Greetings all!
I live in NE Oregon, have been a member for a while (lurking in the forums occasionally), and would like to find a 150 to buy, preferably model H-K. It took about 7 months to get my 3rd class medical reinstated (30 years away from aviation) and am taking flight training in the local flying club's C172 (I'm really rusty!) to complete a flight review and get signed off to fly. I've looked regularly in Trade-a-Plane, so have some idea of what the national market for 150s is like (although an aviator friend advised that the best deals aren't advertised). I miss some of the resources that used to be available in the Hangar section of the club's site, mainly the database of accidents, incidents, and damage history by N number that provided at least a rough idea of a particular airplane's condition.
But, since I've never purchased an airplane before, my main question for this post is: how does one go about arranging a pre-buy inspection for an airplane in another state? Would other members be able to recommend an A&P in a particular location? How would I find out whether or not a particular A&P is employed by the current owner of an airplane (or maybe the owner's in-law) and thus not a completely disinterested party? I suppose I could also ask whether other members are familiar with a particular airplane and be willing to provide a general assessment of its condition. (The airplane that currently has my eye is a 150K, N5985G, based in Watsonville, CA.)
In short, any advice any of you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks!
