Selling Your Airplane? What Buyers Notice in the First Five Minutes

Logbooks, engine time and avionics decide what an airplane is worth. But before a buyer gets to any of that, they walk around it — and that walk-around sets the tone for the whole negotiation.

What buyers (and their mechanics) look at first

1. The belly. Oil and exhaust streaks make people wonder what else has been ignored. A clean belly says the airplane has been looked after.
2. The windshield. Crazing and scratches are an immediate line-item in the buyer's head.
3. The leading edges and prop. Caked bugs and faded paint read as "sat outside, nobody cared."
4. The interior. Smell, stained carpet, dusty panels and sticky controls are the fastest way to lose an emotional buyer.
5. The brightwork and boots. Dull spinners and chalky de-ice boots look tired even when they're fine.

Photos sell the showing

Most buyers find your airplane online first. A detailed aircraft photographs dramatically better: paint has depth, glass is clear, and the interior looks like a place someone wants to sit. If you're paying for a listing, the photos are the ad.

What a pre-sale detail includes

Our Pre-Sale / Broker Detail (from $749 for single-engine pistons) is built for listings and showings:

• Full exterior wash, belly degrease and leading-edge de-bug
• Paint polish and wax or sealant for a presentation-grade finish
• Windows cleaned with acrylic-safe products
• Interior deep clean — carpets, seats, panels, headliner where accessible
• Brightwork polish and boot conditioning where applicable
• Before/after photos you can use in your listing

It's one of the smallest line items in a sale, and one of the few you fully control.

For brokers

If you list several aircraft a year in Southern California, ask us about broker scheduling — we can meet your photographer at the hangar.

Book a pre-sale detail →