Not too sure it is at Elstree now. If that is the case, what happened to it?

Still very much at Elstree. All offers via Elstree Airfield Manager.

I bid 10 quid.

Next!

SGC

I'll bid £15 if you'll take it apart for a share of the parts sold.

Is it still there and for sale?

I understand it is still there 'in store'.

If you are bidding anything above £30 I'm out;)

SGC

How much they want for it?

I'll ask the boss and get back to you..........

and what a beautiful beast it is...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...pskgtti9bh.jpg

Thanks. Might be interested to bring her back to life if the price is right. Prob not flown for 5 years, so there would a little bit to do to get her running.

1997, Larnaca, en-route Pakistan

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/553/18...0ea2548d_b.jpg

I presume that any modifications that were made to it specifically for mr houlder under CAA approval would need to be reverted to original specification?

Adam

I spoke to the boss. There is no asking price. You need to make an offer.

Hmm, OK.

Well, it's close to 10,000hrs TT. It has the Hartzell recurring AD props that need inspection every 500hrs, if it's not the older hubs which need it every 250hrs. The spar needs Eddy current inspection every 500hrs after 6000hrs unless it's been modified. The engines have 1400hr TBO - do you know how much time they have on them? In any case, after sitting for 5 years they'll need at least a top overhaul and maybe some cams. How are the fuel cells etc?

As she sits now, condition on having closer inspection, I would offer £10K today.

Also, someone mentioned that his mechanic also died a few years ago. But maybe the organization he worked for still exists? There must be someone there one could get some info from. Do you know serviced the Commander?

I think that John Houlder also held the appropriate CAA engineering licences and 'signed' off his own work. Those were the days.

Bonkers though you undoubtedly are, Adam, I think this one might be too much even for you ;)

I remember John and his Commander coming up in conversation with an IRE while revalidating my IR once. According to this guy, all the IREs tried desperately to avoid him whenever his IR renewal came due. Not only was he by then getting on a bit, but he had removed the copilot seat and controls from the aircraft, so they had to sit in the back and if anything untoward did happen they had no way of taking control.

He also mentioned that there was a special restriction in the aircraft's documents that named John as the only authorised pilot, so that when John died, effectively so did the aircraft.

I did read an obituary online which confirmed these details. A Google search may turn it up.

Adam I follow your threads with great interest.Just remember this is not aviation in the USA as you know it.You must be forgetting the delights of dealing with our beloved regulator and the poor maintenance organisations that shelter under their patronage.vbr Stampe

No, I know. I would have to inspect both plane, logbooks and see what nasty other things turn up. But, taking customary installations out is always easier than putting them back in. So as long as he did that and didn't rip certified stuff out, it might not be the end of the world. Many other things might, tho.

I'm in Cardiff all summer for work, so I might pop over and have a peek at it.

Just spoke to the boss again. He'll put some fuel in and getting running for you if you arrange a date. His son owns engineering so he can also answer any questions.

Cool. I'll PM you when on Blighty's shores and closer to it.