Pre purchase inspection

[AWACoff]

How does one go about finding a qualified mechanic for a pre-purchase inspection on a Cessna 150? Is it about the same as finding a car mechanic in the yellow pages? Please enlighten my ignorance. Thanks!

 

[Geronimo4497]

Find out what airport/MX shop did the last inspection. Then find out what other, if any, MX shops are on the field and bring it to them for an EVALUATION (big difference, IMO). Obviously the 150 is very straight forward, so it should not be a big deal to find a good shop. Just remember not to flare at 50 ft! :0

 

[Say Again Over]

IMO it's the most important aspect of purchasing a used aircraft.

 

[Berkut]

http://www.cessna.org/

These guys can be a big help.

 

[Gryphon]

How does one go about finding a qualified mechanic for a pre-purchase inspection on a Cessna 150? Is it about the same as finding a car mechanic in the yellow pages? Please enlighten my ignorance. Thanks!

I'd add that if you have friends who own planes, you can ask them for recommendations..

 

[h25b]

I would imagine that a thorough look over for corrosion and a compression check on the engine would be two of the bigger items. Generally speaking, you can tell a lot just by how organized the logs and records are kept.

 

[PBRstreetgang]

Hey,
I used to do prebuy inspections and deliveries. 1st thing to go through is the logbooks to determine MX history, 2nd is the physical inspection, the A/C should match the logbooks. Corrosion in the tail attach areas is important, compression is next. Condition and conformity are the order of the day, does everything installed/done to the plane match the logs? If not the 1st annual could get interesting. Do not use the same shop/A&P for your prebuy, try a different shop/A&P to get an unbiased opinion. Remember distance from your home base will also have a bearing on the total cost of the A/C, 5 GPH and hotels add up quickly at 150 speeds.
Good Luck, PM me for any other questions
PBR
P.S. Trade a Plane is where I used to advertise. The Cessna Pilots Association is an invaluable rescource for info and support, well worth the cost of joining, I was a member even though I didn't own a plane.