What are your questions????

[xcrmckenna]

So thanks to Mooney Space and all the great threads and your comments I have amassed a list of questions I ask sellers as I look for my future plane. I was just wondering what you guys think of them, if some are useless to start out asking and what else you guys might ask or feel are important to get the ball rolling before you would drive down to the local airport let alone across states to look at a bird. I know each plane poses their own set of questions due to avionics, bladders, major mods and such specific to that plane but these are just kind of a generic list. And the general questions of total time on engine, prop, haul and whatnot are normally on the listing.

 

If the logs are on a digital format

How many hours she has been flown since you've owned her

How many hours flown in the last 5 years 2 years and the last year

is there any known corrosion

has the plane ever been treated with anti corrosion

was she a local plane when you bought her

what modifications have you done since owning the plane

what shops have you used for annuals/other service or maintenance

has she ever been out of annual

ever been serviced at an MSC

does the plane have any fuel leaks, seeps or full on leaks

what type of overhaul was done last field/factory/name brand shop

known major squawks taken care of (337's needed)

any squawks in the last year

list of SB completed

why they bought the plane

why they are selling the plane

and what their last few annuals cost them

 

I have gone and looked at a few planes face to spinner when the seller has been very up front and forthright with my questions and enjoyed looking over them and learning a little more with each plane and I'm sure I will evolve with the more I learn. so all the help I can get would be great.

Thanks again

[Marauder]

So thanks to Mooney Space and all the great threads and your comments I have amassed a list of questions I ask sellers as I look for my future plane. I was just wondering what you guys think of them, if some are useless to start out asking and what else you guys might ask or feel are important to get the ball rolling before you would drive down to the local airport let alone across states to look at a bird. I know each plane poses their own set of questions due to avionics, bladders, major mods and such specific to that plane but these are just kind of a generic list. And the general questions of total time on engine, prop, haul and whatnot are normally on the listing.

If the logs are on a digital format

How many hours she has been flown since you've owned her

How many hours flown in the last 5 years 2 years and the last year

is there any known corrosion

has the plane ever been treated with anti corrosion

was she a local plane when you bought her

what modifications have you done since owning the plane

what shops have you used for annuals/other service or maintenance

has she ever been out of annual

ever been serviced at an MSC

does the plane have any fuel leaks, seeps or full on leaks

what type of overhaul was done last field/factory/name brand shop

known major squawks taken care of (337's needed)

any squawks in the last year

list of SB completed

why they bought the plane

why they are selling the plane

and what their last few annuals cost them

I have gone and looked at a few planes face to spinner when the seller has been very up front and forthright with my questions and enjoyed looking over them and learning a little more with each plane and I'm sure I will evolve with the more I learn. so all the help I can get would be great.

Thanks again

If you asked me ask these questions, I would walk away. You would drive me nuts.

Let a good mechanic figure out the health of the bird. Let the owner tell you what they like about their plane and its history.

At the end of the day it is still a business transaction but for some owners the reason they are selling is the loss of their medical. It is an emotional time for them and you need to be sensitive to this.

[ArtVandelay]

Most of the ?s you asked can be answered by looking in the logs

[Gone]

Mr. McKenna:

 

In terms of enjoying a non-combative atmosphere for this sale (which should really be a happy exchange of dollars for a Mooney), you may wish to allow the sources of your information to come from the following - as noted for each of your questions.  Of course if NO exchange of dollars for anything can be satisfying to you at all - you are in line to join the CB club - but your purchase is going to be that much more traumatic 

 

Ask the Seller:

• If the logs are on a digital format
• what modifications have you done since owning the plane
• what shops have you used for annuals/other service or maintenance
• does the plane have any fuel leaks, seeps or full-on leaks
• any squawks in the last year
• why they bought the plane
• why they are selling the plane
• and what their last few annuals cost them

Get the PPI Mechanic to determine:

• is there any known corrosion
• does the plane have any fuel leaks, seeps or full on leaks
• list of SB completed
• what type of overhaul was done last field/factory/name brand shop
• known major squawks taken care of (337's needed)

Look at the logs to determine

• How many hours she has been flown since you've owned her
• How many hours flown in the last 5 years 2 years and the last year
• has the plane ever been treated with anti corrosion
• has she ever been out of annual
• ever been serviced at an MSC

Don't know why you might ask

• was she a local plane when you bought her

Just my 0.02.

