San Diego area is a coupe savy mechanic named John Hammerstrand. Let me know if you need contact info.
Dan C. On May 3, 2010, at 7:44 AM, Ed Burkhead wrote: > > > > A potential Couper wrote me asking about pre-purchase inspections and how to > find a mechanic who could do it in his area. > > > > After referring him to the regional directors and wing leaders for areas near > his potential purchase, I got carried away and wrote up some advice for him > as a potential buyer. Here it is, below. I’d appreciate your comments. If > I get ambitious enough, I’ll post it up on my website. > > > > > > Potential Couper, > > I got lucky in that the mechanic at our local airport was a responsible and > honest fellow. The plane was being sold at my own airport where I was > learning to fly and Dave had done extensive work on it in preparation for the > sale. It was just as represented. I’m afraid Dave is at retirement age, by > now, as I bought my plane in 1979 and I don’t know if he ever worked on > another Coupe after mine. > > There is a pretty good population of Coupes in California. Someone must be > maintaining them. Looking in the Coupe Capers lists in the back, I’d suggest > you contact > > . . . list of regional directors and wing leaders in the area (as there were > no mechanics listed within 350 miles) > > > Those local leaders are most likely to be able to recommend a Coupe > knowledgeable mechanic for you. > > It’s frustrating to miss a good deal because of waiting for a pre-purchase > inspection. But, I’ve known of a couple of people who bought an > UN-repairable Coupe due to not having had a good pre-purchase inspection. > > Even a good inspection can’t guarantee everything, particularly in the > engine. Be sure to budget 20% of the purchase price for fixes/upgrades > whenever you buy a used airplane (at least 10% when buying anything else > used). That extra budget preparation takes care of most issues. > > Be sure to get the N-number and quickly buy the paperwork CD from the FAA for > any plane you are considering buying. > > If you need it to be an LSA, be cautious. Some (?the majority? of) > non-lawyers and, perhaps, some FSDOs, have concluded that if a Coupe has > never had its airworthiness certificate changed to be a different model, then > it’s still eligible as an LSA. Others won’t touch any plane for which there > is a form 337 on file with the FAA for a model change to a higher model. > Some won’t touch a plane for which there’s **any** document that shows it was > ever flown by someone thinking it was a D. Your insurance company (or even > the FAA) may have a different opinion from yourself and this issue has not > gone through the courts for resolution. > > Ideas for quick purchase: > Some sellers will go along with a deal where you get an annual inspection by > your mechanic and fix costs get deducted from the purchase price. This can > be hard to arrange, especially if the plane is not near your mechanic’s home > base. If the seller is confident about the condition of his/her plane, it > can work. > > Other sellers might go along with letting the sale be provisional pending > your inspection. You pay a lose-it-if-you-back-out deposit and put the > balance in escrow, then take the plane for the inspection. You’d have to > negotiate all the details. > > Having your mechanic do a very careful inspection for corrosion is probably > the most important part of pre-purchase inspections these days. It is rare > to find corrosion but corrosion can cost you thousands for a bad wing and > $6,000-$10,000 for a corroded center section spar. I think, so far, spare > used spars are available. > > Good luck on your hunt. It can be hard to find the right plane but you are > doing the smart thing in your search. By doing the smart thing, you should > find a plane that could be your love for decades. > > Ed > > Ed Burkhead > http://edburkhead/Ercoupe/index.htm > ed -at- edburkh???ead . com (change -at- to @ and remove ??? and > spaces) > > > > > > >
