What to Inspect before Flying an Airplane not Flown for 5 Years?

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m20r

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m20r
I am looking to buy an year 2007 manufactured aerobatic monoplane with Lycoming AEIO-540 engine with ~250 hours since new. It has been sitting in an (airconditioned) hangar in disassembled state for 5 years (last time flown was in 2017). The mechanic did borescope and it looks fine, and did run-up on the ground. I was wondering what else should one check before attempting to fly it the first time?

From my personal experience, I had to overhaul in 2016 when I bought a 2001 Mooney Ovation (Continental IO550) with 1800h since new. This is how I discovered that I needed overhaul:
- The engine would sometimes quit after landing when power is reduced to idle.
- Otherwise it was fine.
- Mechanic was trying to adjust the mixture setting, then discovered a hairline crack in cylinder where the spark plug goes in
- When replacing the cylinder, they discovered cam lobe has pitting, and grounded the airplane for overhaul.
- In addition to major overhaul (new cam, magneto, pistons, etc), oil cooler and alternator was replaced with new. Mechanic said old alternator can seize bring down the entire engine (guess this applies to both Continental and Lycoming?)

There are time limit to overhauling an engine, but for part 91 it is not strict. Obviously, when one starts to fly it one can discover various issues, but obviously risks involved. What would be recommended check AP can do on the ground before the first flight?
 
Some of what to look for may be driven by why it was disassembled and stored in the first place. Aside from that Lycomings are known for cam rust after sitting unrun for a long time, but although it can mean an overhaul sooner rather than later it's usually not an imminent safety of flight issue. Check for evidence of bird or rodent nests or old damage from their urine even if the nests have been cleaned out. Rubber parts should be looked at and replaced if necessary. I would imagine that would include the flop tube in the fuel tank, something an A&P not familiar with acro ships might not think of.

Most likely there is a type-specific forum where people can advise you on any known issues with that model.
 
A thorough Annual should catch everything....and preferably someone who has a borescope to look in all the tight hard to see areas in the airframe. If there is any wood or fabric.....get an A&P who knows them well. A run of the mill Cessna or Piper guy isn't good enough IMHO.
 
Thanks for the quick replies!
The airplane was in disassembled state since it was put in container for transportation to foreign country for airshow. The airshow did not happen due to some paperwork issue and it was sent back to USA and never flown.
I am not very worried about the airframe (if there is something it should be pretty obvious), I am more worried about engine interior. The AP said he bore scoped the cylinder walls; but can bore scope catch rusted cam lobe?
 
m20r said:
The airplane was in disassembled state since it was put in container for transportation to foreign country for airshow. The airshow did not happen due to some paperwork issue and it was sent back to USA and never flown.
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Does the aircraft have a valid FAA registration and airworthiness certificate?
 
Yes it is made in USA, it is a Edge 540.
 
m20r said:
Yes it is made in USA, it is a Edge 540.
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That's not what I asked. If there is not a current, valid FAA registration and a current, valid Airworthiness Certificate for that Edge 540, then you may not want to spend another nickel on maintenance or purchase until you determine the status on those 2 certificates.
 
I can hook you up with an aerobatic specialist mechanic if you’re interested. He’d know where to look and for what. PM me if you’d like his contact. He’s in south Georgia.
 
A friend recently purchased an experimental plane and had it delivered by truck to a nearby airport. He had three guys (two that owned the same type plane and one longtime aircraft builder) put the the wings and empennage back on it.

He asked for my help in finishing up some items and getting it ready for taxi testing and first flight (for him as it has flown before). I went up inside the tail to do my own inspection and noticed that the elevator cables did not appear to be correct. A look at the plans confirmed that the guys that put it back together had, in fact, rigged the elevator control cables backwards.

All that to say this ... make sure that it is reassembled correctly. Check the controls not only for correct rigging but that the surfaces move the amount of degrees that they are supposed to. Don't assume anything as regards C/G, W&B, fuel flow rates, etc.
 
It also depends on how the engine was treated for the sea voyage. Since containers may leak, I would hope they pickled the engine in accordance with Lycoming long term storage recommendations. If so, it is likely OK.

Air conditioned hangar is a good thing.

It might be worth pulling a cylinder to check the cam. But, as I stated in another thread, you could also fly it, doing oil analysis every 10 hours to check for cam wear metal. Lifter/cam issues will not cause the engine to stop, just make less power over time.
 
m20r said:
It has been sitting in an (airconditioned) hangar in disassembled state for 5 years (last time flown was in 2017). The mechanic did borescope and it looks fine, and did run-up on the ground.
- In addition to major overhaul (new cam, magneto, pistons, etc), oil cooler and alternator was replaced with new. Mechanic said old alternator can seize bring down the entire engine (guess this applies to both Continental and Lycoming?)
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Just ground-running the engine pumps a bunch of moisture into the crankcase. Best to get that thing together, inspected, and fly it.