 

Good luck
 

[ryoder]

Ask if they have all the logs. Mine is missing the original engine log.

Don't be surprised if you rub people the wrong way. I a selling a half share in mine and have had some people that are surprised they can't buy half a Mooney for 10k with a new engine, tank reseal, paint, and interior.

[rbridges]

If you asked me ask these questions, I would walk away. You would drive me nuts.

Let a good mechanic figure out the health of the bird. Let the owner tell you what they like about their plane and its history.

At the end of the day it is still a business transaction but for some owners the reason they are selling is the loss of their medical. It is an emotional time for them and you need to be sensitive to this.

 

The only question I'd ask you is, "has this plane been in annual since hauling any fat chicks?"  I don't think your logs would cover that.

[Jeff_S]

Your questions are nice data points for you to learn, but I wouldn't try to ask them all of the seller. Most of these you should get yourself by looking over the logs first and then formulating questions from what you see. Some may not be relevant.  Also, me personally, I don't use feminine pronouns to refer to my airplane...just seems Mooneys are too tough for that!

[Bob_Belville]

... Also, me personally, I don't use feminine pronouns to refer to my airplane...just seems Mooneys are too tough for that!

A local dentist, serial owner of 3 or 4 Mooneys, was adamant that I needed to give my plane a name. What's that all about?  To each his own I guess... there are people who like cats.

[Marauder]

The only question I'd ask you is, "has this plane been in annual since hauling any fat chicks?" I don't think your logs would cover that.

That is an easy determination by a simple perusal of the logs. Just look for the number of tire and brake replacements since the last annual.

[Danb]

Chris isn't that a short trip anyway!

[Danb]

Mr Bridges you need only ask one of our members that>>

[TWinter]

If you unload all of those questions at the onset it will be a defensive and controversial buy/seller relationship start to end. As many said, most of that can discovered in the logs and a PPI.

 

If all looks good after the logs you can certainly go to lunch together and casually ask some of the more personal questions. Personally, if you unloaded all that on me right off the bat, I would think, "Wow, this is going to be a high maintenance buyer or prospect".  Just my .02 

[chrisk]

I would probably change a few of your questions:

• "If the logs are on a digital format"  to "Can I get a copy of the logs"
• "How many hours she has been flown since you've owned her"   Easy enough for a guesstimate answer, but I would change it to "How long have you owned the plane"
• "was she a local plane when you bought her" to "Has the plane been kept in a hanger?  Did the previous owner hanger the plane?  What part of the country has the plane been kept in?"
• "known major squawks taken care of (337's needed)" and "any squawks in the last year" to "Does everything work on the plane?  Is anything in-op?  Anything with flaky behavior?"

 

I would skip

• list of SB completed --The logs will tell you
• why they bought the plane --I don't know why this would matter.
• and what their last few annuals cost them.  --The logs will tell you what was done.

I would add

• Does it have any damage history? 

 

And when you have found one you like, get the FAA CD.  It will have all the 337s that are on file.  I've found this to be very informative, particularly when you find a 337 for a belly skin and the prop log shows a new prop replacement in the same time frame.  --Amazingly, the current owner may not have realized a previous owner had a gear up in the plane.   In my previous plane I discovered it had an auto gas stc, and another for flying around with out the doors on.  The current owner had no clue.

[jkhirsch]

I'm an information guy, but most of those questions here seem petty and you'll likely elicit a negative response.

 

Nothing wrong with: Do you fly a lot?

