Author’s Saratoga in progress. Don’t tackle ûthe job unless you have a well-lighted hangar ûavailable. A consulting A&P isn’t a bad idea, ûeither.

A couple of years ago, I invested a considerable sum in upgrading the panel of my 1980 Turbo-Saratoga and I’d been thinking about upgrading the interior, too. The headliner and carpet had been replaced within the past few years but the upholstery and sidewalls were original and out of date.

This is a dilemma faced by many owners. I didn’t want to spend yet more money on the airplane, nor did I want it stranded in a shop for weeks getting an interior done. Fate intervened to present a solution. My airplane was the loser in an unexpected altercation with my hangar door and would be down for a couple…