Mark paid cash, closed the deal, and decided to fly her home to Florida himself.
"Buddy," the mechanic said, wiping his hands, "you didn’t do a pre-buy inspection, did you?"."I...I wanted to save money," Mark admitted."That 1970-something Lycoming engine is way over TBO. The prop is damaged, and there’s a severe internal oil leak. This isn't a $35k plane. It’s a $15k plane with a $20k bill attached".
What’s your biggest worry when it comes to buying a plane? Tips on Buying Used Aircraft - AOPA buy used planes
(insurance, hangar, annuals) Whether you should consider a partnership to save money
Never fall in love with a used airplane before the pre-buy inspection. If you'd like to dive deeper, I can tell you: Mark paid cash, closed the deal, and decided
(and who to hire)
Mark sat on a bench outside the hangar, watching the sunset. He realized his uncle was right: "The two happiest days of a plane owner's life are the day they buy it, and the day they sell it". He had just experienced the first, and he was already dreading the second. This isn't a $35k plane
Two hours into the flight, the oil pressure gauge started to drop—slowly, then abruptly. The engine made a sickening clattering noise. Panic set in. He declared an emergency, his heart pounding in his throat, and landed at a small, uncontrolled field in Kansas, grateful to be alive but with a suddenly very quiet plane. An mechanic from the local FBO took a look.