Update on my aircraft search:
On Friday afternoon, I went to see N704LF, the local bird with leather seats and only 850 hours, asking price: $35,000. It was owned by a father and son, sort of. It was actually owned by the dad and flown almost exclusively by the 22 year old son. Anyway, armed with the realization that a Cessna 150 would have to be practically perfect in order to deserve a price of $35,000, I looked very carefully at this plane. It was a very nice plane, but it was not, "practically perfect." The part that bugged me the most was the leather seats. I asked where they had been done and the owner said, "A local automotive shop." Hmm...I seem to recall something about the FAA and burn testing and so forth and I'm quite sure that those seats did not meet the FAA designation of airworthy. Also, there was lots of little cosmetic defects and it just wasn't the plane for me.
Although I was a little bit bummed that I didn't find the perfect plane on the first try, I kept trying. "Grants Pass" Bill had pointed me toward another local plane, N22741, but there wasn't too much information online and the seller didn't have many pictures.
http://www.barnstormers.com/ad_detail.php?ID=115340Time for a phone call. I called up the owner and said, "I'd like to take a look at 22741 if it is still for sale." He said, "I'll meet you at the airpark in 15 minutes." I grabbed my wife, hopped in my truck, and went right down to take a look.
Not one to be too distracted by the paint job I went straight for the log books. John, the owner, is smart--he has comfy couches in his hangar. The logs are complete and didn't reveal any unpleasant surprises. (I already knew about the distant damage history). After deciding that the logs looked good, it was time to look at the plane.
Not bad at all. Shiny paint, clean engine compartment, not an excessive amount of corrosion. I like it. So I hop on in and make myself comfortable in the captain's seat. I feel right at home. Then John says, "As long as your are current, why don't you take her up for a test flight." And so I do.
He dials in 123.05 into the GPS/Com for the CTAF at Twin Oaks and shows me how to turn it on and off. I then start her up, taxi into position, perform my run up and take off.
I climb to a safe altitude and try steep turns and stalls. Squawk #1: stall horn doesn't seem to work. Oh well, she stalls nontheless and does it simply and easily. I then try trimming for hands-off operation and she flies straight and true. Now to find my way back to the airport. How does that GPS work again? I have no idea. I fiddle with it for a few minutes without success. Oh well. I will just have to use my brain to get back.
I do my best to land nicely as I know my wife and John are watching. I land right on the numbers and turn off at the first taxiway. Squawk #2: the engine runs roughly at idle when I pulled the power back upon landing.
John has to answer a call on his cell phone and this is a perfect chance to talk to my wife. "What do you think?" I asked. "I think you should buy it." She replied.
I made an offer, contingent on title search an pre-purchase inspection of course, and John accepted. Now it is a simple matter of making it happen.
So here is my question:
How do I find a good mechanic to do my pre-purchase inspection?
Here are the 3 I have heard of so far:
1. Bob Starks, owner of Twin oaks airpark where the plane is based, and mechanic of 4 Cessna 150 rentals.
2. Jeff Paulson, mechanic at Evergreen Avation in Scappose, and friend of the seller.
3. Jeff Carson, mechanic at Hillsboro Aviation, the largest Cessna Pilot center in Oregon.
Anyone from Oregon or ever heard of these guys? Anyone have someone else in Oregon they would recommend?
Also, should I get an "annual" inspection, or a "pre-purchase" inspection? The plane is not due for an annual until April.
Thanks for all of your help. I've only just joined here and already I feel like I am part of the family.
