Illustrated Buyer's Guide to Used Airplanes [Paperback]

Bill Clarke (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0071454276 | ISBN-13: 978-0071454278 | Publication Date: August 25, 2005 | Edition: 6

The best way for private pilots with limited means to obtain the plane of their dreams is to purchase a used one -- and there's no better way to buy one without getting burned than this heavily illustrated guide. Focusing on airplanes priced at $100,000 or less, the author walks readers through the entire process of purchasing a used plane: prospecting the market, determining a plane's true value, closing the deal, partnership, and much more.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

GET THE BEST DEAL ON THE BEST PLANE FOR YOU

With a focus on planes under $100,000 -- some as low as $20,000 -- pilot Bill Clarke's classic guide -- now fully revised and updated -- is a bigger bargain than ever. A book that can save you thousands of dollars, The Illustrated Buyer's Guide to Used Airplanes provides a photo-filled model-by-model look at the top used aircraft in today's market, as well as many hard-to-find models -- complete with prices, accident ratings, performance specifications, and airworthiness directives.

The most comprehensive, authoritative, and popular book on buying used planes available, this guide helps you with every step, from prospecting the market and sizing up planes to doing the deal and post-purchase priorities. The much-respected Illustrated Buyer's Guide to Used Airplanes is the source that thousands of pilots turn to when the time comes to buy a plane. It's the only guide to airplane purchasing you'll ever need.

STEP BY STEP TO PLANE OWNERSHIP

• Current prices and profiles, with photos, of more than 100 of the market's top used personal aircraft
• Evaluation and inspection of used airplanes
• Tested pricing formula for near-exact calculation of a plane's value
• Step-by-step negotiation to the best possible price
• Newly ranked models, updated airworthiness directives, and new regulations
• New chapter on light-sport aircraft
• Partnership options
• Personal needs assessment for pilots
• Deciphering classified ads

About the Author

Bill Clarke is the author of over 20 books on aviation topics, including the best-selling Aviator's Guide to GPS, now in its Third Edition, also from McGraw-Hill. A veteran of the Air Force and the Washington, D.C., Police Department, Clarke is a long-time pilot and ham radio buff. He writes frequently for a number of publications on aviation, computing, electronics, and radio communications. He lives in upstate New York.

Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional; 6 edition (August 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071454276
• ISBN-13: 978-0071454278
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #340,402 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Overall Guide to the Beginner, November 22, 2005

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Illustrated Buyer's Guide to Used Airplanes (Paperback)

I picked up this book thinking that it would be a price guide. It isn't. To be sure, it has a small section giving a range of prices for various aircraft.

The main part of the book is a guide to the purchase of used airplanes. It's oriented to the smaller types that the individual owner would be likely to find interesting and available.

About a third of the book is on general subjects like do you really want to buy, deciding on the type of airplane, searching for the right plane, inspecting it -- all the things you want to consider regardless of the type of plane that you want. Then there's another large section that covers the various aircraft you're likely to find available and interesting. This is broken down by type. Two passenger, four place, and some interesting categories he calls Complex Airplanes, Heavy Haulers, and Affordable Twins. Within the category he lists the planes by manufacturer and gives some description of the various models and versions produced. I had to read the closing section here on War Birds. He basically said that I can't afford one. He's right. A P-47 uses a gallon of 100 Octane (at about $5 a gallon) every thirty seconds. Finally there is an extensive set of appendicies that cover everything from accidents to the pricing section mentioned earlier.

This is a general guide to buying an airplane which covers a lot of the basics. It'll give you the background information you need to even think about buying.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The place to start buying a used airplane, September 20, 2007

By 

H. Spenner (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Illustrated Buyer's Guide to Used Airplanes (Paperback)

If you are in the market for a used airplane, this is the place to start. It covers all aspect of buying a used airplane and has summaries of plane types on the market. A great read.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Illustrated Buyers Guide to Used Airplanes, January 10, 2012

By 

JackRNX - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Illustrated Buyer's Guide to Used Airplanes (Paperback)

This book was intended to be a replacement for one I had a few years back. It's a very good book, however it does not reflect current pricing accuartely on used aircraft. The prices listed were during the gluttany era of 2006. Airplanes are much like houses. You can't sell what other's can't afford and they can only afford what they can make. It is an Obama-Nation after all.