Sport Pilot Talk

I am not a fan of C-162 but mostly based on what I read about the plane and how Cessna (mis)managed this product - I have seen and been inside but never flown the plane.
TimTaylor , for instance, enjoyed it a lot and for this kind of money it is actually a pretty good deal , assuming everything else checks out ..

Where else can you get a decent LSA for 32 K ?

I haven’t seen 32k.

ryoder wrote:I haven’t seen 32k.

That price seems way too low to me based on all other C162's I've seen for sale or sold. I wonder if something is wrong with it?

TimTaylor wrote:

ryoder wrote:I haven’t seen 32k.

That price seems way too low to me based on all other C162's I've seen for sale or sold. I wonder if something is wrong with it?

I see 2 things wrong with it, you'll be taken to the cleaners as it needs a $6040 ADS-B package (not including installation) that should cost $1900 and it's a plane that has been orphaned by it's own manufacturer.

None of the 162 fleet is equipped yet. So they all need 6k adsb. Anyone who knocks the 162 who hasn’t flown it is in for a surprise once they get to know it. It’s comfy with great visibility and has excellent avionics for a good price.

ryoder wrote:None of the 162 fleet is equipped yet. So they all need 6k adsb. Anyone who knocks the 162 who hasn’t flown it is in for a surprise once they get to know it. It’s comfy with great visibility and has excellent avionics for a good price.

Agreed. I love that it's all metal with a Continental engine.

ShawnM wrote:

TimTaylor wrote:

ryoder wrote:I haven’t seen 32k.

That price seems way too low to me based on all other C162's I've seen for sale or sold. I wonder if something is wrong with it?

I see 2 things wrong with it, you'll be taken to the cleaners as it needs a $6040 ADS-B package (not including installation) that should cost $1900 and it's a plane that has been orphaned by it's own manufacturer.

Orphaned is good, you get to make your own replacement parts.

Otto wrote: Orphaned is good, you get to make your own replacement parts.

Only if you convert it to Experimental. If it's an SLSA and orphaned, you can't do much of anything, maintenance and modification-wise.

drseti wrote:
Only if you convert it to Experimental. If it's an SLSA and orphaned, you can't do much of anything, maintenance and modification-wise.

I was under the impression that the day a manufacturer stops supporting an S-LSA it’s effectively grounded until converted to E-LSA. Which makes sense, since no one is providing updates regarding mechanical or other safety issues whereby the aircraft’s airworthiness can be established.

Is that not correct?

This is why the FAA created "the great escape" clause in the light sport rules. So one could convert to E-LSA if/when the manufacturer went belly up and/or no longer supported the airplane. Converting to E-LSA is your only way out at this point.

Someone posted that S-LSA has it's benefits, there are NONE in the example of the Skycatcher unless you like waiting and waiting and hoping Cessna gets around to helping you and then overcharging you (or unless you use it for flight instruction)

This is why I believe that spending $6000 on ADS-B that costs $1800 is throwing good money after bad with a Skycatcher. This is a bad investment on an orphaned aircraft, again, my opinion. Spend the $500 and convert to E-LSA, solve all your issues going forward and not rely on a company that wishes they had never made this airplane and put the remaining $3700 back in your pocket for other upgrades or fuel.

I'm sure Cessna would like to do what GM did back in 2003 with the EV-1 car.

drseti wrote:

Otto wrote: Orphaned is good, you get to make your own replacement parts.

Only if you convert it to Experimental. If it's an SLSA and orphaned, you can't do much of anything, maintenance and modification-wise.

My bad I assumed the owner produced parts regulation applicable to regular airplanes would apply to SLSA

Otto wrote:

drseti wrote:

Otto wrote: Orphaned is good, you get to make your own replacement parts.

Only if you convert it to Experimental. If it's an SLSA and orphaned, you can't do much of anything, maintenance and modification-wise.

My bad I assumed the owner produced parts regulation applicable to regular airplanes would apply to SLSA

As a general rule, owner maintenance and parts replacement are far more restrictive under Light Sport rules, in that the manufacturer calls the shots. Part 43, concerning and allowing certain preventive maintenance, does not apply to Light Sport, and the manufacturer can be more restrictive. That was the case with my Sky Arrow.

FastEddieB wrote:

Otto wrote:

drseti wrote:
Only if you convert it to Experimental. If it's an SLSA and orphaned, you can't do much of anything, maintenance and modification-wise.

My bad I assumed the owner produced parts regulation applicable to regular airplanes would apply to SLSA

As a general rule, owner maintenance and parts replacement are far more restrictive under Light Sport rules, in that the manufacturer calls the shots. Part 43, concerning and allowing certain preventive maintenance, does not apply to Light Sport, and the manufacturer can be more restrictive. That was the case with my Sky Arrow.

Time for a re-read of part 43, because it certainly does apply to SLSA aircraft, and persons authorized to perform preventive maintenance. A sport pilot can perform any of the preventive maintenance items listed in part 43 appendix on a SLSA aircraft, provided the manufacture has a procedure for the item listed in the maintenance manual.

3Dreaming wrote:

FastEddieB wrote:As a general rule, owner maintenance and parts replacement are far more restrictive under Light Sport rules, in that the manufacturer calls the shots. Part 43, concerning and allowing certain preventive maintenance, does not apply to Light Sport, and the manufacturer can be more restrictive. That was the case with my Sky Arrow.

Time for a re-read of part 43, because it certainly does apply to SLSA aircraft, and persons authorized to perform preventive maintenance. A sport pilot can perform any of the preventive maintenance items listed in part 43 appendix on a SLSA aircraft, provided the manufacture has a procedure for the item listed in the maintenance manual.

Thank you, thank you, for clarifying that.
And, just as you mention, in the Flight Design Maintenance Manual, it is all right there . . . in no uncertain terms.

3Dreaming wrote:
Time for a re-read of part 43, because it certainly does apply to SLSA aircraft, and persons authorized to perform preventive maintenance.

Example...

Part 43 allows for “(24) Replacing and servicing batteries.”

The Maintenance Manual for my Sky Arrow, for battery replacement, says “Certification required: LSRM or A&P”.

So, I could not do such a simple task* until going Experimental.

My point was, one is restricted by the manufacturer, which my exclude Part 43 items.

*Which, as some may recall, I managed to botch once, regardless.


Edited to add: I misremembered, This is what my AMM says about battery replacement: