The Cessna 120-140 Association Forum

I'm new to the forum, and have recently begun my search for my own 140. I recently viewed a 1950 140A with over 10,000hrs TTAF. (about 1,000 and 30 years SMOH on an 0-200, though a new top end was done less than 100 hrs ago) I haven't seen any other light aircraft in my search with TTAF this high. The aircraft is in-annual, and a pre-buy inspection would of course be done, but are there any other cons i should keep in mind with an airframe of this vintage? It raises uneducated red flags in my non expert mind.

I would guess that this was a pipeline patrol plane. So not a lot of touch and goes that a flight school plane would experience. The key will be the amount and quality of maintenance it received. Hopefully you will get a good pre buy. Mike Smith has pipeline expertise and can give more insight.

Your assumption is correct regarding pipeline patrol. I will look Mike up and ask him for more specific advice. Thank you for your reply.

10000 hours on an ex pipeline patrol aeroplane is by no means unusual. I fly 140A G-BOCI (15497 ex N5366C) in the UK which has 17394 hours on the airframe. All but about 1000 of those hours were accumulated during its first 30 years - in that time it was only flown by about 10 different pilots and maintained by 3 engineers. While it has had a few knocks over the years in the UK, it still flies straight and true. Quality maintenance is everything.

Doug P

TT is pretty irrelevant, at that age condition is everything.
Just like damage history is irrelevant, if it’s in the books odds are it was correctly repaired with legal parts. What’s not in the book is what you need to be looking for.
An airplane that’s been tied out in Florida by the coast for years may have 1000 TT and be eaten up with corrosion etc. but but it’s low time and have no damage history because that ground loop and prop strike wasn’t recorded.

There is no such thing as a pre buy, No definition, if it misses things you don’t have any recourse.
There is a 100 hour though, it is defined, the scope of the inspection is spelled out, so don’t get a pre-buy, at least have them sign off a 100 hour. At least then you know what your getting, and it’s in writing.

I saw a 172 recently that has over 25000 hours on it! I fly Dash 8s that have 85000 hrs or more on them. I would think a plane that’s flown more is likely better maintained. I doubt it would have been a flight school plane it’s whole life. My 140 only has 3000tt and it had lots of issues when I bought it with 2600 hrs.