Sad 980

[donv]

I think even if you could get this thing back together for a reasonable amount of money, I'd be very concerned about reliability for the first year or two. I spent a small amount of time with an 840 which came out of a similar (actually much better) background, and it was constantly broken.

[Adam Frisch]

Yeah, takes time to shake them down. Maybe that has to do with the fact I buy bottom feeders...

[JimC]

If only Adam didn't have his 680V, he could be the savior of this 980. It needs someone with endless optimism & enthusiasm to bring it back to life.

And then, after he finishes, I'll buy it from him when he buys his G-V project.

[donv]

I think Adam's 680V actually has a better chance of being a reliable airplane in a reasonable amount of time than this 980 does. Adam's airplane has been in the US for most of it's life, and actively flying.

[Adam Frisch]

And then, after he finishes, I'll buy it from him when he buys his G-V project.

Great, because I was going to buy Steve Binnette's 980 when he gets sick of it! Let's just all keep it in the family!

[ghancock]

The shame is, I'd be inclined to take on a project like this but have no idea how I would get it to my shop without taking the wings off which would really suck.  I looks like it is in Miami and if you had to pay a shop to do all the fixing you'd be 2 years from now and $300k in shop bills.  Before they put the engines on :-)

Glenn

[donv]

I think if you could get some engines to hang on it, an experienced Commander mechanic could get it ferryable pretty quickly. I've seen much worse put back together and ferried out.

A friend of mine ferried a 690 that was flown through some trees and landed at a private, remote Canadian airstrip. We used to call that airplane the "wood chipper." I think they had to bring in at least one new engine to get it out of there.

However, the mechanic who came up and put it back together had about 30 years experience working on Commanders, and new everything there was to know about them.

The shame is, I'd be inclined to take on a project like this but have no idea how I would get it to my shop without taking the wings off which would really suck.  I looks like it is in Miami and if you had to pay a shop to do all the fixing you'd be 2 years from now and $300k in shop bills.  Before they put the engines on :-)

Glenn

[ghancock]

So I can just get the engines and give you a call then?  :-)

Glenn

[donv]

Not me, but I can point you in the right direction. Of course, so could Bruce, and he's a lot closer!

So I can just get the engines and give you a call then?  :-)

Glenn

[Bruce Byerly]

Seller nice enough to inform me they found the engine log books but what I was sent was a pic of the FAA registration printed from the Internet and an extremely thin looking set of engine binders with the only page showing blank.  I asked for a scan but was told we could but don't want to waste time if our numbers were too far apart? Huh?  So far it's a time wasting goat rope.

[ghancock]

LMAO, pigs are much harder to rope than goats. :-)  Especially when they are all greased up.

Glenn

[SKYFLYER]

Thinking back I have had my share of those pigs too.......

[Adam Frisch]

So - has anyone put an offer in and been turned down? Price estimated at?

[Willis]

I like a 'project' as much as the next aviatin-miser; but we're talking about a half-million dollar 'fixer-upper' here!   

This would be a great candidate for the Everest Dirksen Aviation Project Award.

--A billion here; a billion there; pretty soon you're talking real money!.  --E. D.

[donv]

So I guess all the talk of multiple offers, etc was "sales puffery?"