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I'm in the market for the cheapest tin can that I can log IFR time in. I will not be flying the tin can into the soup, I just need the cheapest operating piece of metal that I can legally log hours in.

I found a '66 C-150F (was IFR cert'd in the past) for just over $11,000. It is in current annual and is currently flying and a bonus is that its not too far from my house. Hanger rental is cheap where I live ($100/mo) and fuel is average.

It appears to be in good shape. No corrosion per his IA. Would I be a fool to grab this and go without an IA looking it over again?

Should I just have the local IA do another annual? I audit things frequently for my employment. I don't think I'll have a problem auditing all of the aircraft and engine logs for AD compliance. I'm not interested in spending a 20% premium for an aircraft so cheap and one that obviously lifts off the ground.

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HI Ed,

Lots of unanswered questions: What is the airframe and engine's total time? What equipment is installed? Condition of paint and exterior?...interior?...Glass?

You say you want a cheep "tin can" and it looks like you found one. You can probably get your money back out assuming the engine is not run out...do the radios work?

Good Luck; you will certainly have a tough time finding a cheaper plane to build time in (assuming you don't have to put a few thousand into it to get everything working!).

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DA POOBS
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Regarding the issue of what HIS IA says-

Remember what Reagan said -

"Trust, but verify."


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Yeah I've been bouncing around whether or not I should buy a plane for almost 6 months. First I was taking the free advice of many and going for a Cherokee 180 as "you will need the horsepower". I plan on commuting from work to home on a regular basis, wx permitting. It is about 250 nautical miles between the two cities. After having some sense talked back into me, it became apparent that if my goal is to build hours, then I need the slowest and cheapest thing to operate. Yeah I guess I want it to be reliable too. It has just under 800hrs SMOH and I believe it had about 5000 on the airframe. One issue is that it was overhauled about 14 years ago but the compressions are all 70+, according to the seller.

It has a VOR with glideslope and heated pitot too. Seller also says the comm's and nav work good. I'll be able to test that tomorrow when I visit. I guess my big question is - is this a good deal? If it starts, runs, flys, and the radios work, should I fly away like I stole it?

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Dan Offline
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What Bill and Poobs said:

Trust but verify.
You can likely get your money back out of it later providing it doesn't turn into a money pit while you own it.

$11G for a flying 150 that will pass an annual is about as cheap as one might expect to find. The Model F is a good year as it has the expanded baggage area. That was also the most prolific year of the series.


Dan

Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities. (Mark Twain)


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Originally Posted by Ed_Siegner
Yeah I've been bouncing around whether or not I should buy a plane for almost 6 months. First I was taking the free advice of many and going for a Cherokee 180 as "you will need the horsepower". I plan on commuting from work to home on a regular basis, wx permitting. It is about 250 nautical miles between the two cities. After having some sense talked back into me, it became apparent that if my goal is to build hours, then I need the slowest and cheapest thing to operate. Yeah I guess I want it to be reliable too. It has just under 800hrs SMOH and I believe it had about 5000 on the airframe. One issue is that it was overhauled about 14 years ago but the compressions are all 70+, according to the seller.

It has a VOR with glideslope and heated pitot too. Seller also says the comm's and nav work good. I'll be able to test that tomorrow when I visit. I guess my big question is - is this a good deal? If it starts, runs, flys, and the radios work, should I fly away like I stole it?


How good was the overhaul? On my airplane I figured out, after learning much from this group of folks, that the overhaul on my airplane was waaay less than perfect. Which is why I decided to have it overhauled.

The flip side to that...it was at 1790 hours when I decided to have it overhauled. Not bad. And compressions were all in the mid to high 70's. The bottom end could have gone for awhile, too, according to my mechanic.

Having said THAT...with a long time since overhaul, and few hours, some nasty corrosion can occur in the bottom end. Depending on the type of cylinders, you could have good compressions but a crank or cam (more likely in a Lycoming than Continental, but still...) that are about to puke.

Reg

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I wonder how much it costs to have the bottom end looked at for corrosion. Does the 0-200 have a recurring AD for crank inspection?

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Originally Posted by Ed_Siegner
I wonder how much it costs to have the bottom end looked at for corrosion. Does the 0-200 have a recurring AD for crank inspection?


Here is my experience, based upon a random sample size of one airplane: My engine was overhauled in 1976. It flew off and on (much more off than on) until I bought it in 2000 with 600+ hours. I put another 1000 hours on it until it needed an overhaul again.

Prior to my purchase the cylinders were removed, some valve work was done, new rings were installed along with new connecting rod bearings.

The design of the engine prohibits full crank inspection without disassembling the entire motor. The main bearing halves are part of each half of the crankcase, so bolting the two halves of the crankcase together is what retains the crankshaft.

However, removing cylinders allows one to make a pretty decent inspection of the interior. Not likely an inspection one could do as a "pre-buy", but not unreasonably expensive for peace-of-mind with a new purchase.

I haven't heard of any recurring AD's on the crankshaft.

Last edited by Kirk; 03/23/12 01:02 AM.

-Kirk Wennerstrom
President, Cessna 150-152 Fly-In Foundation
1976 Cessna Cardinal RG N7556V
Hangar D1, Bridgeport, CT KBDR
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My advice is to spend as much as you can afford because you can get your investment back after your training. Your safety should be your primary concern. You should not consider only buying the cheapest tin can that may be flyable.
Calvin


Calvin
'83 152 N94140
Houston Executive(KTME)
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