About to Become a 1st Time Airplane Owner

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pilot_jb

Filing Flight Plan
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Nov 12, 2015
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Genoa Twp., MI
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Display name:
JB
Hey, everyone.

I'm about to become an airplane owner for the first time. I am currently under agreement to purchase a 1948 Cessna 140 that is presently located in Poteau, OK.

Conversation with the owner, who is an A&P, has been great thus far and the plane looks great in the pictures. However, I do intend to have the plane inspected by a third party before the actual purchase. I am scheduled to go down (from MI) to pick her up the weekend of March 5th.

I need help locating an A&P in the Poteau area to do do a pre-buy inspection. I do belong to the 120/140 Association, but have not had any luck finding a 140 knowledgeable mechanic, which I think is mostly due to a lack of board activity.

Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
 
Congrats on buying. Be prepared to spend double what you initially budget for initial fixes/work -- just seems to be how aircraft ownership goes.
 
First off, great choice for a first aircraft!

I'm not sure about who I would recommend in OR, but if you're on Facebook joint FATPNW (flights above the Pacific Northwest), GREAT resource for the area and I'd wager they can put you in contact with a good wrench.

Another site I'd post on, especially regarding a tailwheel, is backcountrypilot


Good luck

Apache123 said:
Congrats on buying. Be prepared to spend double what you initially budget for initial fixes/work -- just seems to be how aircraft ownership goes.
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Lol, gods no.

That's what happenes when you have a crap pre buy. When I bought my 185, I had everything addressed when I bought it, only thing I did was to swap out the slicks for benix mags, but I knew that was coming. Most annuals are just over 1k and that's for a 300hp amphib.

Just get a good prebuy, think of it as the most intense annual it will ever have, but with the option to bail at any minute. You need a APIA who has knowledge on type, has the skills to know what to look for and the experience and professionalism to let you know what it would take $$ to get her where you want her and what you're looking at as she sits vs the asking price and how she was advertised.
 
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James331 said:
First off, great choice for a first aircraft!

I'm not sure about who I would recommend in OR, but if you're on Facebook joint FATPNW (flights above the Pacific Northwest), GREAT resource for the area and I'd wager they can put you in contact with a good wrench.

Another site I'd post on, especially regarding a tailwheel, is backcountrypilot


Good luck
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I love what Backcountry Pilot does, their videos are great, but the plane is in Oklahoma and is coming home to Michigan. :)

Are you a 140 pilot?
 
pilot_jb said:
I love what Backcountry Pilot does, their videos are great, but the plane is in Oklahoma and is coming home to Michigan. :)

Are you a 140 pilot?
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Lol, my bad. In that case disregard the FATPNW part, but I'd also ask on backcountry.

I got some hours in 120/140s, Did my one of my CPL XCs in a 140 and later gave a good amount of dual in a nicely upgraded 120, great aircraft.

One thing I remember is they really like being 2 pointed tail low than brought to a level attitude until the tail is ready to come down.
 
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pilot_jb said:
I need help locating an A&P in the Poteau area to do do a pre-buy inspection. I do belong to the 120/140 Association, but have not had any luck finding a 140 knowledgeable mechanic, which I think is mostly due to a lack of board activity.
Click to expand...
Welcome to POA and congrats on finding an airplane!

I know it means more money, but you might consider joining the Cessna 170 Association as well. The 170 (particularly the '48 model) shares some commonality with the 140s and the 170 board is much more active than the 120/140 board I've found. There are a lot of 170 folks in that neck of the woods who might be able to assist.
 
Congrats on experiencing one of the two happiest days of an airplane owners life.
 
Send me a PM, I have a guy in Booneville who I think is pretty sharp. If you need a ride from FSM down there let me know. I live in FSM.
 
Good luck, JB. I hope everything turns out great!
 
Welcome to the forum and congrats on the airplane.
 
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