Now that you've got your pilots license you're probably thinking about buying your first plane. Well, buying a plane is not similar to buying any other commodity where you just walk into your store, check out a few products before setting your mind on one piece and bringing it home! You have to check out a few important things
Some of those 'Aircraft for Sale' ads look pretty attractive wirral logs but you don't really know anything about planes yet - other than how to keep one in the air. These ads are very intelligently made to make things easy and appear very simple but it is always not so. You have to bargain and bargain right!
So how do you know if those ads are really a bargain? Here are 3 things to look for when perusing the 'Aircraft for Sale' ads.
Condition - While you should never judge a book solely by its cover, you also don't want to buy a used airplane that looks like it's been through World War III. When you are checking out any available aircraft for sale, you have to be very careful. If the exterior and interior of the plane are in good condition it's a pretty safe bet that the plane's been well taken care of mechanically, too. However, this does not mean that the aircraft can be trusted easily - you have to still be alert when you are purchasing it. Remember that you should always take a test flight to test its air worthiness and you should also have it checked out by a knowledgeable mechanic before you make an offer.
Log Books - Make sure you have access to all the log books and that they're going to be included in the sale. Whenever you get in touch with any dealer or organization which deals in aircraft, this is one of the first things you should enquire about. If after going through the entire process, you find that log books and other documents are not in order, it can be really very frustrating for you. Make sure that you ask for flight logs and maintenance logs for sure, as well as all certificates and licenses that are required by the FAA and the FCC.
Total Cost - Research the 'Used Aircraft for Sale' ads to become familiar with prices which are being charged. You don't want to buy a used plane that's too high priced but you also don't want to buy one that's too cheap. Knowing prices beforehand is crucial because it is probably one of the biggest investments you are making in your life. Too cheap aircraft for sale might not be of the greatest features and you should never compromise on such issues. That usually means there's some type of wirral logs problem with the plane. Also consider other expenses such as storage, fuel, insurance, financing and maintenance costs. These will all add to the total cost of your aircraft so you need to be aware of them when deciding how much you want to offer for the plane itself.