Yep, have to agree with SkyHawk-N.
I had a 1979 N model for a few years, took it to 1900+ hours (2000 hour TBO) before it was overhauled - and that's only because I sold it at that point. Make sure it has the T-mod, oil additives etc as SkyHawk says, and provided they're flown regularly, they're great aircraft - I had a lot of fun with mine.
Amongst the many things you can add to a 172, I'd recommend a Powerflow exhaust system. It'll cost a few thousand (about 3-4 I think), but it provides a lot of benefits (reduced fuel costs, higher cruise speed, more "grunt" available in general). Not massive cost benefits, but over a few years they all add up ...
1. How much can I pick up a decent 172 for, eg a 1970s skyhawk that isnt falling apart. How many airframe hours is considered to be a lot on a 172? Also, how much do the CAA charge for transfering ownership of an AC?
I reckon you can get a good late 70's model, well kitted out with lowish hours for the mid-£30k's.
2. After how many engine hours do the engines need to be changed, and how much is it for a new engine to be fitted? Whats the score with other things, eg prop, tyres etc? On what kind of frequency do those need to be changed and what is the cost?
The engine needs to be overhauled (i.e. made pretty much as good as new) or replaced either when you get to a specified number of hours usage (known as TBO), or (usually) when something very major goes wrong. What point either of these things occur depends entirely on luck, usage, care etc. The TBO figure varies by model. For props, tyres etc - well, depends on usage, really !
3. What kind of servicing is required? I think u need to do 50hr, 100hr and annual services. Are there any extra things that need to be done on it on a regular basis?
This whole area is changing very quickly because much of the regulation of maintenance is moving from the CAA to EASA. I think it's still pretty much as you say (50, 100, 150 hour checks (or every 6 months if you don't make the hours), an annual, and there used to be a "star annual" every three years. However, you'd be best talking to an engineer (and you should find a good one of these before you buy anything, as you must get whatever you buy checked out before you part with the money!)
4. How often does the Certificate of Airworthness check need to be done, and how much does that cost, both for the work and for the certificate to be issued by the CAA?
Well, it used to be every three years, and would cost about £600 for the paperwork. The actual work costs depend on (a) your engineers and (b) what's wrong with the aircraft. However, I renewed one just a couple of months ago, and currently, the CAA are issuing one-year CofAs, because they're "in transition to EASA" mode, so God only knows what will happen next ....
5. How much should be budgeted anually/ 100 hrs for random things going wrong, eg broken radios, new landing light bulbs, etc.
You'll get as many different answers to that as there are 172s ! Depends so much on the condition of what you buy, your usage pattern and operational style, your ... err ... abilities as a pilot etc etc. !
FF
