What are the odds...

[Zabo]

...of finding this on Airliners.net.

The center aircraft, N133Z, is the very aircraft I'm trying with my class to diagnose a starting issue. Might have it narrowed to mags, but I never thought I'd find the actual plane prior to it's service with the WMU Maintenance program..



It's kinda sad really. Those three aircraft are grounded by serial number (last I recall; N133Z for sure), and CAN STILL FLY NO PROB! The USFS just shut off the airplane's "odometer" and as such rendered it unairworthy by serial #. Kinda like a big, un-liftable lien on a car..

[PQ]

Sooooooo now what?

Just scrap the plane you're working on. It'll be put oos won't it?

[Zabo]

We have ways to get around it.. costs an assload of money though. But with the 58P, it'd be like scrapping a ZL1 because the odometer had been rolled back and had an on/off switch.

They don't make em' like this anymore. Like the camaro, they still make the Beech 58s.. but not the 58Ps. Kinda funny how the USFS did it too, they put a switch on the clock to shut it off like you'd reset the trip meter. Did it to defer maintenance longer.. awesome idea too. Saved them cash and being a government agency they got the blind eye from the FAA until they sold them off.

Kinda cool since this airplane had done alot of "top gun" like moves while in service as a spotter plane. Talk about buzzing the treeline, this one did it daily, and can still do it (if not for that damned restriction..) Funny thing was that one of the other two had been scrapped by court order because a flight school that bought one ignored the restriction and flew it anyway. WMU, having bought one, was caught up in the whole debacle because of their idiocy. It was also how we found out about the loophole..and the costs involved.

Not as much as restoring Arnold Palmer's Sabreliner sitting on our ramp.. but it's a hassle.

[PQ]

I so don't know what you're talking about. :(

Sounds cool as shit though.

[Zabo]

Essentially, it's a rare variant (relatively) of a twin engined airplane. Beech still makes them, but the new G58 is almost 1.5-2million bucks. To have one in this condition from the USFS is a bit insane. Even if it needs a little spit and polish, it would also need to have it's dataplates and serial changed.

Which, mind you, is legal if you do it right. You essentially trade the identity of one airframe for another. We'd just need to find a wrecked 58P that still could be registered with the FAA and swap plates. As far as the records show, our 58P would become the wrecker, and the wrecker would become the flying one. Had a teacher do it with a ground loop Cessna 170 (another rare bird) and the FAA said "...Ok. You're good."

I dunno.. I just wanted to share all of this because I kinda fell in love with the old bird when I came to the college. If they ever sell it, I'm going to tackle these with the FAA and hopefully get a sick turbocharged airplane for cheap. You think a vette sounds sick up close, just stand next to a 520ci aircraft motor..

[PQ]

Originally Posted by Zabo

Essentially, it's a rare variant (relatively) of a twin engined airplane. Beech still makes them, but the new G58 is almost 1.5-2million bucks. To have one in this condition from the USFS is a bit insane. Even if it needs a little spit and polish, it would also need to have it's dataplates and serial changed.

Which, mind you, is legal if you do it right. You essentially trade the identity of one airframe for another. We'd just need to find a wrecked 58P that still could be registered with the FAA and swap plates. As far as the records show, our 58P would become the wrecker, and the wrecker would become the flying one. Had a teacher do it with a ground loop Cessna 170 (another rare bird) and the FAA said "...Ok. You're good."

I dunno.. I just wanted to share all of this because I kinda fell in love with the old bird when I came to the college. If they ever sell it, I'm going to tackle these with the FAA and hopefully get a sick turbocharged airplane for cheap. You think a vette sounds sick up close, just stand next to a 520ci aircraft motor..

Does the FAA know what's been done?

[Zabo]

Originally Posted by irpq11

Does the FAA know what's been done?

Oh yes. And becuse he swapped EVERYTHING (essentially the entire history of the aircraft) there's nothing wrong with it. It's built to spec, and has been checked out.

Kinda weird huh? But it's happened. Most people do it in the same manner someone would rip the plates off of a 69 Z/28. Makes them more money with less of an investment. Doing this to the Beech though could be an issue due to the serial BS going on..

But if it needed an inspection and any work done, being an A&P I just cut off a big chunk of the upkeep costs. And again with it being a Beech Baron, it really is an enthusiasts airplane that some consider a "flying hot-rod." Hence why I was like "O SNAP" when I saw that they had it.

[Zabo]

Bump for moar WTFing..

Today, the college was dumping some old headsets. Guy that was disposing of them wanted to know if I wanted them. I looked at them (8 in all) and said sure..

Looked up Softcomm to see if they still made them and they do..

They retail for 160, used maybe 100. 2 I'm keeping (one for parts) and then selling the rest. Jackpot~

[Xanthos]

My brother and I do similar things with the UPSs that the deparment is throwing away. Usually a few solders are all thats necessary to get them running again, and they retain for multiple thousands.
- X

[Zabo]

Yep. Nice too since 4 of them worked and just need some cleaning and cosmetic repairs (comfort issues for the pilot..). Probably could get 80 for a pair of them that I don't need and keep the best two around for my use and a backup. Even got a nifty pilots carry on case that was left lying around.

Now all I gotta do is finalize the deal with my classmates for a group purchase of King software to take our ground tests.

[Zabo]

Originally Posted by Zabo

Even got a nifty pilots carry on case that was left lying around.

Bump for more: It's a Stebco Catalog Case (before they made the roller ones) worth new probably $200. Now all I need is a call from DeNooyer saying that they're going to give me an SS out of the goodness of their hearts..

[Jamie Mac]

When it comes to taking your ap written just read answer question answer. Never read the wrong answers. Go through the book that way twice and you'll score 96 or better. Like an idiot I paid $400 for that info to kings or somebody like them back in the early 90's for my airframe. Years later I went to school for powerplant used that method went through the test book one time and got a 97

[Zabo]

Originally Posted by Jamie Mac

When it comes to taking your ap written just read answer question answer. Never read the wrong answers. Go through the book that way twice and you'll score 96 or better. Like an idiot I paid $400 for that info to kings or somebody like them back in the early 90's for my airframe. Years later I went to school for powerplant used that method went through the test book one time and got a 97

King won't be for AP. We've got enough hard material as it is. The Kings are going to be for Flight/Instrument/Multi. I also don't really have an issue with my testing becuse A) my instructor is also an FAA examiner and will be administering the test (written/oral/pract.) for both A and P for $500 and B) I've already "had" the test twice..essentially. It's just going to be a droning 12 hour pukefest of info and a bunch of rewire/riveting. Kinda funny because I watched one of the recent program grads take his in it's entirety. Should have happened, but our instructor/FAA examiner is cool like that.

[Jamie Mac]

I've head of guys taking 2 days on the oral practical part. I think for powerplant it took about 2 hours for me and a buddy that did it together. Airframe took about 5. Airframe DME asked a few questions and then just really went over paperwork since I already had several years of experience. Paperwork is all the FAA cares about anyway. That's why all the work has gone to third world dung heaps with one guy signing off everyones work cause they can't read or speak English to read the repair manuals anyway. I've seen their work and that's why I try not to ever fly anymore. Hey it's cheap and the paperwork is up to speed so it must be airworthy right?