Continental used gear-driven alternators on their small engines and a few large ones. Never seen a gear-driven alternator on a Lycoming. If belt-driven alternators seize, the belt fails.

Most alternator failures are due to worn-out field brushes, and that's entirely due to a lack of the recommended inspections.
 
The thing that needs the greatest inspection is what's going on in the pilots head who would take controls of such a thing. Sorry, lots of airplanes out there. We all have only one life.
 
Thank you all for the advice. So rusted camlobe would not cause the engine to stop, and will be caught with oil analysis / iron shavings in filter, then it is an engine overhaul. I think I will make an offer taking the cost of likely overhaul into account.

In terms of Airworthiness and Registration, it is experimental exhibition since it was manufactured (in USA) and as far as I know that never expires. Then the registration is just $5 every 2 year which is easy to keep current.
 
The point on registration is, if it has sat so long, it might not be currently registered.

And that N number could have been reassigned. That is quick and easy to check, just realize that the FAA is running about 6 months behind on processing registrations.
 
m20r said:
In terms of Airworthiness and Registration, it is experimental exhibition since it was manufactured (in USA) and as far as I know that never expires. Then the registration is just $5 every 2 year which is easy to keep current.
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The issue is not whether the E/E AWC doesnt expire or the registration only costs $5. The issue is the aircraft was exported which could have required deregistration rendering the AWC to be invalid or to be pulled.

The fact it came back to the US due to a "paperwork" issue and remains disassembled sends up a red flag. The prudent thing is to check the FAA status of those documents before proceeding. You wouldnt be the 1st person to get an aircraft ready to fly only to find out the AWC wasnt effective or worse they couldnt register the aircraft in their name.
 
Bell206 said:
issue is the aircraft was exported which could have required deregistration rendering the AWC to be invalid or to be pulled.

The fact it came back to the US due to a "paperwork" issue and remains disassembled sends up a red flag. The prudent thing is to check the FAA status of those documents before proceeding. You wouldnt be the 1st person to get an aircraft ready to fly only to find out the AWC wasnt effective or worse they couldnt register the aircraft in their name.
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Was it actually exported? The OP said it was shipped to another country for an airshow. That does not mean it was exported. If I fly my plane to Mexico, I have not exported it.

Then he said the airshow flying did not happen due to some paperwork issues.

But I TOTALLY agree, that the paperwork needs to be researched and worked out before buying.
 
Pinecone said:
That does not mean it was exported. If I fly my plane to Mexico, I have not exported it.
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Anytime an aircraft leaves the US it is technically considered an export regardless how it leaves. Once out, it falls under either a temporary or permanent export with each classification having its own CBP and FAA requirements. So long as you plan to bring the aircraft back within a year and do not transfer operational control its pretty benign. Flying in and out the simplest. Beyond that it can become more complex. The fact the aircraft didn't get reassembled once returned gave me the most pause especially not knowing how long it took to get the aircraft back to the US. If over a year then things can get interesting.
 
So what about the N registered aircraft based in Europe?

So are airliners "exported" for every international flight?
 
Pinecone said:
So what about the N registered aircraft based in Europe? So are airliners "exported" for every international flight?
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In general, aircraft that fall under the temp export category qualify for a license exemption provided they return in a year and don't change operational control plus a few other things. Airlines and other ops under an AOC, etc. have additional exemptions and rules. But all are still considered an export, i.e., permission to leave the country, every time they depart per the rules. Things change when the export crosses into the permanent export classification.

N reg in Europe lose their license exemption if they will remain more than a year, permanently based there, plus a few other things. There are proof tests which determine what is "permanently" based as well as I recall. I never had to deal with that end. Regardless, its important to toe the line rule-wise when leaving the country as if you don't and try to seek permission to return, ie, import, the aircraft back in you can get hit with penalties and possible seizure of the aircraft. Not a fun process. I believe its all listed under CFR Title 15. I can probably find the exemption rule if interested.
 
I don't think that all those N numbers light aircraft come back to the US every year.
 
Pinecone said:
I don't think that all those N numbers light aircraft come back to the US every year.
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Some do but most don't so they need to have an Export on file and an ITN. There was a goat rope several years when CBP or Commerce did an audit on some ownership trusts and found a number of those N reg aircraft based outside of the country didn't have an EEI or ITN on file. Things got worked out in the end but if you decide to fly your N reg aircraft outside of the US and stay beyond the export exemption limits better make sure you file your export. FAA has zip to do with this part.
 
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