N205MK Pireps?

[amillet]

A friend is considering making an offer sight unseen.  Anyone familiar with this aircraft?

https://smokymountainaeroplanes.com/coming-soon/

[Denver98]

I don’t know anything about the airplane other than what was in the listing.  Here are my thoughts:

I would research the hell out of the Smoky Mountain Aeroplanes.  They obviously saw an opportunity to make money by flipping a geared up airplane.  That’s not a bad thing at all.   However, did they skimp on the required maintenance work to maximize their profit? Or, did they do it right after getting the airplane at salvage cost, adding a modest margin to keep the airplane flying?  Or is it somewhere in between?  What’s their story with the airplane?

Then, I’d try to talk to the pilot that landed the plane gear up.  Get that story, was the engine truly stopped?  Talking to the previous owner would really answer your question. 

Finally, I wouldn’t buy it sight unseen.  But, if it’s priced so attractively that an engine replacement in 200 hours or less is acceptable cost then it might be worth it.  Extensive homework is going to be needed, regardless.

-Scott

This is just an opinion piece, not an expert buyer.  

[carusoam]

PPI is everything...

A written purchase agreement make sense when your eyes are not involved first hand...

Reading logs Can make this whole thing a non-issue when you find things you don’t like anyways...

All of these give you an out... if the plane doesn’t meet expectation...

People go to see things at the beginning... to keep from doing a lot of work, spending money, being disappointed...

 

Nice plane... stuck in a 90s time warp... like mine...  

What is the advantage of not going to see it?

Why does the buyer want to do that?

If you have to ask if this is a good idea... it probably isn’t.

If seeing the plane at first doesn’t help the buyer any...  This probably makes things easier... (?)

 

List what the buyer is thinking about the plane... and Then share with the seller...  the seller should be able to determine if the buyer’s expectations will be met...

 

This works well, when the buyer is planning on replacing a lot of things that wear... paint, interior, Windows...

This can fall down when the buyer expects 8/10 paint, and finds it a 7/10 in his eyes...

 

Much depends on the buyer... less than on the plane...

Don’t do it... to save money... too much risk of having to spend more than saved....

Do it... to get one of the newest M20Js on the market... at any cost.

I like the MSer network’s ability to ferret out info about Mooneys in the market... it helps with the decision to go see the plane or not... or skip going to see it... 

Buying my plane took two visits... one to see it... the other a couple of weeks later to pick it up...

PP thoughts only, not a plane seller...

Best regards,

-a-

[amillet]

I believe I and his son have convinced him to go look before he makes an offer

[N201MKTurbo]

With an N number like that, it can’t be all bad....

[larryb]

Even if the engine is not turning, when the prop is damaged the engine still needs to be torn down and inspected. It makes no difference that the pilot reported stopping the engine. A hangar door could damage the prop and you'd still have to remove/inspect the engine.

 

I would read every line of the logbooks. 

[ArtVandelay]

Interesting comment in the log “owner thought the plane was jinxed”.

And this was long before the gear up.

[amillet]

Just now, ArtVandelay said:

Interesting comment in the log “owner thought the plane was jinxed”.

I thought that was quoting an A&P

[GeeBee]

Unless the prop was striking air, it's a prop strike and it needs to comply with the Lycoming SB.

 

 

[ArtVandelay]

I thought that was quoting an A&P

It was the owner quoting the AP...still one of the oddest comments I’ve read in a maintenance log.

[KLRDMD]

5 hours ago, Denver98 said:

I would research the hell out of the Smoky Mountain Aeroplanes. 

Looks to me like a new name for an old company. I believe the guy running this business, and his father before him have been buying wrecked and salvage Mooneys and putting them back on the market for many years, often at very attractive prices. Are they repaired correctly? I have no idea but I certainly wouldn't make an offer until after a very thorough pre-buy by a very recognized Mooney specialty shop.

[Davidv]

4 hours ago, amillet said:

I believe I and his son have convinced him to go look before he makes an offer

While that sounds good, there is also nothing wrong with making an offer and drawing up a purchase agreement sight unseen based on the logs and all available information.  Of course, this purchase agreement must give the buyer total ability to walk away for any reason either before or after the PPI.  There's some good faith involved here, but if you're going to spend money flying to a different state it's better to at least have a deal penciled and the plane off the market.  If the plane is in your backyard then that's a different story...

Edited April 19, 2020 by Davidv

[Ross Taylor]

Friends don't let friends make sight-unseen offers on planes.

Oh wait, I did that...

But, my situation was very different and I felt oddly comfortable doing so.  The first time I saw our new-to-us E was when I went to pick it up.  But the prop strike (from a right main gear collapse) was handled properly, it had a 0-time factory engine, a new AD-free Hartzell prop, the work was done by a reputable shop and well-documented, I got to review all the logs, and I communicated with the owner.  The plane had everything I wanted (at the time) and the price was right.  So, after researching and searching and getting close on a few others, this one popped up and I made a full-asking-price offer to lock it in.  Did I know there was risk?  Yup.  Did I get lucky?  I think so.  But, I went in with my eyes wide open and accepting the risk.

This particular plane, though, doesn't give me that same warm comfortable feeling (with what I see so far).

[LANCECASPER]

4 hours ago, ArtVandelay said:

Interesting comment in the log “owner thought the plane was jinxed”.

And this was long before the gear up.

The A & P, Mike Noblin, in 2007 thought N205MK was jinxed so refused to work on it again. By 2009 it must have been exorcised since he started working on it again that year through 2012. However he may have forgotten to pay the exorcist and maybe the airplane got re-possessed since he didn't work on it again after 2012.

[larryb]

I bought my encore sight unseen. Sometimes circumstances are what they are. I put down a deposit and put it into prebuy. There was a clause to back out after the inspection flight. No regrets. But in general I would not recommend it either.

[Niko182]

7 minutes ago, larryb said:

I bought my encore sight unseen. Sometimes circumstances are what they are. I put down a deposit and put it into prebuy. There was a clause to back out after the inspection flight. No regrets. But in general I would not recommend it either.

An encore is a rarity, especially with fiki. A basic J is not. The market for J's is big enough that you dint have to jump right away.

[2wings]

I was wondering if your friend ever purchased the Monney he was looking at from Smoky Mountain Aeroplanes?  I was looking at a plane they have now and was looking for anyone who has delt with them and what their experience was.

[carusoam]

11 minutes ago, 2wings said:

I was wondering if your friend ever purchased the Monney he was looking at from Smoky Mountain Aeroplanes?  I was looking at a plane they have now and was looking for anyone who has delt with them and what their experience was.

Welcome aboard 2w…
 

This is probably a question for @amillet Alan….

Brent and Jerry frequent MS….

Jerry is one of our best pre-flown parts suppliers…

Best regards,

-a-

[amillet]

No, he didn’t 

[Guest]

18 hours ago, 2wings said:

I was wondering if your friend ever purchased the Monney he was looking at from Smoky Mountain Aeroplanes?  I was looking at a plane they have now and was looking for anyone who has delt with them and what their experience was.

Based on a “repair” they did to a clients plane, I’d run as far and fast as possible.

[Cloudskipper]

@2wings,

Smokey Mountain Aeroplanes did a beautiful repair job on N205MK. Their sheet metal work was meticulous inside and out.

DM me if you would like detailed pictures from the pre-buy.