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Looking for a Mooney - C Model


glafaille

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Mooneyspacers:

I am a professional pilot looking for an aircraft to commute between Arizona and East Texas about 4 times per month.  My budget dictates a vintage C  model Mooney.  It would be nice but not essential, if the prospective aircraft would be located within a 5 hour drive or so from East Texas as I am trying to avoid airline travel (the real reason for the airplane).  My trips will start in August of this year so my need is real and immediate.  Money has been allocated with funds in the bank and aviation insurance lined up.

The ideal candidate is described below, I realize I am unlikely to find an aircraft meeting all of these requirements, compromise is inevitable.  

In no particular order:

1.  1965 or later aircraft, regularly flown at least 50 hrs per year.  Trying to avoid “hangar queens”

2.  Fresh, quality, well documented overhaul OR high time/run out engine and I will have it done.

3.  Good serviceable avionics (2 each solid nav/comms & transponder) GPS nice but not required.

4.  ADS-B doesn't matter.  Can be easily added.

5.  Working autopilot.  Older WORKING Brittain/PC or Century system OK, STEC is much better.

6.  Complete Logs.  But will consider those with logs missing.

7.  Bladder tanks a huge plus!

8.  Paint and interior a “5” or better but will consider others.

9. 6 pack panel & speed mods are nice but not essential.

10.  MSC annual within 3 years

 

Prebuy inspection to be performed at nearest Mooney Service Center.  Max Budget is $50,000 ish depending on how aircraft compares to above list.  Send me a PM if you have an aircraft that hits many of these points and you want to sell quickly.  I will try to respond within 2 hours.

I am considering other aircraft types including 35 model Bonanzas, Grumman Tigers and C182s if you know of one for sale within my budget, please contact me.

Thank you.
 

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 6/2/2020 at 10:14 AM, glafaille said:

10.  MSC annual within 3 years

I get where you are coming from with this but please understand that being a MSC really does not mean much....they are not all created equal and some may even be really lax in procedures for QC.....

 

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I understand your point.  

Just trying to avoid “rubber stamp” annuals which seem to be common with all older airplanes.  It’s nice to see an occasional annual by a shop that specializes in the model of aircraft I am looking for.  Especially if the plane is not local to me.  Driving for hours to see a plane that is not as offered is frustrating and expensive.  About 1/2 of the sellers I encounter are too lazy or technology challenged to figure out how to take pictures of their logbooks with a cell phone and email them to me.

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The hard part of buying a Mooney that is far away...

 

Being good at buying machinery... it still takes me two trips to see, buy, and get it home...

Buying from known individuals takes the surprise out of the first visit...

If they can’t get a copy of The logs and pics to you... that is a sure set up for more surprises...
 

Around MS... If you ask... somebody to take a swing by the potential new steed... and have a look at it...  most Mooney Owners know what a good bird looks like, and can tell if it is a project or not...

I Bought a local beater.... M20C... it easily took the surprises of buying it out of the equation... three sets of log books many decades of reading to cover and take notes of...

I moved quickly to the next phase of... what is it I really bought...   :)  and who is doing my TT?

 

Buying the big brother of the M20C went much smoother at 1knms away... a known seller, fewer hours on the Hobbs device, very few entries in any of the logs... and a flight and PPI by DMax... talking details with DMax about THE bird... magical..!

Figure out how many unknowns is OK for you... then execute with purpose...

PP thoughts only, not a plane sales guy...

Best regards,

-a- 

 

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