BritishCubBloke
SPONSOR
Bellingen, NSW, Australia
So, there is a reasonably priced 1967 185E, low time 2950 hrs TT, 350 hrs circa SFRM on an IO-520 (about 13 years ago) and 1000 hrs SPOH for sale here in Australia. It's basic VFR, old style panel, Sportsman STOL on 8.50s, factory float kit, no frills and tatty upholstery. SIDS are not done (and will need to be, as it is required in Australia).
It came to Australia in 2009 and previously seems to have been operated as a floatplane by Stearns Air Alaska out of Lake Hood before that. There are logs only back to engine installation about 13 years ago; they are 'lost' before that. It was flown to Australia by an American, who operated it in Queensland for a short while, before a landing accident. Landing gear attach bolt broke on the right side, right wingtip hit the ground. Wing was replaced from the bladder outwards and PPONK gear installed. Allegedly, there was no prop strike... It's been flying again for four or five years.
The airplane does not appear in the NTSB databases under its US tail number.
I am suspicious of that low a total time on a 1967 Alaska floatplane with lost logs. Is it credible? This could well be an aircraft that is hiding all kinds of nasty secrets. The question I am facing is whether to go to the time and expense of getting a pre-buy done and inspecting it myself or not to bother. It's on the other side of the continent and getting a pre-buy inspection done is not going to be all that easy.
What do the experienced aircraft buyers and C185 owners here think? The country is not flooded with aircraft to buy and importing from the US will be $$$$$.
It came to Australia in 2009 and previously seems to have been operated as a floatplane by Stearns Air Alaska out of Lake Hood before that. There are logs only back to engine installation about 13 years ago; they are 'lost' before that. It was flown to Australia by an American, who operated it in Queensland for a short while, before a landing accident. Landing gear attach bolt broke on the right side, right wingtip hit the ground. Wing was replaced from the bladder outwards and PPONK gear installed. Allegedly, there was no prop strike... It's been flying again for four or five years.
The airplane does not appear in the NTSB databases under its US tail number.
I am suspicious of that low a total time on a 1967 Alaska floatplane with lost logs. Is it credible? This could well be an aircraft that is hiding all kinds of nasty secrets. The question I am facing is whether to go to the time and expense of getting a pre-buy done and inspecting it myself or not to bother. It's on the other side of the continent and getting a pre-buy inspection done is not going to be all that easy.
What do the experienced aircraft buyers and C185 owners here think? The country is not flooded with aircraft to buy and importing from the US will be $$$$$.