Shop Project

Air-Mods typically takes-on about one shop project a year.  We consider a shop project an aircraft project that requires major reconstruction and, most often, one that we can work on as time allows (i.e. - without a set deadline).  By major reconstruction, that usually means that one or two of the major components (fuselage, empannage, or wing) have to be swapped-out from other airplanes or rebuilt from new or fabricated parts. 

We enjoy this work for a couple of reasons.  First, we enjoy the pride in bringing an aircraft back to life from parts from other airplanes.  Like most pilots, we hate to see an airplane abandoned or scrapped.  Second, because this work keeps us knowledgable on the engineering that goes into the manufacturing of the aircraft - which strengthens our skillsets when performing maintenance and even pre-buy inspections during our day-to-day operations. 

This work is labor intensive and requires specialized expertise and equipment, such as wing jigs and sheet metal fabrication machines, in order to do it right.  As such, we are one the few shops on the east coast that can take-on this type of work and, more importantly, can do this work with the quality that matches or exceeds the original manufacturing standards.  As an example, we're one of the few shops in the country that can replace wing spar caps on a Mooney and, moreover, with the wing still joined to the fuselage - saving time and related expense for the customer.

Sometimes customers bring these project to us, and sometimes we just stumble upon them.  But it just seems to work out that we have one in the works at any given time.  Project in the past have included:

  • Mooney M20K / 252:  airplane was totalled in an off-airport gear-up landing (occupants were OK).  We joined the aft fuselage and empennage to the forward fuselage, overhauled the engine, installed a new prop, new interior, and new avionics.
  • Mooney M20J / 201:  airplane wing was severely damaged, but not totalled (occupants were OK).  We replaced the wing from a "M20K", installed the landing gear, gear doors, and control surfaces.
  • Piper PA 160 / Warrior - hangar accident which caused structural damage to the empannage resulting in the insurance company totalling the airplane.  We refrabricated the structural members of the tail section, fabricated and installed new sheet metal, and painted to match the existing paint scheme. 
  • And the list goes on....

These airplane continues to fly today and the owners are quite pleased with the results!

 

Our current shop project is a 1978 Mooney M20J/201.  Due to water contamination in the fuel, the airplane suffered an off-airport landing shortly after take-off.  The occupant was OK, the mid-time engine and prop were also OK, but the airplane was totalled.  As you can see, though, the glass and door are in very good condition! 

We are in the process of rejoining the two halves of the fuselage, an empannage, and a wing from an "F" model.  Once we have the airplane sitting on gear in the new wing, we'll then reinstall the engine, avionics, and interior before sending it out for paint.

Stats & Equipment:

  • Total time on airframe: 2700
  • SMOH: 835 Prop: 772
  • KX 165 Nav/Com
  • KX 155 Nav/Com
  • KT76C Digital Transponder
  • BFG 950 Stormscope
  • EDM 700 Graphic Engine Monitor
  • King KCS 55A HSI
  • Century IIB Autopilot
  • Thick windows
  • Low Profile Main Gear Doors
  • Overlapping Nose Gear Doors
  • Single-piece Fiberglass Belly

Please check back from time to time to see the progress. If you are interested in buying this airplane, the current price is $40,000 and it includes all of the parts necessary for rebuild. As we continue to invest time into it, accordingly, the price will continue to increase and should max-out in the low $70,000's. Of course, you can jump-in and make an offer at any time, or wait until we're done. But check back or stop in to see us!

Dave