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Looking For Airplanes For Sale?

Monday, January 28th, 2008

Back in 2001, I was looking for airplanes for sale because I wanted to move up from my Bonanza A36 single engine airplane to a twin engine turbine model. I had never looked for airplanes for sale before, but I had an idea of where to start. I obtained a copy of “Trade-A-Plane” and another publication called, “The Controller”.

Aircraft Brokers are another excellent source for airplanes for sale. I used a broker out of Chicago and it turned out to be an excellent decision. First of all, I had never shopped for a twin turbine airplane before, so I didn’t really know what I didn’t know, if you know what I mean. Hiring an expert to watch out for you while looking at airplanes for sale can really be worth the expense. Finding the right airplane broker is, of course, the hard part. I just happened to know the broker I ended up using, through a mutual friend. Deciding on what make and model of plane to purchase was the hard part.

Even before looking at planes for sale, you need to determine what it is you hope to accomplish with the airplane. If you hardly ever carry more than three passengers, go with the four seaters - you’ll save a bundle. Realize that the more time the engines have left on them, the more expensive the airplane is going to be. It’s always less expensive to add the avionics into an airplane, rather than buying the plane you want with the avionics already installed. Also realize that it is rare to find the perfect plane for you, in your home state. I was surprised that all of the airplanes that interested me required an out-of-state flight to go see them. I eventually ended up buying my Piper Cheyenne in Colorado, had a mechanic check it out in Illinois and then brought it to my home base in Michigan.

You should, however, still drive out to your local airports and see what is available on the ramp or from local dealers. You will find airplanes for sale advertised at the local FBO’s bulletin board, and airplanes for sale still use those “FOR SALE” signs in the windshields. I’ve found a good way to buy an airplane can be to find the plane you want and then track down the owner and tell him you are interested in buying. Many times, planes are sold that never were advertised as being on the market.

Going through the airplane’s logbooks is very important and something you will want a qualified person to do for you. It is not always evident if the plane has been damaged or involved in airplane crashes. Always verify if there as been any history of damage, prior to putting your deposit down.

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Looking For Airplanes For Sale?

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