OT: Cessna 172 wishful thinking.

Doug in Illinois · Nov 21, 2008

I about once a month am able to pick up a copy of one of the ad type papers from the next few counties west of me, actually across the state line into Iowa. A 1956 Cessna 172 has been in it off and on for the last year or so, getting cheaper. Finally called on it this evening, it has been out of annual for 3 years, got to talk to owner's wife, not him. It was used as a skydiving plane. They have owned since new, but went out of business after his parents passed away and he took over the farming. I am out of current and so is the plane, but we are only 35 miles apart, so maybe both the plane and I can get current together. Down to $8000. Am I crazy to consider this? No radios, will need to update. Does have STOL. 1500 hours since major. DOUG

IaGary · Nov 21, 2008

Much cheaper to rent a plane then to own one.

Unless you fly many hours per year.

Insurance, maintenance and storage would be expensive compared to renting.

Get your licence up to date and go fly without working on a plane.

Gary

Anonymous-0 · Nov 21, 2008

Ha! It must be something in the air, Doug. I'm not thinking about buying a plane, but my younger brother had to do some construction work at a small airport, and was telling me about the planes he saw. I got off the phone with him, and next thing I know I'm surfing around the web, seeing what a 152 rents for now-a-days.

I havne't flown in about 3 years, but the itch to get started again seems to crop up every now and again.

Anyway, to answer your question: $8000 sounds awful cheap for a 172. 1500 hours since major--I never was an expert in the maintenace of those, how much time between major overhauls?

Might not be a bad deal. Course, as the economy continues to go bad, I think you're going to see more and more people selling their toys.

Couldn't hurt to find an A&P to give it a once-over. He could probably give you an idea on what it would take to get it flightworthy.

Could be fun. Of course, its also fun to pick up the keys at the FBO, fly it, return the keys, pay your bill, and let someone else worry about insurance/maintenance/annuals/etc.

Larry NE IL · Nov 21, 2008

Doug,
Be careful! A '56 has the 6 cyl. continental engine rated @ 145 hp. More pricy to maintain than the lyc 4 cyl and 15 hp more. A 1956 is an OLD airplane and being used as a skydiver hauler is wasn't baby'ed. As said above, get an A & P to go over the plane including a compression test. You may be paying not much money for a hole to through the rest of yours into!

Good Luck, Larry

Bill-KCKs · Nov 21, 2008

I know of a high-time 1968 Cessna 150H that might be for sale. Hasn't flown for years, kept in a hangar. The owner is tiring of paying hangar rent. While he was still flying it, he put in new Terra radio and transponder. No clue as to it's value, being out of annual and a run-out (or nearly so) engine.

MarkB_MI · Nov 22, 2008

As you probably know, it might cost several thousand to pass annual condition inspection. And 1500 hours COULD be getting close to a very expensive overhaul. Certainly have an A&P you trust check it out thoroughly.

You may find that for what you would need to sink into this aircraft after updating radios, etc., you can find a newer plane with functional radios and a Lycoming engine. Of course, it sounds like they really need to sell the plane, you might be able to knock them down a few thousand more.

Bill(Wis) · Nov 22, 2008

You get what you pay. People are obviously not beating a path to their door so be careful and get an A&P mechanic to check it out and come up with an estimate to bring it to the condition you want. Whatever that might be.

ericlb · Nov 22, 2008

i like airplanes especially wwll stuff, but im not real knowlagable on them, ive seen that 'STOL" on several adds either has, or was added, the question is what exactly it, it and what does it do,

HuskerMedic · Nov 22, 2008

I did my checkride in a 1957 172. Was just looking at my license yesterday-was 5 years ago in October. Haven't flown in 2-got too expensive. Maybe with the pullback in oil that will change.

The Continental is an 1800 TBO engine. Not that it really matters; at that price you'd be buying the plane as a runout. At one time, I had heard that parts for the older Continentals were getting harder to come by; I don't know that for fact. There are enought older 172's out there with them that I wouldn't think it would be too problematic. I do know it was a smooth running engine that was a joy to fly behind (then again, what engine isn't a joy to fly behind?)

Are you mechanically inclined? Good enough that you would trust your life to it? If you can find an A&P willing to sign off on your work and if the plane is not filled with corrosion, then you can't hardly go wrong-you could part the thing out if you had to and still make your money back. With the STOL kit (Short Take Off and Landing, for the guy who was asking) it would make an ideal farmstrip plane.

If you've got a place to store it and work on it, I say go for it. Then again, I'm not the one writing the check.

davediehl@hotmail.com · Nov 22, 2008

If I had the extra funds, I'd be all over it. My mechanical certifications expired years ago, but I'd trust myself for myself. As long as someone would sign off on it and it was airworthy, I'd be on it. I just can't persuade the better half into it just yet to have one of those sitting in the toy lot.

T_Bone · Nov 22, 2008

Hi doug,

I had a friend one time that was a airplane nut. Worked for Boeing for 35yrs, flew all kinds of planes both jet & props, had a home on a private air strip, got #1 & #2 son evolved in planes, then all heII broke loose:

George with #1 & #2 sons was out flying around in Georges plane with #1 son at the controls (a commercial jet pilot) when returning back to the private air strip, George's wife standing on the front porch watching them land, when a neighbor "took the air space" ( I never did find out exactly what that meant, the details that is).

