Another Try at Prebuy

[Ernie Martin]

I did exactly what Roger is suggesting when I bought my second Skymaster, but let me add one caveat: try to determine if the relationship between that A&P/IA was strictly a professional one or has instead become a friendship. If it's the latter, I wouldn't do it.

I mention it because my A&P has become a close friend and I don't think he could be objective if someone was pre-buying my airplane (he wouldn't lie, but he would be influenced). At the other extreme, I bought my current Skymaster from someone in Columbus, Ohio who had kept it and maintained it for years at KOSU, which belongs to Ohio State University, so the mechanics and chief who had workrd for years on the airplane were employees of OSU. Since like you I am an engineer and had worked for 10 years in jet engines, including records inspections, I felt comfortable and relied on the OSU A&Ps and my own inspection for the pre-buy.

Ernie