AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 70

COSMETICS are

not this airplane’s strong suit. Check out the cracked dorsal fairing for the vertical stabilizer (right) and the original nav lights (below right). One big advantage is the aluminum-skinned elevators (below far right).

CHECKING THEM OUT. The first airplane we visited in person was the one whose owner contacted us. His report was glowing, and his price was right. But Sebastian’s painstaking examination of the airframe and engine logbooks elicited some puzzling conclusions. There was an engine overhaul at 600 hours. Why? The logs didn’t say. Was there a gear-up landing that required an engine teardown and revealed internal damage? Again, no mention. So with 3,295 hours total time on the airframe (TTA), Sebastian deduced that the engine (a 225-horsepower Continental IO-470-K) could have as much as 2,695 hours on it. In other words, 1,195 hours past its recommended time between
70 | AOPA PILOT November 2012

overhaul (TBO) of 1,500 hours. Yes, the cylinders were replaced in the past, but apparently no work was done to the engine’s bottom end (crankshaft, connecting rods, and associated bearings). And as for the propeller, there were no entries stating it had ever had an overhaul, so the two-blade McCauley could well have been the original from 1963. Since this prop’s TBO is 1,200 hours (or 60 months, whichever occurs first), the propeller could have been at 2,095 hours since TBO. The elevators were another issue. No doubt original, they had magnesium skins, and there were spots of corrosion here and there. If we bought the airplane the skins

would have to be replaced—an expensive proposition. Too bad the owner hadn’t covered them with aluminum skins under the provisions of a supplemental type certificate. There was one more problem: the airplane was eight years out of annual. That’s right, eight. If we had an annual performed, it would no doubt reveal a raft of maintenance issues—especially compliance with the many airworthiness directives aimed at Debonairs over the past 50 years. Our budget didn’t provide for buying a new engine or overhauling an old one, so we passed on this airplane. But cosmetically it was a beauty for its age. The owner was a great guy and we enjoyed our time with him.



AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012

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

AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012
Contents
President’s Position
Visual Approach
Letters
Waypoints
Proficient Pilot
Safety Pilot
License to Learn
Pilot Counsel
Fly Well
Restless Wildcat Waiting to Fly Again
People
Test Pilot
Pilot Products
Milestone
Youth
75th Anniversary of the Piper Cub
Mr. Piper and the J–3
Cross-Country in a Piper Cub
AirCam River Run
Debonair Debut
Technique
Ownership
Never Again
Flying Clubs
Wx Watch
Membership
Member Products
Pilot Protection Services
State and Local Action
AOPA Foundation
AOPA Insurance Services
Fly by Wire
Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - President’s Position
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 6
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Visual Approach
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Letters
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 14
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Waypoints
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Proficient Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Safety Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 21
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - License to Learn
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 23
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Pilot Counsel
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 25
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Fly Well
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Restless Wildcat Waiting to Fly Again
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 29
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - People
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 31
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Test Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 33
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Pilot Products
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Milestone
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 37
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Youth
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 40
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - D-1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - D-2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 75th Anniversary of the Piper Cub
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 43
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Mr. Piper and the J–3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 45
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 46
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 47
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 48
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 49
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 50
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Cross-Country in a Piper Cub
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 52
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 54
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 56
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 58
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 59
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 60
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - AirCam River Run
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 63
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 64
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 65
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Debonair Debut
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 67
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 68
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 69
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 70
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 71
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 72
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 73
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Technique
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 75
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 76
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Ownership
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 78
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 79
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 80
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 81
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Never Again
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 83
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 84
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 85
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Flying Clubs
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 87
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Wx Watch
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 89
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 90
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 91
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 92
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 93
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Membership
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 95
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Member Products
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - I1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - I2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 97
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Pilot Protection Services
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 99
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - State and Local Action
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 101
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - AOPA Foundation
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 103
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - AOPA Insurance Services
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 105
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 106
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Fly by Wire
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 108
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 109
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 110
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - 111
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2012 - Cover4
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