KRviator

So a bit of a followup on this particular Aztec.... I did a lot of research into it, and was about to pull the pin last year though I was still waiting for some info from a 3rd party on it, but then I was offered a new job that I'd been on the wait-list for for 2 years, so decided not to at the time, and very shortly afterwards it ended up selling to a Bankstown-based group for $80K. Fast forward a year, I'm settled into my new job, and bored-ly browsing Facebook marketplace last night and what pops up? A 1975 Piper Aztec. For $190,000!! You read it right, the new owners have decided it's not for them and are trying to make a $110K profit in 12 months. Well, actually 8 months as it's been listed for 15 weeks. NFI why I hadn't seen it before now, but anyway, I sent a message to the owner... And, after discussing it with him asking "What have you done to justify the increase?" the answer is "Nothing" - BUT they have also been doing the annual inspection themselves, despite not being a LAME or qualified to do so per the CASR's as we discussed above. As I said to him, "I built my RV and even I can't sign off on the annual...." When he asked what price I thought I'd pay, I said "$85, or $100 if it has an annual from a LAME". $85 is the price I'd agreed to pending the info from the PO last year and I think it's fair given "what" it is. Being Experimental, it can't get put online, you can't do Angel Flights with it, AWK and Charter are out. So it has to be a private owner who needs a (big) twin. I wish them well in selling it, but $190K for an Aztec that you can't use for anything except PVT flights? There's far, far cheaper ways to commit aviation. Might as well be jousting sticks...

If you don't get any success here, I'd reach out to Andrew Smith, CFI at the Central Coast Aero Club - he's a top bloke and could probably put you in touch with one of the CCAC members who would be happy to do just that to save some coin.

At least you can't hang out the side of a 787. Though as a train driver, I will admit I have a somewhat sadistic chuckle each time I see a video of some fool hanging out the side of a train then suddenly disappearing from view after clobbered by a piece of lineside infrastructure.

Taxi checklist: Flaps: 5 selected, 5 indicated Autobrake: RTO Spoilers: Armed Controls full and free? "Uhhh........"

I use a pair of customized grips from Infinity Aerospace. They are highly customizable for your application in terms of pushbutton (NO/NC/Momentary) or lever-action and have left & right styles available. Well worth it if you want more than a couple of features on your stick. In my application, I have them assigned as follows: Trigger: PTT Pinkie: Engine Start (not connected on Coey's grip) Thumb pushbutton: AP Disconnect/CWS Inboard rocker: Flaps 'Coolie hat': Pitch & Roll trim Outboard rocker: Rudder trim (Not installed "yet") The switches usually ground a particular circuit, so if you gang the grounds together, then route them through another NO rocker switch on the panel labelled "Copilot Disc" you can disable all features from the Coey's grip if you don't trust them to not lower the flaps at cruise speed, or similar.

RAAus insurance coverage is for personal injury isn't it? Not hull damage?

Here's the Flightaware page for Old Station, be interesting to keep an eye on that to see who's coming and from where.

Mini-Me and I are hoping the weather will clear up enough so can get away tomorrow morning and head up the inland route over Moree & Chinchilla. Have the swags, table, camp chairs, sleeping bags, all ready to load up.

I got quoted $38K USD for a new engine without EFII a few months ago. Adding that brings it up to about $70K (AUD), then shipping and GST and suddenly that 916 pricing is is pretty attractive, you know! Given the choice, I'd take Rotax anyday though. That turbo would make the -9 one hell of an economical cruiser up high.

To replace my Day-VFR RV-9 would cost close to $270,000. That's ridiculous when you can get an IFR Cirrus for not that much more. Price increases and a pretty poor exchange rate don't help.

Here we are three years later and it's made it to Bankstown, and according to ADS-B, it hasn't moved since. The current owner is the same one who bought it in 2022 so I'm wondering if they have finally twigged they bought a quarter-million-dollar paperweight...

Indeed. And from that link, you have the following section: Now, while I think it's a tad harsh for someone like Jabiru to be expected to reimburse a hundred airplane owners for consequential losses - particularly given the costs involved in anything "aviation" - the ACL provides scope for that to occur, so one would hope their relevant insurance policy covers such an event. Personally, I have pursued a few companies over warranty or flight cancellation claims through NCAT over the years and claimed consequential losses each time - and got them! I'm going through NCAT again now about a vehicle purchase and the deal negotiated and will again claim the losses incurred. In this istance, the 'direct loss' is $2K - the consequential losses, associated with time off work to pursue it and so forth, will approach $4K. Businesses seem to think consumers won't pursue it because it's not worth it. It is if you are prepared to stand your ground. The ACL is quite broad in allowing consumers to avoid being out of pocket as a result of a purchase from an Australian-based business, and about damn time, too.

Problem here is Jab is Oz based and the Australian Consumer Law might well come into play. If you can demonstrate you have suffered a consequential loss as a result of a faulty product, you are likely entitled to a remedy (Ie monetary compensation). One would hope Jabiru is across that, or at least, has sufficient insurance to guard against it as while there wouldn't be many people (a few shearers, and flight schools perhaps) that could claim a loss of work on account of the crankshaft problem, just the $$ involved in R+R'ing the engine to send to them isn't gonna be cheap if you have to engage a L2 or LAME.

Have a read of this - it tells you how to get into the setup menu on the EIS so you don't have to send it back to GRT to reprogram your sensor definitions for the sensor you have. Should be able to sort out your EIS yourself and save yourself a few quid. Troubleshooting-Guide.pdf

The Dynon Kavlico probe may be an option? I'm really surprised there's a difference between resistance across manufacturers. What's the probe part number there've told you to use? You should be able to reconfigure your EIS yourself, I'd be very surprised if they've locked that functionality.