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Tag Archives: Beechcraft

Beech Skipper?

Posted on November 9, 2020 by Scott Smith

What do you think of the Beech Skipper?

Beech Skipper

From a reader – “I am not a pilot yet. Not even a student pilot. I want to start flying lessons sometime later this year.  I am thinking about buying a plane and then receive instructions in it.  After some research, I am inclined towards buying a Beech Skipper.  The plane was only produced from 1979 -1981. What do you think of the Skipper?”

Buying is good.

Well to start, buying an aircraft to learn in, is a great way to go… if you know you like the aircraft before you buy it. The Beech Skipper is a nice trainer, and a comfortable run around aircraft.  While it might not be a great cross-country traveler, it can be used for that if you have the time.  It look’s like only about 350 of the aircraft were built, so production and finding a good one might be an issue.

Fly more than one.

First, I would make sure you fly in a number of different aircraft before you settle on the Skipper.  Many new pilots buy an aircraft and after the first few hours realize they really would rather have a different model.  I would start my lessons and get hours in a few of the different aircraft available.  Cessna, Piper, Beech and many others all have advantages or disadvantages.

Insurance?

From the insurance angle, buying your own aircraft and buying insurance is not a problem if you stay away from complicated (complex), high performance or very expensive aircraft.  The underwriters do not want to put student pilots in aircraft that will increase their chances for claims.

Typically, insurance rates will be about the same for the similar models of trainers.  I would guesstimate that a zero hour, student pilot could insure a trainer for under $1,200.  That number is based on a $20,000 hull value, two seats, fixed, tri-gear, and all metal trainer.  A Cessna 150 would probably be a little less than the Skipper, mainly because of the numbers of aircraft that the underwriters have experience with.

Posted in aircraft, aircraft insurance, aircraft ownership, Aviation | Tags: aircraft, Aircraft insurance, airplanes, airports, airshows, aviation insurance, Beechcraft, Cessna, Piper |

Missing Logbooks?

Posted on September 24, 2019 by Scott Smith

Missing Logbooks.

Should you even consider buying an aircraft that is missing logbooks?

Every now and then you run into a situation where the aircraft logbooks are missing, or have been lost and reconstructed.  Should that stop you from buying the aircraft?

Well, maybe.  Just because the logs are gone doesn’t mean it is a bad deal.  Try to substantiate the aircraft and engine hours (along with compliance with Airworthiness Directives (AD’s) and service bulletins) through the use of past maintenance records (invoices, shop tickets, etc.)  If it doesn’t have any records, all the hours, overhaul estimates and repairs, are a guess.  With past work orders and shop tickets you can attempt to rebuild the records.  This would at least provide a reasonable base of hours to start from.  It also depends on the use of the aircraft.  Some commercial operations require that the hours and the TBO requirements be validated in the logs or maintenance records or the part cannot be used.  If you don’t have a record of those, the use may require the overhaul of that component.  For most general aviation owners, the logbooks for the engine will probably be more valuable than the airframe.  The airframe, like the engine, can have critical AD’s that need to be monitored.  Most pilots worry more about the engine condition than the airframe.  Additionally, it would be worthwhile to do a search of the FAA records for any Major Repair or Alteration reports (Form 337).

This also brings up another question, should you pay less for an aircraft without logbooks?

As a personal buyer for a non-commercial use, the logbooks still have a value, although not as much as a commercial operator, but the price should still reflect the incomplete or missing logs.  How much money are the logs worth?  The guideline for most single engines aircraft logs is somewhere around $5,000.  Light twins are worth $5,000 to $10,000.  Establishing a price hinges on what information is available.  If the work orders and records are there, and hours can be substantiated, the logs are less critical.  If the missing logs are from years ago, but the aircraft has been maintained, overhauled and recorded since the time of loss, it would be less of a concern.  Logbooks have also been known to show up after the purchase of an aircraft.  The holders of the logbooks might have a reason for keeping the logs from the seller.  In those cases of “re-appearing logs”, the holder usually wants to be paid for the logs.  In some cases it might be worth the cost.

missing logbooks

Posted in aircraft, aircraft insurance, aircraft ownership, airplanes, Airventure, Aviation, aviation insurance, aviation market | Tags: aircraft, Aircraft insurance, airplanes, airports, airshows, Airventure, Beechcraft, EAA, experimental aircraft, FAA, homebuilt, kitplanes, Piper, Sun N Fun, sunnfun, TBM, Textron, warbirds |

EPS Begins Shipping Production Engines

Posted on January 21, 2019 by Scott Smith

NEWS RELEASE

January 21, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EPS Begins Shipping Production Engines

         New Richmond, WI – EPS Diesel is rapidly approaching the finish line for certification of its Graflight 8 engine. They have already manufactured multiple engines sets that conform to the drawings that were approved in the certification process. Their first conforming engine, serial number 1, is being used for certification testing. Serial number 2 has already been shipped to an OEM for testing and evaluation. Eventually, numbers 3 and 5 will be shipped to the same OEM.

         The Graflight Flat 8 can be configured to develop from 320 to 420 horsepower. The copies being shipped to the OEM are rated at 385 horsepower.

The EPS diesel is an entirely original, clean-sheet design with a prodigious list of outstanding innovations designed to reduce weight as well as pilot workload; while enhancing fuel efficiency and performance; increasing reliability and TBO hours; offering an incredible range of horsepower settings; and providing a substantial reduction in on-going maintenance requirements and costs. The engine synthesizes modern technologies in a configuration that substantially advances diesel engine performance.

EPS1
eps
EPS2

EPS anticipates production line activity by mid-year. For further information visit: eps

Posted in aircraft maintenance, Aviation, Uncategorized | Tags: airplanes, Airventure, aviation, Beechcraft, Cessna, diesel, Piper, Textron |
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