Prospective Buyer Questions

[6498w]

Thanks Ed,

Your post is actually where I came up with my estimate of 25-30k average per year since your annual hourly use is similar to mine (a little high, based on your numbers, but I'm trying to be conservative)! I've poured through the forums and your post was the easiest logic for me to follow and the most comprehensive regarding ownership/operating costs.

I agree with your admonishment of leaving a plane parked outside, but unfortunately, my limited airport options here don't offer hangar space. Hopefully some good covers and tlc can make up for some of the weathering my eventual purchase will take.

Thank you again for this post. It's really helpful to us prospective buyers to see an unbiased accounting of a real-world, owners expenses.

[edasmus]

If the plane is parked outside, on my airplane the danger spots are:

1) FUEL CONTAMINATION..... The airplane left the factory with thermos bottle type caps. Mine are less than a year old now but that accident report has been written many many times. The caps have a high probability of letting water in. This would be a HHHHUUUUGGGGEEEE concern for me on an airplane living outside. I do believe there is a retrofit kit that completely changes that fuel cap configuration to solve this problem. I would look into this as I am not educated to it. My airplane never gets wet.


2) AVIONICS ACCESS PANELS located in front of the windshield. I learned this lesson the hard way at Oshkosh back in 2003. There is a service bulletin dealing with this. I have complied with this but would never trust it. This panels will leak eventually and avionics will get WET.


3) DOORS AND WINDOWS... not really a safety issue but not good for the air-frame. Corrosion will eventually begin. This could likely be resolved with big efforts in replacing all windows and associated seals but I doubt that any air-frame of any model aircraft can be made completely water tight. They are old and hand made and no two airplanes are the same. The stuff never fits perfectly. Just my opinion.


Also, on this date, my old engines are still good. They have about 1670 hours since factory reman or about 170 past the recommended TBO. As mentioned, I will keep running them until I lose faith or they show a sign of distress. Preferably that sign of distress would occur in the shop and not in the air. I guess that's where the "faith" part comes into play. Infant mortality seems to be the greatest risk of all to new or recently overhauled engines. I'm in no hurry to go there. My IA's 75 hour SMOH with brand new factory cylinders is having valve trouble. That sucks.....

Good Luck and I'll help if I can.

Ed

[6498w]

Great info - and thank you again. I've been stuck parking all my planes outside down here. It's a bummer, but unavoidable. Full cabin covers help reduce the heat (terrible for avionics - I learned that with the first plane I owned down here). Not sure what is available for the 337, that will be one of my first investments.

One of my other questions was regarding the seats. Do you have the 5th and 6th rear seats? I'm really curious if they could be occupied a couple people with a 5'5" frames and around 120 lbs each for 1-2 hour legs with a reasonable degree of comfort. It also appears these were eliminated on post 73 models? Is that correct?

Thanks again - and sorry to keep asking questions! I'm just really limited down here with not a single 337 on the ramp. I'm planning on starting to journey up to the mainland to start checking out models that are for sale in Florida. I know that's the best way to learn and maybe I'll stumble across the "right one" in the process.

[edasmus]

My plane a 1973 C337G and only has 5 seats. I think all 1973 and later C337's only have 5 seats. The aft seat is small, however I would say suitable for 5 '5 120 pound folks.

In my airplane, the bigger problem is not so much the comfort once seated, it is actually getting seated back there. It requires this mildly cumbersome effort to release the middle bench seat and raise it vertically (it's hinged) so one can gain access to the aft area for bags or 5th seat. Once seated, comfort is OK, even for me at 180 pounds 5 '11. The middle bench seat is heavy (40 pounds) and not very convenient to move around. I actually do not carry the middle bench seat in my airplane anymore. After I recovered the seats, I decided to never install it. I usually only fly with myself or one other person so needing all 5 is not necessary for me. A third person can easily sit in the aft small seat and gain access to it if the middle bench seat is not installed. The entire middle of the cabin is open space for whatever you want to carry without the middle bench seat installed. It's quite nice but obviously no good if you want to carry more than 3 people in a G model.

Another "mild" safety concern would be an aft seat passenger exiting the aircraft in an emergency. It would require crawling over the middle bench seat to get out. The back rests on the middle bench seat can be quickly flattened forward creating more space but it would still require crawling over the entire seat to get to the door.

I believe 1972 models and earlier all had baggage doors back there that doubled as emergency exits. 1973 was the year of pressurization and Cessna eliminated the baggage doors so as to not have more places for cabin air to escape. I think since the baggage door went away, part of the certification requirements were no more than 5 seats but not positive on this. My airplane is not pressurized but it is my understanding from 1973 on, Cessna built all the frames the same whether it was going to be a P-model or not. Consequently, no baggage door for me. You can have one installed I believe on 1973 and later models but that will require a $1 or $2.

[edasmus]

Bruce's Custom Covers for Skymaster covers. I believe there are posts on this forum about these.

[6498w]

Great - I will look that up. I've had a couple Bruce Covers for other planes and have been very happy with them.

Thanks again,

Nate