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Advice on the process of buying an airplane!!

Hmmm…. echoes of this perhaps?

BTW I also know an experienced DA42 maintenance guy, freelance, who can do a prebuy. He is my mechanic, A&P/IA and EASA66, and I know him.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Googling the description the aircraft mention above gives this ad for another aircraft https://www.trade-a-plane.com/search?category_level1=Multi+Engine+Piston&make=DIAMOND&model=DA42+TWINSTAR&listing_id=2247157&s-type=aircraft

2006 DIAMOND DA42 TWINSTAR For Sale

General Specs
Sale Status: For Sale
Year: 2006
Make/Model:DIAMOND DA42 TWINSTAR
Registration #: N430TS
Serial #: 42.AC030
Location: Ft Lauderdale, FL USA

Total Time:1,075 Engine 1 Overhaul Time:59 SNEW Prop 1 Overhaul Time:357 SPOH Condition:Used Flight Rules:N/A

Detailed Description

2006 Diamond DA42 TDI 2.0, N430TS. 1075 TT, Garmin G1000 Integrated Glass Cockpit, GMA1347 digital audio system, LR Fuel Tanks.

[…]

Engines:
Continental CD-135 diesel engines
59 Hours Since New (Both)
Engine warranty until January, 2018

Props:
357 Hours Since Prop Overhaul (October 2011)

Just a coincidence?

ESTL

Props:
357 Hours Since Prop Overhaul (October 2011)
Just a coincidence?

Yeah… 357 is a really common number, you know

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

If you are spending that kind of money surely you would expect a GFC700 aircraft. The other big thing to think about is DAMAGE HISTORY

It’s your call, but however minor the damage it WILL cause a problem when you want to sell later. There are many people , especially in the USA, who won’t touch an aircraft with damage history, and those that will expect a serious discount.

This all varies by type and place in the market. I guess most Super Cubs have been ground looped a time or two, and Tiger Moths are like Trigger’s Broom. But when you get to more modern types it’s different. Jets with damage are difficult.

Darley Moor, Gamston (UK)

Hi again,

It seems this aircraft is a scam. Thanks for all the inputs.

I will continue my search for a decent DA42 aircraft.

Thanks

ESGT/ESGP, Sweden

@ABCD , a different strategy for obtaining a nice DA42 would be to buy one with end-of-life engines and install CD155 engines right after you buy it.
That way you start with new engines and no unknown history. New CD155 engines have a TBR of 2100hrs and are lighter than the Austro. Cheaper to convert to as well.
Performance will be comparable…

Yes, CD155 is a nice upgrade path. But you are talking only roughly 10 knots faster than the CD135 version. About 40 k€ more of investment? Better single-engine rate of climb though. I guess it depends a bit on the distance of the business trips whether 10 knots is worth the extra money. If you rent out to a school there is no advantage in the extra speed capability.

Note the new EASA maintenance regime coming towards the end of this year applicable to the DA42, enabling ‘on-condition’ operation of the engines beyond their TBR for NCO.. Of course still the need to change-out gearboxes, pumps etc (Airworthiness items). So it may still be worthwhile to buy a high-hour DA42 and keep on running the engines. Note however that the latest versions of the CD engines have lower maintenance costs, mainly because the gearbox is 1200 hrs vs 300/600 hrs.

Private field, Mallorca, Spain

@ABCD – remember to tell the website where you saw that scam about this, otherwise somebody else who does less research might get conned

Fraud is everywhere. I had one this morning at work – worth a few k. They even wanted to use a fake shipping agent to collect the goods from our office! This stuff happens almost daily.

We should have a Donate button here. If everybody who was saved from buying a lemon donated 0.1% we would do pretty well One problem is that some people refuse to follow the advice, and one would have to exempt those because the 0.1% is all they have left of their savings

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

aart wrote:

Yes, CD155 is a nice upgrade path. But you are talking only roughly 10 knots faster than the CD135 version. About 40 k€ more of investment? Better single-engine rate of climb though. I guess it depends a bit on the distance of the business trips whether 10 knots is worth the extra money. If you rent out to a school there is no advantage in the extra speed capability.

It also provides a higher critical altitude and higher single-engine ceiling. Everything is not about speed But IIRC it is close to 150.000 € for the conversion and two engines.

LFPT, LFPN

If this is the DA42 for sale at FXE, I saw it in December. They were eager to sell it to me even though I wasn’t in the market :) I wasn’t interested enough to give it a close look but the dealers are well known

FXE, LECU
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