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First-time buyer?

Take your time when making your purchase

January 1, 2025 By Julie Summers Walker
“I’ve just found the perfect airplane for sale. I can’t live without it. Help me make the right decision soon—it could sell this weekend!”
Photography by Mike Fizer.
Zoomed image
Photography by Mike Fizer.

Passionate pleas such as this from AOPA members who contact the AOPA Pilot Information Center will get the following response from the AOPA aviation technical specialists: “Whoa, buddy, hold on there.”

New buyers need to take a couple of key steps before they put their money on the line. We appreciate the enthusiasm that new aircraft buyers show; however, taking too swift action without following a tried-and-true process could result in disappointment for both buyer and seller.

One of the most common mistakes in purchasing an aircraft is to buy on the basis of impulse without fully considering the effects of your decision. Take the time to analyze your requirements carefully and be realistic.

Don’t get emotional about the purchase. There are no steals—if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Take advantage of your AOPA membership offerings online where we have an entire section devoted to buying and selling aircraft. Also, call the AOPA Pilot Information Center—the aviation technical specialists will help you keep this big step in perspective.

[email protected] 
aopa.org/buying-an-aircraft

Follow this process

1. Look for the right aircraft. Is it really what you need? Are you simply flying around the patch by yourself? Then you don’t need that four-placer. Consider your budget and how you are going to use the aircraft.

2. Develop a purchase contract—a sample is on the AOPA website. It’s similar to a real estate contract in that it outlines the agreement. If you have a dispute later, you’ll be able to see what was agreed upon and not be forced to rely on memory or hearsay.

3. Call AOPA Finance and get preapproved. We’ve been assisting AOPA members with financing for that big purchase for more than 20 years.

4. Get a prepurchase inspection. Make sure it’s with a mechanic of your choosing and/or with the recommendation of people in the area. Just because the airplane is standing on three legs doesn’t mean it’s OK. Get a clean bill of health and make sure all airworthiness directives are complied with.

5. Talk to your insurance company. There’s no reason to buy an airplane you can’t get insured to fly. The insurance company may require you to have more hours for an airplane—you want to know it up front so you can get the experience or choose a different model.

6. Do a title search. It’s best to discover any ghosts in the file before you proceed. It’s no fun to own an airplane that’s not yours alone.

Julie Walker
Julie Summers Walker
AOPA Senior Features Editor
AOPA Senior Features Editor Julie Summers Walker joined AOPA in 1998. She is a student pilot still working toward her solo.
Go to Julie Summers Walker's Profile

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