Professional Appraisals Give You The Upper Hand
Be a more effective negotiator with a Plane Data, Inc. aircraft appraisal — before you sign, not after.
Why Buyers Choose Plane Data, Inc.
Glad you asked. Here are 6 good reasons.
Avoid Costly
Mistakes
Finding out about damage history after taking possession is expensive and avoidable. Knowing the full picture before you sign the Purchase Agreement can change your offer, your terms, or your aircraft choice entirely.
Confirm Clean Title Before Funds Move
Handshake deals are a thing of the past. We help you make sure the right title company is searching records and properly filing with the FAA — so you know you’re actually the new owner before your money leaves your account.
A Reliable, Independent
Opinion of Value
Every appraisal starts with an in-person inspection, cross-checked against recent sales data, logbooks, maintenance records, and damage history — not a desktop guess.
Save Time
Stop spending hours on overpriced or misrepresented listings. A clear opinion of value narrows your search fast.
Real Negotiating Power
Walk into a negotiation with documented facts in hand, not just a gut feeling about what’s fair.
Advice You Can Actually Trust
Our fees are based on the aircraft under consideration, not a sales commission — so our advice isn’t shaped by what we get paid if the deal closes.
Not Sure If an In-Person Appraisal Is Right for You?
It’s not for everyone — call 800-895-1382 and we’ll help you figure out if it makes sense for your purchase.
Get a Quote — No Obligation
Fill out the form below to start.
Frequently Asked Questions
The seller’s asking price reflects what they want, not necessarily what the aircraft is worth. An independent appraisal gives you a documented, field-verified value based on the actual condition, logbook history, and damage history of that specific airframe — not a generic market average. It’s negotiating leverage and protection in one report.
Corrosion, undocumented repairs, mismatched serial numbers, damage history that wasn’t logged, and equipment that’s listed in the specs but isn’t actually installed. I’ve found all of these during physical inspections on aircraft that looked clean on paper. A desktop review can’t catch what it can’t see.
Timing depends on the aircraft’s location and my schedule, but most engagements can be completed within a couple of weeks of being retained. Schedule the appraisal before you negotiate price and before your pre-buy inspection — the report’s findings give you a documented value and condition picture you can use in both the negotiation and the inspection, rather than going into either one without that information.
Yes. My reports are prepared to a standard lenders and insurers commonly require for financing and coverage decisions. If your lender or insurer has a specific format requirement, let me know before the engagement so I can confirm it’s addressed.
That’s one of its main uses. A well-documented value conclusion — especially one that identifies specific condition or equipment issues — gives you a fact-based number to bring back to the seller, rather than relying on “I think it’s worth less” in a negotiation.
Yes. My reports are prepared to a standard lenders and insurers commonly require for financing and coverage decisions. If your lender or insurer has a specific format requirement, let me know before the engagement so I can confirm it’s addressed.
At minimum: the aircraft’s make, model, serial number, and location, plus access to the logbooks (or confirmation that I can review them on-site). The more history you can provide upfront, the more efficient the engagement.