Aircraft for Sale Home Page Table of Contents Selling Your Airplane
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Cost of Operation
Date: 03/04/99 Newsletter No. 04
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rcarpen@nilenet.com and give me an idea what you have in mind.
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Concept: This newsletter is about presenting information on a
wide range of aviation subjects of interest to pilots and/or
aircraft owners. The author has been a pilot for thirty years
with a wide range of flying experience. The author has also
sold General Aviation aircraft for over twenty three years.
Roger W. Carpenter 1901157 ATP, CFI/II (not current),AGI,IGI.
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Published Bi-monthly.
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Suggestions and constructive criticisms are eagerly invited.
Readers are invited to submit questions on any aviation subject
near and dear to their heart. We will do our best to come up
with intelligent answers. Hopefully other readers will help out.
Also, I hope that readers will submit articles for publication
in this newsletter.
Feature Article:
Some TIPS on What to Do When Buying an Airplane.
I talk to people all the time that go about buying a used
aircraft, in my opinion, all wrong. Having sold airplanes for
quite a while, I would like to present some thoughts on buying
an aircraft the right way. I am assuming, for the sake of
discussion that an aircraft of interest has been located and
it is a first time buyer we are talking about.
Flying around the country to look at various aircraft can get
VERY expensive. In addition, first impressions can be dangerous.
Why? If a plane has fresh paint and interior, people have been
known to buy it on the spot with no further checks. The opposite
has also happened. "Beauty is only skin deep" can also be true
with airplanes. Beware!
But if we don't look at a plane, how will we know if we want to
buy it? I'm only saying that flying around and kicking tires is
not the FIRST step.
Once you have found an interesting candidate, contact the dealer,
broker, or owner and request some color photos and a "spec"
sheet. The photos are important. If you just don't like the looks
don't go any further unless other factors are more important. An
aircraft that is ugly to you, after the sale, can get old in a
hurry. Also, the "spec" sheet should not be taken as gospel but
as general information that needs to be expanded upon
and VERIFIED.
Many people also try to get the selling party to send copies of
the logs etc. This is often done but, as a seller, I personally
don't like to do it. Why? It very seldom helps a sale and most
often hurts because of false impressions. Although I have managed
three large FBOs and have been involved in hundreds of sales, I'm
not sharp enough to get a real picture of an aircraft just by
going through the log books myself. Logs books should be examined
at the same time a physical inspection is going on and only by a
QUALIFIED mechanic. An Inspection Authorization (IA) mechanic
is preferred.
A note on log books. Without going into a lot of detail, keep in
mind that some mechanics write in detail, most don't. One could
write volumes about what mechanics leave out. What they do write
can give totally wrong impressions. If the shop where the plane
has been maintained is a Repair Station, there will probably be
very little entered into the logs. The Repair Station is not
required by the FAA to make detailed entries. Besides, most
mechanics I know are not English majors.
So what should we do? Once you decide to pursue a possible sale,
go to an AOPA Airport Directory and find an FBO in the general
area of the airplane you're after. Find several. Talk to the shop
managers and find one you like. Agree on a "flat rate" price to
to do pre-buy inspection for you. For the average single engine,
fixed gear airplane, this will usually run around $250 to $300.
TIP: Don't get talked into having an Annual Inspection done.
Always have your routine maintenance done close to home. (Another
subject). Then have the seller arrange to bring the aircraft to
this mechanic that is WORKING FOR YOU. It never ceases to amaze
me WHY some people don't want to spend a few hundred bucks to
possibly save untold thousands. These are the ones that always
scream "mis-representation" and what else. Remember - try to buy
an aircraft on the cheap and you will probably regret it, big.
Besides, what is found on a physical inspection of an airplane
can become a subject of negotiation that can lead to reduction
in price. These amounts can be substantial.
Sometimes it is possible to get the seller to bring the aircraft
to your location for an inspection. Most often not because of the
distance involved and a bunch of things can go wrong, usually for
the seller. In any event, pay a mechanic to look at the really
important things (What things? another newsletter)
A final comment: Try to avoid getting advice from people that
have no vested interest in the plane. Around any airport are
gossips that "sound" knowledgeable but really don't their rear
end from third base. Get in the habit of calling people that do
know. Aircraft, engine, propeller etc manufacturers are more
than happy to give you the straight information. Your local FAA
office can sometimes (not often) give you good information.
Want to know about insurance or finance? Call the people that
write aircraft insurance or finance aircraft. The Web or the
Yellow Pages are very handy in these cases. Particularly, call
several insurance companies. Rates can vary greatly. Also,
talking to an owner of the model you're looking at could be very
helpful. If you need somes names of owners, your local library
may have an FAA registry. If not, call me and I can help.
Roger
Questions and Answers:
The following is correspondence between a reader and myself.
I thought it might be of interest to some of you.
FMONEIL wrote:
I am thinking of getting out of power boating and trying a
new experience which could be owning and flying my own aircraft.
I would appreciate you sending along anything which would give
me direction and insight into this area. Thank you
FMONEIL:
Go to the yellow pages and look for flight training. Take a demo
flight at a certified flight school. The object: find out if you
really like flying. I mean, down in your guts. It's a lifetime
commitment.
If you really do like flying, plan on $3,000 to $4,000. to get
a private license. Take a lesson at least once a week, twice is
better. Hit and miss lessons just results in having to re-learn
over again. Gets expensive. Plan on about 60 hours of dual
instruction and solo to get your license. Look at your private
license as opening the door to really learning how to fly a
plane. TIP: Be comfortable with your flight instructor. If not,
change! (Many Flight Instructors are not good teachers. They're
just building time for the airline job). Once you get your
private license, think instrument license. Even if you're not
ready to start formal instrument training, take an instrument
ground course or get instruction tapes. It will make you a
better pilot and a more confident one. TIP: Read "Stick and
Rudder", twice!) easily available at
<http://aircraft-airplanes.com/mainpage.html> from Amazon.
There are three primary things to remember about becoming a
safe pilot.
1. Know the limitations of the plane you're flying.
2. Know you're limitations as a pilot.
3. Know the weather. (Never disrespect Mother Nature)
4. Develop good flying habits. Remember, under stress
we all revert back to habit. Keep in mind the rule of "one". We
only have one "butt" to lose. If you don't respect these rules
of flying at all times, to paraphrase, "flight, even more so
than the sea, is unforgiving of carelessness".
When you're ready to buy your first plane, email me. I will have
some tips.
Roger
Other Information:
For a current listing of General Aviation aircraft for sale by
The R.W. Carpenter Company, go to
<a href="http://aircraft-airplanes.com">Visit Web site </a> or
http://aircraft-airplanes.com depending on browser.
In addition, I often recommend, what I feel to be the best book
ever written about flying an airplane, "Stick and Rudder" by
Wolfgang Langewiesche. I sincerely believe that every pilot
should read this "bible" at least twice. It WILL make you a
better pilot because it discusses flying an airplane from the
WYSIWYG perceptions a pilot receives. If you would like to order
it on-line or any of a million other books from Amazon click on
<http://aircraft-airplanes.com/mainpage.html> Great Discounts.
FREE service to my readers: If you would like a "book" appraisal
on an airplane, fill out the info sheet at my web site. Click on
<http://aircraft-airplanes.com/appraisal.htm> Don't forget to
click on the "submit" key. I'll get back to you.
NEW page at my Web Site. "Cost of Operation" analysis form.
Nothing fancy but it might give you some ideas for planning
purposes. http://aircraft-airplanes.com/cost_of_operation.htm
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