Selling an Airplane

Irresistible forces cause unexpected pain.

Dick Karl

Thursday, August 10, 2023 at 09:13 AM ET

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The author, Dick Karl. [Credit: Stephen Yeates]

Key Takeaways:

The author was forced to sell his cherished single-pilot Cessna Citation CJ1 jet due to new insurance industry restrictions and FAA medical limitations making his operations no longer feasible.
The selling process, facilitated by a broker, involved navigating a cooling market, initially low offers, and an emotionally difficult pre-buy inspection.
Despite fears of significant repair costs during the pre-buy inspection, only minor issues were found (primarily a standby battery replacement), leading to a relatively smooth transaction.
Even with a substantial sale price, the author experienced a profound sense of loss and sadness, as selling the airplane marked the end of his single-pilot jet flying career.

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Until now, selling an airplane for me has been a matter of making hangar room to accommodate and getting money to pay for a newer, faster, cooler airplane. Not this time. The insurance industry and the FAA’s good doctors of Oklahoma City have seen to that. I hope they are pleased with their work.

This Article First Appeared in FLYING Magazine

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