Champ serialized airframe?

T

therk

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First post so hope its in the right place. I have looked and could not find a thread on this. Does the Champ (1946) fuselage have a serial # stamped or engraved on the tubing? I know some or all Pipers do but could not find out about my Champ.
Bob
 
No it doesn't.
It should have the data tag with the model, serial number date of manufacture.
It must either be displayed in the cockpit where "...it can be readily seen from outside..." or actually mounted outside. My '46 came with both; a new-ish one I mounted on the top of the rear cabin wall along with the Airworthiness Certificate and Registration pouch. Both can be seen thru the rear windows.
The original tag was mounted to an inspection cover that was screwed to an inspection ring under the right stab. It's old and weathered but I put it back under the stab but with rivets and an aluminum backing plate under the fabric...
Hope this helps.
Chris
 
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Thank you. I am having some problems with the FAA on this plane since it was totaled by insurance company though it is not in bad shape. I am working with my IA and the FAA on registration and getting her flying again. I have the data plate and airworthiness cert so its the new FAA and repairing so called totaled airplanes. Did not have this issue with my 180
Bob
 
I’m going down that path as well, they tell me they need pictures of all sides and front and back as well as data plate with description of repair work. Then last I checked there 3 to 4 months behind on paperwork.
 
In your written statement to the FAA make sure to have the statement "...totalled by the insurance company due to not being economically viable for repair..." somewhere in the aircraft description to reinforce the plane was "totalled" for a financial reason, not because it was irreparable.
Sometimes the new FAA guys require a bit more explanation on care and feeding of old airplanes...the regs don't take everything into account.

Chris
 
That was the wording that was in the FAA letter we sent. Its just a pain in the ass that I don't have the registration and will have to hope that the FAA re registers it to me after the $$ is put into it. It's not that I don't trust the FAA :) I/WE do have close relationship with the local FSDO but still makes me nervous.
Bob
 
Hey !
Here's my experience with a Cessna 150 that still isn't registered after 4 yrs of trying (late 2017). The problem was that it was declared "scrapped / destroyed" in the FAA de-registration paperwork before I bought it. The FAA considers it non-existent. I have the airplane, airworthiness cert, data pale and logs. As Bruce said, they wanted photos of the complete airplane, but it had to be full assembled. Following the rebuild, I sent in the assembled photos in 2021, but during the rebuild period, the rules for FAA Order 8100.19 changed in 2018 to require a written plan of repair to be approved by the local FSDO and submitted to the FAA registration branch. I got the belated repair plan approved and submitted, but they're admittedly 4 mos. behind in all of there registrations.

And on top of that, the new registration number I applied for 2 yrs ago will not start to be processed until the airplane registration has been approved under its original de-registered N number. Another 4 mos ! Egads !
 
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