ATTENTION AZTEC OWNERS
I am an American civilian working for the USAF at RAF Lakenheath in England and a pilot since 1974. I have a unique opportunity to purchase a disassembled 1969 Aztec PA-23-250 for a very good price. My initial thoughts are to purchase this project and transport to the US for re-assembly by the time I return to the USA in Jan/Feb 2010. In searching for a possible re-assembly point, I came across your forum site and looking for suggestions on a facility for this re-assembly - any sugestions from your personal experience would be greatly appreciated?
It depends on your financial capabilities. The Piper plant is located in Vero Beach, Florida. If you run into problems and need parts quickly - being in their vicinity could be nice. Cost of housing in Florida is high. Hangers are usually a 1 to 3 year waiting list.
You could consider reconstructing it anywhere where you can get an A&PI to sign off on your work. That usually requires a trusting relationship between the 2 of you.
Being a retired, limited income guy, I would probably opt to work in my own garage or back yard (under a shaded and waterproof cover) and put everything but the wings on while I waited for a hanger. Then I would truck the project to an airport and rent a hanger to finish it up. If I had the money and could get one quickly, I'd do the whole project in a hangar.
As far as the part of the country goes - there are pros and cons everywhere. In Florida where I live, working inside an airplane in a hanger in the summer can be God-awfully hot even with the fans going. In locations where its cooler you have God-awful cold in the winter. So you take your chances. I love Florida and won't voluntarily leave here so I'm not unbiased. We fly year round. Winters are mild. We air condition as much as possible in the summer and we can pick lemon, gratefruit or oranges out of our backyards.
PS - by the time you buy it and pay for freight to the US and get it recertified and reconstructed, are you sure its a good investment? Astecs aren't all that expensive in the US.
Ship it to Flightlevel Aviation in Norwood, Massachusetts. They're just south of Boston and can easily handle a project like that. Glenn Juber is in charge of the shop and can help you with the planning. If it's not "N" registered you will need a conformity inspection and a new certificate of airworthiness. He can also check you out in the plane when it's done.
