Airplane for Sale - Used Aircraft Sales

The listings below change often. Keep current with this RSS feed

I’ve wanted to take flying lessons for years. And one day I plan to find an airplane for sale. However I know nothing, about used aircraft sales.

My standard M.O. when in the dark about a subject is to assume; in this case, that buying an airplane for sale is like buying a used car. That is, I assume the car is rotten. The trick is finding out how rotten and where the rot is on the car.

However, a car with mechanical defects is less problematic than n plane with defects. So before buying, I’m going to want to know all there is to know about what I don’t know and should know about the particular airplane for sale. I think the descriptive phrase obsessive anal retentive applies.

To become an expert about buying a plane, my first task is to read and re-read everything ever written on the subject. This also applies to the type of aircraft that fits my needs.

While researching this airplane for sale article, I came across an interesting piece, the gist of which is mentioned here.

The article mentioned the fact that when owners are downsized the first thing they sacrifice is maintenance on their airplanes. Their hope is to ride out the financial storm and catch up needed maintenance on the back end.

This was surprising and troublng  because it never occured to me that anyone would not take care of their plane. Because, as previously noted, a plane with problems is way more dangerous than a car with problems.

This writer also mentioned what he referred to as a “Fresh” annual and a “Fresh” overhaul. Now, since I don’t know squat about airplanes I'm not what this means. My guess is the “fresh” annual refers to a required annual FAA inspection. This is probably similar to the regular car inspections required by Penndot in my home state of PA.

The “fresh” overhaul may have to do with the necessity of being sure the plane doesn't suffer engine failure in flight. Car engines are seldom overhauled or replaced. We just push the old geezers until they quit.

But a plane’s engine and propeller is what pulls the thing through the air which creates lift. So if the motor fails, there’s no lift. And that ain’t good. So it makes sense that an airplane engine would need to be overhauled every so often.

Human nature being what it is, when owners get into financial difficulties, not only will they skimp on their maintenance; but eventually they’re going to dump the plane.

And when they put up Cessna, or whatever up for sale, a good selling feature is to be able to say that it's just had it’s required annual inspection and a recent overhaul.

Again, this reminds me of buying a used car in PA. Advertisements for used cars in PA will frequently mention that the car has just passed the most recent state inspection.

And if you live in a state with such car inspections, you know, that inspection may not be worth spit. The same is apparently true of a “fresh” annual and “fresh” engine overhaul of a used airplane.

Caveat emptor.,, let the buyer beware.

I appreciated the insight so much I think everybody thinking about an airplane for sale should read the entire article.

Here is the Link: http://www.smartplanes.com/Rick%20Durden%20Pre-buy.pdf