Hi Everyone! Warning: New Guy Here, First Post

[HRM]

 

I would not be too afraid of older gear ups that were repaired by a reputable shop. You will find many Mooneys have a gear up history.

What? No one is going to intone the old saw?

[ArtVandelay]

I was looking at the 75 model C, but that airplane has not one, but 2 gear ups in it's history. 

Damage History:	Gear up landings in 1986 and 2010
Other:	Mooney Service Center maintained for 30+ years

I would not be too afraid of older gear ups that were repaired by a reputable shop. You will find many Mooneys have a gear up history.

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1986 wouldn't be an issue, but 2010 would be.

[C-GHIJ]

 

1986 wouldn't be an issue, but 2010 would be.

It was 5 years and 400 hours ago.  Depending on the extent of the damage, it wouldn't bother me at all as long as the repair was done by a reputable shop and looks fine.  The advantage is that it got an overhaul and new prop and paint job.

[Andy95W]

 

1986 wouldn't be an issue, but 2010 would be.

Why?

[ArtVandelay]

  1986 wouldn't be an issue, but 2010 would be.

Why?

Because any gear up is going hurt resale, especially a recent one.

As I said in the other thread, older planes are going to have blemishes and damage history, somewhat expected, but 2010, just too recent unless you got a great deal and plan on keeping it for a long time. Would definitely need a extensive prebuy.

[ArtVandelay]

  1986 wouldn't be an issue, but 2010 would be.

It was 5 years and 400 hours ago.  Depending on the extent of the damage, it wouldn't bother me at all as long as the repair was done by a reputable shop and looks fine.  The advantage is that it got an overhaul and new prop and paint job.

Did your plane have a gear up?

[C-GHIJ]

No, fortunately it's never had a gear up.

[Andy95W]

 

Because any gear up is going hurt resale, especially a recent one.

 

It was 5 years and 400 hours ago.  Depending on the extent of the damage, it wouldn't bother me at all as long as the repair was done by a reputable shop and looks fine.  The advantage is that it got an overhaul and new prop and paint job.

Why would recency have any bearing on resale, so long as it was properly repaired?

Overhauled engine, new prop, and properly repaired belly are far more important than calendar date.

(With that said, I would agree with you teejay if the engine hadn't been overhauled.  Until a full overhaul, I would definitely consider the engine suspect.)

[Mooneymite]

 

I would not be too afraid of older gear ups that were repaired by a reputable shop. You will find many Mooneys have a gear up history.

Personally, I would prefer a gear-up'd airplane that had a bunch of time (and landings) on it since the gear up because that would indicate to me the repair and gear rigging had been done properly.  I'd probably pass on a freshly repaired gear up plane since the rigging may not be "quite right" yet.  

 

[glafaille]

I'm airplane shopping and have noticed that a LARGE percentage of gear up events do NOT result in an engine overhaul.  They DO result in a "sudden stoppage" inspection, re-assembly and re-installation.  The risk of engine damage not detected at the special inspection falls to the owner or unlucky purchaser.  Unlike a bonafide overhaul, I doubt there would be warranty coverage if a problem develops shortly after the repair.

Here is a prime example:  http://www.controller.com/listings/aircraft/for-sale/1392247/1964-mooney-m20c

Edited January 10, 2016 by glafaille

[laytonl]

My partner had a gear up n our old Mooney while we had it for sale.  Obviously we took a ding on the selling price (a little over 10%) from what we expected to get prior to the gear up.  It made me reconsider my thoughts on buying a gear it.  

This was a run of the mill gear up with just prop and belly damage.  The gear motor was slightly damaged and required an overhaul.  The engine had only about 400 hours since overhaul and it went back to the same shop for the check out.  I trust the shop explicitly and have used them for two overhauls over the past 20 years.

With an engine inspection, new prop, landing gear overhaul the airplane was in great shape and would have likely kept it except I had already purchased another airplane so we continued with the sale.  I had no qualms about recommending it to the buyer.  I don't know what the new owners experience has been but it is on flightaware a lot.

lee

[bradp]

I was on the opposite side of the equation.  I purchased my aircraft in 2012, 7 years after a gear up that occurred at a Kerrville factory visit fly-in.  It had a conversion from a 360-A3B6D to a A3B6 during overhaul, had flown 500 odd hours and had a new prop.  All the repairs / reskin had been done by Dugosh.  I passed up many planes with a less stellar maintenance record and no damage history because this damaged bird had a number of pluses.  

[DaV8or]

It's no big deal. You buy a gear upped plane at a realistic gear up price and then some day you have to sell it at a gear up price. Big deal. All that time you get a great value. A Mooney that flies as good as any, maybe a one piece belly and all at a discount.

[DonMuncy]

 

It's no big deal. You buy a gear upped plane at a realistic gear up price and then some day you have to sell it at a gear up price. Big deal. All that time you get a great value. A Mooney that flies as good as any, maybe a one piece belly and all at a discount.

Plus the fact that the longer it has been since the GU, the less prospective purchasers seem to care. So your "deduction" for the GU gets smaller while you are enjoying the plane.

[DaV8or]

 

Plus the fact that the longer it has been since the GU, the less prospective purchasers seem to care. So your "deduction" for the GU gets smaller while you are enjoying the plane.

True. The other factor when shopping is, who repaired that gear up damage? In my book, even if the plane was bellied in just last year, but fixed by Maxwell, or LASAR, or such, came with a one piece belly and a new Top Prop, the airframe wouldn't bother me at all and I would be pretty happy about the upgrades. My concerns would be all about the motor. Which do you trust more? A mid time engine that had sudden stoppage, then torn down and inspected by a reputable shop, or total rebuild/overhaul? The stats on new engines isn't so great, but how much do you trust a crank and rods that took a whack?

[glafaille]

Well stated Dav8or.  Dont't forget the overhaul will likely come with a warranty, the teardown/rebuild probably not.

[Gil C]

This is an old post, but I am at KMTN with a Mooney if you still want to talk about Mooney's...  email me at nylandgil@gmail.com if so