How can we help you?
A Note from the Office Manager
I can't tell you how many off the wall questions we've gotten, different oddball requests and the most fun challenges. Most of the time, we are able to help and conclude with a happy customer. At the very least, we can help point in the right direction. All it takes is a phone call, and believe me; I have heard much weirder things. Want to transform a static display Beech into a guest house on your front lawn? We can and have done it! Want to move a Beech overseas to plunk on a beach, and use in a commercial as Amelia Earhart's Electra? Sure thing! Do you need to figure out how to put a dozen aircraft on a carrier for a rouond trip event across the Pacific? We've got the hoists all ready from last time!
If I don't answer your call that I hope to get, just know we're busy doing something crazy like the above, and will get back to you as soon as we can.
Flight Services
We offer a wide variety of flying services, incuding Flight Instruction: we can assist with your BFR, a full check out in the Beech 18 of any variety, recurrency training or even initial flying to see if the Beech is something you'd like to buy. We've got you covered.
We also provide tours, or sightseeing adventures, as well as local rides or charter. Give us a call for a quote for your next adventure!
Need your aircraft transported for any reason? We'll come to you and deliver your plane wherever you like, and even provide flight training along the way.
Rentals
Our vast historical collection covers obscure and common military vehicles, as well as aircraft equipment such as the ball turret from the famous B-29 Superfortress. Just ask us, we probably have it or can get our hands on it for your film or tv show needs! Our equipment has been featured in many films and shows such as USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage, Nova, Weapons Hunter, Masters of the Air, and many more. We not only rent equipment out for movie productions, but our collection is also available for local or global photography shoots such as Banana Republic, or any budding photographer looking for WWII artifacts to make their folio just that much more perfect. Click here for more information on the rentals we offer.
Maintenance and Restoration
Whether it's Beechcraft, Cessna, Lockheed, Douglas, Mitchell or more, we can assist with any restoration or routine maintenance on most vintage aircraft. Our history is with warbirds of all kinds. We encourage you to give us a call for your obscure aircraft questions. We can provide technical information such as: manuals, production drawings and blue prints, technical orders, factory manuals, FAA/CAA approved flight manuals, military flight and maintenance manuals, service bulletins and engine and accessory manuals not only for the Beech 18 but for hundreds of other aircraft and components. Vintage Aircraft can assist with the following and anything else you can throw at us:
Full Restorations
With an extensive collection of manuals and publications, as well as records regarding the authenticity of a multitude of different aircraft, we can help meet your restoration project's needs in any capacity. Either over the phone as advice, or in person a direction, or in our shop as hands on maintenance, we can assist your efforts for an Oshkosh Authenticity Award.
Inspections
We can help you with initial inspections for buying your Warbird, or even provide the mandatory annual inspections at your request. All we need is a little information on the plane you have or will have, and the inspection of your particular need begins.
Pre Purchase Inspections
The Pre Purchase Inspection of the Beech 18 is an important evaluation tool that is designed to help you determine the condition of a Beech prior to purchase. Our inspection includes a basic airframe inspection, engine run up and system checks, review of the log books and documentation and and a web report with photographic documentation. During the inspection, we will take approximately 500 to 1000 photos and possibly videos. The pertinent photos will be posted below with necessary comments. Although the pre purchase inspection and report is similar to how our annual inspections are conducted, please understand that they are not at all the same. The pre purchase inspection is done by one person, and typically takes a good portion of one day to inspect and photo document the aircraft and documents provided. It usually takes another full day or two to analyze the photos and prepare the web based report. Click Here for more information on our pre purchase inspection services.
Note: Please be sure to do a title search to look for any liens or encumbrances that might be filed with the FAA.
Annual Inspections
Another basic tool for preserving the condition and airworthiness of the aircraft is the Annual Inspection. Our basic annual inspection (run up, open airframe, inspect, lube and close) on average, takes two mechanics one week to perform. We do offer a reduced rate on our annual inspection if we have done the pre purchase inspection within 6 months. Once the annual inspection is completed, a squawk list will be generated for review with categorized importance of the work that needs to be done. Work will begin once this list is approved, and all work is completed on a time and materials basis.
100 Hour Inspections
Much like the above, the 100 hour inspection is well within our means, and knowledge base to complete for you. Call us for information on our current flat rate pricing.
FAA Inspections
We've all been there before, with an impending visit from the FAA and the concern that precedes it. Give us a call, and we can help you make sure your documentation regarding your aircraft is complete, and ready for scruitiny.
Ground Transportation
Now that you have purchased a really cool Twin Beech project there is one big question that you have to answer: just how am I going to get it home? One of the reasons why these Beech's are sitting where they are is because of their size. The wingspan is about 47-48 feet, and the length is about 35 feet. When you take the wings off (they come off just outboard of the engine nacelles) the width is reduced to 17 feet. This can be a pretty wide object to move down the road and maybe even through the gate leading out of the airport. If you live close to the airport this may not be a problem as you might just want to make a bracket or bucket for the tail wheel and tow it by putting the tail wheel in the back of your buddy's pick up truck. A Beech will tow nicely this way but you have to be very careful because the tail wheel is not very strong. If you hit some pot holes at speed, or try to pull the aircraft out of ruts or on flat tires, you can damage the tail gear or fuselage. Take is slow and easy and have someone follow you with a radio to make sure that you are going to clear objects along your path.
Some companies use low boy semi trailers that are made to haul 50 to 100,000 pounds. This suspension is too rigid for a delicate airframe. We built a trailer using two low slung 5000 pound rated axels that work perfectly for the weight of a complete Twin Beech. It was very costly to build this trailer, but it was justified as we had purchased three more project aircraft, one in California and two in Arizona. If we had to hire others to move these aircraft, it wouldn't have been economically feasible to buy them. Moving your new project via this method can be expensive. It can cost up to $6 or more per mile to move a loaded Beech. Unloaded mileage fees are less but this is a major consideration and expense when you are thinking about buying a project. We have seen plans for home built rigs posted on the internet, and so far these plans look like they could easily damage an airframe. Please keep these thoughts in mind if you are going to build a rig yourself.
We will move your aircraft in the most safe, secure way possible. There are little boundaries for where our trailer rig cannot go! Keep us in mind for your ground transportation needs, or ask us about your ferry flight options. Click Here for more information on our ground transportation services.