George died that day. I bet with a smile on his face as he always had a smile when talking airplanes.

#1 son will never walk again. Had it not been for Georges cash and #1 son's insurance, three family's would have lost everything until the insurance kicked in.

#2 son also a commercial cargo jet pilot, is walking but with great difficulty.

George's wife could not return too her home on the private air strip because of watching what happened.

Just something else to consider.

T_Bone

Anonymous-0 · Nov 22, 2008

Doug,
Skydive ride, Every guy in the country wanting to build hours, myself included, got a hook into flying these planes. Some good, some not so good. These ships took a lot of "overweight and excessive full throttle climbs". Fine tooth the logs for every detail. Sure, you want to fly but you also want to be safe doing it and I know that some of these planes had some HARD times.
Lets hope this one was flown responsible and has some good paper. Good Luck, jackie

Kestrel in CT · Nov 22, 2008

We used to jump out of a 172 in college in 1970s and I can vouch for how hard they were pushed, at least this one. It was ancient back then.

The instrument panel on ours vibrated so much it made jumping out the preferred method of returning to earth, especially among the first time jumpers.

But in your case, having only one owner certainly helps. I'd look at it for sure.

Dave anderson · Nov 22, 2008

Get a good A&I to look at it. The fact it is cheap and has been for sale for a while. might mean something. Found a 172H here like that need glass and engine work. Could have done the work but parts aren't cheap. the good thing is there are lots of parts out there for the 0300.

HughB · Nov 22, 2008

I have never skydived but I did get to fly as co-pilot a couple of times. The procedure was to go to 10500 ft at pretty much full throtle. After the load jumped the throttle was pulled back and a step descent was set up. This resulted in super cooling the engine. This is very hard on an aircraft engine. My point is this: you are probably looking at replacing the engine. I doubt if you will come out much cheaper than if you simply went out and bought an airplane ready to fly.

Anonymous-0 · Nov 22, 2008

Meh, I think statistically speaking, the time spent driving to the airport is still more dangerous than the time spent flying.

Doug in Illinois · Nov 22, 2008

I will be calling them Sunday evening when he is home, and hopefully be able to actually look at it in the next few days. What I am hoping is that it can stay right where it sits until all the work it needs can be done right there. Would I trust my life with me doing the work on it? YES, I would as long as I have a certified A&P mechanic verify what I have done. I was in the 99th percentile back in 1975 on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude test for motor mechanics, 98th percentile on electrical systems. I was on our high school two man team that competed against Technical Colleges that year in the Plymouth (Chrysler) Trouble Shooting Contest. We finished second at state level, against at least 100 teams originally entered. We missed no issues, but winning team finished a few minutes sooner as we double checked every thing. DOUG

Doug in Illinois · Nov 22, 2008

T Bone, I have seen you posting before, and usually helpful advice. Boy, that is a sad loss. You do have my sympathy. I do realize the danger of flying, but not a day goes by when I don't worry about getting killed on my mail route by inattentive drivers. I watch my rearview mirrors closely and had to maximum accelerate from cluster boxes before the mail is all in. As soon as school lets out, some of the kids have no idea how to drive, or maybe it is lets scare the mailman. But, getting off topic. DOUG

Doug in Illinois · Nov 22, 2008

150 would be fine as a short trip plane. About 110 knots or so, if I remember right. 172 can add 10 knots as one this old. Fuel burn, 100LL, 150 can be as low as 6GPH at best cruise, 172 is around 9GPH. Both can be auto gas STC'd for $1.50 per HP, so the 145 HP 300 Contintental in the 172 would cost $217.50. I think I can still find ethanol free unleaded within reasonable driving distance, I can haul 250 gallons in my two compartment pickup bed tank. Only need to burn 100LL every 75 hours to coat the valves, auto gas is much more forgiving on spark plugs and the rest of the engine except on the worst of the high density altitude days when I will be running 100LL. DOUG

charles todd · Nov 22, 2008

I love planes. One day I would love own one... Dreams.

Charles

T_Bone · Nov 23, 2008

Hi Doug,

I live out in the country and had just pulled onto a 4 lane in front of a pick-up about a mile down the road, no other cars with-in sight.

Since I don't accelerate very fast, at about 45mph I looked into my mirror to see where I was at with the pick-up when all I could see was a black BMW just about ready to plow into my bumper, so I jerked the wheel too a hard right onto the shoulder. When the BMW passed me in my lane, he had to be doing well over a 100mph. He work up from his nap and just barely saved his BMW as he too jerked the wheel to keep from hitting us.

So I see you have one foot on the banana peal already...lol

I'm sure if George was here, he would say the same about flying.

T_Bone

SKYBOW · Nov 23, 2008

The pilot's motto
"If it flys, floats, or fornicates.....it's cheaper to rent."

Doug in Illinois · Nov 23, 2008

I did finally get to talk to the owner this afternoon instead of just his wife. I still won't be able to actaully examine it until next weekend, they are out of town this week for Thanksgiving. It has seen no skydive use for about 10 years. Has been flown back and forth from Iowa to Kentucky until the last few years, but only a couple times a year. He told me it is sitting in an open hanger, the sun hits it and the paint is fading out. He did also tell me that it would pass annual or my money back. DOUG

OT: Cessna 172 wishful thinking.

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