Grumman Traveler Spar Replaced But.....

[Mooney Fan]

I'm looking at a Traveler for sale that Excel AIr recently replaced the spar and addressed other corossion and debonding issues.

Considering Excel did the repair, would it still cause you pause if you were in the market for one?

It is for me but maybe its good to go now with no future concerns about corossion damage that wasn't dealt with?

MF

 

[ArrowFlyer86]

I'm looking at a Traveler for sale that Excell AIr recently replaced the spar and addressed other corossion and debonding issues.

Considering Excell did the repair, would it still cause you pause if you were in the market for one?

It is for me but maybe its good to go now with no future concerns about corossion damage that wasn't dealt with?

MF

Excel Air at KRZL? I'd be inclined to trust they did it right. They work on Grummans all day long and have an order book long enough that they turn down work.
When I was there in September (getting non-Grumman work done) I got a tour of their hangar and the various projects and backstories of some of the airplanes they're working on (nearly all grummans).
I walked away impressed with their work ethic and had the distinct impression those guys know those particular planes inside and out.

But perhaps a Grumman pilot will be by shortly to give more specific endorsements

 

[bkspero]

My Tiger is based in NJ, but I took it to Excel for an annual one year and was very impressed. John found corrosion on the carry through spar but was able to remove it without reducing the spar thickness below limits. He was an artist with the Dremel grinder and magnified glasses taking tiny bits of oxidized metal from the spot until the corrosion was completely gone and the edges of the depression were feathered smoothly into the surrounding surface.

Once he found the corrosion they had the plane on blocks, the wings off, the wing roots off, and the landing gear removed from the carry through spar in what seemed like less than an hour. They then inspected, bead blasted, and prepped all the components for etching, alodining, and priming. Their skill and familiarity with Tigers was obvious. They knew the other spots where corrosion might be found, exposed them for inspection, and then put it back better than new.

That was 7 years ago. The inspection panels were off last month, and the areas that Excel treated were as good as they were when the plane left Indiana.

If John at Excel says the plane is in good condition, then it is in good condition and I would fly it without a second thought about either its current safety or about possibly heightened potential for future problems.

 

[Rcmutz]

Only other thing I would check on is that the time in service of the carry through spar is documented in the logbooks. These are life limited parts. John being one of the Grumman Guru’s, I would trust that he did it correctly, but verify.

 

[Mooney Fan]

Thanks for the replies. I’ll look the logs over again closely. Engine is at 1200 SMOH. Im hand wringing lol…. Also going to take a look at a 67’ Mooney M20C

 

[TCABM]

1200SMOH is a mid-time engine; that wouldn’t necessarily be a dealbreaker for me.

 

[Mooney Fan]

1200SMOH is a mid-time engine; that wouldn’t necessarily be a dealbreaker for me.

I realize that. But not excited about selling it down the road with 1700 SMOH. I’ll be hanging up my wings at that point.

 

[bonefishpete]

Thanks for the replies. I’ll look the logs over again closely. Engine is at 1200 SMOH. Im hand wringing lol…. Also going to take a look at a 67’ Mooney M20C

Skip the Mooney and get the Grumman. Mooney is an all another level for maintenance. Get a pre buy from a Mooney mechanic. Check corrosion corrosion corrosion.

 

[Rcmutz]

Thanks for the replies. I’ll look the logs over again closely. Engine is at 1200 SMOH. Im hand wringing lol…. Also going to take a look at a 67’ Mooney M20C

I’ve got 1740 SMOH on my Tiger. Fly at least once a week. Maybe every 10 days in the winter. This year has been harder due to plane being painted. The engine will generally tell you when it needs an OH. Do your boroscoping, compression testing, regular oil changes, and fly regularly, and it will take care of you.

 

[jbarrass]

Excellent does good work and you are probably ok. 1200 hours is solid. Any plane with your target requirements are going to be expensive if you can find one:

 

[AlleyCat67]

Second the recommendation for Excel. They did my engine overhaul and first annual and fixed up what was essentially a project plane. Good folks. It’s not clear from your first post whether they replaced the main spar, repaired some kind of damage, or simply treated it for incipient corrosion. All of those could have different impacts on resale value down the road. Also I’ve noticed the price for Grummans dropping in the last year - I wouldn’t be afraid of negotiating on the asking price with Excel.

 

[Pinecone]

I love the Tiger. I did my PP and early flying in Tigers. Talked a friend into one a number of years ago. And I wanted to get one. I ended up with a Mooney because Tigers were selling at crazy prices for the equipment level.