Question about purchasing an airplane.

Marco Rispoli wrote:
: I just got my license
snip

: One of the questions that has been mulling in my mind is this: suppose that
: I find a plane. It's the model that I am looking for, good times, good
: conditions (so the seller says) and good price. The plane is halfway across
: the country though.

When I bought my Cherokee, I was in a similar position. I had looked at a few
airplanes, and then one of my friends mentioned that he had seen a "nice
Cherokee 180" on the AOPA classifieds. I took a look, and it looked good.
(I wasn't crazy about the paint scheme, though.) I am in Massachusetts, and
the plane was in Los Angeles. I called the owner less than an hour later,
we talked a little, and he said that he had scanned all the logbooks, and
would email them to me. I got a Purchase & Sale agreement, and sent him
a 3% deposit that day (nice Cherokee 180s sell in a day). I reviewed the
logs, discussed them with a couple A&P mechanic friends, and made an
appointment to see the plane.

I flew out to California. The plane was based at Van Nuys which is a huge
GA field. There are 10+ repair shops on the field, as well as numerous
places to rent aircraft. I asked the place that rented Piper airplanes
where they were serviced, visited that mechanic, and arranged for a
pre-purchase inspection. The next day, I met the owner. We went for a
short flight so that I could check out the avionics, etc., then I had the
pre-purchase inspection done. The mechanic found a few things, but nothing
serious. I flew another test flight (to Camarillo, good barbecue!).

When I got home, I arranged the financing (Dorr Aviation, just down the
street, good people). Dorr took care of a title search, and arranged escrow.
I "wired" my money to the escrow house, they "wired" it to the now ex-owner,
and faxed me a temporary registration. I went back to California to pick the
plane up.

I have to say that my experience was completely trouble free. The airplane
was exactly as advertised (the ad is still online, www.panicairlines.com/
n9376j/index.html). The seller was motivated (he had another airplane
already). The airplane had the equipment that I wanted. And, the paint
scheme looks far better in person that I could have ever thought.

--
Aaron Coolidge (N9376J)

Aaron Coolidge wrote:

Dorr Aviation, just down the
street,

Are you in Marlborough?

Michael Nickolas wrote:
: Aaron Coolidge wrote:

:Dorr Aviation, just down the
:street,

: Are you in Marlborough?

Yes. My plane is not though, it's at 1B9 (Mansfield). No lights at 9B1,
you know.
--
Aaron Coolidge (N9376J)

Yes. My plane is not though, it's at 1B9 (Mansfield). No lights at 9B1,
you know.

Yeah. And questionable on getting out of there on a hot summer day
with full fuel and a couple passengers. Any reason you don't keep your
plane at 6B6 (Stow)? It's closer, no? How long a ride is it for you to
Mansfield?

I live in Marlborough also. I rent my instructors (turned friend) 172
based at 60M (Spencer). That's a 40 min drive for me.

Thanks,

Michael

Michael Nickolas wrote:
comments about 9B1 snipped
: Yeah. And questionable on getting out of there on a hot summer day
: with full fuel and a couple passengers. Any reason you don't keep your
: plane at 6B6 (Stow)? It's closer, no? How long a ride is it for you to
: Mansfield?

I believe that Stow and Mansfield would take me about the same time to
drive there. To Mansfield, it's a 30-minute drive all on highways.
To Stow, it's a 30-minute drive, almost all on back roads.
When we were having a disagreement with the airport management at Mansfield,
I was considering moving to Stow. I would really like to be based somewhere
with an ILS, but Hanscom is to obnoxious and Worcester is too far and
always has terrible weather.

Other reasons: I learned to fly at Mansfield, and I have a lot of friends
who fly out of there. Also, Providence is only a 15-minute flight, and
is my alternate when IFR. Providence is open all night, has an ILS in every
direction, and has a 24-hour rental car establishment that has come in
handy on a couple occasions.
Stow seems to have the highest gas prices around, and doesn't have the
cross runway (Mansfield has a nice grass cross runway).
Sadly, Mansfield lost its coffee shop a couple years ago. Stow has a really
nice restaurtant.
--
Aaron Coolidge (N9376J)

Well, sort of. The tower is closed midnight to 6 am, so during that time
clearances etc are with boston center. PVD has 3 ILSs, ILS5, ILS23 and ILS34.
RWY16 only has a VOR approach. Still Providence has the best approaches you'll
get in southern new england (which is one of the reasons I am based there and
not at Quonset which is a little closer to drive to).

Aaron Coolidge wrote:

Also, Providence is only a 15-minute flight, and
is my alternate when IFR. Providence is open all night, has an ILS in every
direction, and has a 24-hour rental car establishment that has come in
handy on a couple occasions.

--
--Ray Andraka, P.E.
President, the Andraka Consulting Group, Inc.
401/884-7930 Fax 401/884-7950
email
http://www.andraka.com

"They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-Benjamin Franklin, 1759

Ray Andraka wrote:
: Well, sort of. The tower is closed midnight to 6 am, so during that time
: clearances etc are with boston center. PVD has 3 ILSs, ILS5, ILS23 and ILS34.
: RWY16 only has a VOR approach. Still Providence has the best approaches you'll
: get in southern new england (which is one of the reasons I am based there and
: not at Quonset which is a little closer to drive to).

I guess I should have said "the FBO is open all night". Of course, you're
right, the tower closes for the night. But it is fun clicking on all of those
lights!
--
Aaron Coolidge (N9376J)

I believe that Stow and Mansfield would take me about the same time to
drive there. To Mansfield, it's a 30-minute drive all on highways.
To Stow, it's a 30-minute drive, almost all on back roads.

Ah, I see. I live very close to 85 in Marlborough and can do Stow in
20 Minutes by taking that right turn near the water/Picadilly Pub and
avoiding Hudson. But there are no planes to rent there, so it doesn't
really matter... :-)

Worcester is too far and
always has terrible weather.

Never fails, when everyone else is reporting winds calm, Worcester
will no doubt be 15+. Still, I drive five miles past Worcester into
Spencer for the same reason you go to Mansfield. Learned to fly and
have friends there.

Michael

All of the above posts are very good and helpful. As a side note, if
anyone needs an airplane ferried, I do it for a very reasonable fee with
no airfare involved. Tailwheel, multi, homebuilts, and I have a CFII so
you can go and fly it for no additional fee. Anyone feel free to contact
me at .

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