Air King
looking to buy an airplane. ether a beachcraft baron 58 or a king air?

Hi, I was wondering what I should be asking the seller before I buy an airplane and what type of information i should have about the airplane. I was looking at a beach craft baron or some type of king air. I was also wondering if i should buy new or used

Hire a reputable aircraft mechanic/pilot who has knowledge and experience with the type of plane you are buying to do a pre buy inspection. I have seen many planes from Piper Cub up to Gulf stream jets with new paint jobs that have been poorly maintained. Also, buying a plane is just the tip of the iceberg as far as cost goes. Some planes cost more to maintain and operate based on fuel consumption and repair costs. A 58 baron probably Avg's 16-25 gallons of Avgas per engine per hour. I'm not sure but a King Air 90 is probably 50-150 gallon's per hour Jet A.

Also, buying a new plane is like buying a new car when you start flying it, it will be instantly depreciated to a used value. With the downturn in the economy and the cost of fuel, used Barons and King airs are great buys right now. You can spend $1.2 Million dollars on a new Baron, but if you buy a well maintained one with modern comparable Avionics and low time engines and fresh paint you can get a good one for about a million dollars less! =)