Thread: Pre-Buy checklist for CTSW?

We're rapidly approaching doing a pre-buy and annual on a 2005 CTSW that's a bit more than half way across the country.

Does anyone have a good checklist or even an off-the-top-of-your-head list of things we should ask the IA to focus on, aside from the typical annual inspection items?

Back when we bought a Cessna 182 a few years back (sold last year), I used an excellent guide from the Cessna Pilot's Association. While I don't expect anything nearly that fancy or detailed, I'm just looking to tap the wisdom of this group before we start the pre-buy and annual inspection.

Thanks!

Jeremy

Yes there is an excellent check list. Use the FD maint. inspection and the Rotax maint inspection check list in each respective manual. If you use those you can't go wrong. If you just try to wing it without a check list your inspector will miss things.

Jeremy -- Ask Roger Fane to bring his books. Better yet, have him bring his computer. I believe he has all the latest manuals, etc there.

Hello,
In addition to the annual inspection check list I'd ask the mechanic to look for any hard landing issues.
Examine the attachments of the wheels to the landing gear rods. The newer design
has a doubler plate, in addition to the two pieces of tubing welded at an angle. Look at the plane from the front, see if the
top of main gear wheels are outside the bottom, ie it has negative camber. (I have tundra gear; don't know about standard) .
Examine gear attachment to the back of the seat for any stretching of metal or slipping relative to fiberglass.
A mechanic taught me a trick about the nose gear -
look at the gap between the prop spinner and cowling. It should be even. If not,
a hard landing may have displaced the engine mount or firewall.
Examine the little window slides. They can crack around the screws, especially
if the door is slammed shut by wind. Check door gas spring, does it hold up ?

I'm happy with our 2006 CTSW, now have 220 hrs on it. My comments
reflect some maintenance I've had to do.

Hi CCCT. I sent you a message regarding this topic. If you might check your mailbox, I would appreciate it.

Dick

If you have had an appreciably hard arrival, you will see a small indentation where the radiator abuts the bottom of the crankcase/gearbox. But that's nothing to worry about, afaik, what does matter is whether the engine thrustline lines up correctly. Mine has that mark but the thrustline is well within spec. I dont recall the exact numbers, but the mechanic and I checked it with the protractor on its last annual inspection. I can see that the spinner gap is maybe 2-3mm more on the top. I plan to leave it as is.

[QUOTE=CCCT;16019]Hello,
...look at the gap between the prop spinner and cowling. It should be even. If not,
a hard landing may have displaced the engine mount or firewall...


Wow that would be a first. From what I have been told every CT has a drooping nose cone which supposedly straightens up considerably in flight.

Peter

Hi Peter,
Any loose engine mount bolts on the engine can cause sag and free play. If engine isolators that are bad can cause sag. Grab the whole prop hub and actually lift the plane up and down and see if you have free play. There should not be any.

Originally Posted by Roger Lee

Hi Peter,
Any loose engine mount bolts on the engine can cause sag and free play. If engine isolators that are bad can cause sag. Grab the whole prop hub and actually lift the plane up and down and see if you have free play. There should not be any.

Roger, I just noticed on my last preflight the spinner had a little play when I pushed up and down on it. I did it by pushing up and down on the prop near the spinner and heard a click when I pushed up and same when pushing down. Does this sound like an issue?. The plane is used for training and I try to inspect it real well. I never heard about the dent in the cooler and will check for that.

Thanks,
James

I would greatly appreciate a picture of this (dent in radiator) if you have the time. I am always concerned about how hard the plane has been landed.

Thx,
James