salvage parts

RomeoEcho · #1 11-25-2005, 03:13 AM

Hello longtime lurker,student pilot almost ready for my checkride,figure by the time I finish building I should have more than enough flying hours

just ordered preview plans so this is kind of getting ahead of myself but.....

I am considering buying a wind damaged aircraft to use for engine,avionics

any advice?

osxuser · #2 11-25-2005, 08:49 PM

If it's cheap and has the avionics you want, it will still be a lot more work than it's worth

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sf3543 · #3 11-25-2005, 09:19 PM

I have used a lot of salvaged parts for past projects and as long as you do your homework, and make sure you are getting what you want, it could be a good deal. Salvaged parts can be as cheap as 50 cents on the dollar.
My cautions are:
Make sure it has parts you will use. (Engine being the biggest part. You'll also be getting accessories, oil cooler, baffles, etc. etc. etc. But...are they in good enough condition that you will use them?)
Avionics, but do they work? Manuals & wiring diagrams?
You will need to dispose of all the pieces you don't want. Some you can part out and sell and some you'll trash...but, you still have to do it...this takes your time but it could be profitable.
If you have the time, don't mind the effort and want to save some money...it could be a good deal! For many builders, it's just not worth the effort. Maybe I'm cheap, but I'd at least check it out and give it some thought, especially considering the cost of Lycomings these days.

gmcjetpilot · #4 11-25-2005, 11:44 PM

I read a story of some guy buying a salvaged homebuilt like a Velocity. It was not badly damaged but it was beyond repair. IT was well equipped and the engine was low time and not damaged in an off airport landing. He was able to use the engine and some of the avionics. He sold off what he did not want to help pay for some of the purchase price. The story ended that he got a pretty good deal. The down side is it is lots of work and risk, as is where is. Sweat equity and you may end up with more Junk than gold, or get a steal. G

videobobk · #5 11-26-2005, 07:16 AM

I bought the FWF from a hurricane Charlie 6A and really believe it was a good deal for me. I got the engine, good baffles, exhaust, oil cooler, nose gear, air box, engine mount and the wheel, tires and brakes for the price of a used engine. It was out of a salvage yard, but I did talk to the original owner. It had all the paperwork (which I considered very important) and with 885 hrs TTSN, had been well cared for. I passed on the prop (had other ideas) and wheel pants (old style) and didn't want the panel. The cowl was cracked or I might have tried to use it.
Part of the "deal" is that it saved me tons of time. Three hours after getting it home we had the 9A engine mounted, baffled, and on the wheels. Not having to fit the baffles was the biggest time saver.
A negative that can sneak up on you: if you get too much used stuff (as we did,) Van's no longer will sell you a finish kit at the reduced price. I don't remember what percentage they reduce the total, but it is significant when you buy everything together. We ended up having to buy our finish kit parts at their regular price as we had deducted too much. I also didn't order any of the canopy from them, or it might not have mattered.
Shop carefully, have an A&P look at it, and go for it if it is a good deal. With all the hurricanes, now should be a good time.
Bob Kelly, painting

f1rocket · #6 11-26-2005, 07:31 AM

I built my first homebuilt by parting out a Tomahawk. I bought it mainly for the engine. If you can find something where the engine is in decent shape, then it might be worthwhile. You'll get some switches, accessories, clips, etc that are hard to come by in the flea markets so it's good for that. You'll also be able to see how the factories do their wiring, which was a good thing for me.

In the end, you'll end up with a bunch of parts that you'll have to dispose of. If you buy something that your local flying club flies, then you might be able to sell them some parts like props, windshield, wing tips, etc. I sold some of my parts to my local FBO and the rest to a guy who was rebuilding a ground looped airplane. In then end, I got my engine and radios for about $ 2K.

RomeoEcho · #7 11-26-2005, 11:50 PM

Thank you for the great advice guys!,

and yes the hurricane's have provided many great donor planes but be sure to avoid the ones that sat in saltwater, lot's of them out there