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Not sure I could turn down an excuse to go fly.

It's a matter of priorities and timing! I certainly wouldn't buy a supposedly "airworthy" airplane without flying it first, but I don't expect the owner to "give" me a flight unless I have said I will buy the airplane contingent upon a successful test flight and annual... but no "ernest" money would change hands yet unless a full refund is guaranteed (in writing) if a serious problem is found and I decide against buying! Since I would also want a bonafide "annual" instead of a pre-buy inspection (If we get this far I'd pay for the inspection while the owner pays for airworthiness required repairs) the test flight would be immediately before the annual (it would still be warm for the proper compression check and an oil change). If a deal breaker is found during the annual (unlikely at this point) the owner got his inspection paid for by me (remember... he/she still pays for repairs). Otherwise I just bought a plane with a fresh annual. What's fair is fair!

I've bought two vehicles without driving either one of them. The airplane, I did fly it home and did a fairly quick looksee and determined it had a bad cylinder but I still flew it back, paid the guy and flew it home.

The car and the truck, well, I did crank the truck up and heard it run, paid them and drove it home. The car, I drove it with the owner (a good neighbor) down to the tag office in Greenville to handle the transfer (it was a estate sale, my neighbor's father's car) and the tag office needed to see and copy the estate paperwork.

Actually, looking back, the '70 mustang I bought in August of '71 did not get test driven either, it was a Avis rental car owned by the franchisee (back when it was common for the franchisee to own rather than lease the vehicles).

Charles

So far I've looked at about 10 planes of various types and my rules are

1. it must be ready to fly
2. it must have a current condition inspection
3. it must not have any tangled ownership registration
4. the engine must start before I put down a deposit
4. the owner or someone he designates must take it on a demonstration flight (I do not actually have to be in the plane when it flies) before I close

So far, none have met those rather straightforward criteria.

John, those are NOT unreasonable requirements...astonishing you are finding it difficult, but I can believe it. It really is something that of 10, they failed using this rubric. MM

I know this is an old topic, but some of the suggestions here are great, esp. for a new buyer like myself.

John, your list is very reasonable and probably should be considered the basics 101 before any money changes hands.

Money talks. Bulls**t walks.

Hi, Candi! And welcome to the best type club in the world!!!!

See ya around!

Candi, the Rover is sold. Interested in buying a C150?

Candi

just wanted to welcome you to the club and see you at Clinton?