High time airframes....

Unit74

Unit74

Final Approach
Joined
Mar 8, 2014
Messages
6,992
Display Name
Display name:
Unit74
Is there any reservations about buying/flying a high time airframe? I'm looking at a C182 with 14000 in the books and was a government owned aircraft. All the other times look good and it's priced about 40% lower than a bird with 5000 hours in the same year/equipped.
 
You have to study the logs carefully. Also rather than price does the aircraft meet the mission.
 
Some of the wear depends on cycles rather than hours. Many of these 'goverment' aircraft have spend most of their life loitering on surveillance missions for many hours at a time. Everything from door-hinges to gear components is going to see less wear in that use than it would see in a flight school or at the hands of an owner that flies 1hr burger-runs once a week.
 
A friend has an ex-government 182 with over 16,000 hours.

Looks and flies like a brand-new airplane.
 
Wouldn't corrosion be the main concern?
All else is easily in suspected.
 
flyingriki said:
Wouldn't corrosion be the main concern?
All else is easily in suspected.
Click to expand...

Corrosion is a concern in aircraft that don't fly. The way to dry out an airframe is to climb to altitude in clear air and let the low relative humidity and drafty construction do its job.
 
weilke said:
Corrosion is a concern in aircraft that don't fly. The way to dry out an airframe is to climb to altitude in clear air and let the low relative humidity and drafty construction do its job.
Click to expand...

So the check would be hours in how many years to determine if it flew a lot?
I've seen buddies deal with corrosion in reasonably well flown aircraft. They might be extra fussy though....
 
Last edited:
High hours aren't necessarily a concern. The Aztec had 10k hours on it, the 310 has something around 8k. While it provides more opportunity for damage to happen and some small parts to wear out, if properly maintained it's just fine.

However, it does reduce resale value as well as potential market just like high miles on a car, and some people won't buy high time airframes because they have an aversion to them, just like cars. My car, for example, has 173k miles on it. Just about everything other than the engine and transmission have been replaced, but because of the high mileage, it's not worth as much. Make sure that you take this into account when you buy the plane, and keep in mind it may be harder to sell because of the higher hours.
 
flyingriki said:
So the check would be hours in how many years to determine if it flew a lot?
Click to expand...

100hrs/year can be 3hrs until June, then 88 until september and then 19 for the rest of the year.

Long gaps between flights, outside parking at coastal airports, humid climates are the risk factors.

To some extent, engine corrosion is different from airframe corrosion. Usage affects engine corrosion more than the environment (water inside the engine comes from combustion byproducts).

I had a plane parked at VKX (Potomac Airfield near DC). It sits in a little valley with a stream close to the airport. Even with a cabin cover, on a summer morning you could wring water out of some charts left on the seat. A great place to be if you are aplant ;) .
 
weilke said:
100hrs/year can be 3hrs until June, then 88 until september and then 19 for the rest of the year.

Long gaps between flights, outside parking at coastal airports, humid climates are the risk factors.

To some extent, engine corrosion is different from airframe corrosion. Usage affects engine corrosion more than the environment (water inside the engine comes from combustion byproducts).

I had a plane parked at VKX (Potomac Airfield near DC). It sits in a little valley with a stream close to the airport. Even with a cabin cover, on a summer morning you could wring water out of some charts left on the seat. A great place to be if you are aplant ;) .
Click to expand...

I'm training at VKX right now. You still in the area?
 
I think a company I used to work for had a check delivery plane that was an Arrow II that had over 13K hours on it. It was an ugly bird paint wise, but it flew fine.
 
The archer I took my IFR in has 18k total, nice plane that still flies a lot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top