Airplane for Sale - The first step to buying
The Buy-Me Bug bites unexpectedly. The resultant yearning may start after looking through the airplane section in the classifieds of an aviation magazine, it may be triggered by an airplane for sale advertisement on the notice board at the local flying school or it may simply get switched on by looking at the brand new little Cessna on the runway, vibrating with energy before the flight.
There is no potion or lotion on this planet that could cure the effects of this Buy-Me Bug's bite. For you, right now, the only remedy is succumbing to that gorgeous airplane.
But, stop!
Relish at the excitement of the prospect by all means, but don't lose your head. Buying an airplane is not a solo flight. You need several ‘co-pilots' to help you in making an informed decision before spending your hard earned money.
For starters, you should take one step back and look at the bigger picture. Then you will need to answer some questions for yourself relating to the airplane in order to determine whether it is, in fact, suited to your requirements:
Questions To Ask When Buying An Airplane For Sale
• Who will fly my new airplane? Me or someone else?
• Do I want to carry passengers? If so, is the airplane large enough for that?
• If you will be doing your own flying, do you have the necessary skills and ratings to fly the airplane?
• Will the airplane be maintainable in terms of spares and service?
• What is the manufacturer and in particular, these models of airplane's aviation track record in terms of safety?
• Speak to people who own airplanes identical to the airplane your looking at. You can contact these owners either in person or via the Web. There are many sites where owners comment on the airplanes they bought. Simply do a search on the manufacturer and model.
Having answered these questions around the particular airplane, you will be in a position to make an in-principle decision on whether this type of airplane is suited to your needs and whether this type of airplane is deemed a good buy in general by aviation authorities and airplane owners alike.
This first step towards buying an airplane should never be circumvented in any way. The help you will need from the second step onwards will cost money. Hence pre-qualifying any airplane that takes your fancy is always a really good idea.