Please join me in congratulating our Friend Scott D. on the passing of his FAA Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic's Inspection Authorization (IA) Certification!
Scott has risen to the top tier of Aviation Mechanics, and we are pleased to have him advising and repairing our stickier aircraft trouble, now with an IA to back up his opinions. The gruelling 3.5-hour exam was not a pretty one, but Scott prevailed. Nice Job, Scott!
Scott is our top recommendation for pre-purchase aircraft inspections, because he has a nose for trouble, and a realistic idea of what plane maintenance is like for a buyer -- the dozen or so inspections he has performed in the last 2 years has uncovered all manner of grisly problems and saved buyers infinite heartbreak and financial ruin. Please contact the office if you would like to get in touch with Scott for your own airplane hunt, or are already an aircraft owner looking for some unusual troubleshooting.
When not wrangling with our own flybabies, Scott is often found fixing, waxing, or flying his Beech Debonair!
Tangentially on that topic, we have at long last distilled our first batch of thoughts and created the "Fly Corona! Recommended First Plane List". We are asked untold times about airplanes that pilots are considering purchasing, a sensiment we support 100% -- and we've supplied a dose of reality for anyone considering making the leap -- the numbers may surprise you! (in both good and bad ways)
Our list of our 14 favorite aircraft are sure to not be "too much" for a young pilot (<250hrs), and represent a wide variety of missions, from fair-weather flying, to some serious XC flight. Additionally, they are fairly simple, free of troublemaking systems such as Turbochargers and Oxygen systems, and are generally well known to aviation mechanics and employ highly reliable engines and designs.
This list is a draft, of course, and while we love ALL airplanes, these are the ones we can most confidently recommend. I'd love to hear some feedback on the list, planes that could be added, or if you're wondering "how did you arrive at those numbers??" -- give a shout either here or via email.
Have a peek: The List
Blue Skies!
- Mike
