US Air Force Academy DA 40s for sale: would you buy a trainer? | FerrariChat
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US Air Force Academy DA 40s for sale: would you buy a trainer?

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by Juan-Manuel Fantango, Dec 27, 2012.

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  1. Juan-Manuel Fantango

    Juan-Manuel Fantango F1 World Champ
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    #1 Juan-Manuel Fantango, Dec 27, 2012
    These look like a lot of plane for the money, and have less hours than I would have have imagined at 800-900.

    Would you buy a plane that had been a trainer at the US Air Force Academy? Seems like the maintenance would have been the best possible, but also lots of maneuvering and potentially hard landings. I think there may be a deal here, and I kind of like the stickers.

    http://www.flightlinesolutions.com/Aircraft_Sales.html

    Currently Available: (10) 2008/2009 Diamond DA40 CS aircraft recently released from a flight training contract at the US Air Force Academy. These exceptional aircraft have been professionally operated by the USAF and meticulously maintained by Doss Aviation to USAF and FAA Part 145 standards.
     
  2. Juan-Manuel Fantango

    Juan-Manuel Fantango F1 World Champ
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    #2 Juan-Manuel Fantango, Dec 27, 2012
    I was wondering about auto pilot and thinking they would not have them-they don't. I would think that the lack of one would be better for the students and also the bottom line. The salesman said book is 190K, with most others listed much higher. Sold a few in the 190s, 180s and now dropped to sell. Auto pilots are 35-45K. I don't think we could have gone on some of the long trips in the head and cross winds without a good auto pilot.
     
  3. rovingtravler

    rovingtravler Formula Junior

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    #3 rovingtravler, Jan 7, 2013
    US military aircraft are maintained to much higher standards than general aviation. The only real question is end of life components and TBO times.

    I can go look if need be. I will have to check them out.
     
  4. FarmerDave

    FarmerDave F1 World Champ
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    #4 FarmerDave, Jan 7, 2013
    Last edited: Jan 7, 2013
    So I read this website describing the aircraft for sale and was surprised to learn that the USAF did not own the planes but rather had a lease contract on them... it never occurred to me that the Air Force might lease planes but it appears that's a common practice after I did a quick web search...

    I also found it interesting that the Air Force decided to no longer lease aircraft for the Air Force Academy training purposes but to buy their own after the lease was up on the planes in the original post.

    Edit 1: the copied article below lists a different model , I realized after rereading. I'll try to find the source again, maybe two different programs but then again maybe bad journalism.

    Edit 2: Further reading tells me that the T52a are the military training variant of the DA20, so, I guess this article below is talking about the same airplanes.

     
  5. Tcar

    Tcar F1 Rookie

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    #5 Tcar, Jan 7, 2013
    These are the people that maintained the aircraft...

    http://www.dossaviation.com/
     
  6. TRScotty

    TRScotty F1 Rookie
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    #6 TRScotty, Jan 8, 2013
    Ok Ferrari guys, N348AF and N328AF are still available!!
     
  7. David_S

    David_S F1 World Champ
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    #7 David_S, Jan 8, 2013
    Ughhhh - the timing belts & exhaust manifolds on those will eat you alive! :)
     
  8. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #8 donv, Jan 8, 2013
    I don't imagine they are any worse than any other trainer, and probably have had better maintenance than most. I wouldn't let that history stop me-- although I wouldn't pay a premium for one either.
     
  9. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    #9 BigTex, Jan 10, 2013
    They are selling pretty quickly!!

    That's a very nice looking plane.....
     
  10. Tcar

    Tcar F1 Rookie

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    #10 Tcar, Jan 10, 2013
    Do you get to keep the AF suffix 'N' number?
     

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