At nearly every airport you’ll find aircraft that haven’t flown in years. Some are hidden in private hangars, some are stashed in the corners of maintenance shop hangars and some are ramp derelicts that are begging for rescue from the harsh elements. Is it worth getting involved with these neglected birds given the number of airworthy ones on the current market? The short answer is maybe, but only with the right approach and a healthy dose of realism. Hint: Seldom is there a great deal.
For this field report, we talked with owners who have endured the realities of rescuing a neglected aircraft and describe why it might and might not be worth the effort and investment risk.