Corrosion in Florida

[ChristianGodin]

Would you say a 1997 Mooney that has spend all his life (15 years+) in Florida, big chances that there is corrosion?

Thank You

[DrBill]

High probability.  I had a Sundowner that spent the early life in Aruba.  It had corrosion but nothing that was not repairable reasonably.

The big issue is that it is re-curring.  Every year or 2 you fix something new.

BILL

[N601RX]

Hangered, Unhangered, Coastal, Inland, corrosion X'd regularly?

[RobertE]

Well,you know I ought to shut up because I live out west, but I would sure worry about it. I'm going to be interested in other responses to your question.

[bnicolette]

My aircraft spent over 20 years in Florida on Merritt Island (in a hangar).  It had the Corrosion X treatment every other year during that time.  I purchased it in Jan 2011 and it has been through 3 annuals so far and two of them at a MSC since I've purchased it.  There is NO major corrosion issues.  Obviously every aircraft is going to have some areas of corrosion and it's important to keep after them as they creep up.  I had the same reservations about purchasing a plane from a coastal area but a thorough pre buy from a MSC was in order but with a clean bill of health I pressed on and am happy that I did.

[philipneeper]

I bought my Ranger that set in a T hangar for 14 yrs, had surface corrosion, Opened the wings it was like brand new in kerrville... lets hope it stays that way... Knock on wood.

[aviatoreb]

This is very interesting to me in terms of how different materials corrode:

 

My airplane is in the shop this week getting an AOA installed - its all done just waiting for me to pick it up.  Well they were digging around inside the wing to run wire and they found an ancient sheet metal bucking bar - used to work rivets - in the wing.  It was rusty to all heck as a simple untreated iron tool.  Likely it was last and inside the wing since the airplane was first constructed in 1981.  But the inside of the wing itself and the entire airplane is corrosion free.

[David Mazer]

I think Florida is a big state and where you are on it makes a huge difference to corrosion.  I believe the coasts are more prone to corrosion and I live middle-ish in the Orlando area.  I've been down here since 96 and the only car corrosion I've had was a car I brought down from Cleveland that rusted from the salt there.  I've had this plane since 06 and not one spot of corrosion has shown up and I don't use Corrosion X.  I honestly don't notice any salt issues, feel, residue, etc.

 

Bottom line, it depends and I think an inspection is the only real answer.

[fantom]

Would you say a 1997 Mooney that has spend all his life (15 years+) in Florida, big chances that there is corrosion?

Thank You

I sure hope not

My bird has spent most of her life in a hanger and maybe 15 miles from the coast. More rust on the pilot than on the plane.

[flyboy0681]

No signs of corrosion here either. Corrosion X seems to do its job.

[Alan Fox]

The wind generally comes from the west , If the airplane is on the West coast of Fla within ten or so miles , it will have more of a likelihood of corrosion issues , where as if it is a few miles inland on the east side of Fla it will most likely not have corrosion issues...

[John Pursell]

I currently rent C-172's from an outfit that owns 7 planes based out of various airports in Florida. I personally fly the planes out of the western Orlando area. I was asking the mechanics the vary same questions. They see much more corrosion out of the coastal airports and treat those more aggressively than those based more inland. The planes based out of Apopka and North Orlando have much fewer problems.

[PTK]

A wise Mooney mechanic once said to me: "You can take the airplane out of Florida, but you can't take Florida out of the airplane!"

It's a gamble. There are plenty of non-Florida airplanes for sale.

[fantom]

Watch out for all the acid rain in NJ. Much worse than easily seen corrosion.

A wise Soprano once told me that

[ChristianGodin]

The plane has live most of his life in Miami !!!

In Florida

Coastal city

East side

If a good inspection reavealed no corrosion, can I trust that?

[Hector]

67C in JAX Florida. I keep it in a T- hangar, corrosion-x with every annual, ZERO corrosion. Inside of the wing looks like new! Like everything else, if the owner has taken care of the airplane it will likely be fine, but a pre-buy will answer your question.

[Hector]

The plane has live most of his life in Miami !!! In Florida Coastal city East side If a good inspection reavealed no corrosion, can I trust that?

Yes it will given that you have someone who knows Mooney's and its corrosion prone areas.