It's what's inside that counts

Didn't your parents tell you that? It is true. Even more so when it's a plane. Maintenance and avionics upgrades will eat up your savings faster than you can imagine. We considered a number of planes before we purchased Bella, and then a close family friend told us not to buy a G** D*** project. I am so glad we listened. We have already spent close to two years of college education on her, between the annual and adding one piece of avionics. Thankfully, we listened and got a plane in good shape with almost everything we wanted in her.

We made two lists before we set out to purchase an airplane. The first was a list of requirements:

Maximum price
Mechanically Sound
100+ hours in last 24 months
1350 or less SMOH
1974 or newer
NMDH - all logs
Glove Box intact
80 gallon tanks
Less than 5000 TT
Autopilot

The second was a list of preferences:

HSI
Stormscope
Garmin 430 or better
Graphic Engine Monitor
Shoulder Harness
Dual Yoke
1100+ pounds useful load
ADF
S-TEC
GAMI's
3 blade prop
1000 or less since major overhaul

Here is her instrument panel at the time of purchase.



And this is what we got with her. She had everything on our list except one thing.

A wonderful airplane that had been well taken care of and used well. She hadn't been sitting in a hanger. She had been flown. That matters because an engine that sits will just go bad.
900 SMOH
1976 (big baggage door)
NMDH (all logs)
Glove Box
80 Gallon tanks
Less than 2000 hours TT (more on this in a later post)

We also got these.

HSI
Garmin 530 WAAS
Shoulder Harnesses
Dual Yoke
1100+ pounds useful load
ADF
S-TEC autopilot
GAMI's
3 blade prop

Since then, we have added a JPI Graphic Engine Monitor. She flys like a dream. My husband says she just feels eager to lift off the ground. Even I can tell our girl would rather be in the air than sitting on the ground. Her panel is well-laid out and easy to read. She is a joy.