smccray

I did the same analysis but I remember looking at the birds registered in IA. That tail number was registered in SD. Was more about the search than trying to get in the way. I've seen people make their living getting in the way of others' business. Not my style. Hell- I found the tail number and owner of a cryptically presented airplane when I was looking for a plane. Never screw someone in a deal... the next deal is always more valuable than this one. I want a seat at the table for the next deal.

Just for the record... that's not the tail number I suspected in your other thread...sneaky guy! Congrats on the new bird!!!

Bingo. I'd check on the crank AD but I would expect that to be an issue. Older avionics... compare the cost of upgrading the panel to alternative models. I'm only aware of one Bravo with WAAS and a GFC700 autopilot.

My bigger concern with a 2005 is the avionics. Not many G1000 birds out there with an STEC55x. Hopefully there’s a path to a GFC700 and an NXI but that’s not clear. If it is offered (not guaranteed) it’ll be a big check.

Brings back memories for me. My A36 prebuy was done at that airport.

Looks pricy. Paging @Parker_Woodruff

More likely it's your affinity for Lotus... always in the pits...

I believe I saw a report that the Electroair didn't improve performance in the TN A36. It probably makes it easier to start the plane, but frankly that's not an issue that I need to address. For NA planes- absolutely. Turbos- that's a firm TBD. I don't see a need to blaze a trail- it comes down to cost. My bendix mags are pretty reliable. If I don't get more speed and replacing with electronics runs $5K, I don't see the value. It's not about the concept, it's about the value.

??? because if it fails it goes to an advanced timing setting. Failure mode should assume normal timing not advanced timing.

I assume this is surefly. I like the idea of adding electronic ignition, but it's my understanding that the surefly system's failure mode advances the timing based on ambient pressure, it doesn't fail to the set timing of the system. With that in mind, I can't see replacing the magneto with the surefly system in a turbo airplane.

Software on the GTN? https://www.garmin.com/en-US/aviationalerts/approval-of-gtn-6xx-7xx-software-version-6-62-and-flight-stream-510-software-version-2-51/

Hell- I'm far enough underwater on my current plane. I don't need to do another one for a few years :). It's a treasure hunt. Truth be told I didn't go looking until after I saw @Mlm20c's post. Then it just became a competition and I couldn't resist. True story- broker brought me my current plane. Described with the same information available in this thread- model year and state. There was only one in NJ when I went looking. It didn't matter as I wouldn't cut the guy out, but still. It was fun- kind of dangling a carrot in front of me... oooo- good twist!!! I really hope you can make the plane work.

Hell no it's not a pipe dream. Go make him an offer- nothing ventured nothing gained. Who knows- maybe he'll be happy just getting the thing gone. You can own it by Monday.

Agree. 3 min is about right. 2 minutes more you can find the owner's name and contact info.

if the seller will accept $30-40K for the plane. Offer the seller $45K- if he doesn't throw you out, settle in the low $50s (subject only to airframe corrosion inspection) and take the plane home. You don't need a pre-buy- you're going in only buying the airframe.

I would value the plane with a run out engine. Very possible the plane will pass annual inspection, then the engine will start showing its age in 25-50 hours. I'm parroting stories from others here- I don't have the personal experience. By the time you add up the cost of ADSB, clean-ups of the king instruments, adding an engine monitor, you're a long way down the path to adding glass. $40K for the engine $8-10K for accessories and work associated with the engine $16K for tanks and pucks $40K for avionics, (Upgrade the GNS430s to WAAS, more for GTNs). You could skip the panel, but the money you put into avionics repairs will only be expense. You'll spend $10K minimum for ADSB, engine monitor, and repairs. Scratch that- $15K minimum. $XXk Margin for error? In the end you have a plane worth $120-130K

Where has it been sitting? This is a project. Will be difficult if not impossible to buy it cheap enough to make sense financially. Plan on both tanks, gear pucks, and replacing all the avionics. Sitting will kill everything.

The Ovation can have Air Conditioning...

Bad news for you... The F is pretty close, but the J and the K are the sweet spot in terms of operating cost per mile- really for any traveling airplane. Any upgrade is going to be a significant increase in cost. There’s so much efficiency in those airframes there’s nothing you can do to match it. Sweet spot is a B55 Barron. Get into a B58 similar vintage as a Bravo and the purchase price will be double the price tag of the M20M.

In my mind that’s a recipe for disaster. Intermittent availability and you plane is sitting outside somewhere and likely not being flown. If you put the plane in Arizona at some airport for 7 months, you’re basically looking at a $3500 cost to let the plane sit. Land, change the oil, and have a local mechanic check on the plane periodically. If you did a partnership, call that $3500 in rent a cash contribution from your partner. You probably split the annual inspection cost and some of the insurance cost- call that another $2500. $6k isn’t worth the trouble to save on operations. Look at the operational savings as a percentage of the total cost, including 100LL internationally. $150k (half the purchase price) at 6% is $9k in interest cost. That’s not insignificant, but if it’s a stumbling block to buying an airplane in this scenario...let’s just be honest here- you’re not going to buy an airplane.

Agreed. This is a very unique deal, but doesn’t seem as unbalanced as it may initially appear. I do think it’s going to be very challenging to find a partner, especially with the intent to base the plane internationally during half the year. To the OP- I suspect the better strategy to limit carrying cost during the 7 months of the year would be to lease the plane at an attractive rate for that period. Perhaps it’s to pilots that are between planes, or a pilot that had an incident and their own plane is down for repairs. I don’t know if that would work, but I suspect it would be far better strategy albeit not without the risk of failing to find a lessee. Call Jimmy at All American and ask him- he would be a better source to asses the feasibility of my proposed strategy.

Scott- Question for you- how should I think at the GFS vs the NAM model? I really like the composite reflectivity model to look at the forecast a day or two out on planned flights in TX. For example, the model made a flight doable for me when I departed DFW in the morning with storms coming into Dallas, but the models forecast storms moving out by the afternoon when I planned to return. The models forecast that movement in the storm a couple days out, and everything lined up. Typically I don't end up seeing marginal cases, but which is the better model to look at? I suspect the answer is "All of them, but for different things." Plug for weather spork- it's worth it. Give it a try.

Actually, the ice chest systems like the BKool and the Arctic Air will add some dehumidification. As warm moist air is pulled across the heat exchanger in the lid of the cooler, some of the moisture will condensed onto the heat exchanger eventually adding moisture to the cooler. I don’t now how to measure the capacity to dehumidify, and I wouldn’t go pounding the table about the ability of the system to dehumidify, but it’s real and it does help...in Texas. My BKool was required equipment when flying in the summer months in the J.

Here’s what Tornado Alley publishes. This is for the Whirlwind II system. I haven’t seen numbers published for the III system which adds an intercooler and an air scoop to the front of the cowl, but they say you can push more fuel (more HP) and keep operating temps in a safe range. Users report that the published numbers are accurate for a TNA36. YMMV I haven’t heard performance like 176 in level flight for an A36. It may be a marketing number- just like a J is a 200 MPH plane but in the real world it isn’t that high. I’m pretty pleased with the performance.

Lol- that is LOP. She burns 35 GPH on takeoff to provide adequate margin for detonation. The NA io550 is 28 GPH on takeoff.