Hi there. I'm looking at what I thought was a good deal on a cub, PA-18-105 special. He wants $75k, 260 hrs SMOH, he says it puts out about 180 hp with a modded o-320, ok fabric. But, 6903 hrs TT. Seems like a lot. Is this something that I should be concerned about at this price-point? I'll admit to being sort of a newb at planes in general, especially cubs, but you're not allowed to live in AK without having one.
How many hours are to many?
- Thread starter Daleicher
- Start date
Amy
SPONSOR
WI/MN/SD
The first question I would have is what type of hours those are. 7k hours of pipeline patrol and never on big tires/off-airport is very different from 7k hours of hauling hunters into the backcountry. Either can be viable, but it puts a different lens on things that will let you know what to look out for down the road.
And, if you haven’t checked them out yet, Steve Pierce did a series of Cub prebuy webinars for SuperCub.org (archived on YouTube) that are also excellent and will tell you where to look for possible issues.
—Amy
Out of annual for 3-4 years could spell internal corrosion issues with the engine if it wasn't properly pickled or stored. They all have issues but a proper pre-buy can usually find the big ones.
mvivion
SPONSOR
Bozeman,MT
Yes, that inactivity for several years would be a huge red flag for me. Unless they did a good job of pickling that engine, you're likely going to be buying a cam and followers. You MIGHT get away with it, but it's a very expensive crap shoot.
I'd build in the price of a cam, etc to the purchase price.
I wouldn't worry much about that total hour figure, as noted above, condition is more important.
MTV
I'd build in the price of a cam, etc to the purchase price.
I wouldn't worry much about that total hour figure, as noted above, condition is more important.
MTV
bob turner
Registered User
I guess the O-320 makes the 105 Special move toward the high prices - when the average 150 Super Cub was around $100 grand we bought a beat-up 105 Special for $32K and flew it for maybe five years without problems.
WhiskeyMike
MEMBER
West Boxford MA
Steve Pierce
BENEFACTOR
Graham, TX
My Super Cub has over 13,000 hours.
So lots of things to clear up and the internet is a bad place to do it. First you have to find a good IA to do a prebuy and tell you what is right or wrong with the plane. This should be the one that will care for the plane in the future!!! The 180 hp 0320 could turn into a nightmare if whoever is doing the annual is not happy with the modded engine and writes unairworthy in the logs. What part of Alaska are you in?? Lots of things to worry about, is the proper paperwork/tubes in place for gross weight upgrade? Is the gear right? Way to many questions for a small internet post. FIND A GOOD IA!!!
DENNY
DENNY
Steve Pierce
BENEFACTOR
Graham, TX
Big question is how many hours since rebuild and what was done. Like posted, get a pre-buy by someone who knows Cubs and what to look for.
bob turner
Registered User
Are we allowed to write “unairworthy” in the logs? Shouldn’t it be “annual inspection completed and a list of discrepancies supplied to the owner?”
I agree with Denny. Watch out for alterations without approved data. It is a lucky guy who can get those straightened out.
I agree with Denny. Watch out for alterations without approved data. It is a lucky guy who can get those straightened out.
wireweinie
FOUNDER
Palmer, AK
Just remember that, literally, every single part of that aircraft can and may have been changed out over the years. Get your prebuy done and sit down with your IA to find out how much time is on the fuselage, spars, gear legs, etc. Compare the hours to the condition of these items, such as corrosion or damage. The hours in the log book won't tell you the whole story. It means almost nothing when you find an aircraft with a new fuselage or wings but the total airframe time in the book reads 37.6 bajillion hours.
And if you're up here, you can't swing a dead ptarmigan without hitting a mechanic or IA that can help you out.
Web
And if you're up here, you can't swing a dead ptarmigan without hitting a mechanic or IA that can help you out.
Web
wireweinie
FOUNDER
Palmer, AK
Lol. Roll up your sleeves 'cause I've done that. Occasionally you have a 'customer' that requires some push back.
Web
Hardtailjohn
Registered User
Marion, MT
Like Wirewinie says, roll up your sleeves. I've done it too. In fact, if we do an inspection and discover unairworthy conditions that the owner doesn't want to correct at this time (for one reason or another), according to FAR 43.11, we're required to write it.....
(5) Except for progressive inspections, if the aircraft is not approved for return to service because of needed maintenance, noncompliance with applicable specifications, airworthiness directives, or other approved data, the following or a similarly worded statement—“I certify that this aircraft has been inspected in accordance with (insert type) inspection and a list of discrepancies and unairworthy items dated (date) has been provided for the aircraft owner or operator.”
I’ve done lots of them. If it is unairworthy we have a moral and legal obligation to say so if we are doing an inspection. That’s one of the reasons I don’t do pre-purchase inspections. I do 100 hour and annual inspections.
Having an unairworthy annual or 100 hour in the log book doesn’t mean anything bad. All it means is that certain items need to be corrected, and that list is provided to the owner (I provide it to the owner in the log book). One the items are corrected and signed for by an A&P, all is good and the aircraft is airworthy again. (Assuming something else hasn’t happened to cause it to be unairworthy)
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