How to scrap my 1973 C337G

edasmus · #1 09-05-24, 11:24 AM

Hi all....

I am considering options on how to retire my Skymaster that I have been operating since 2002. I'm leaning towards simply retiring it from service. My question is, how do I do this responsibly? I do not want to park it in the weeds as I would prefer to deliver it to a salvage yard as there are many serviceable parts that could be used. Can anyone recommend a salvage yard that would accept my airplane? I operate from the Chicago area and the closer to Chicago, the better. I would simply fly the airplane to the salvage company, assuming they had a suitable runway for me to land on.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Ed

MD83driver · #2 09-05-24, 11:30 AM

I am sorry to hear that you are considering the retirement of you plane. I would suggest you contact BAS Parts Sales in Greely, CO. I have gotten many parts from them to keep my P337H flying. They just purchased White Industries in Bates City, MO. There is a long gravel runway on their facility, about 4,500 feet. I have actually flown in there many moons ago. Best of luck.

edasmus · #3 09-05-24, 05:23 PM

I appreciate your suggestion. I’ll check that one out.

My airplane is currently in for the annual inspection. I have lost my on field maintenance facility that I have been working with for nearly 30 years and they have done all 22 years of maintenance on my C337. I flew the airplane to an airport away from my home airport for the inspection where one of my technicians opened his own shop. The rest of the folks have dispersed including some leaving aviation all together. My primary IA who’s been with me since day one is to begin part time work (as I understand it) at another facility on my home field however that shop caters to the “big iron” and scheduling is more than a year in advance. Not a viable option as I see it. He’s nearing his retirement as well.

So, if/when my plane returns from the annual inspection (they’re quite backed up and short on staffing), I’ll have a year to figure out how to retire my airplane. Continued operation does not seem practical in the maintenance world we live in. 😞

Any and all suggestions will be appreciated.

SteveG · #4 Today, 11:21 AM

Hi Ed,

I seem to recall that some years ago Richard Collins scrapped his well used C210 because he could not in good conscience sell it on to someone else. If this is your case then by all means follow your moral compass. But if not, it's hard to imagine that a scrapyard is the financially ideal course. And it's disappointing to see the fleet diminished by yet one more aircraft if not absolutely necessary. And so if the airframe is not absurdly high time or afflicted with extensive corrosion why not just sell it to someone who can maintain it. The entire country does not mirror the Chicago market. I could imagine that if the aircraft needs extensive refurbishment with new engines and avionics, parting it out yourself might yield a better return but that takes time and effort that I don't suppose you would care to invest. However it would seem that selling it to a scrapyard would be the last resort, both financially and out of respect for the model. On the other hand, I suppose that for the few of us left to soldier on, having more salvage parts available could be a good thing.

Best wishes, Steve G.

edasmus · #5 Today, 01:12 PM

Hi Steve G....

Thanks for your response. Yes, Richard Collins did scrap his beloved P210 N40RC after 28 years and hung the control yoke on his wall in memory of his airplane, if my memory is recalling the story correctly. I think he flew the airplane to Griffin, GA (6A2) if the internet is telling the truth for it's final flight and scrapping. I'm uncertain at this time if there is still a scrap yard there or exactly how his process worked. That is on my "to do" list to attempt to figure that out. Richard has always been my pilot hero, as I'm sure he has been for many. I think/hope I've read everything he has written. I consider myself a fraction of 1% of the pilot he was. Richard's choice to do what he did with his airplane always sounded like a rather cool way to end airplane ownership. He is the inspiration for my thought to retire my airplane.

As I mentioned, losing access to my forever IA (he's now 70 and been here since he was 16) and access to maintenance at my home airport is causing my consideration to retire from airplane ownership. I've been incredibly fortunate over the past 30-ish years and 22 years of C337 ownership.

I admittedly am struggling a little with taking a very serviceable airplane and retiring it. I am trying to decide if that is slightly selfish or not. It is a consideration, however I am in the fortunate position of not needing to sell the airplane. If I were to turn the airplane over to a new caretaker, I would be "interviewing" this person as much as he/she should be interviewing me and inspecting the airplane prior to taking possession. I would not hand it over to anyone I did not feel was qualified and has a realistic expectation of what C337 ownership entails. Truthfully though, searching for this person is not on my priority list of things to do.

Anyway, I am still interested in hearing anyone's personal experience or knowledge in scrapping an airplane. Taking the airplane to Colorado or Georgia is likely possible (assuming it survives this in process annual inspection) though admittedly I'm hoping to find something a little closer to Chicago.

Thanks again for the responses.

Ed