The vast majority of the cost of aviation parts is paperwork. This won’t ever fly again, so there’s no need to get parts that are certified.
If they need a part and can find one that is used up, they’ll be able to get it dirt cheap - it’s literally trash when it’s reached its service life limits.
Not to mention, they can buy hardware (e.g. bolts) from Home Depot at 1% the cost of certified stuff.
Wouldn’t surprise me if they can hit the 250k budget and have something that looks serviceable (but will never fly again; that bridge was crossed long ago anyway).
That’s a “there is fuel” paperwork thing, not a plane paperwork thing. Probably would have cost that if that much fuel was in a bunch of buckets in an Oscar-Meyer Weinermobile.
It was less than 3k gallons of fuel - they probably could have dealt with it themselves (I bet someone out there would have loved to heat their house with that; it’s just really nice kerosene), had their initial reaction not been to call the authorities. After that point their hands were tied.
If they need a part and can find one that is used up, they’ll be able to get it dirt cheap - it’s literally trash when it’s reached its service life limits.
Not to mention, they can buy hardware (e.g. bolts) from Home Depot at 1% the cost of certified stuff.
Wouldn’t surprise me if they can hit the 250k budget and have something that looks serviceable (but will never fly again; that bridge was crossed long ago anyway).