By Vic Syracuse, EAA Lifetime 180848
This piece originally ran in Vic’s Checkpoints column in the October 2024 issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine.
I mentioned I would continue with the RV-10 upgrades, but I have had quite a few requests in the last two months from prospective new owners, and I figured this topic would be more interesting to a larger group.
As many of you are aware, general aviation is in the middle of a boom that many of us haven’t seen since the 1970s. From my designated airworthiness representative and prebuy activities, the growth is phenomenal. These are certainly exciting times, and I think with Van’s Aircraft out of bankruptcy and, hopefully, on a better track, everyone is a little relieved.
The market for used amateur-built aircraft has never been better. There are certainly many exciting aircraft with proven track records to choose from. I won’t single any out for fear of missing someone’s favorite.
Nonetheless, for those of you searching for an amateur-built aircraft, there are three things that I tell everyone:
- Educate yourself on the particular aircraft that interests you. Read the NTSB accident files, talk to current owners, join type forums, and be patient. Buying an airplane should not be a spontaneous decision like going to Home Depot and buying a new grill on a Saturday afternoon. A rushed aircraft purchase has the potential to put a huge damper on the fun factor. Having been involved in aircraft prebuys for many years, I can assure you that the right airplane will eventually be there for you, and you will be much happier in the long run.
- Get a good, thorough prebuy by a knowledgeable person who has experience with that particular type of aircraft. Why? Because you want someone looking at it who can recognize that something is wrong. I politely refuse to do prebuys on various airplanes for which I have no experience. I don’t think it is fair to either party. If possible, try to be there for the prebuy inspection. It should help you learn things about the aircraft.
- Get transition training. If possible, get it ahead of the purchase so you can potentially fly the airplane with the seller before the purchase. You will be more easily able to ascertain the quality of the flight characteristics rather than having sensory overload if your first flight is in one with the seller.
So, now that you’ve “caught it” what should you do next? First, really pay attention to the prebuy report and make sure there aren’t some things that should be fixed sooner rather than later. For example, most owners immediately want to do takeoffs and landings and take friends and family for rides. Before doing those things, make sure the wheels and brakes are in good shape and the tires are properly inflated.
Personally, I recommend two courses of action:
- Take the time to go “wring it out” first by yourself. A good practice is to get the EAA Flight Test Manual and fly some of the EAA Flight Test Cards, especially those pertaining to the stall series, takeoff and landing performance, and the airborne pitot-static check. Doing these test cards will help you understand the actual numbers for your airplane. Sure, you already had the transition training, but just remember that every aircraft is different.
- If you weren’t there for the prebuy inspection, or didn’t have one done, take the time to find someone or a good shop that is knowledgeable about the aircraft and give it a good going over with your participation, if possible. You owe it to yourself, your family, and your passengers.
Many of the questions I am hearing have a lot to do with ownership expectations postpurchase. While every airplane will be a little different, here are some thoughts on extra parts and maintenance items that you should consider.
During early ownership with all the takeoffs and landings, the brakes and tires get most of the wear and tear. It doesn’t hurt to have a set of spare tires and brake pads around. If good tires such as Goodyear Flight Custom IIIs were recently installed, then the tires should last for a good while. For those who are new to aircraft with castering nose wheels, I assure you that you will wear out the brake pads faster during the first year of ownership, especially the right side. Yep, it’s hard to inspect the pads if wheelpants are installed, but you can accomplish it with a bright light and an inspection mirror. You should do it regularly during the first year so you can at least establish a wear pattern/replacement schedule.
It’s also good to keep an extra case of oil and any additives around, such as CamGuard. CamGuard is added when oil is added between oil changes. Caution: Don’t use any additives until the engine is broken in. By the way, yes, you can go 50 hours between oil changes on Lycomings and Continentals if you have a full-flow oil filter (no screen). Rotax allows 100 hours between changes with nonleaded fuel, and somewhat less when using leaded fuel. Personally, I change the oil in my RV-10 at 35 hours. Have you seen the price of aircraft engines lately? I want to treat it well and hope for longevity.
Don’t forget some cleaning supplies, especially canopy cleaner. If you have a long trip home, you are going to want to properly clean it during fuel stops. The canopies are not glass — they will scratch quite easily, so it is important to use the right cloth and cleaner that is recommended by the manufacturer. I have used Novus on my aircraft for many years and am really pleased with the results. I’m sure there are others out there that may work as well. Wipe the glass with straight up and down motions, not swirls. The first time you land directly into the sun at sunset you will appreciate taking proper care of the canopy.
As for cleaning the exterior, there are lots of products available. My practice is to wipe down the outside with a terry cloth bath towel and water. I get the old ones, and Carol gets new ones, so everyone is happy. Flying from grass strips sure makes for a lot of dead bugs on the wings, tail, and propeller blades, so occasionally I will wipe them down with REJEX or another bug cleaner. I also find that some of the car waxes, such as Adam’s Detail Spray, leave a nice glossy shine and make it easier to wipe off the bugs.
For the belly, you are going to need some heavy-duty cleaner to remove all the exhaust residue. I like the noncorrosive Simple Green. It seems to make easy work of the lead on the belly.
You are also going to want to assemble a collection of spare parts and consumables. There’s nothing like being stranded on a vacation trip or Saturday hamburger jaunt and finding a missing bolt/nut on the wheelpants or a blown fuse. Take the time to stand back and look at your aircraft with the “big” picture in mind, questioning what would preclude you from taking off. Think about everything, from nuts and bolts, tail wheel springs, fuses (if used), spare headset (it doesn’t have to be an expensive noise-cancelling one), oil spout (I carry the throwaway paper ones), spinner screws, etc.
As for what tools you should carry, that is a longer conversation. I think it partially depends upon the distance being traveled from home. As an example, on our trips to Alaska I do beef up my usual tool pouch. For those of you with Van’s RVs, you might consider buying my Maintenance Guide for RV Aircraft. It will help you with tool selection as well as help you fix something if you happen to get stranded on a trip and the maintenance shop isn’t open. That can quickly put a damper on the fun factor!
Vic Syracuse, EAA Lifetime 180848, is a commercial pilot, A&P/IA mechanic, designated airworthiness representative, and EAA flight advisor and technical counselor. He has built 11 aircraft and has logged more than 11,000 hours in 75 different types. Vic founded Base Leg Aviation, has authored books on maintenance and prebuy inspections, and posts videos weekly on his YouTube channel. He also volunteers as a Young Eagles pilot.