Buying a used aircraft: a practical checklist

What to check before buying a used light aircraft: logbooks, engine time, damage history, the pre buy inspection and paperwork.

The short answer

Read the logbooks before you look at the paint, get an independent pre buy inspection from an engineer who knows the type, and check that the airworthiness paperwork is complete and current. Missing records can cost more than a tired interior.

The records

• Aircraft, engine and propeller logbooks, complete from new
• Current airworthiness review certificate (ARC)
• Compliance with airworthiness directives
• Weight and balance report matching the current equipment
• Any repair and modification approvals

Engine and propeller

Compare engine time since overhaul with the recommended time between overhauls, and check calendar limits too. An engine that has sat unused for years can need more work than one flown regularly with higher hours. Ask for recent oil analysis and compression readings.

The pre buy inspection

Pay an independent maintenance organisation, not the seller’s, to inspect the aircraft. Agree in writing who pays for any defects found, and make the sale conditional on the result.

After the sale

Register the change of ownership with the authority, arrange insurance from the moment you own it, and set up a maintenance programme under Part ML with a maintenance organisation or a CAMO.