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I just wanted to drop a message here and say hi. My wife and I are purchasing a 150F (TTAF ~2500, mid-time O-200-A). We are currently awaiting pre-purchase/ annual inspection.

Thanks to all in the club who have contributed to this wonderful resource for prospective owners. My only question is how to potentially get a mechanic I trust to squirm a bit less regarding owner-assisted maintenance. Given all the responsibility we will shoulder as the ultimate parties held accountable for the airworthiness of the aircraft, I would like to be more involved than "here are the keys" and "here is the check." I am not interested in rebuilding the engine, just knowing exactly what is wrong, how it is fixed, and having some say with regards to the device I trust to return my wife safely to the ground (personally, I am more comfortable in a helicopter, but then again I have a whopping zero hours in fixed wings in the logbook).

Thanks!

Rudolph: Welcome to the club, you have made two very good decisions. One buying a 150 and the other is joining the club.
Let us known what part of the country you are in and we can go from there.

Thumbs up to you Rudolph and welcome! Where are you located? That would greatly help us find you a mechanic!

We are in southern NJ (well, currently my wife is in Texas for her Ph.D., but that is a separate issue). I am doing my helicopter training at N14 (Flying W) and it seems like a nice place to hang out so we will probably put the 150 there (plus it's right down the road from us and in a better area for, ahem, unplanned landings than Camden County which is a little closer, a bit smaller, but more expensive). I don't know about fixed wing, but flying around in the helicopter I seem to be constantly looking for someplace to put it down if the engine quits.

N14!
That's one of the places I would like to have a Northeast Fly In at.
It looks like a neat palce.

Congratulations on the new plane! And welcome to the Club.

Ron

Welcome to the club and airplane ownership Rudolph.

It's always encouraging to have new members/owners become part of our small family.

BTW, nice picture, she looks like a keeper.

Jim

Rudolph,

The best place to start looking for a mechanic who will let you assist with the annual is to start asking other aircraft owners on your field. Be a bit of a ramp rat, strike up conversations and see where it leads.

The other thing is to find the more "one horse" type of operation on a nearby field. Then you develop a relationship that works into trust, then they will open the tool box for you.

My AP/IA was hesitant about letting me work with him on my plane, but I prodded him a bit and he finally started me with some easy tasks (I had already been working on a prior airplane before moving). This grew to where sometimes he calls me up to take time off of work to come and help him (i.e. removing my engine and tearing it down for a new cam). Sometimes I have to remind him that I need to stay employed to pay his bills.

Just ask around and hopefully a club member from your area will have some advice too.

Congratulations Congratulations on the new plane. welcome to the club
John (KLWM) formerly K3N6

If there's a local EAA chapter within a reasonable distance go to a meeting and get aquainted with some of the members...they should know if there any friendly mechanics to be found in your area.

I used to live in NJ in Berkeley Heights some 45 years ago, working for Bell Labs in Murray Hill, used to hang out at Somerset Hills Airport, now long gone. Used to fly into Flying W frequently, had a buddy that kept a Tripacer and later a Cherokee there. Many fond memories!

Geo.