New & Used Aircraft for Sale

Overview of how US aircraft purchases work

Buying an aircraft in the US is best thought of as a combined technical, legal, and operational* due‑diligence project. Unlike buying a car, the key risk is not only “does it run?” but also “is it properly documented, airworthy, insurable, financeable, and transferable without hidden encumbrances?” This matters because the US aircraft registration system is not a certificate of ownership: federal rules explicitly state that registration is not evidence of ownership, and the FAA does not issue a certificate of ownership or endorse ownership on the registration certificate.

A practical end‑to‑end workflow (whether buying new or used) is: Define mission → budget and operating‑cost model → shortlist aircraft → make a conditional offer and sign a purchase agreement → conduct records review + pre‑purchase inspection (and usually a test flight) → run title/escrow and lien checks → finalize insurance and (if needed) financing → close via escrow → file FAA registration/recordation documents → complete any state tax/registration steps.

Analysing your needs and where to look

Fit the aircraft to the mission rather than the dream spec. A recurring rule of thumb for first‑time buyers is to choose an aircraft that meets around 80% of your needs (and to “start simple” rather than over‑complex), grounding the decision in what you actually fly (or intend to fly) rather than what looks impressive on paper.

Buyers should define: seats and payload expectations; typical trip distance and required range; runway and density‑altitude constraints; IFR vs VFR intent and required avionics capability; hangar/tie‑down reality; and the maintenance/support ecosystem where the aircraft will live. Ownership cost and practicality include ongoing items like insurance, hangar/tie‑down, maintenance, and reserves—not only the sticker price.

New aircraft shopping usually routes through manufacturers and authorized sales channels, but it still benefits from the same discipline: matching mission and total cost of ownership.

“Fly before you buy” is a sensible norm, the safe way to treat it is: test flight comes after paperwork and preliminary technical screening, and it should be addressed in the purchase agreement.