Insight to Buying Your First or Next Aircraft

You will want to carefully make a manufacturer and model choice and determine the need for turbocharging as you will want to insure your selection meets the intended mission while providing margins of safety within your budget.

• Are you confident to want to purchase an airplane on your own, or would the help of an agent be preferred? Consider the following agent advantages:

1. Relationships with other sales and service specialists can help.
2. Though searching can be exciting, there will likely be levels of uncertainty and frustration. If making contacts on your own, consider advising a seller that you are financially qualified, and they can expect to hear from your agent. The conversational tone may change in your favor. If they are unwilling to work with an agent, advise you will pass.
3. Agent will complete an extended market search evaluating all options and make a recommendation.
4. Seller contacts will emphasize honest representation, mechanical condition, location and damage history, comparative values, willingness to negotiate discrepancies, pricing flexibility and in-depth conversation about engine, accessories and equipment operations as well as performance and reasons for selling.
5. Seller unwillingness to negotiate discrepancies discovered in flight test and prequalification will result in walking away. There is little sense in making a second mistake.
6. Agents ability to represent any trade-in for sale will create more willingness on part of seller.
• Once a possibility has been selected, the purchase process is the next step.
• Initial cosmetic review and demonstration flight observing for normal engine, accessory and equipment operations along with confirming performance is within book standards.
• Engine and propeller history and factory recommended overhaul times will be part of negotiation. Purchaser should not accept risk of an overdue propeller.
• Value of desirable equipment versus the right airframe and engine will be discussed. Deciding to purchase because of a glass panel or new paint may not be the best choice.
• Any oil leak is not an unacceptable risk.
• Age and condition of fuel tanks is part of determining a value.
• Presence of corrosion will be a game changer.
• Ask one final question to the seller. “What is going to surprise me? Might it be something good or disappointing? Now is the time for a seller to be brutally honest. Expect an answer.
• Purchase proposal to be worked out between buyer and agent. Proposal to be presented by agent with any agreement to be approved by purchaser. Seller will be reminded that this will be an outright purchase subject to a prequalification inspection without a trade.

Happy long-term customers are the success for any sales agent.