Should I get an old 337?

[stratobee]

I hear ya all and I'm taking it in.

But in the 70-100K range, I'll have to wait another 2 years to have that kind of money saved in cash, and where's the fun in that?

To be honest, I've mostly flown steam gauge aircraft and am happy doing that. No need for a fancy panel. And a shiny paint job or a cream leather interior isn't the most important thing either. However, safety and reliability of the engines, electrics and hydraulics is important, of course. So if that's achievable at this price level or slightly higher, then that would be interesting.

Two follow-up questions:

1. In your experience, do the engines run much past TBO?

2. Is the 5000hr wing AD something that's quite expensive (as if anything involving aviation isn't)?

Thanks again.

[CO_Skymaster]

I hear what you're saying. I bought my 1966 Cessna 337A for about 45K. I knew I would have to fix it up, but I figured I could fly it while fixing it up. What I've found is that I've put about 10K per year in it over the past three years. I had to troubleshoot the systems and had various other small problems fixed. The good thing about that is that I learned about the aircraft systems and how they work. I've flow it around the area, taken some people back into the Rocky Mountains, and flew cross country to California. My aircraft systems are all working now, although its aesthetics leave much to be desired. I'll fix that in time.

As everyone is saying, if you buy at a low price, you're probably going to end up fixing a lot. Be prepared for problems to manifest themselves for sometime. The more you fly it, the more you shake out the problems. I found it is expensive to fix aircraft components and it seems to take forever to get fixes done.

Now that I've had many of the systems fixed, I'm glad I made the purchase. Although, I admit, I cursed at my airplane a lot over the past three years. If I had to wait another 3 years to save the money to buy a more up to date aircraft, I would have lost interest and continued renting or bought a less complex single engine aircraft.

Karl

[Roger]

I am not a proponent of buying an airplane that stretches your budget. When money gets in the way of necessary repairs and maintenance, you are playing with fire. This doesn't just go for Skymasters, it is for all aircraft.

If you buy a beat up Skymaster, your dollars will be going to not only maintenance and repairs, but also you indicate that you plan on various upgrades. Those items may eat you alive, and or cause thing to "not get done".

Better to know up front your deamons, then just keep findng them and putting them off. These are not cheap aircraft to keep in "prefect" order, and especially not cheap to get them there once they have fallen victim to disrepair.

[Ernie Martin]

Been away for a week.

There is a whole "sticky" thread for those considering buying a 337 -- make sure you read it.

In the earlier responses no one is suggesting a middle road. Such a thing can be found. It's a well maintained 337 in the $60s to $70s with all ADs done, with mid-time engines (and with good compression and oil chemical analyses consistently in the "normal" range), but with older avionics and average-or-worse interiors and paint. Just be patient.

It took me many months to find my second 337, which I bought in the low $70s seven years ago. It had been meticulously maintained by the Ohio State University FBO (the same people who maintain the University's fleet of trainers) for an owner who used the airplane in his business. Interior was below average, exterior above average. The owner had installed avionics upgrades which I simply refused to pay for (told him to yank them out, but he didn't). It can be done.

Ernie

[Cole5Oh5]

Times a wasting
You want a plane, go buy one. Can't find what you want, keep looking, it'll show up sooner rather than later, as long as your looking. Don't look, you wont find it.

[Cole5Oh5]

Barnstormers has 1 listed
heres another
http://www.skymaster.com/aircraft.asp?control=40

[John Hoffman]

The hours on these engines of the plane for sale should answer the question someone had re. will they make TBO?