Piper pa-38-112

[jxc]

Any experience on the pa-38-112 ?
what would a late one with a new engine be worth

[A and C]

As a trainer a good aircraft that spins properly.

The 13,000 hour spar life is the problem, this will sooner or later leave you with a worthless airframe. Due to the spar life it is not seen as worthwhile for PMA companys to make any parts for the PA38 so the parts are drying up.

On the whole unless it is very cheap I would avoid due to the problems that you are likely be facing in a few years time.

['India-Mike]

Agree with A and C except that the life is 11,000 hours. I needed to replace a wing on mine due spar boom exfoliation corrosion, and could only get a wing that had even less life left than the aircraft. So I sold it - that was a number of years ago. I understand that CAA approved the 18000 hour extension mod but I don't know if anyone in UK has taken it up. Not cheap when I looked into it.

Half-life with a new engine? Say £18k in good times, but of course like your house it's only worth what someone might pay for it.

I still fly them regularly, including my old machine, but as an instructor now. I know instructors don't necessarily like them but they're honest little aeroplanes. Having said that I'd steer well clear for the reasons A and C mentioned.

[rogcal]

Not a bad little aircraft in my opinion and if it wasn't for Part M being introduced, I'd still have mine but being on a limited budget, higher maintenance costs on CofA aircraft was something I could afford.

Even so, given the opportunity (and improved finances) I wouldn't hesitate to get another!

The wing life extension modification supplied by Paul Sterling in the US has allowed many Tommies to be given an extended life and here in the UK Ravenair have fitted the mod to most of their fleet which indicates how they regard the cost/benefit of doing so in respect of their long term operations.

As for how much one is worth, anywhere between £12 and £14k for a Tommy in the conditon you describe and even if the wings only have a 1000 hours left on them, just how many hours a year are you going to be doing and how long would it take you to use up the remaining wing life!

[Pilot DAR]

Nice plane, and fun to fly, but I agree with the considerations of the wing spar. Further to this is the word that Avgas has a challenged future. Tomahawks are very unlikely to be approved on Mogas, their fuel systems will not tolerate the higher valpour pressures of Mogas (I've tried). Thus these planes will be dependant upon a suitable replacement fuel. I'd rather invest in a type for which plain old Mogas is a good alternative, so there are less concerns about getting fuel in the distant future.

As an alternative, do the math when you go to buy. If the intended use is such that you fly off the remaining airframe life, and calendar time, before they otherwise expire, and the plane has given you what you need, you're fine. Scrap the plane, sell the engine, prop, radios, and instruments, and scrap the airframe. Some planes just will not live forever, but their last days can give you some real value flying. Also, you're not so worried about insuring the airframe, if you're going to fly it to scrap anyway...

But, do the math!