It all started on April 5, 2012, with the receipt of a classified ad by e-mail, sent by a North American firm (Barnstormers.Com), which brings sellers and buyers together. The notice stated:
“1978 PIPER PA38-112 TOMAHAWK – $24,950 – FOR SALE – 1978 Piper PA38-112 Tomahawk N4438E Ser# 38-78A0604 2118 TTAF 121 SMOH 170 SPO Located at North Las Vegas Airport. Super clean, exceptionally low time Tomahawk. Good paint and interior and glass. KX155 Nav/Com with glideslope. Narco AT50A transponder, ICOM intercom, Hobbs meter, dual brakes, 30 gal. fuel capacity. Huge windshield and side and rear windows gives outstanding visibility in all directions. If you want to learn to fly this is an outstanding platform! Will sell with fresh annual. ELT and transponder are next due 10/2013.”
This was not the first offer, about a dozen had already been received. From exceptional opportunities to some very disappointing ones.
Initial inquiries are made. Two days later we found out that it had been sold. It was logical… no one passes up an opportunity like this!
We are still waiting for the next opportunity. A few days later, the seller calls us and informs us that the sale has fallen through, and that if we are still interested…
Quick decision by the board of directors. A signal is immediately given and negotiations move forward. It was decided to take it to the port of embarkation, Miami, flying from Las Vegas and there to disassemble it and put it inside a container bound for Ushuaia. It is also decided to purchase the container.
All legal formalities are carried out before the AFIP-ANA and the purchase is executed.
The Shareholders’ Meeting had already ratified -once again- the previous decision to purchase the aircraft. In other words, all the planets were aligned: excellent offer, very good price, there was enough money, the partners had expressed their complete agreement and the decision to buy was made. Result: Aeroclub Ushuaia adds one more aircraft to its extensive fleet, which will be assigned to the Flying School.
On 05/09/2012 the ship “Aconcagua” arrived in Ushuaia with our container and inside the “N4438E” Piper Tomahwak PA-38-112, with the engine upgraded to 125 HP. The first days of October we received the container at the Aeroclub and proceeded to anxiously unpack the brand new acquisition. We were very surprised to see that the aircraft far exceeded all our expectations.
The November aircraft, soon to be named LV-FFC, is the result of a transparent procurement process, which will soon take to the skies over Tierra del Fuego.
