Mobile Aircraft Maintenance LLC
Aircraft Inspections, Sales and Services
352-615-2437
DONT BE FOOLED BY THE "FRESH OUT OF ANNUAL" AIRCRAFT FOR SALE! YOU STILL NEED A GOOD PRE-BUY!
Below are some issues that we have found during our Pre-Buy evaluations. Not all mechanics have the same standard. Every Pre-Buy we perform is done by a A&P, IA with over 20 years experience. We have saved our customers MILLIONS of dollars by doing a thorough evaluation. Our inspections are structured around your safety, as well as your internal and external knowledge of the aircraft. Please view our google reviews as testimonies to the value and care of our services.
DONT BE FOOLED BY THE "FRESH OUT OF ANNUAL" AIRCRAFT FOR SALE! YOU STILL NEED A GOOD PRE-BUY!
Below are some issues that we have found during our Pre-Buy evaluations. Not all mechanics have the same standard. Every Pre-Buy we perform is done by a A&P, IA with over 20 years experience. We have saved our customers MILLIONS of dollars by doing a thorough evaluation. Our inspections are structured around your safety, as well as your internal and external knowledge of the aircraft. Please view our google reviews as testimonies to the value and care of our services.
Weed out the lemons by having a thorough Pre-Buy performed by A&P, IA with over 22 years of experience! Borescope inspections of engine and airframe are important to do prior to purchasing any aircraft. The money saved by finding any hidden problems or damage before the aircraft is yours can literally save you $100,000 or more.
Weed out the lemons by having a thorough Pre-Buy performed by A&P, IA with over 22 years of experience! Borescope inspections of engine and airframe are important to do prior to purchasing any aircraft. The money saved by finding any hidden problems or damage before the aircraft is yours can literally save you $100,000 or more.
Borescope inspection of a cylinder during one of our pre-buy inspections found a cylinder crack on a Lycoming IO-360. If this was not found or corrected the cylinder head would have eventually blown of the barrel. We take pride in the fact that we could be possibly saving lives every day. All pre buy inspections are performed by a A&P, IA with over 22 years experience specializing in engine overhaul and conversions.
Borescope inspection of a cylinder during one of our pre-buy inspections found a cylinder crack on a Lycoming IO-360. If this was not found or corrected the cylinder head would have eventually blown of the barrel. We take pride in the fact that we could be possibly saving lives every day. All pre buy inspections are performed by a A&P, IA with over 22 years experience specializing in engine overhaul and conversions.
Borescope inspection of this Continental IO-520 during Pre-Buy Inspection found camshaft and lifter failure! This engine was removed and sent out for overhaul after inspection at sellers expense. This is one of the issues that can make aircraft ownership very expensive after the purchase price is paid even on low time engines.
Borescope inspection of this Continental IO-520 during Pre-Buy Inspection found camshaft and lifter failure! This engine was removed and sent out for overhaul after inspection at sellers expense. This is one of the issues that can make aircraft ownership very expensive after the purchase price is paid even on low time engines.
Incorrect repairs made to wing skin structure during a STC Upgrade. Rivets were not bucked correctly.
Incorrect repairs made to wing skin structure during a STC Upgrade. Rivets were not bucked correctly.
Cracks found during Pre-Buy inspection of Cessna 337 on the waste gate support bracket of the rear engine.
Cracks found during Pre-Buy inspection of Cessna 337 on the waste gate support bracket of the rear engine.
Cessna 177 Cardinal wing attach point hardware is loose and smoking. You can tell by the black leaking out of the holes that this hardware is loose.
Cessna 177 Cardinal wing attach point hardware is loose and smoking. You can tell by the black leaking out of the holes that this hardware is loose.
DO NOT BUY A LEMON, CALL US TODAY. Before you invest your hard earned money. We have performed over 1000 pre-buys since 2001. All aircraft are inspected by an A&P, IA rated mechanic with over 22 years experience!
DO NOT BUY A LEMON, CALL US TODAY. Before you invest your hard earned money. We have performed over 1000 pre-buys since 2001. All aircraft are inspected by an A&P, IA rated mechanic with over 22 years experience!
Does the aircraft have hidden corrosion?
Does the aircraft have hidden corrosion?
