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The main wheels installed on that airplane are of a three piece variety. The disc (rotor) and stamped steel inner/outer flanges are attached to the center hub with six allen headed capscrews. The early hubs were magnesium and very prone to cracking, the later ones and replacements were made of aluminum and less prone to cracking. While I could not find any cracks in the hubs (the fairings were off) I was just looking with a bright light at an assembled wheel installed on the airplane. One would be wise while the wheels are off, to disassemble them and clean the hubs and dye penetrant them for cracks in the radius where the webs meet the outer part of the hub which is at each bolt hole. They also tend to crack thru the bolt holes. There are no parts available for these wheels except for bearings and rotors, so if they are cracked you will need to plan on a conversion to Clevelands via a Cessna service kit (Cleveland no longer markets the conversion kit, it is only available thru Cessna). The nose wheel is a two piece wheel, incorrect for this airplane (but quite functional, and truthfully, not worth worrying about), probably installed when either the nose wheel hub cracked or when the airplane was damaged.

Don't waste money on bearings if the hubs are cracked.




The owner you bought it from may have fixed this. I showed them to him. It was a row of phillips head screws running fore/aft just inboard of the RH gear leg, partially under the streamline fairing where the leg meets the fuselage. About six screws, all turned with a screwdriver and had evidence of streaking from being loose.




I really didn't like the mufflers either.

The airplane was owned by an aircraft salvage firm in Griffin, GA (Knights Airparts, now out of business) at one time, and I never knew them to own a complete airplane......... Thats the most I can say about that, anything else would be speculation.

Does the rudder trim tab still look like a jib sail off an old sailing ship? I never could spot both of the rudder springs, one but not the other, didn't want to go disassembling interior trim to find it on a prebuy, but with a mirror, I could not see it. I think this explained the rudder tab.

It really IS a nice airplane. Its just that the buyer I was looking at it for could not reconcile the price with what I found, so he passed. The seller is a Delta engine shop mechanic, and apparently runs a real thriving helicopter maintenance business on the side with his brother. I was impressed with what he was doing on helios.

Get it squared away to your satisifaction and go fly, enjoy it............

Charles

If anyone is interested, I have the final squawk list for this airplane (N45291) and can post it.

About as thorough a list as anyone could hope for or hope against. I authorized all of them to be corrected today, which will cost me a bundle. Total squawks = 62, but many are NA.

Is this a good lesson for a buyer? So far I don't know. I suspect that many (repeat, many) annuals signed off in logbooks are pure CRAP from either mech laziness or the owner trying to squeek by, and should be taken with a big grain of salt. See the "recent annual" stuff in the ad and put your tail between your legs and walk off or just consider it a come on.

I think you could consider this particular experience I had to be an "anal" rather than an annual.

The plane should be nice when they are done...perhaps close to perfect. And, would I buy her again knowing what I know now? Yes, I would, but I happen to have the resources to fix her up. If I didn't, I would be on a dead end street at this moment. But, I can afford the absurd and move her to avionics for another anal exam and an expensive upgrade. But, that is what I want to do. Don't fall for this OK stuff if you are a potential buyer with limited resources.

I know their are better birds on paper (so many philosophers out here with so much "inside" information...it makes me warm inside as to how informed they are), but after these guys (the competent ones) do their little exam, I bet they don't come out so hot, of course, in less they cheat, which they often do. That may be the paradigm. I wonder what the FAA would think of those AP types who overlook the obvious...and sell planes to suckers? Some kind of retribution is in order here. I will look into that.

One nice thing about Flightline here in KTLH is that they let me visit daily and talk with the mechanics. I get to see all of the problems and then have them explained to me. Afterwards, I go home and research the issues and confirm or question the diagnosis. It is a really good education for an owner/pilot.

If you want details on this annual of annuals, I'll put them up here. Just let me know.

Thanks for all of the nice comments during the past week.

Paul

Good for you Paul. I am doing the same kind of thing, but in smaller doses. What I can do myself in my time and knowledge limitations I do, what I can't, the mechanic does. It will not be a pretty bird for a few years (as in paint and interior), but functional and reliable is my goal and hope. Hope you get to show it off to everyone in Clinton......

I'd like to see that list to check against my 150. I might find a few things... hope not!!

This is for educational purposes only. Do not try this at home.

Here is the work order for the annual on N45291. I know everyone is going to get excited about the prices here and tell me where I can find them at less cost. The prices here are at list price. I have researched all of this and know it very well. I have also negotiated a very good discount for parts and labor for this estimate. So, the costs indicated are not the prices to be paid.

Notes:

1. The propeller has no credible history. The estimates here are for overhaul (it is currently underway) and a new prop (I hope not).

2. ADs listed: most have been done and a few haven't. All are noted.

3. Not on this list...the altimeter was found inop as it was off -90ft. It was an encoding alitmeter. It will be replaced with a 20,000 ft altimeter and a blind encoder. The transponder was off frequency, but can be aligned. The static system was fine. More cost...yep.

4. I personally replaced the gaskets and pinch window trim.

5. As I said previously, she will go in for new radios. The Trimble GPS will be removed and I have yet to decide the new Com or Nav/Com. I will get a new audio panel and cannot yet decide whether to stay with an all Bendix/King stack or not.

I hope this helps someone. It is a good annual and it includes many things I wanted to know to feel safe. For those interested...I paid $24,000 and will pay another $10,000 here to get it to speed. The new radios are on top of that. Can't get a good BMW for that. Oh, I have a BMW and I think a bit more than that. I just can't get the next model for this. The BMW doesn't cruise legally at 100mph and the roads add another 15%. This is a good deal.

Take care,

Paul

Here is the link to the annual work order>> http://muhbuh.com/150/WorkOrder/Work%20Order.pdf

Paul,

I didn't see an oil filter listed in the work order. If your plane isn't equipped with an oil filter, it's worth adding one.

I saw a flat-rate of $1,330 for an annual inspection. Man! that is high. My A&P charges only $300 for the inspection, plus time & parts for any repairs and adjustments. My mechanic's hourly rate is $50; looks like it's $75 at the shop you use.

I really wonder if that's a true 'flat rate', or just the spot where that figure appears so the computer program matches the mechanic's own accounting system.

Reminds me of one customer who complained about losing out on a 'core charge' when the old parts were thrown away by the mechanic. In reality, the 'core charge' entry was the only way the mechanic knew how to force the computer to discount the price for the customer!

While $1300 does sound high, I don't think this is out of line for a first time annual in a big city. Part of the annual is the inspection of the airplane, of course. But another part is inspection of the logbooks. In effect, you're paying the mechanic to play book-keeper on ledgers that are three decades old, trying to decipher entries from skilled (and unskilled) mechanics. That alone can take a whole day (including AD research, calculating times, etc., etc.).

Of course, the second year with the same mechanic should be much simpler (read: cheaper) since everything is now up to snuff.

Paul, ditto what Hung said about the oil filter. Of course you may feel like you're bleeding money right now, but put an F&M Oil Filter kit on your short list - it's worth every penny.


And to paraphrase an old joke: Why is aviation so expensive? Because it's worth it!

One item in the work order was "No fire extinguisher in aircraft---$162. Is a fire extinguisher required in the aircraft???

Not a FAR required item.

Charles

Alright Paul,
What's the story? Haven't seen a post from you in over a week!!! Is that thing flying yet or are y'all just lookin at it and waxing it?

Give us an update!

Bengie