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Long term storage 6A

dbegeman

Member
Hello all, I need some help. I’m transferring to Germany in a couple of months. I don’t want to sell my 6A but I also don’t want to leave in unfolding for at least 2 years potentially 4 years. It is currently in an unheated hangar with electricity. Any ideas what I should do? Thanks in advance Dan
 
I'd start with:

Remove the avionics. Place them in baggies with desiccant. Store in a safe, dry place.

Dump the oil. Refill with all the automotive oil you can get in the engine. Might take 20 quarts, who knows. It'll probably leak, so put a pan under it.

Squirt one of the thick(er) LPS sprays in each cylinder. Maybe LPS3.

Drain the fuel system. Tanks, lines, pumps, carb bowl, gascolator, everything.

Drain the brake system. Fill with new non-hygroscopic fluid.

Remove the battery.

Spray every hinge, ball joint, heim joint, etc. with LPS 2 or LPS 3. In fact, spray down all unpainted steel surfaces with one of those.

Remove the interior. Bag it, store it with desiccant in the bags. You don't want critters finding a nesting place.

Cover the airframe with old sheets, a parachute, etc. Put mouse/rat excluding devices on/around all wheels. Put bars of critter poison around the perimeter of the hangar.

Have someone check on it regularly.

Alternately, find a partner who will fly it and keep it maintained while you're gone and skip all of the mothballing steps.
 
Sell it. We are in a sellers market right now. Buy another one when you get back home. Maybe we’ll be in a buyers market by then. You’ll be money ahead with no worries about things that could happen in life, and you won’t have to hassle with ownership costs and worry while living abroad.
 
I second the "Sell It"! The expense and uncertainty of the separation is too heavy a burden to carry for too long. These things are made to be used, not stashed in a hanger for years to rust. There may be no general aviation in four years, who knows, there's not much now. When us old guys quit flying who will take our place? I don't see many young folks on the flight lines. With the money you save you can buy a nicer plane!
 
I would find someone ou trust to fly it once a month or so, or take on a partner with a provision to buy them out when you return.
 
If I lived closer maybe we could be partners!

Sell it. We are in a sellers market right now. Buy another one when you get back home. Maybe we’ll be in a buyers market by then. You’ll be money ahead with no worries about things that could happen in life, and you won’t have to hassle with ownership costs and worry while living abroad.

I second the "Sell It"! The expense and uncertainty of the separation is too heavy a burden to carry for too long. These things are made to be used, not stashed in a hanger for years to rust. There may be no general aviation in four years, who knows, there's not much now. When us old guys quit flying who will take our place? I don't see many young folks on the flight lines. With the money you save you can buy a nicer plane!

I would find someone ou trust to fly it once a month or so, or take on a partner with a provision to buy them out when you return.

I would sell it as well, outright.

If it has some sentimental value, consider selling a 49% share with the option to buy out when you get home and provision for full insurance. Your buyer really doesn't need to be local for this sort of "lease". I think many would jump at the idea, potentially myself included. I've got about 3 years build time left on my RV7a...
 
I come to Summit County about once a month. Call me if you want to go the baby sit route. What airport is it located ?
Mike
214- two eight two-9960
 
I stored our aircraft with a lycoming engine for a bit over 2 years. Won't do that again. I had the special Phillips storage oil plus I fogged the cylinders and put a do not move sticker on the prop. Sealed the exhaust and the air intakes and thought I'd be good to go however the lycoming engines have the cam and lifters up high well beyond the oil bath.and that what eventually started to corrode as well as several of the lifters. Absolutely not worth it unless you live in the desert and can store it in a heated area.
 
Thanks for all the great input!! I’m thinking either get a partner so it’ll be flown while I’m away or sell it and when I get back I’ll hopefully be in a position to buy a RV-14A. I’m based at KBJC and would be willing to discuss partnerships. Thanks,
Dan
 
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