Looking to buy a PA-28-161. I ordered the CD-ROM from the FAA and on the 'Application for Airworthiness' states its a 1979 model year. There's a box right on the form. The 'Standard Airworthiness Certificate' was issued 09/24/1979. Now looking at the serial number is starts off as 28-80161xx.
What year is this airplane? 1979 or 1980? Who do you believe, FAA or Piper?
Thanks!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/2008 04:01PM by macunix.
What Bob said. Both planes I've owned had airworthy certificates from the fall before the calendar year of the serial number. As a buyer two things matter: (1) Were there any changes to the aircraft that model year that matter? (I don't think there were), and (2) Is it being priced as a '79 or as an '80? If you go to the aircraft valuators on AOPA, Trade-a-Plane, etc. you'll find that with two planes of identical construction and hours, the one from the earlier model year will have a lower valuation. Buy it as a '79, sell it as an '80 :).
