For Sale: Aircraft Stinson 108-2 For Sale at KFAM

Grum.Man said:
Shame it was metalized as I love Stinsons as well. Would also prefer a 3. Would make a great plane for someone needing a 4 place airplane they can leave tied down on the cheap.
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Comes with engine & cabin covers. Newish windshields (2 years).


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Grum.Man said:
Shame it was metalized as I love Stinsons as well. Would also prefer a 3. Would make a great plane for someone needing a 4 place airplane they can leave tied down on the cheap.
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Needing a 4 place...me. Leave tied down on the cheap...me. Love Stinsons...me.
 
Dave Arata said:
Needing a 4 place...me. Leave tied down on the cheap...me. Love Stinsons...me.
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That’s no way to negotiate. Try this: hey Stephanie, sorry to hear about your medical. It looks like you had some great times in that airplane, and now it’s time for someone else to begin theirs. I am looking for an inexpensive to own and operate airplane, and this might be just the fit. I have a great place to tie it down right outside my back door, and would be thrilled to own an airplane purchased from another PoAer. I’m not sure the current location is very convenient for me to drop by and look at it, and getting out there would take a bit of advanced planning. Can you send me some logbook entry pics, maintenance records, etc from the last 2-3 years? What else can you tell me about this airplane, oil burn, average cruise fuel burn, blah blah blah. I can offer you $Xx,xxx cash.

Then you see how the seller reacts and go from there. ;)
 
Not really negotiating just yet. Strongly considering and dreaming a bit out loud. :)
 
I remember the one BFR I got, retired airline dude who I heard about, we go up in my S108, going through the motions he asks to see a (full) power off stall, I power back and slowly pitch to try to maintain altitude

Him "Stick back"

Me "that's as far back as it goes"

Him "oh, so that's it?"

Me "yup"

Then we went back to the towered field I picked him up at, 15G20kt ish crosswind.

Him" are you ok with that"

Me "yeah"

Touchdown, between the little tail, manual flap tricks and the awesome front shock setup the 108 has, 'twas nothing.
 
Lachlan said:
That’s no way to negotiate. Try this: hey Stephanie, sorry to hear about your medical. It looks like you had some great times in that airplane, and now it’s time for someone else to begin theirs. I am looking for an inexpensive to own and operate airplane, and this might be just the fit. I have a great place to tie it down right outside my back door, and would be thrilled to own an airplane purchased from another PoAer. I’m not sure the current location is very convenient for me to drop by and look at it, and getting out there would take a bit of advanced planning. Can you send me some logbook entry pics, maintenance records, etc from the last 2-3 years? What else can you tell me about this airplane, oil burn, average cruise fuel burn, blah blah blah. I can offer you $Xx,xxx cash.

Then you see how the seller reacts and go from there. ;)
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And I'd say "call Larry". He has everything on the plane.


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Lachlan said:
That’s no way to negotiate. Try this: Can you send me some logbook entry pics, maintenance records, etc from the last 2-3 years? What else can you tell me about this airplane, oil burn, average cruise fuel burn, blah blah blah. I can offer you $Xx,xxx cash.
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As I mentioned, Larry has the logs. He has pics. Larry's a big believer in full disclosure; you could have a creampuff that that had just won Grand Champion at Oshkosh and he'd have a litany of things wrong with it. :D

Oil burn was about 1qt per four or five hours. A jug was replaced on the last annual; I did not get to fly it enough to see what effect that may have had on oil consumption. I plan for 10 GPH, which seems to nicely include takeoff and climbing out, though for longer flights, 9 GPH seems to work better for planning. Cruise speed is about 117MPH.

Franklin engines don't like to be babied. 75% power is minimum. I leaned aggressively on the ground and used TCP. I also leaned at cruise, using carb heat to get the inlet temp between 5-10degC. The result was that leading was a very rare problem and the exhaust residue was a light grey (not carbon black).

As far as taildraggers go, I don't know of one that is easier on ground-handling than a small-tail Stinson. You don't have to keep any additional speed on in order to wheel-land it and the coil spring and oleos on the mains mean that you have to really work at it to bounce a wheel-landing. I've changed my mind about which landing to do while rounding out to flare. I've not had an issue with using full flaps in any condition. You do have to use a notch of flaps for takeoff as the landing run will be much longer. (If you've ever seen that YouTube video of the guy who damn near put one into the trees on a dirt strip, he didn't set any flaps.)
 
Lachlan said:
I need something with a little lower fuel burn, mogas STC and good short field performance. Cruise speed is lower on the list of wants and needs.
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This sounds like a Honda Civic specification. :D
Not nearly as much fun as that Stinson would be!! ;)
 
Lachlan said:
Sounds like a GREAT first taildragger for a first time owner.
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In a lot of ways, yes. But you have to look at your needs. If what you're going to do is mostly tool around the sky on a sunny weekend, then a smaller one will do. Some of them don't have starters, which may be an issue.

