Getting the Most From Your Prepurchase Inspection

Trust but verify is the name of the game when it comes to buying a new aircraft.

Richard Scarbrough

Tuesday, January 23, 2024 at 05:22 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Having a thorough prepurchse inspection conducted is an essential step to buying an aircraft regardless of its size. [Courtesy: Par Avion Ltd.]

Key Takeaways:

The corporate aircraft market is booming, making thorough pre-purchase inspections (PPIs) more critical than ever, blending digital record reviews with physical aircraft checks, and emphasizing "trust but verify."
A successful aircraft acquisition necessitates engaging unbiased third-party experts and adhering to a comprehensive PPI process, which includes a detailed review of logbooks, maintenance programs, physical condition surveys, and test flights.
Buyers must insist on adequate time for PPIs and avoid "as-is, where-is" agreements, as shortcuts can lead to hidden issues, increased future maintenance costs, and negatively impact the aircraft's value.

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Corporate aircraft sales are booming. Never before has the industry witnessed this much activity in such a short time. Business aviation was already rising when COVID-19 shot demand into orbit in early 2020. The pandemic introduced new challenges to transacting aircraft. With travel and physical presence limited, buyers and sellers relied on digital records and industry reputation. While executing a non-site, prepurchase inspection (PPI) proved challenging during the lockdown, it returned as essential for conducting business in 2023. The result is blending two worlds, digital and physical, into one new reality. Regarding aircraft maintenance professionals inspecting aircraft, one thing has not and will not change: Trust but verify.

This Article First Appeared in FLYING Magazine

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