I agree....

 

Lucky ****! I would love to have a plane given to me like that. Dad used to have a PA-28 5 seater. Awesome little planes we used to fly just about every weekend. After completing college, getting my pilots licenses is next on the list.

 

Those O-320s sure are great little motors, alota guys around here use 'em on airboats and swear up and down they wouldn't run anything else. Sounds like you fell into a hell of a deal though, makes it even cooler that its been in your family so long.

 

Geeeezz!! BUZZKILL

 

they will be posted on april 2. i just requested that weekend off so I can go home and retrieve the keys.

x2! I wasnt planning on finishing my flight training until after college since the rates around here are $140/hr (plane, fuel and instructor). now all I do it pay the $40 for the instructor and $30 for fuel. It'll save me a couple grand

yeah its a whole different animal. going from a fuel-injected 210 hp 256ci V6 to a carburated 160hp 320ci flat-4. is it sad that I have to read books that are 45 years old to learn about its fuel system?

 

You're not counting on the price of Av Gas. Unless you have an STC to run auto fuel, then it wouldn't be too bad. I had 2 planes but that was a long time ago. I came across one of the receipts a short time ago and Av Gas was 35.9 a gallon back then. No, this wasn't the dark ages, just a little gray. You really need an STC because they're gonna quit even brewing the gas that plane burns one of these days. We jokingly called the Cherokees "spam cans" because they sound like a hitting a can with a wooden spoon when they touch down.

 

I think the question is going to come down to "How long has it been since the airplane has been airworthy?" If your uncle hasn't kept it up lately, it is going to cost you to get it in flying condition. If it has a current annual, not so bad. But you as a college student, will probably have to wait a while to to much to it. But I would sacrifice allot to have the airplane myself.
I used to enjoy just tinkering around at the airport. I used to get stick time and travel in some nice airplanes just because I was there and handy. I almost always had a packed suitcase in my car. There are plenty of times a pilot just needs a capable body in the right seat to help them on a long trip. It's a great hobby.
I don't know how much the rules have been enforced, but allot of smaller companies just have one pilot. They like the idea that there is a person in the right seat. What is great is you get to log free hours, and they get a free copilot. On return trips, if your empty, you get to work on your IFR and twin rating..

 

yes it has the STC to run 89 octane, and she is out of annual, we're looking at 1-2K to get it back in shape

 

Pix0rz:



I must say, this tops the lists of weirdest things I've ever jump-started.



You V8 guys cant pick on me anymore. Now I have a 5.3L



Panel.



Thats my buddy in the pilots seat.



Me. And me doing pre-start checklist

 

Nice It just needs some TLC.
Shame you can't take it for a spin

Can you put your own hanger or carport style cover at that airport?

 

Well legally, you do not need to hold any type of certificate to taxi an aircraft around. So I can run it up, and taxi it around the tarmac to my hearts content. Unfortunately she wouldn't start today, I pulled the battery and it had little or no acid. So I added some acid, and its sitting on a trickle charger and next weekend I'm going to fire it up.

Hangars are booked solid. Tiedown at the airport its at right now is $35/mo. Hangars are $165/mo.

First mod: K&N filter

 

Here comes the TLC:

Ordered a Schraeder valve kit to fix my landing gear oleo's Chinese symptom: (Won Wing Lo), instrument placard kit to "clean" up the panel, a new fuel testing cup (gatorade bottles arent the best idea), new Piper emblems for the yoke and seat belts, and a CRAPLOAD of Desert Sand vinyl to reupholster the interior to replace the nasty yellow thats in there now:

 

Looks like your getting the important issues taken care of first. Get them piper emblems on there she will fire up and run like a champ! Still jelous of your position, Dad and myself both wish we still had our piper.

 

The holes in the yokes have been driving me crazy.

Important stuff: I already topped off the battery with some electrolyte and its sitting on a trickle charger. The Schraeder valve will cure the strut problem, oil has just been changed. Apart from needing an inspection, that's pretty much all I can do at the moment. This friday I'll get a video of it firing up.

What kind did you guys have? I wish this were a 4-seater 180 model. Looking through the garage my dad found the 3rd jumpseat for temporary use, so thats one more passenger I can carry at least. I see you're in IL, have you ever visited Meigs Field before the mayor of Chicago shut it down overnight?

 

Dads was the 4-seater model. To be honest I was maybe like 9 or 10 when he sold it so I don't remember to much about it. We used to go up about every other weekend though, dad was into aireal photography so he did a lot of that, I never missed a trip. I loved flying and still do.