If you want to go camping with a friend and plenty of gear, then a Stinson will do fine. If you've got a wife or a girlfriend, a tandem-seat airplane is not going to do it. Mine isn't IFR-certified, but it has a six-pack, so if you get vertigo on a summer New England day when the visibility is legal, but it's like flying in a milk bottle, you can do fine. It also helps for night-flying.

Parts availability is very good for the airframe. Univair has the type certificate, they even made a few in the `70s. Engine parts are available. It helps to find a mechanic who knows Franklin engines and who has the tools for it. There's some work on the front cylinders that, without special tools, require yanking the prop and nosebowl.

Mine has Bodell brakes. I like them, because they work, but aren't overly powerful. With double-puck Clevelands, being ham-footed on the brakes will end badly.
 
Lachlan said:
I need something with a little lower fuel burn, mogas STC and good short field performance. Cruise speed is lower on the list of wants and needs.
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Franklins are eligible for a mogas STC. I've not found the need for it, as shlepping jerry-cans of gas and then hauling them up a ladder has no appeal for me. If you want a four-place airplane with better short-field performance than a Stinson, then you're probably looking at a Maule or a 180; both of which burn as much, if not more gas.
 
Stephanie B said:
Franklins are eligible for a mogas STC. I've not found the need for it, as shlepping jerry-cans of gas and then hauling them up a ladder has no appeal for me. If you want a four-place airplane with better short-field performance than a Stinson, then you're probably looking at a Maule or a 180; both of which burn as much, if not more gas.
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I didn’t mean to imply that a 108 is not a great short field performer, only that other that 9-10gph the 108 is nearly ideal for me.

Regarding 100LL, there’s not much around here, and the other pilots at the local strip either tanker it in in their pickup bed fuel tanks or fill up and fly home with extra cans in the back/baggage. They always say they wish they had mogas STCs. It’s 2 hours round trip plus fill-up time to drive 100LL home; there’s etoh-free 93 octane mogas right here in town at one of the two gas stations. ;)

If I was ready to part with some cash, Stephanie, we would be talking to Larry. I’d love to, but we’re still remodeling the house and just started on the airplane, I mean kitchen. :) Once the house is done it will be time for me to buy. We’re getting there. Someone will get a killer deal on that 108. Maybe I should just take out a loan until we finish the house, just to keep cash on hand...
 
Well, buying an airplane in the midst of home renovations would not be a good idea. ;)
 
Stephanie B said:
Well, buying an airplane in the midst of home renovations would not be a good idea. ;)
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Hell, the way my wife continuously over the years has some part of the house or another torn apart for "improvements", if I waited until we were NOT in the midst of home renovations to buy a plane I'd still be walking. :cool:

Is that Larry's cat Trouble in your avatar pic?
 
GRG55 said:
Hell, the way my wife continuously over the years has some part of the house or another torn apart for "improvements", if I waited until we were NOT in the midst of home renovations to buy a plane I'd still be walking. :cool:

Is that Larry's cat Trouble in your avatar pic?
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No, that's my cat, Chip.


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A framed print of the 1947 print ad for the 108-2 might get tossed in.

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B&W copy, though.
 
There have been a few calls. A couple of guys requested photos be emailed. But that's about it.
 
Mike Smith said:
I can’t believe it hasn’t sold.
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One guy came close. He hired another mechanic to do a pre-buy, which lasted about six hours, which, as I understand it, resulted in a clean bill of health. (I wasn’t there.)

But the prospective buyer contracted a sudden case of cold feet.

So it’s still available. If anyone is interested, they might want to call Larry McCormick (573-518-4792), who can put them in touch with the guy who performed the pre-buy.
 
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Right now, it's out of annual. I'm going to have it done next month. So if someone wants to snake it up on a deal, this might be the time.
 
I can't believe this hasn't sold yet. If I didn't find my plane back in Feb, and with the market the way it is now I most definitely would have bought yours. It looks absolutely beautiful, and again I wish you the best of luck!
 
Mtns2Skies said:
I can't believe this hasn't sold yet. If I didn't find my plane back in Feb, and with the market the way it is now I most definitely would have bought yours. It looks absolutely beautiful, and again I wish you the best of luck!
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Thank you. I wonder if I scared people away by underpricing it. $19.5k for a flying 4-place airplane might have seemed too good to be true.
 
If I was ready to buy (and not in puerto rico) I would be all over it! although flying back to puerto rico would be quite the adventure!
 
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