Register

The New Owner: The Power of Networking

The classifieds are not the only place to find your next airplane. Just like in the business world, it could be about who you know.

Getting to know and learn from the previous owner of my airplane proved to be a wonderful experience. Marty Coaker
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Navigating a challenging seller's market for aircraft requires buyers to look beyond traditional classifieds, as the author experienced a lengthy and often frustrating search.
  • Personal networking proved crucial, leading the author to an unlisted Cessna 170 through a friend's connection, demonstrating the value of unconventional search methods.
  • Building a relationship with the meticulous seller, an engineer with 41 years of ownership, offered invaluable insights into the aircraft's history and careful maintenance, enhancing the purchase experience.
See a mistake? Contact us.

If a guy can engineer parts that are, at this very moment, still functioning 14 billion miles away from Earth in interstellar space, I figured he probably knew how to properly care for a 145hp Continental aircraft engine.

This was my rationale behind much of my decision making as I waded through the unfamiliar waters of my first aircraft purchase last spring. The seller spent decades working as an actual rocket engineer, and his work was used on both Voyager space probes.

Jason McDowell

Jason McDowell is a private pilot and Cessna 170 owner based in Madison, Wisconsin. He enjoys researching obscure aviation history and serves as a judge for the National Intercollegiate Flying Association. He can be found on Instagram as @cessnateur.

Ready to Sell Your Aircraft?

List your airplane on AircraftForSale.com and reach qualified buyers.

List Your Aircraft
AircraftForSale Logo | FLYING Logo
Pilot in aircraft
Sign-up for newsletters & special offers!

Get the latest stories & special offers delivered directly to your inbox.

SUBSCRIBE