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 Post subject: Seneca Prebuy in Louisiana
PostPosted: 09 Jan 2018, 16:43 
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Joined: 07/27/13
Posts: 10
Aircraft: V-35B
Can anyone recommend a mechanic for a Prebuy inspection of a Seneca III in the New Orleans, LA area? Seems the closest Piper service center is in Monroe which is quite a distance from NO. Thanks!


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 Post subject: Re: Seneca Prebuy in Louisiana
PostPosted: 09 Jan 2018, 18:32 
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Joined: 03/03/10
Posts: 318
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Location: Picayune Ms.
Aircraft: 58 Baron / Decathlon
Wayne Phillips with Phillips aviation at KMJD is extremely thorough and knowledgeable. 601 569 3913


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 Post subject: Re: Seneca Prebuy in Louisiana
PostPosted: 09 Jan 2018, 19:52 
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Joined: 07/27/13
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Aircraft: V-35B
Thank you, Frank! I would appreciate any other recommendations in case Wayne is unavailable.


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 Post subject: Re: Seneca Prebuy in Louisiana
PostPosted: 10 Jan 2018, 07:27 
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Joined: 01/26/09
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Company: SkewTLogPro
Location: Tampa, FL (KVDF)
Aircraft: 1984 Bonanza A36TN
You might contact Steve Greenwood at Fly By Knight in Hammond. Steve is a BTer and he went above and beyond when I was in the area last fall.

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 Post subject: Re: Seneca Prebuy in Louisiana
PostPosted: 10 Jan 2018, 11:25 
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Joined: 04/28/09
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Aircraft: C-310K
Username Protected wrote:
Can anyone recommend a mechanic for a Prebuy inspection of a Seneca III in the New Orleans, LA area? Seems the closest Piper service center is in Monroe which is quite a distance from NO. Thanks!



I sent you a PM on a shop...


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 Post subject: Re: Seneca Prebuy in Louisiana
PostPosted: 10 Jan 2018, 16:26 
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Joined: 07/27/13
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Aircraft: V-35B
Thanks, Chad!


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 Post subject: Re: Seneca Prebuy in Louisiana
PostPosted: 11 Jan 2018, 09:46 
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Joined: 05/23/08
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Location: CMB7, Ottawa, Canada
Aircraft: TBM - C185 - T206
Get a Baron 58.

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Pistons engines are for tractors.

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 Post subject: Re: Seneca Prebuy in Louisiana
PostPosted: 11 Jan 2018, 21:08 
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Joined: 07/27/13
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Aircraft: V-35B
Username Protected wrote:
Get a Baron 58.


I don't disagree....hopefully I can move to a 58 if my initial foray into aircraft ownership goes ok.


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 Post subject: Re: Seneca Prebuy in Louisiana
PostPosted: 11 Jan 2018, 23:09 
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Joined: 01/30/09
Posts: 3343
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Location: $ilicon Vall€y
Aircraft: Columbia 400
Honestly, I really liked my Seneca II a lot. FIKI, turbos, reasonable fuel burn and good load carrying, comfortable, not hard to keep running.


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 Post subject: Re: Seneca Prebuy in Louisiana
PostPosted: 12 Jan 2018, 00:52 
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Joined: 07/27/13
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Aircraft: V-35B
Glad to hear that, Larry. I looked at everything from a P-Baron to E-55's and of course the Seneca. As a 6'3" aviator, the Seneca's wider cockpit won me over. That said, every Baron I flew was a joy to fly....come to think of it there isnt an airplane I've been in I didnt enjoy flying :).


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 Post subject: Re: Seneca Prebuy in Louisiana
PostPosted: 14 Jan 2018, 06:23 
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Joined: 12/14/12
Posts: 25
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Location: KABE
Aircraft: PA34200T
I have owned Baron 58 in the past and currently own a Seneca. Absolutely love both the airplanes. If you have any questions you can PM me.


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 Post subject: Re: Seneca Prebuy in Louisiana
PostPosted: 14 Jan 2018, 08:38 
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Joined: 08/15/11
Posts: 2388
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Location: Mandan, ND
Aircraft: V35
We run a couple Seneca IIIs for clients. Feel free to PM with questions. One has intercoolers and runs like a scalded cat.


