Me and my Arrow

Back in the day, I started building a Van’s RV–8, and I finished the empennage. But then kids, family, time, and money commitments forced that onto the shelf for a while. That was OK, because I could always come back to airplane ownership.

Then…the pandemic. My wife, Lisa, felt trapped. The airlines all but ground themselves to a halt while her mother’s health began a final, rapid decline. I was frustrated as well by the lockdowns and the social isolation. Hangar 67, Trade-A-Plane, Controller, ASA, even government auction sites all planted their cookies on my computer.

Initially, I didn’t really have any particular airplane in mind, but one airplane that has always caught my eye is the Piper Arrow. I got quite a bit of time in the Arrow IV working on my commercial and CFI certificates. Loved the airplane, hated the T-tail. But I also had some time in the Arrow III, which I really enjoyed. It looked like a mini-airliner, was easy to fly, and hey, I liked it. The biggest problems with the Arrow were the relatively meager useful loads and the less-than-blazing speeds.

I looked at twins and the Beechcraft Bonanza A36. Twins are a bargain if you have plenty of complex and multi time and if you can find the right one. I had both, but the idea of maintaining two engines was a turnoff. The A36, however, showed promise: speed, range (especially with tip tanks), and payload.

One day, Lisa walked past me while I was looking at Bonanzas. “Get one.”

Get one. I was speechless. This was a complete role reversal for us. But she said this with conviction. She pointed out a few things. We’ve lost all our parents and grandparents. Our siblings live states away, driving isn’t practical for visits, and there are a lot of places we talk about going that, on the airlines, are a bit of a hassle. Our house is paid for, and this has been a dream for decades. It helped that one of her best friends is married to one of my co-workers, and had been excitedly sharing stories of their recently acquired Piper Cherokee Six. “Get one” was not a dare, or even a command or permission. It was her simplest, strongest argument: “It’s time.”

From beginning a serious search to an actual purchase took the better part of two years, and included several unexpected twists and turns. Based on my experience, my advice to others is as follows.

Be honest about experience, training, and capabilities. I fly Boeing 737s for a living, so my overall experience is wider than most, but I needed to be honest about what I was comfortable with in a general aviation world that has changed dramatically in the past 20 years or so. Cockpit technology at your local FBO surpasses much of what we have at the airlines, and speed is easier to come by than ever before thanks to big engines being added to smaller, lighter airframes. Automation and IFR skills must be viewed in context with the expected mission as well as the airplane you might choose. Experience will also play a major role in your insurance costs.

Once I decided on an Arrow, I felt an ease of internal tension. I was getting a model that I was experienced in, that I liked, and that I thought I could keep for the long term.What is the mission? We were interested in something we could use for travel, preferably an honest-to-goodness four-person airplane, ergo the Bonanza. However, as the search dragged on we realized that most of the time it will be just the two of us, as we are nearly empty nesters. That changed the math. A bigger airplane with a bigger engine is more expensive to buy, maintain, and operate. We also grew dismayed as the prices of A36s began to climb.

We wanted to be able to reach Florida in no more than two legs, and as far as Boston in one. I wanted something I’d enjoy flying, and that would not break the bank for maintenance. As a work colleague said, find the airplane that fits the bill 80 to 90 percent of the time, and airline the rest. I took that to heart, and narrowed my search to a four-seat airplane that would allow us to pack suitcases, scuba gear, and the dog while giving me 150 knots true.

Type clubs. I joined four, each with its own strengths. Type clubs are a wealth of knowledge about all things good and bad about any airplane you might be considering. Magazine back issues, topic-specific forums, and expertise that runs from avionics to engines and parts availability justify the minor fee. There can be some significant changes just between a few model years of airplanes. You want that information. There are also great enthusiast groups on Facebook.

Airworthiness directives. I eventually narrowed my search down to an Arrow. The Cherokee line is subject to a relatively new AD because of an accident involving an in-flight wing separation. Like many, I hovered on the outside waiting for the FAA to finalize the AD for the wing spar. In the meantime, I began diving into ADs to get a general idea what I was in for. When I found my airplane, I focused on those affecting my serial number. Again, type clubs were a huge help.

Check the logbooks. Lost logs can devalue an airplane by 60 percent or more. Check for AD compliance, appropriate inspection intervals, FAA 337 forms for major alterations, and any accident history. My airplane had experienced a gear-up landing, which the previous owner was up front about. I sent copies of the logbook pages that I had to a couple of different A&Ps to make sure I wasn’t missing anything.

Also include a title search, which ran less than $100.

Prebuy inspection. This may be the most important step in the process. There is no legal definition of what makes up a prepurchase inspection. The extent of what tasks are performed is to be determined by the buyer, the seller, and the mechanic, who should be someone who has never seen the airplane. It should include a detailed examination of the logbooks, AD compliance, and any issues known to the make and model. An honest mechanic will help you determine what does and doesn’t need to be included, and why. The engine should be borescoped.

Once the inspection is complete, all discrepancies should be discussed. Chances are most will not be show-stoppers, and the buyer and seller can negotiate how to cover the costs. In my case, there was a hole in the firewall caused by heat from the turbocharger. The owner was unaware of it, and even if I decided not to buy the airplane, the repair had to be made. It wasn’t going to be cheap: We were told to expect something north of $25,000. He was willing to pick up the tab for the firewall and some of the other items, and he knew I still wanted the airplane if everything was repaired. We came to an easy agreement, and I sent him a check for the airplane while he sent money to the shop for the work he had agreed to cover.

Taking the engine off had other benefits. The engine mount was removed and sent for some work, as was the propeller. Hoses were replaced. It was an extensive list, but a lot of items that eventually were going to need to be addressed got taken care of straight away, saving me money and down time in the future.

Once I decided on an Arrow, and N42PG specifically, I felt an ease of internal tension. I was getting a model that I was experienced in, that I liked, and that I thought I could keep for the long term. Miles Barrett, the previous owner, made it easy, and he continues to provide counsel and advice today. I also had a great experience with Royal Aircraft in Hagerstown, Maryland, and especially Michael Kissel, who gave freely of his time and expertise, answered hundreds of questions, and made it clear that the only way to do things was the right way. Everything was documented clearly, and nothing was done outside of the agreed upon work without further consultation. I felt a peace of mind that money can’t buy.

Lisa and I are now looking forward to many hours of travel, fun, and adventure for many years, realizing a dream that has been a long time coming.