Tom, I’ve got bad news for you,” Brian says when I answer the phone.
The phone call isn’t a surprise. I’ve expected the call every time my airplane was in the hands of a mechanic during the last year or so, but it isn’t welcome.
Airwork: Time to Pull the Plug?
Cessna Cardinal, with almost 450
hours passed TBO and 20 years since
it was overhauled, may have reached
retirement age. Tom Benenson
Key Takeaways:
- The author's high-time aircraft engine (2440 hours past TBO) developed intermittent roughness during magneto checks, leading to diagnostic challenges despite previously good performance.
- Mechanics, concerned by the engine's age and liability, advised an overhaul regardless of the specific fault found, prompting the author to consider major engine replacement options.
- The author faces a difficult financial decision on whether to invest $30,000-$40,000 from savings into an overhaul/new engine, or sell the aircraft in a depressed market, given already high annual operating costs.
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