Want to Buy an Aircraft? Here Are Tips on What to Look For

Want to Buy an Aircraft? Here Are Tips on What to Look For

If you want to purchase an airplane then you need to do some research beforehand. In order to make a smart decision, you'll need a few tips for getting started. Even if you just want a small plane, and don't plan on spending that much money, you still need to take precautions before making your decision. Just as you would shop around before buying a car, you should also do the same when looking into aircraft sales. Actually, you should spend even more time in choosing your aircraft. To begin with, you need to ask yourself the following questions:

o What type of aircraft do you want to buy?
o Why do you even want one in the first place?
o What insurance and endorsements will you need in order to fly your plane legally?
o If you also want to buy aircraft equipment and tools, what all will you need?
o How often do you plane on flying?
o Where do you plan on flying to?

Answer these questions to narrow down your search. Once you have a pretty good idea about what you want and need, you can begin searching for your dream plane. Consult with your flight instructor and an unbiased inspector and ask them to help you find the best aircraft sale. Having professional assistance is essential, as they will be able to inspect the aircraft for you and offer you advice.

The mechanic you consult with should be one with an Inspector Authorization. He or she will be qualified for inspecting the aircraft during the pre-purchase period. If you can, make sure you are present during the inspection. That way you'll be able to view any problems firsthand before you buy the aircraft. There will more than likely be some kind of cosmetic flaws, if nothing else, and you need to know exactly what you're getting yourself into.

There are, however, a few flaws that will make the plane more trouble than what it's worth. Never go through with the transaction if you can't get a detailed history of the aircraft. Once you get a hold of all the damage history for the aircraft on sale, you need to look for the following: any major corrosion, incomplete logs, low compression, and wing-spar cracks. Also, if there are any missing logs or undocumented alterations, you should stay away from the plane and look elsewhere for one. If the damage is so bad that you'll have to use more money to buy aircraft equipment than the aircraft itself, then you need to take your business elsewhere.