Strut AD and Aircraft Value

[Greg Bockelman]

1. How much negative effect does the strut AD have on the value of a typical Taylorcraft?

2. How much positive effect on value does having the AD complied with with the 2 year inspections?

3. How much positive effect on value does having the AD complied with with new sealed struts?

Just trying to figure out what the best bang for the buck is.

[Frank DeBartolo]

Re: Strut AD and Aircraft Value

I believe that the best bang for the bucks is to belly up to the bar and purchase the new sealed struts.

1. One time installation...and the AD goes away. Also, removing and installing the struts must be done properly because you can damage the strut attach fittings if you don't.

2. Because it is a one time deal, the cost of having to do it again and again every two years goes away.

3. Because the AD does not apply to sealed struts, the value of the airplane should go up. All things being equal, the airplane with sealed struts should sell for more than one that has had the AD complied with, but would need to have it done again in the future.

IMHO
Frank D
N43684

[Greg Bockelman]

Re: Strut AD and Aircraft Value

3. Because the AD does not apply to sealed struts, the value of the airplane should go up. All things being equal, the airplane with sealed struts should sell for more than one that has had the AD complied with, but would need to have it done again in the future.

IMHO
Frank D
N43684

I tend to agree, but the $64 question is "How much?"

[Ed O'Brien]

Re: Strut AD and Aircraft Value

I think there's likely to be 2 prices for Taylorcraft... or 3 different prices, actually.
1. Bad Taylorcrafts with hidden problems, now exposed... soon to become parts planes. The price of these will tumble.As many of these won't be worth the expense to fix everything. Watch out the T-craft fleet has long had a series of bad maintainence among some owners. I know I bought one of those bad Taylorcrafts. Present company excluded.
2. Good Taylorcrafts with good but old style struts that need examination every 2 years. Figure 1-2 examinations or one set of struts including all paint, A&P figures, etc as the difference in the price. So, these plane will sell for $3-5,000 less than...
3. Pristine new struts on a great airframe with good engine times and nicely turned out in all other regards.
As the Luscombes, Pipers, Citabias, and some other planes prove: (a) The prices should move up when the basic problem is solved or resolved. Think Citabria prices now as opposed to when the wood wing issue came up (b) The crappy planes are weeded from the fleet. (c) Taylorcraft owners solve problems, work out issues, think things through, protect a great product, and show pride of ownership, do the proper maintence, etc. I saw the same thing occur in the early 90's when good twin Aero Commanders were going for half the price of a Beech-Baron for the same model year. Over a 10 year period the value of those Aero Commanders tripled when Barons rose modestly. Conclusion: Aero Commanders were undervalued
and now they are not. Taylorcrafts are undervalued and soon they should be more expensive... by a lot. What real airplane can you fly and still be LSA? The answer... not many and those planes should do very well.
With regards;
ED OBRIEN

[DanBrown]

Re: Strut AD and Aircraft Value

The factory is saying they will guarantee their sealed struts for 18 years -- which should help the sale price.

[robbie]

Re: Strut AD and Aircraft Value

18 years!!!!
Boy thats really going out on a limb. The old org.struts are flying, going on 60 years. I wander how many bad struts there were in 1964 when my airplane was 18 years old??
Oh well they got to make a living also and justify the cost for there struts.

[lfries]

Re: Strut AD and Aircraft Value

My swimming pool builder guaranteed my pool gunite for life. He's gone
now so not sure how good that guarantee is.

[Frank DeBartolo]

Re: Strut AD and Aircraft Value

What about Piper airplanes with sealed struts. Is there a time limit on the age of the sealed struts. In other words, if the sealed struts are installed, is that a terminating action without a time limit? It seems that the ADs on Piper struts have been in effect for many years.

Frank D
N43684

[Howard Wilson]

Re: Strut AD and Aircraft Value

The factory is saying they will guarantee their sealed struts for 18 years -- which should help the sale price.

Isn't this just jiving with the recently legislated time limited liability for aircraft manufacturers? They won't be responsible after 18 years anyway.

[Guest]

Re: Strut AD and Aircraft Value

What about Piper airplanes with sealed struts. Is there a time limit on the age of the sealed struts. In other words, if the sealed struts are installed, is that a terminating action without a time limit? It seems that the ADs on Piper struts have been in effect for many years.

Frank D
N43684

Hi Frank,

Exactly, that's the definition of terminating action.

The "but' is that after another 60 years someone may have discovered the flaw in the sealed design and an entirely new AD will come out.


In fact I believe that I can describe what it might be.


Dave

[Greg Bockelman]

Re: Strut AD and Aircraft Value

In fact I believe that I can describe what it might be.

What might that be?

[Ed O'Brien]

Re: Strut AD and Aircraft Value

I think some of you in this thread are confusing factory warranty (replacement by the factory for part which exhibits a manufacturing defect) with expected service life (how long it'll last before it falls apart. Think about a car warranty of 50,000 miles and expected full service life of the car at 250,000 miles and you'll get the idea. Likely in 25-30-40 years from now, some of these now new struts will start having a problem... even failures and yes they'll need to go through some kind of fleet-wide inspection. Hey, that's life... but so far into the future, I doubt it'll be my life. Same for Pipers too.
With regards; ED OBRIEN

[hangarb7]

Re: Strut AD and Aircraft Value

"1. One time installation...and the AD goes away. Also, removing and installing the struts must be done properly because you can damage the strut attach fittings if you don't."

Frank, what did you mean by this? How can you damage the strut attach fittings by removing and replacing struts?

Regards,

Jack D
N44057

[astjp2]

Re: Strut AD and Aircraft Value

The 18 years is from the mid 90's product lilability law, if its less than 18 years, you can sue, older, it has proven that it is safe and you wont be able to sue....This reflects on the 60 year old cub tail dragger design that was said to be faulty that is why most modern airplanes have that funny little tire up front. does any one remember that lawsuit? ...Tim

[Ragwing nut]

Re: Strut AD and Aircraft Value

I told you this already but when pre-purchasing aircraft for customers, I will deduct the cost of any terminating AD's from the value of the aircraft. And depending on the asking price will depend on whether it warrants a lower offer or not. New struts already installed may not increase the entire value of the struts, but it will be a selling point that could make or break a sale as well. If you decide to ask $30K or better for your Taylorcraft, it better have new struts. If you ask $25K or so, you may not be hurt value wise without the struts, but it may take longer to sell with someone knowing they still have to spend another $2500 within the next 2 years. Make any sense? It is all perception of value.

Mike