AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2012 - 78

P&E

OWNERSHIP

post for-sale ads within the group. Type clubs can point you to sources for parts and maintenance. AOPA’s extensive list of type clubs is available online (www.aopa. org/members/clubs). Joe Abrahamson of Phoenix, Arizona, owns a 1949 Aeronca Sedan—his fourth Aeronca. When he purchased his first, he recalls, “There’s no way to buy experience, and when I got into this I had a mentor who was an old-school guy. He knew pretty much everything about these.” Find someone with experience, Abrahamson says. He cites the National Aeronca Association for its knowledge and expertise, and says of its online bulletin board, “Anybody on the Internet can look at it. If you have a question, you’ll have an answer in a couple hours maximum.”
2. DON’T GLOSS OVER THE PREBUY. A thorough prepurchase inspection is a smart move for any aircraft purchase—metal or fabric. Casey Hansen of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, purchased a tailwheel 1950 Piper Pacer in April 2012, and says a friend who owned a Piper Tri-Pacer provided invaluable insights into tube-and-fabric airplanes in general and the quirks of the short-wing Pipers in particular. If you don’t happen to have a

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knowledgeable friend, here’s where typeclub connections can help you locate people who own, fly, or work on these airplanes. The older the aircraft, the more history you’ll need to investigate, Hansen points out. How did the previous owner(s) care for the airplane? Inspecting the tubes is a necessity; check for corrosion of the tubes themselves as well as rust where fabric might wrap around them. Inspect wood spars and ribs for dry rot and cracks. A fabric airplane may have been re-covered several times, and you’ll want to investigate how this was done and what materials were used. “If you’re the least bit concerned about it, pull [an] inspection cover on the bottom of the wing,” Abrahamson advises. Position the airplane in strong direct sunlight, remove an inspection cover, and look inside. “If it’s as dark as can be inside, you’re good,” he says—no light is penetrating the fabric. But if you see pinholes of light, that means light is getting into the fabric and it will not last as long as it should, he says. If the airplane needs to be re-covered, you should factor that into the purchase price.
3. TUBES AND FABRIC ARE STRONGER THAN YOU THINK. Anne Scheer Wright of Saline,

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78 | AOPA PILOT December 2012

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AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - December 2012