Club Homepage Forums Classified Ads Buy & Sell - Everything But Airplanes N46CA panel.

Any opinions on this panel and radio layout? I have a feeling this has been upgraded over the years. I doubt a 1969J model had this stock, but I'm just guessing.

Mr Black is asking 20k for this bird.


Panel [circuitworx.com]
Radio Closeup [circuitworx.com]

Thanks!

-corey fisher

No...it is certainly not stock.

Collins are strong and typically reliable radio's. The newer King is a great little comm unit.

The Loran is functional, but obsolete, however, unless you can find a slide in replacement GPS for it (if it was an Apollo you could) I would just get a handheld and yoke mount it.

Panel mount GPS are nice, but why spend the money during your training stage when you may decide to upgrade aircraft later. Leave the panel alone if all is working and put your money into your lessons and maintenance.

Nothing wrong with that panel at all.

I don't know anything about those radio, but looks like the owner takes good care of the airplane.

Your absolutely correct. My current thoughts are a primary training aircraft, not a keeper.

Things may change, but because I can't legally work on my own aircraft, my interest in this type (and every FAA certified type for that matter) is limited.

This is a step toward a homebuilt.


Of course with the amount of passion this board projects, leaving this community may prove impossible.


-corey

Unless you plan to purchase a used homebuilt, building your own plane from a kit takes a lot of money and time. A (new) homebuilt that has equivalent features of a 150 will cost you around $50K in kit and engine, plus build time.

On the other hand, homebuilds are very safe....most builders die or quit before completing the aircraft.

That's funny and very true. Hey I wouldn't give a kit a second thought if I could restore a 150(myself) and update the avionics(myself).

But I can't. Sad

-corey

Corey, I think you have a misconception about kitplanes, and the FAR's! What makes you think it takes more skills or knowledge to restore a 150 than it does to build a kitplane? For the novice, the learning curve would likely be steeper building a kit than restoring a certificated aircraft. No kitplane assembles as easily as a model airplane kit! There is usually a lot that has to be engineered (or reengineered) by the builder and built from scratch, requiring new skills that many licensed mechanics never have to learn. Your work is periodically inspected by an FAA designated inspector, and there is the very real risk of having to redo expensive work (there are often no detailed manuals to guide you). Very few kits could be built in less time than a certificated aircraft can be fully restored.

Many people think there is no legal way for an unlicensed mechanic to work on an aircraft, but it happens every day, at every major airline in the world, and at many FBO's on customer's aircraft. Even for a licensed mechanic, there is a first time for every task. Even a kid still in high school with no aviation experience can do anything on any aircraft, as long as the work is done under a licensed mechanics supervision (that often needs be little more than an inspection afterwards). I know, because I was that kid!

Every pilot knows you don't need a pilot's license to fly an aircraft! Before they ever left the ground on their very first training flight, most were in complete control of the aircraft (under an instructor's direct supervision, of course). Why would maintenance be any different? Many owners on this forum have already discovered that they have abilities they never dreamed they had before aircraft ownership, and have legally completed some very extensive rework projects on their 150's and 152's under a licensed mechanic's supervision. Their bragging rights are enormous, and we're all very proud of them!

There may be advantages to building and flying a kit, but there are also distinct disadvantages, not the least of which is time and expense. It will very likely cost more (much more) to purchase a new kit, and take much longer to build, than it will to purchase and restore a 150! There is nothing in the FAR's that says the novice can't do his own work on a certificated aircraft. What they do say (in essence) is that any work (done by the unlicensed or inexperienced) has to be inspected and signed off by a certified technician before return to service (in some specific cases, only a private pilot's license is required.)

Whatever your dream, pursue it! You CAN do it! There may be other reasons why you might choose one path over another, but lack of knowledge should never be one of them. Mom always used to tell me "Can't never could do anything!" If you have any capacity to learn... you can do anything! Mom also used to tell me "If you want something bad enough, find a way to get it!"

Thanks, Mom!

I understand it doesn't take more skill, BUT the FAA doesn't seem to agree. If they did, everyone would be able to perform annuals or modifications on their 150/152's. Maybe I'm wrong, but if I'm responsible for my homebuilt in the eyes of the FAA, why can't I be responsible for my 150? Why do I need AP supervision on a " certified " aircraft and not with a homebuilt?

Clearly you can see I don't completely understand the FAA. I'm working on it, so go gentle.

In the eyes of the FAA....you built that homebuilt, you know it inside out, so it's OK for you to work on it. From what I understand, you can't just work on ANY homebuilt. It has to be one that you built (51% or more), you attended some approved workshops for that model and you get a certificate authorizing you to work on that homebuilt only.

[quote=Corey_Fisher
That's funny and very true. Hey I wouldn't give a kit a second thought if I could restore a 150(myself) and update the avionics(myself).

But I can't. Sad

-corey [/quote]

Cory,
All you need to do is form a good relationship with an A&P/IA
that will let you do the work and sign off on it.
And assist with the annuanls.

Check out the Thread on 150/150 Conversion. I don't think David Rowland is an A&P and he did a lot of the work on his. (or he has had a lot of $$ )