Twin comanche, just looked at one

Hi guys

Just looked at a 1964 TwinCo with all the bells and whistles, no GPS though,
but 2 glodeslopes, fresh annual and a lot more good stuff in it. It has a
STEC50, any ideas how good this is? The aircraft have 9000+ hours on the
airframe, doesnt look like it though, so it appears to me to be a used, but
not abused aircraft. Any considerations?

The plane can be bought for around 60.000

/E

E Andersen wrote:
Hi guys

Just looked at a 1964 TwinCo with all the bells and whistles, no GPS
though, but 2 glodeslopes, fresh annual and a lot more good stuff in
it. It has a STEC50, any ideas how good this is? The aircraft have
9000+ hours on the airframe, doesnt look like it though, so it
appears to me to be a used, but not abused aircraft. Any
considerations?
The plane can be bought for around 60.000

/E

How many hours on the engines?

Right 936 / Left 1391

Prob RT 79 / left 1391



"Gig 601XL Builder" wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net wrote in message
...
E Andersen wrote:
Hi guys

Just looked at a 1964 TwinCo with all the bells and whistles, no GPS
though, but 2 glodeslopes, fresh annual and a lot more good stuff in
it. It has a STEC50, any ideas how good this is? The aircraft have
9000+ hours on the airframe, doesnt look like it though, so it
appears to me to be a used, but not abused aircraft. Any
considerations?
The plane can be bought for around 60.000

/E

How many hours on the engines?

On 02/21/07 14:49, E Andersen wrote:
Right 936 / Left 1391

Prob RT 79 / left 1391


Why not just provide the link to it, like you did in the other
thread?

http://www.aircraftdealer.com/aircraft_for_sale_detail/Piper_Twin_Comanche/1964_Piper_Twin_Comanche_PA30-428/10656.htm

Why not just provide the link to it, like you did in the other
thread?


http://www.aircraftdealer.com/aircraft_for_sale_detail/Piper_Twin_Comanche/1964_Piper_Twin_Comanche_PA30-428/10656.htm


My fault :-) just a bit tired after a long drive

You really need to get in touch with these people: International Comanche
Society http://www.comancheflyer.com/

Talk to a few A&Ps about TwinCo's. In addition to the ICS, there are
several TwinCo owners & A&P's that post regularly at
http://www.piperchat.com/forum/viewf...ca4a8dd6 a392

Purchasing any airplane is a complicated undertaking. If that airplane is
an older twin, your job just became much more demanding. You really need to
research all the airframe, engine, and accessory AD's, SB's, life-limited
parts, service difficulties, and common failures then apply what you learn
to some very thorough logbook research. A single recurring AD on an
otherwise seemingly inexpensive airplane could cause you to wish you never
saw the airplane in the first place. The ICS can lead you through the
"gottcha's" BEFORE you sign the check.

On a twin of that age and advertised at that sale price, I would set aside
NO LESS than an additional 50% for additional repair and maintenance that
you may incur during your first year of ownership.

Are you multi-rated? Have you investigated insurance? Has the airplane
been flying recently? Part 91? 135? Why is the owner selling? Has it been
hangered?
Good luck.
Jim

On a twin of that age and advertised at that sale price, I would set aside
NO LESS than an additional 50% for additional repair and maintenance that
you may incur during your first year of ownership.


yeah, I am aware of that, I was more concerned about the airframe, 9000
hours sounds like a lot, I dont know

On Feb 21, 6:19 pm, "E Andersen" wrote:
On a twin of that age and advertised at that sale price, I would set aside
NO LESS than an additional 50% for additional repair and maintenance that
you may incur during your first year of ownership.

yeah, I am aware of that, I was more concerned about the airframe, 9000
hours sounds like a lot, I dont know

You should also look at the Delphi forum for Comanches.

forums.delphiforums.com/ComancheFlyer/messages/?start=Start+Reading+%3E
%3E

It may ask you to log in, but the membership is free and it is a very
active forum on all things Comanche.

Regards,
Jerry

There are many things to think about when buying an airplane but a couple
that concern airframes a
1: you can't make it younger
2: you can't make it straighter (reasonably)
Money can fix just about everything else, but no amount will never roll back
the TTAF meter.

As the fleet of GA airplanes gets older there are more and more airplanes
approaching 9000+ hours, so the question becomes with all things considered,
how much of an effect does the high time have on this airplane's value? The
TwinCo is not so rare a bird that there aren't or won't be other comparative
examples on the market with lower total airframe times, even if they have
slightly higher asking prices. If you look around it's normally easy to
find older twins advertised for no more than the value of their engines,
props, and radios but even in these instances they often have much less than
9000 hours TT.

Jim



"E Andersen" wrote in message
...

On a twin of that age and advertised at that sale price, I would set
aside
NO LESS than an additional 50% for additional repair and maintenance that
you may incur during your first year of ownership.


yeah, I am aware of that, I was more concerned about the airframe, 9000
hours sounds like a lot, I dont know

just a couple of quick things to check first.

check the gear trunion pins- ad on thoses they crack.
check logs for dye inspection, repeditive, or replacement with webco units,
non repetitive.
check gear bungee arms they crack also, no ad but ad on bungees.
check main gear castings at the web, they crack there also.
check tension on the push-pull gear cables, need a adapter most twinco
owners will have one or were to get one, they are easy to make the drawing
is in the service manual. if they are dragging to much the need to be
replaced, they are available but not cheap to replace.
check fuel valves for leaks and screens for corrosion, also part of a AD.
check rear bulkhead for cracks and horizonal bearings for play. also AD

those are the biggest things right off the top of my head for the twinco


check the ad list there are a few repetitive AD's


R. burns PA30 N31952



"Jim Burns" wrote in message
...
There are many things to think about when buying an airplane but a couple
that concern airframes a
1: you can't make it younger
2: you can't make it straighter (reasonably)
Money can fix just about everything else, but no amount will never roll
back the TTAF meter.

As the fleet of GA airplanes gets older there are more and more airplanes
approaching 9000+ hours, so the question becomes with all things
considered, how much of an effect does the high time have on this
airplane's value? The TwinCo is not so rare a bird that there aren't or
won't be other comparative examples on the market with lower total
airframe times, even if they have slightly higher asking prices. If you
look around it's normally easy to find older twins advertised for no more
than the value of their engines, props, and radios but even in these
instances they often have much less than 9000 hours TT.

Jim



"E Andersen" wrote in message
...

On a twin of that age and advertised at that sale price, I would set
aside
NO LESS than an additional 50% for additional repair and maintenance
that
you may incur during your first year of ownership.


yeah, I am aware of that, I was more concerned about the airframe, 9000
hours sounds like a lot, I dont know