 

Something wrong with: How many hours have you flown in the last 5, 2, and one years?

 

You can easily compare the times recorded for the annuals.

 

No one wants to be interrogated.

[mooniac15u]

You would be unlikely to get a useful answer to the corrosion question.  Pretty much everything else on the list can be answered by looking at the logs and the registration history.

[xcrmckenna]

Thanks for all the responses and I understand that dropping those questions on someone without introducing myself with a little bit about myself would be "odd" even though one bit of advice I've read on here is don't fall in love with the plane till it is yours.

I do introduce myself and try to give the seller a little info on me. I give them my contact info and let them know they can contact me at their convenience. the first few planes I had looked at I informed them my mooney knowlage was about zero. So please expect I will ask ignorant questions. Then I would tell them I have a few questions and if they would mind if I sent them, and they could answer when they had a chance.

But in a little defense of my questions I thought at the end of the day the ownership and responsability of the plane rests on my shoulders and mine alone. I thought one of the points of MS was to help self teach us and to get as much info as we can about our planes and pass that knowledge on to others. I guess I have read many posts on here about people not knowing the condition of their planes and them getting upset at either a&p's or other because their plane is not airworthy now, or annuals that cost them a great deal because they didn't have ms to help them in the buying process or know trouble spots that come with buying a mooney.

One of the reason I ask if the plane was local came from this forum someone said you have more people you can ask about the condition of the plane from mechanics, and people that hang out around the airport. Before the person that is selling it now. And yes the follow up question on the logs if they are on digital format is could they email them to me.

I guess I just figured most airplane owners would know pretty close to the times and or the answers to most of those questions anyways and if someone was selling their plane they might expect a possible buyer would aske them questions rather than look at it "well I bought the plane at one point in time so you should have no reason not to buy it now" mentality.

I'm sorry if I have offended people with the questions I have. I am just trying to be as an informed buyer as I can in my pursuit to buy the best plane I can and not rely solely on what a mechanic says at a ppi. Because there has been plenty of threads on here where buyers had a ppi and then the first annual came and were shocked at what they bought, or have been flying for the past 6 months.

I am in No way trying to learn from people's mistakes but take the lessons they have learned and posted on here to heart and use them to my advantage and know as much about my plane inside and out. And I thought that's what I was doing. But I will do my best with questions I ask in the future

[mooniac15u]

It sounds like you have a great list of questions. I think the feedback you were getting was on whether to directly ask the seller those questions. In many cases there might be better, more reliable sources to get those answers.

[scottfromiowa]

Thank you for an entertaining thread...

[chrisk]

I'm sorry if I have offended people with the questions I have. I am just trying to be as an informed buyer as I can in my pursuit to buy the best plane I can and not rely solely on what a mechanic says at a ppi. Because there has been plenty of threads on here where buyers had a ppi and then the first annual came and were shocked at what they bought, or have been flying for the past 6 months.

 

 

I for one think most of your questions are reasonable and I could answer them quickly over the phone.  Now, if they were sent in an email, I might not be so inclined to answer them.  Also, when you got to the question of what you spent on the last annual, I would flat out tell you that I don't remember.

[Bob - S50]

!!!!!!!  What's the useful load?   !!!!!!!!

 

It can vary from 850 to just over 1000 lbs.  When we were looking, we were not interested unless it was at least 950 lbs regardless of how nice it was.  That extra 100 lbs can make a difference of 17 gallons of fuel you can carry for any given pax/bag load.  In the J that's enough to fly 280 nm.  If you are just looking for a 2 seat airplane, don't worry about it.

 

Bob

[ArtVandelay]

Many planes are sold via brokers, so for those you won't be able to question the seller

[Marauder]

Thanks for all the responses and I understand that dropping those questions on someone without introducing myself with a little bit about myself would be "odd" even though one bit of advice I've read on here is don't fall in love with the plane till it is yours.

