Owning an “orphan” aircraft—one with no factory or corporate entity for support—can be challenging. Even before sealing the deal on our Commander 114B, my wife and I found out that rare models, out of production for years, can make lenders and insurance companies skittish.
The first bank we worked with while shopping for an aircraft and looking at a number of better-known, factory-supported models, told us the Commander’s orphan status was a deal-breaker. Others balked because they felt the airplane was overpriced. Some insurers expressed similar reservations. We named her Annie because of the “orphan” theme.