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 Post subject: Re: Seneca Prebuy in Louisiana
PostPosted: 15 Jan 2018, 14:34 
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Aircraft: V-35B
Chris and Nouman, thanks for offering your wisdom. I would be interested to hear your thoughts on common problem areas on the Seneca III, especially the expensive to fix ones. This would include any ADs that are pricey to comply with. I became pretty familiar with the Baron carrythrough spar AD, but I havent been through enough Senecas to get a feel for where the danger areas are.

Do either of you happen to know if it is possible to drop the oil pan without removing the engine on a Seneca? I used this technique on a Baron that had not been flown much and discovered a badly rusted bottom-end. I would like to get a look at the bottom end of the TIO-320s.

The airplane I am looking at has a fixed wastegate and does not have intercoolers. I understand that even the Merlyn wastegates require adjustments to manifold pressure as you climb. Just curious to hear your thoughts on increased engine management workload and performance differences without an auto-wastegate and/or intercoolers.

Any other words of wisdom you have regarding evaluation of these airplanes would be appreciated. I will, of course, do a thorough pre-buy inspection, but your thoughts would help focus the effort on the most common (and expensive) trouble spots. Thanks!


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 Post subject: Re: Seneca Prebuy in Louisiana
PostPosted: 15 Jan 2018, 21:03 
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Joined: 01/30/09
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Location: $ilicon Vall€y
Aircraft: Columbia 400
I'll chime in a bit:

1. Nose gear. There's an AD for certain parts of the nose gear system, but there's a very lengthy and quite detailed SB that goes into it. One thing to get a thorough look at, which isn't covered by the AD or SB, is the tubular mount and the brackets which the nosewheel steering mount to.

2. The engines are surprisingly reliable. They get a bad rap, but they never gave me much to worry over. The Seneca III has the TSIO-360-KB engines, which are exactly the same as the -EB engines on the Seneca II - except they set the prop governor to 2800rpm instead of 2575rpm. Then they added 20hp for five minutes of take off. The power tables were re-written so that what was 75% power on the Seneca II is now 65% power on the III. Not really a great idea in my opinion. The new 75% power rating on the Seneca III is essentially takeoff power on the Seneca II. Cylinder longevity will come into play if they are run this hard.

3. I lived with the regular fixed orifice wastegates the whole time I owned the plane. You just get used to it.

4. Check the play in the rudder trim tab, and especially the stabilator tab. They should both move smoothly and freely, with no or nearly no play. Most of them have a lot of play.

5. Main landing gear need a good inspection. Check the trunion casting is not subject to recurring 25 hour inspections. (may not affect the III, but it can on the II if they've somehow never been updated. The III may have come from factory with the updated ones). Check the bolts that hold the gear to the ribs. The anchors sometimes get loos and they're a PITA.

6. I do not believe there is sufficient access to remove the oil pan with the engine on the mount. Not sure about that, never tried, but from memory, I don't think so.

7. Improper club seat conversions. factory club seats are readily ID'd by the legs which bolt to the rear spear carry through. Improper conversions are not uncommon, done by simply reversing the mounting brackets to the floor board of the middle row forward facing seats. These lack sufficient anchor strength and seat belt attachments are likely not safe.

8. Corrosion is an issue at the rear spar attach points and fuselage, especially from leaky windows. (affects many PA28, PA32, PA34, PA44 models).

9. On twins, it is important that the propellers feather reliably. The prop makers recommend 4-year overhauls, regardless of hours. I don't think they necessarily need overhauls (which also means mandatory grinding of blades), but in my opinion, they should be opened up, inspected, repaired as necessary and resealed about that often. The hubs can suffer internal issues and corrosion.

Most of the rest is airplane and engine basic stuff.


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 Post subject: Re: Seneca Prebuy in Louisiana
PostPosted: 16 Jan 2018, 20:31 
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Joined: 08/15/11
Posts: 2388
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Location: Mandan, ND
Aircraft: V35
Yeah...what Larry said. ;)

I think (cannot recall) that the nose gear AD is every 100 hours. Once you buy it, find a shop that is familiar with Senecas and it is an easy inspection.

Check the nose steering stop limits to see if the are intact. Also look at rudder and nose tire when walking up to aircraft to see if the are aligned, indicating connected. It is easy to overseer them with tugs.

Inside baggage compartment, there is a triangle shaped plate on rear part of nose gear well. remove that and check to make sure roller is in track.


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