April 1993 - American Bonanza Society

How to buy a used bird
By George Wilhelmsen
ABS25435
Steering clear of used airplane purchase nightmares.
Whether YOLI are a student pilot or a seasoned velemn,
nothing can bring more pride than purchaSing
an airplane. \Vhile new planes are available, most of
us have to settle for a used bird because of the cost. Used
planes, especially used Bonanzas and Barons, provide a
safe and economical way to fly. H owever, there are people
out there who are out to get your money and saddle you
with something less than what you desire in an aircraft.
Before you even think of laying money down on the
table and assuming ownership of an aircraft, you should
have a gr-dSp of what you are buying. One way to obtain a
good idea about the plane of your dreams is to give it a
thorough looking over.
What do you look for? A good source of information on
the condition of your potential purchase can be found in the
maintenance records and receipts from previous years.
Bonanza and Baron aircraft take a greal deal of ca re and
feeding, and while an exact price is difficult to define, they
typically cost from 51,000 to $3,000 per year for annual inspectiOns
and maintenance support. \Vhile not impossible,
there are few Bonanzas that can be maintained for less than
SI ,ooo per ye-dr, so aircraft that have a cheap maintenance
histolY may be a wallet-emptying experience.
The selvice manual figure for the Bonanza annual inspec~
Lion is between 21 and 25 hours, and in some shops up to
35 hours, with higher figures for the Beech Baron. If the
receipts show several annuals that cost $250 to 500, it is time
for you to start to wonder whether or nOt the plane has been
receiving a proper inspeaion.
Most of you have probably already flown in other Bonanzas,
so lookfor things that don't look right. For example, I'll
wager thal you have never seen cheap, clamp type wire
splices in an airplane. None are approved, yet eve!), year
some well meaning individual-be it a mechanic or an
owner-installs a few to hook up some new toy. Such
splices can cost you dearly should they happen to cause a
short in your electrical system while in flight. TIley are also
an indication that a closer than average prepurchase inspection
is needed before you buy.
In older Bonanza and Baron aircmft, look at the base of
the nose gear around tile lightening holes. These holes admit
water if nOt covered, which moistens the felt above the
bearing. The result is hidden corrosion that can cause your
nose gear assembly to fail.
Look at the upper sUljace of the wing for any raised sections.
Beech planes are assembled to tight tolemnces, and
nearly all of their wing surfaces are flat. Raised ribs could be
a sign of an overstressed aiIframe, or worse yet, severely
hard landings.
Listen. to the engine as it turns over, from the moment the
starter is engaged. If you are not sure what it should sound
like, d1en find someone with a Bonanza and find out! Starter
drive assemblies and fuel boost pumps have very regular
signature sounds that tiley make. Anything that sounds different
offers a clear sign of possible engine trouble in the
future.
Once the engine is running, listen for backfires or misses.
Backfires are a sign of potentially leaky exhaust valves, and
misses could be anything from a bum magneto to a sick
plug or plug wire.
Speaking of the engine, look around the exhaust system
pipes for yellow stains. Those stains are usually caused by
leaks in the system, and they will have to be repaired. Also
examine the area where the exhaust pipes mate with [he
engine. If you have gaskets that are leaking, the intake
manifold opposite the leaking gasket will be stained with
gr-.ay lead or brown ash. Either way, it will need to be taken
care of quickly to avoid damage to the engine.
While you have the cowl open, take a good look tlround
for oil leaks or fuel stains. Nearly every engine has at least
one smallle'dk, but any large leaks should be taken care of
promptly.
A look at the belly can help to identify a leak, as the oil
will stream from the engine compartment to the tail. Espe­
Cially copious leaks will leave a layer of oil that will actually
drip when ule 'Iirplane is parked. Find out where the plane
is located and arrive at least one hour early to allow you to
inspect it before it can be cleaned up.
As long as you are looking at the belly, look Itl1der the
fuel cells in the wings for stains. Small leaks will accumulate
a dark stain that is difficult to remove. Leaks that occur in
flight will tend to stre-dm aft.
Sit down and acnlally read the log books. How many
hours and years has it been since the engine was overhauled
or rebuilt? How many hOllrs has the plane flown in
the past few years? Long peliods of inactivity are hard on an
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AMERICAN BONANZA SOCIETY, APRIL 1993
PAGE 3205