“When I installed the wiring for the instrument panel, I knew that down the road I was going to be installing an autopilot, and that I was going to be installing ADS-B In, so I had wired those and left those wires terminated and labeled. You wouldn’t take pictures for the purpose of getting published, of course, but you can’t have too many photos when you’re about to start reinstalling things. One of the reasons that Piehl’s restoration worked in the magazine is because he had taken thousands of pictures. “If you don’t have the time to do it right in the first place, when are you going to find the time to rework it?” Piehl said. This is an airplane.”Īnd besides the obvious safety concerns, it’s cheaper in the long run to do it once, properly. “This isn’t a car or a boat, where you can pull over. “Don’t skimp on anything, anything at all,” Piehl said. If you are not wealthy, be prepared to take your time and do the restoration right, because your goal is to assemble only one time. That is one lesson that Piehl has for people, as he stated numerous times during this series.
Upgrading a plane on the cheap only costs more in the long run. “In addition to that, I’ve learned that there are a lot of people in our close-knit, small community of airplane owners and enthusiasts that are willing to either lend a hand or work for a decent wage.”Ģ) If you can’t afford to do it right, delay until you can. “Everybody has the hands-on ability to do something related to the restoration of an airplane, whether it be stripping and priming, wiring up a panel, putting in lights, it can be anything. “Everybody knows their strengths and weaknesses,” Piehl said. There are a few things that Piehl hopes other pilots, even those who aren’t about to take on a major years-long restoration, can learn from his experience, besides the specific advice throughout this series.ġ) There is always something you can do yourself. This plane is being recognized by so many people who want to learn from what I’ve done.” Piper PA-24 Comanche Review Lessons Learned These articles have been the most satisfying part. “I think what most satisfied me was three days after I first flew the plane, I’m in one of the vendor hangars in Oshkosh and I meet. “There are so many aspects of the restoration, from paint to engine to instrument panel,” he said. Piehl visited the Piper Owner Society booth, which resulted in this article, and the rest is now history in the form of a seven-part magazine series. “The plane was basically three days old at that point,” Piehl said. The next day was Tuesday, and that’s when he left his home airport of Zephyrhills Airport (KZPH) in Florida on his way to Oshkosh. The next day, I hired David again and we went higher, and again there were no squawks.” The next day, I went out myself for 45 minutes of touch and goes. We flew for two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon.
But when we took off, it was straight and level, hands off. “I didn’t know if it was going to bank left, bank right, go up, go down, or whatever. “I recruited a young CFI David Lyons, who works on our field to sit in the right seat and monitor the engine,” Piehl said.
His first flight was July 24, 2021, the plane’s first flight in 34 years.
Piehl estimates he put 3,500 hours into this plane’s restoration during its three-year overhaul.
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Comanche Engine and Mounts: What Happens During an Upgrade.Restoring the Interior of a Legacy Piper: How You Can Save Money.How and Why to Strip Your Plane Yourself Before it Gets Repainted.
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#Piper comanche series#
We’re hoping that no matter which area of your Piper you’re working on, something in this series will help you to do it better or more affordably.Īt some point in this restoration, Piehl did pretty much anything that a legacy plane owner will need to do. Our series, which started in the February issue, has chronicled the upgrade and restoration of Greg Piehl’s Comanche. Greg was flying during this flight, with his friend Joe Cumbey co-piloting, and (not seen) dog Beau is piloting from the back seat.Īt long last, this 1959 Comanche that was disassembled and trailered from Massachusetts to Florida and rebuilt piece by piece over the previous three years is ready for flight. Photos of this 1959 Piper PA-24 Comanche Review by Jack Fleetwood ( The plane is owned by Greg Piehl and his wife Deb.
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