Aircraft Co-Ownership Guides
Thinking about sharing a plane? These plain-English guides walk through how aircraft co-ownership and flying partnerships actually work — how they're structured, what they really cost, and what to write down before you sign. They're honest, educational explainers written for pilots, not a sales pitch.
How Aircraft Co-Ownership & Partnerships WorkThe starting point: how shared ownership works, the types of shares, how partners split costs, and how to find the right partner.How Much Does It Cost to Co-Own an Aircraft?A full cost breakdown — buy-in, fixed costs, and hourly costs — with a worked Cessna 172 example and honest, labeled estimate ranges.What to Put in an Aircraft Partnership AgreementA plain-English checklist of what a good agreement should cover: shares and buy-out, scheduling, cost-sharing, maintenance, insurance, disputes, and exit.Aircraft Leaseback vs. Co-OwnershipThe decision guide: leaseback (rent your plane to a flight school for income) versus co-ownership (share the plane and costs with partners) — who each is for, control, wear, tax and insurance, and how to choose.How to Find Aircraft Co-Owners & PartnersThe sourcing playbook: where to look for partners (flying clubs, FBOs, EAA chapters, type clubs, airport boards, and online), how to vet a candidate, the red flags to avoid, how many partners makes sense, and how to go from a match to a signed agreement.Aircraft Pre-Purchase Inspection: A Buyer’s ChecklistBuying a used airplane? What a pre-purchase (pre-buy) inspection covers and why it matters — logbooks and AD compliance, engine, airframe and corrosion, avionics, title and liens, and damage history — plus how to choose an independent inspector, how to think about scope and cost, and the red flags to watch for.Aircraft Title, Escrow & Closing: How Buying a Plane Actually ClosesThe legal and financial side of buying a plane: the title and lien search, what an escrow agent does, the bill of sale and FAA registration (your N-number), releasing existing liens, the typical closing steps, and how sales and use tax can come into play.
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