Cracks found in horizontal stabilizer on a Cessna during Pre-Buy.
Cracks found in horizontal stabilizer on a Cessna during Pre-Buy.
Does the aircraft have hidden damage or corrosion?
Does the aircraft have hidden damage or corrosion?
Are you about to buy an aircraft with hidden damage? Without a proper borescope inspection how do you really know the condition of the aircraft you are about to buy? This is our standard and is included in every pre-buy inspection performed by us.
Are you about to buy an aircraft with hidden damage? Without a proper borescope inspection how do you really know the condition of the aircraft you are about to buy? This is our standard and is included in every pre-buy inspection performed by us.
Do your fuel tank bladders need to be replaced?
Do your fuel tank bladders need to be replaced?
Cylinder head failure caused by heat cracks found by borescope inpection. It is common for Lycoming and Continental aircraft engine cylinders to crack at the heads due to heat. This crack radiates from the valve seat to the fuel injection port. If this is not caught and corrected during inspections it will eventually lead to the cylinder head blowing off the engine in flight. Be sure to have your cylinders borescope inspected before you buy.
Cylinder head failure caused by heat cracks found by borescope inpection. It is common for Lycoming and Continental aircraft engine cylinders to crack at the heads due to heat. This crack radiates from the valve seat to the fuel injection port. If this is not caught and corrected during inspections it will eventually lead to the cylinder head blowing off the engine in flight. Be sure to have your cylinders borescope inspected before you buy.
Does the aircraft you looking to buy need $8000-$20,000 in new cylinders? This was found during borescope inspection of the cylinders during a pre-buy. The valve shows uneven deposits and leaking from the left side. It is on its way to failing. If this cylinder is not overhauled it will eventually lead to engine failure.
Does the aircraft you looking to buy need $8000-$20,000 in new cylinders? This was found during borescope inspection of the cylinders during a pre-buy. The valve shows uneven deposits and leaking from the left side. It is on its way to failing. If this cylinder is not overhauled it will eventually lead to engine failure.
Camshaft and lifters with no corrosion found during pre-buy.
Are you looking to buy a airplane? Do you have $25,000-$80,000 set aside for a new engine if it needs one? Don't buy a lemon, get a professional pre-buy inspection done before you buy. This was found by borescope inspection. This picture shows rust and pitting in the cylinder bore.
Are you looking to buy a airplane? Do you have $25,000-$80,000 set aside for a new engine if it needs one? Don't buy a lemon, get a professional pre-buy inspection done before you buy. This was found by borescope inspection. This picture shows rust and pitting in the cylinder bore.
Has the previous owner been maintaining his own aircraft without the supervision of a licensed A&P/IA? Aircraft owners are known to work on their aircraft without supervision. Most of the time this is illegal and not a recommended process. A good pre-buy inspection can find discrepancies like this. Note the kinked vacuum system lines, non mill 6000 hoses, ignition lines rubbing on hose clamps, and poor safety wire job on the oil screen. This was most likely done by an aircraft owner who does not have and A&P license.
Has the previous owner been maintaining his own aircraft without the supervision of a licensed A&P/IA? Aircraft owners are known to work on their aircraft without supervision. Most of the time this is illegal and not a recommended process. A good pre-buy inspection can find discrepancies like this. Note the kinked vacuum system lines, non mill 6000 hoses, ignition lines rubbing on hose clamps, and poor safety wire job on the oil screen. This was most likely done by an aircraft owner who does not have and A&P license.
Exhaust systems can cost between $3000-$60,000 on most aircraft. Make sure you know the condition of the aircraft you are looking to purchase. This was found during a pre-buy. Note the crack on the pipe at the flare, previously cracked and welded, corrosion on hardware, and improper hardware installed at the slip joint.
Exhaust systems can cost between $3000-$60,000 on most aircraft. Make sure you know the condition of the aircraft you are looking to purchase. This was found during a pre-buy. Note the crack on the pipe at the flare, previously cracked and welded, corrosion on hardware, and improper hardware installed at the slip joint.
Broken strands of wire on this flight control cable was noted. Do you see the saw marks on the sheet metal? This would lead to a broken cable and an inevitable crash if it was not detected. This aircraft was just out of an annual inspection. Remember not all mechanics have the same experience or standard.
