Hi 206'rs hoping you could all help me out here. I am a current owner of a 172 and am pending a purchase on a 1966 P206 with 1500 SMOH on the 520 engine. Airframe has 10,000 hours. I understand this is a less desirable 206, but a 206 nonetheless. Financially wondering where this airplane stands for it's value and hoping someone with more P206 knowledge could have a private convo with me about it. I don't want to publicly disclose the purchase price or too much info about the aircraft for sake of privacy to the owner and / or someone potentially making a better offer on it. If you are an 206 expert please let me know and would love to chat with you! Thanks!

I had a 207 with 11,000 hr airframe. I guess it all depends on what that airframe has been through. If it’s been inspected ……(as in actually inspected) and maintained as it should then I guess it’s just a number . California highway patrol had a handful of 185’s pushing 15-20k hrs on some of them awhile back. Guess that’s not real helpful but I do have a 66’ P-206 now though.

I wouldn’t call myself an expert, but I did buy a ‘71 206e back in September, so had been intently watching the market for a while. Mine has just over 10k hours on the airframe, which I didn’t think was a dealbreaker. There were lower houred planes that I read through the logbooks and found things I was less comfortable with than what I found in my plane’s logs. They’re all old planes, time can kill them as fast or faster than use might, depending on where they spent their time and what use they saw.

I'm not a 206 expert either but I do know they didn't start selling them until 1964, do you maybe have a 1966?

Is it the year or the P model that is supposedly less desirable? As a private user the P is a good choice, lot's of spouses appreciate having their own door to use.

1966 isn't too bad either, a couple years later they did increase the span of the tailplane which helps with the flare and later airplanes are easier to throw too many avionics into. Also as I've been discovering more and more in my maintenance business is that the older the Cessna the more likely it's got some sketchy old wiring hiding behind the panel, but that's something time + money can sort out easily.

Halestorm wrote:I'm not a 206 expert either but I do know they didn't start selling them until 1064, do you maybe have a 1966?

Is it the year or the P model that is supposedly less desirable? As a private user the P is a good choice, lot's of spouses appreciate having their own door to use.

1966 isn't too bad either, a couple years later they did increase the span of the tailplane which helps with the flare and later airplanes are easier to throw too many avionics into. Also as I've been discovering more and more in my maintenance business is that the older the Cessna the more likely it's got some sketchy old wiring hiding behind the panel, but that's something time + money can sort out easily.

I just assumed it was a typo (like your 1064) and that he meant 1966.

IMO there is no such thing as a less desirable 206. Maybe you could say that is what a 205 is, but seeing the asking prices on those lately brings me back to that there is no such thing as a less desirable 206.

Typo yes, it is a 1966. Some update Garmin GPS and avionics, STOL kit, Air Glass fork, bush tires etc. It's being offered at $115K would I be crazy not to get it for that deal and be able to still resell it at TBO around the same price?

While I'm not an owner, I have some experience operating them. I remember when our U206 was undergoing extensive maintenance, and we had a loaner older 206. If I recall correctly, it had a smaller tail. For backcountry flying, I prefer the larger tail; I felt our U206 could land softly and short, while the loaner seemed to require more speed for the same gentle touchdown. However, I only flew the loaner for about a month before we got our U model back.

Does it have the factory seaplane kit?

At 1500 isn’t is basically at TBO?

Gorepedo wrote:Typo yes, it is a 1966. Some update Garmin GPS and avionics, STOL kit, Air Glass fork, bush tires etc. It's being offered at $115K would I be crazy not to get it for that deal and be able to still resell it at TBO around the same price?

Here's the problem with that suggestion: At 1500 on the engine, you are essentially AT TBO, or close enough that if you fly it at all, it'll be there. Like, 200 hours....... So, in my opinion, you're really looking at this wrong. Here's how I'd view it:

The plane has several attractive features (Sportsman kit, nose strut upgrade, etc.). With 10,000 TT, the airframe could be in pretty bad shape, or actually in pretty good shape. IF it's really in pretty good shape, AND, everything else looked good (Avionics?? Most of these older airplanes have VERY old VERY tired radios, like Narco, King 170, etc.....), that price MIGHT be good.

So, if you buy it, plan on putting AT LEAST $60 K in reserve for engine.....which it could need at any moment.... Then, when the engine tells you it's time, upgrade to an IO-550 and three blade prop, and you'll have a Horse, for only ~ $170K. And, that might be a good deal, depending on the plane. Look into the price of avionics also.....a Decent Garmin nav/comm these days is pushing $10K installed.

Otherwise, wait till you have a 206 budget and buy something with known

MTV

Almost all of the time, the "cheap" option is generally the most expensive option. People are constantly trying to convince themselves that things are different from what they actually are.

MTV has some good advice. Your choice... pay now, or pay later.

And with respect to the 10k hrs... yikes.

Yes there are some high time birds that are VERY well maintained. Indeed the CHP did have a fleet of Skywagons that had insane hours on them. One I saw had like 25k. BUT... the CHP also had an INSANE maintenance schedule. I surveyed a high time 185 like this, in fact, I was able to track down the retired DOM who ran their program and had a very insightful conversation, and was able to read thru their maint program. Very cool indeed...

With super high time 206s, It'd be safe to assume it was probably used in a 135 operation, and undoubtably "flown" by young pilots cutting their teeth, overseen by overworked mechanics working on shoe string budgets. Suffice it to say, that combo would be something I'd coach my customers to avoid.

My advice is to dig deeper, and spend more than you are prepared to do. Again, pay now, or pay later.

For personal use I would prefer the P model. This one used to hang around here (now in Fiji).

I fly a 1966 P206B. Its got a little over 7000hrs on it now. I have a thread on it here called the ramp mummy 206. I much prefer the early 206 with the 2 doors for personal use. The smaller stab isn't that big of a deal, just needs a shot of power in the flare. It flies very nice.
I also prefer to buy a plane with a higher time engine. At least that way you know you have an overhaul coming up. There has been far too many low time engines needing tops or majors due to corrosion. Paying a premium for a low time engine just doesn't compute for me.
There is some cons with the older 206s. for example, Garmin has left them off the STC for the GFC500 autopilot. Frustrating, but there is a few others as well. So some mods may end up costing you a bit more.
If the 10k airframe has been well taken care of, then I'd say you are in good shape and I'd say that's a good price. Just make sure you get a very good pre buy done on it.

I just moved from a C182 to a 1968 TP206C a month ago. I'm really happy with the the "passenger" configuration with the door. And even though there's no big utility door the rear baggage door is larger and more useful than a 182/172.

Only thing I would mention especially on higher time air frame is double check the rear bulkhead for cracks. They made them too thin and they warp and crack. I had to replace one on a 182 and its not cheap.

72-07-09/39-1988 - Cracks And Loose Bolts In Fin & Rudder
https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExterna ... pened=true

Gorepedo wrote:Typo yes, it is a 1966. Some update Garmin GPS and avionics, STOL kit, Air Glass fork, bush tires etc. It's being offered at $115K would I be crazy not to get it for that deal and be able to still resell it at TBO around the same price?

If you don’t want it, I know someone that might.