So You Think You Want To Own a Short Wing Piper? The Pre-Purchase Inspection

Just joined the group today, this thread is timely and informative. Have only owned all metal aircraft in the past. Going to look at a PA-17 Monday.

Thanks,

Bill

If the PA17 is in good condition you are going to have lots of fun with the Vagabond!
Check the empty weight, your weight and do the W&B.
Vagabonds can quite quickly become close to single seaters...
TonyN

Tony, Will do!

Leaving home in a few minutes and driving 4 hours across part of North Carolina to see the Vagabond!!!!

Thanks,

Bill

The last Vag I saw for sale recently had two wing tanks, O-200, Full vacuum IFR panel, radios and leather interior. The empty weight was as I remember it was about 950 lbs. That left a useful load of 50 lbs. with full fuel.
Be Careful of the weight and balance. Some folks like to weight this fine airplane down and turn it into brick.

It is still for sale $59,900
https://www.trade-a-plane.com/mobile...-type=aircraft

Looks like I'm going to buy a PA-17 next month, C-85, no electrics and original style panel. The engine is being rebuilt right now. All logs back to day 1 and same owner for last 45 years. Will share more information and photos next month. Going to brush up on my tailwheel skills this month! Already found a hangar.

Appreciate information shared here!

Bill

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gilbert Pierce

The last Vag I saw for sale recently had two wing tanks, O-200, Full vacuum IFR panel, radios and leather interior. The empty weight was as I remember it was about 950 lbs. That left a useful load of 50 lbs. with full fuel.
Be Careful of the weight and balance. Some folks like to weight this fine airplane down and turn it into brick.

It is still for sale $59,900
https://www.trade-a-plane.com/mobile...-type=aircraft

---

Yeah but "New lightweight alternator and starter" so they did take weight into consideration. [emoji6] Or maybe they had to go lightweight there or they wouldn't have had ANY useful load.

Sent from my SM-T350 using ShortWingPipers.Org mobile app

The PA-17 I'm planning to buy next month has a C-85-8 with Mccauley 1B90 CM7146 propeller installed with a FAA field approval during 2005. In this application would this propeller be a climb, normal, or cruise? The shop where the PA-17 is located is currently rebuilding the C-85 will reweigh & make new weight & balance, too.
Thanks,
Bill

A CM7247 is a standard prop on the PA17 with a 65 hp engine. I would see what the static rpm is and adjust from there.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steve Pierce

A CM7247 is a standard prop on the PA17 with a 65 hp engine. I would see what the static rpm is and adjust from there.

---

Steve, Thanks,

Bill

Great information. I was lucky. The PA-22 I just purchased I found through my ground school instructor. Her husband happens to be a retired A&P and the plane has been meticulously cared for. It needs new paint but the engine is low time. The plane is IFR equipped and my instructor and her husband were happy to go through the plane with me. As part of the purchase they even flew out their A&P, had the Annual done early and I helped with it. It was a great learning experience, got to learn a lot about what goes into an annual and became intimately familiar with every screw, nut and bolt in that plane. I have heard horror stories of people who bought planes sight unseen and trusted what the seller was telling them only to find out after getting the plane home there was A LOT that did not get mentioned and that needed to get done turning an otherwise exciting experience of buying and owning a plane into a nightmare with the owner looking for a way to make it end.

Sam