Broken strands of wire on this flight control cable was noted. Do you see the saw marks on the sheet metal? This would lead to a broken cable and an inevitable crash if it was not detected. This aircraft was just out of an annual inspection. Remember not all mechanics have the same experience or standard.
Major corrosion found during pre-buy inspection on this Beechcraft. This aircraft was just out of an annual inspection. Remember not all mechanics have the same experience or standard. You do not want to own an aircraft that has this in the wings!
Major corrosion found during pre-buy inspection on this Beechcraft. This aircraft was just out of an annual inspection. Remember not all mechanics have the same experience or standard. You do not want to own an aircraft that has this in the wings!
Intergranular corrosion on oil return lines of Lycoming IO-360 engine. This was found during a pre-buy on a plane that was just out of annual.
Intergranular corrosion on oil return lines of Lycoming IO-360 engine. This was found during a pre-buy on a plane that was just out of annual.
Broken seat rail on Cessna 337 with a seat rail AD against it. This aircraft was just out of annual! Not all mechanics were created equal.
Broken seat rail on Cessna 337 with a seat rail AD against it. This aircraft was just out of annual! Not all mechanics were created equal.
Someone has ground on this flap attach bracket removing corrosion. It is beyond 10% of the material thickness and is not airworthy at the time of this inspection. They covered it up with fresh paint when the part actually needs to be replaced. This aircraft was fresh out of annual inspection.
Someone has ground on this flap attach bracket removing corrosion. It is beyond 10% of the material thickness and is not airworthy at the time of this inspection. They covered it up with fresh paint when the part actually needs to be replaced. This aircraft was fresh out of annual inspection.
Believe it or not this was signed off as being airworthy and the plane was in Annual. If you see anything like this RUN!! Some mechanic out there is signing this kind of stuff off without inspecting it and it will eventually kill someone. The fitting you see is for the external oil supply line to the rear mounted prop governor and is has a AD against it. You are looking at the cyinder base and crankcase of a junk Lycoming engine.
Believe it or not this was signed off as being airworthy and the plane was in Annual. If you see anything like this RUN!! Some mechanic out there is signing this kind of stuff off without inspecting it and it will eventually kill someone. The fitting you see is for the external oil supply line to the rear mounted prop governor and is has a AD against it. You are looking at the cyinder base and crankcase of a junk Lycoming engine.
Intergranular corrosion in between layers of structural parts of the landing gear in a Beechcraft has popped the rivet head off and is bending the plate up and cracking it. This is hidden damage on the wings found during pre-buy inspection.
Intergranular corrosion in between layers of structural parts of the landing gear in a Beechcraft has popped the rivet head off and is bending the plate up and cracking it. This is hidden damage on the wings found during pre-buy inspection.
Major cylinder bore corrosion from lack of use. Our client did not purchase this Bonanza.
Major cylinder bore corrosion from lack of use. Our client did not purchase this Bonanza.
Battery acid damage to sheet metal, ribs, battery tray, and battery box.
Battery acid damage to sheet metal, ribs, battery tray, and battery box.
Beginning stages of Lycoming cylinder scoring. This is most likely caused by a broken piston ring or piston pin plug out of place.
Beginning stages of Lycoming cylinder scoring. This is most likely caused by a broken piston ring or piston pin plug out of place.
Pre-Buy and Borescope inspection Flat Rate Prices
Pre-Buy and Borescope inspection Flat Rate Prices
Pre-Purchase and borescope inspections are done by a 20+year experienced A&P and IA FAA Certified Mechanic. Includes complete borescope inspection of engine and airframe.
See our great reviews on Google Maps!