I do introduce myself and try to give the seller a little info on me. I give them my contact info and let them know they can contact me at their convenience. the first few planes I had looked at I informed them my mooney knowlage was about zero. So please expect I will ask ignorant questions. Then I would tell them I have a few questions and if they would mind if I sent them, and they could answer when they had a chance.

But in a little defense of my questions I thought at the end of the day the ownership and responsability of the plane rests on my shoulders and mine alone. I thought one of the points of MS was to help self teach us and to get as much info as we can about our planes and pass that knowledge on to others. I guess I have read many posts on here about people not knowing the condition of their planes and them getting upset at either a&p's or other because their plane is not airworthy now, or annuals that cost them a great deal because they didn't have ms to help them in the buying process or know trouble spots that come with buying a mooney.

One of the reason I ask if the plane was local came from this forum someone said you have more people you can ask about the condition of the plane from mechanics, and people that hang out around the airport. Before the person that is selling it now. And yes the follow up question on the logs if they are on digital format is could they email them to me.

I guess I just figured most airplane owners would know pretty close to the times and or the answers to most of those questions anyways and if someone was selling their plane they might expect a possible buyer would aske them questions rather than look at it "well I bought the plane at one point in time so you should have no reason not to buy it now" mentality.

I'm sorry if I have offended people with the questions I have. I am just trying to be as an informed buyer as I can in my pursuit to buy the best plane I can and not rely solely on what a mechanic says at a ppi. Because there has been plenty of threads on here where buyers had a ppi and then the first annual came and were shocked at what they bought, or have been flying for the past 6 months.

I am in No way trying to learn from people's mistakes but take the lessons they have learned and posted on here to heart and use them to my advantage and know as much about my plane inside and out. And I thought that's what I was doing. But I will do my best with questions I ask in the future

 

As Scott mentioned above, thanks for the entertaining thread. Much better than should I land with flaps or run LOP or fly with fat women. Quite honestly you want to ask more questions than I am asking of the guy dating my daughter. And although I have a love affair with my Mooney (and fat women, sorry I digress), I love my daughter more...

 

The plane is a mechanical device, ask the mechanic to do a thorough inspection both physically of the plane itself and the log books. Many owners either don't know or don't care of the true status of their airplane. What you are looking for is an owner who does care and shows passion for their plane. Those owners are the ones who don't cut corners and treat their plane like their daughter. Those planes are the ones you want to fly in with your daughter...

[xcrmckenna]

As Scott mentioned above, thanks for the entertaining thread. Much better than should I land with flaps or run LOP or fly with fat women. Quite honestly you want to ask more questions than I am asking of the guy dating my daughter. And although I have a love affair with my Mooney (and fat women, sorry I digress), I love my daughter more...

The plane is a mechanical device, ask the mechanic to do a thorough inspection both physically of the plane itself and the log books. Many owners either don't know or don't care of the true status of their airplane. What you are looking for is an owner who does care and shows passion for their plane. Those owners are the ones who don't cut corners and treat their plane like their daughter. Those planes are the ones you want to fly in with your daughter...

And yes I am looking to weed out the owners that cut corners or rely on someone else to keep themselves safe. I have no problem spending money on a ppi at lasar for top dollar to assure me the plane is safe enough to take my family and friend in. Even if someone doesn't know those questions doesn't mean their plane is unsafe, I would just be less likely to fly across the states to look at it. And that was all I was saying and hoping to get some more info. And Scott is just enjoying the thread cuz the packers lost to the seahawks....

[scottfromiowa]

Here's hoping the Patriot's finish the job that the Pack could not...

The logs and a good prebuy probably won't lie. An owner...

Wants you to buy.

[xcrmckenna]

Here's hoping the Patriot's finish the job that the Pack could not...

The logs and a good prebuy probably won't lie. An owner...

Wants you to buy.

Very true, so I would think a seller would want to answer all the questions I had and then some. I would use the prebuy to match up with the questions I have. But each their own.