Our beloved 180C was totaled, along with all other airplanes on the ramp, in a devastating hail storm last Sunday. All control surfaces, including the vertical stabilizer, were rendered unairworthy, the spinner was delaminated, windows were smashed, and the wings and the fuselage are densley covered with deep divots. There is no hope of economical repair.
We only owned Miss Mischief for a year. She was "born" at the Piper plant in 1965 and spent all of her life with various owners in the Detroit area until we liberated her and brought her to the wide-open Midwest last March. She was a faithful performer, and we have many fond memories of our time with her, particularly our first "true" cross country to Denver. It breaks my heart to think of her being parted out.
Fortunately, the insurance check for the hull value will cover the bank loan and leave just enough to pay for the very expensive annual that was completed the day before the hailstorm. If we're lucky, we'll be able to afford a replacement aircraft down the road, but there will never be another Little Miss Mischief.
We only owned Miss Mischief for a year. She was "born" at the Piper plant in 1965 and spent all of her life with various owners in the Detroit area until we liberated her and brought her to the wide-open Midwest last March. She was a faithful performer, and we have many fond memories of our time with her, particularly our first "true" cross country to Denver. It breaks my heart to think of her being parted out.
Fortunately, the insurance check for the hull value will cover the bank loan and leave just enough to pay for the very expensive annual that was completed the day before the hailstorm. If we're lucky, we'll be able to afford a replacement aircraft down the road, but there will never be another Little Miss Mischief.