Aeronca / Bellanca / American Champ
Champ/Chief $800
Citabria/Decathlon $800
17-30/31 Viking $1,000
Beechcraft
23/24 Musketeer/Sierra/Sundowner $900
33/35/36 Debonair/Bonanza $1,200
50 Bonanza Twin $1,500
55/56/58 Baron $1,500
60 Duke 48 hrs $2,000
76 Duchess $1,500
95 Travel Air $2,000
Cessna
120 - 152 $800
170/172/175 $800
Hawk XP $1,000
172RG $1,200
177 $900
177RG $1,200
180/182/ T182 $1,000
182RG/T182RG $1200
185 17 hrs $1,000
185 Amphibian $1,200
188 $1200
205/206/207 $1,200
210/T210 $1,400
P210 $1,650
310/ T310 $1500
337/ T337 $1500
P337 $1800
340/402/404/414/421 $2,000
425, 441 $2,500
Cirrus and similar single engine composite aircraft
SR-20 and SR-22 $1200
Grumman
AA1, AA5 $800
Piper
J3/J4/J5 $800
PA 11/PA 12/PA $800
PA 20/PA 22 $800
PA 24 180/250/260/400 $1,200
PA 28 140-180 $875
PA 28 R180-200 $1,000
PA 28 235 $1,000
PA 32-260/300 $1,400
PA32R-300/300T/301/301T $1400
PA 30 $1400
PA 23-160/235/250 $1,400
PA 31-300/310/325/350 $1,400
PA 46-310P/350P $1,400
PA 44 $1,400
PA34-200/200T/220T $1,400
PA 60 $2000
PA 600 Aerostar $2,000
PA 700 Superstar $2,000
Mooney
Mooney M20 C/D/E/F/G/J $1,200
Lancair
Legacy 390 $1,200
Legacy 550 $1,200
Lancair ES, ES-P, IV, IV-P $1,500
*We travel the entire United States on short notice. Price DOES NOT include travel expenses including airline tickets, hotels, car rental, or mileage due to off site locations or out of state pre-buys.
OVER 1000 PRE-PURCHASE, PRE-BUY EVALUATIONS PERFORMED SINCE 2001.
WE BORESCOPE THE ENTIRE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE. Your report will include a list of a discrepancies and you will be given access to a Dropbox with several hundred photos taken by borescope and camera.
A good pre-purchase evaluation will tell you exactly that you are getting into and may give you leverage in negotiating a better price. Florida aircraft are subjected to salty environment conducive to corrosion. We use a full articulating borescope to inspect airframe and engine components to be sure that you are not about to buy a LEMON! Our pre-buys are inspected by a 22+years experienced A&P and IA.
Pre-Purchase evaluations involving maintenance experts in an aircraft acquisition is time and money well spent!
One of the most exciting days in a person’s life is the day he or she purchases an aircraft. While this can be an exciting time, it also can be filled with challenges which is where our professional consulting comes in.
When buying an aircraft, it is important to have a qualified, neutral technician do a proper pre-buy of the prospective aircraft. When Mobile Aircraft Maintenance evaluates an aircraft for a client, we do just that.
Reasons to consult a qualified maintenance expert with your aircraft acquisition include:
-Purchasing an aircraft without the benefit of an experienced airframe and powerplant mechanic can lead to big expenses and unsafe conditions right away or even later on.
-An aircraft is a piece of machinery that can operate in diverse and extreme conditions. This operating environment places many different types of stress on the equipment.
-The Federal Aviation Administration regulations require that the aircraft must be maintained to an “Airworthy” condition. This airworthy assessment may be accomplished by many different mechanics with different skill levels and standards for determining airworthiness.
-In the past, we have seen individuals buying aircraft without the benefit of a quality pre-purchase evaluation and it almost always has led to a disappointing ownership experience, resulting in more downtime and more maintenance costs.
-Many potential buyers are attracted to an aircraft that has new paint and interior because “it looks good.” These “cosmetic overhauls” could be hiding a host of problems that only a trained eye could spot. Paint can hide a multitude of problems, i.e. corrosion, damage, or poor repair workmanship.
Some of the areas that you want to have a maintenance expert look at are:
Aircraft records, (logbooks, etc.) – are they complete and accurate?
Aircraft damage history – has the aircraft been involved in an accident?
Airworthiness Directive (AD) status – are all applicable AD’s complied with and signed off properly?
Maintenance status – are all inspection requirements up to date?
Engine condition and history – is the engine performing as it should?
System operations – are they functioning normally?
Modifications and proper recording of the modifications – are all FAA form 337s, STCs accounted for?
Corrosion damage – where has the aircraft lived? Is there hidden corrosion?
Always start the pre-purchase evaluation with clear and well-defined parameters so that everyone involved (the buyer, seller and inspector) are on the same page.