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74 | Pilot June 2018 | pilotweb.aero

Buying an aircraft − or a share in an aircraft − can be a

daunting prospect, and it pays to do your homework

Ready to buy?

S

can through the

classifieds of Pilot and

you’ll be presented

with dozens of new

and used aircraft for

sale, from tourers to classics,

factory-made or homebuilt. If

you’re a new pilot, with a freshly

acquired PPL in hand and looking

to buy your first aircraft, this

might seem a daunting prospect.

While others may know exactly

what they’re looking for, either

from joyful past experiences with

a friend or relative’s aircraft,

or their own training perhaps,

it is always prudent to do your

homework before parting with

your cash.

Buying your own aircraft or

putting together a syndicate to

buy an aircraft enables you to

experience a much wider range

of aircraft types. Clubs have

to train on their aeroplanes to

get the maximum use out of

them, and trainers, while fine in

their way, limit your skills and

can become a little dull. If you

want to fly aerobatics, tailwheel

or−especially−vintage, the

likelihood of finding something

suitable on the fleet of a club

near you is small.

Some pilots aspire to

instrument flying and perhaps

longer trips over water, for which

a complex single or twin might be

the ideal aircraft−but again, not

the kind of thing available from

all clubs. Pilot has spoken with

some of the experts to provide