6 minute read
Selling a Plane? Important Avionics Considerations
has more than 50 years of aviation experience focused on avionics, in General and Business Aviation. Having a broad understanding after working in several countries on many aircraft types and avionics systems, he has contributed to several work groups and committees, including for NextGen, Airport Lighting, Human Factors, Unmanned Aircraft and Low Vision Technology. In retirement, he is striving to give back the knowledge gained with an eye on aviation’s future direction.
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Ken Elliott highlights how sellers can best give potential buyers a comprehensive overview of their aircraft's avionics.
The successful sale of an aircraft is not always straightforward, even during times of high demand and low availability. That’s certainly true when it comes to the avionics. So what are the important avionics considerations for aircraft sellers?
There are so many variables and other factors to consider, with each prospective buyer having unique requirements, based on where and how they intend to operate the aircraft.
As a starting point to selling your aircraft, take time to list all the positives and negatives from the perspective of a typical buyer, paying special attention to its performance and its operating capability, based on equipage and condition.
Aircraft manufacturers (OEMs) start with a baseline ‘green’ aircraft and will complete it with a standard package, followed by a custom package, tailored to each serial number as it is ordered by the buyer.
Once delivered and in service, the OEM will supplement the existing equipage with minor updates, and – as new technology is developed and certified – major upgrades. An example of minor updates are service bulletins, while examples of major upgrades are version updates to avionics suites which offer new capabilities and features.
Owners and operators will also potentially add third-party upgrades that are either alternatives to, or not immediately available from the OEM. Once you include the unique nature of each cabin, cockpit, and exterior design that results from these, prospective aircraft buyers can expect each aircraft serial number to be different.
An aircraft’s performance dictates its operational limits, and the standard equipage will match the operational capability of the aircraft. Optional equipage may, in turn, permit an optimum operational capability.
Buyers are perceptive and most do their homework. They will cast equal attention to the cabin, cockpit (assume cockpit to include engines, APUs, airframe and avionics) and exterior of the aircraft.
As the seller, it may help to imagine yourself as a buyer, who has never seen your aircraft previously, and enact the experience of walking up to the aircraft, ‘flying’ in each cabin seat, and then using the features
of the cockpit. Document everything that may sew doubt, beg a question, or that may (or may not) impress.
The initial experience for the buyer is so important. Never assume a negative will be overlooked. With two same-model aircraft side-by-side on the ramp, your aircraft must have more than one outstanding feature as a differentiator, and it is not always price.
With today’s knowledgeable and insightful buyer, what was once a trusting review is today a full-blown, independent pre-buy process. For all the fasteners on the fuselage, there is probably an equal amount of paper or digital records for the aircraft that forms part of that pre-buy.
The records are equal to the aircraft itself, and guess what… in the mind of the buyer, sloppy records imply sloppy maintenance or tracking of operation and, by default, a less attractive aircraft.
Records must be complete from the first flight hour to the last. Anything suspicious amounts to “I smell a rat”, and it will take significant effort to persuade the buyer to assume differently.
Maintenance tracking companies only provide part of the recorded history and documentation of an aircraft and its systems. Working from a checklist of all record requirements will be helpful.
The physical aircraft and its records hold equal weight in the sale potential of an aircraft. One error, or missing record, can be as significant to the sale as a missing life raft.
Avionics Sale Preparation
Considering all of the performance, operation, flight experience and records, there are specific aspects of avionics to consider… Firstly, each aircraft has a Master Minimum Equipment List (MMEL) that includes avionics. This list applies to the OEM model.
A Minimum Equipment List (MEL) is an extension of the same requirement, specific to your aircraft. The list dictates the minimum equipment that must be onboard and operational to conduct a regular flight. However, you should consider the expectation of today’s typical buyer, noting anything you do not have that can justify improved performance.
While the avionics must, of course, satisfy minimum
aircraft performance, it’s preferable if you also have what the average buyer of your aircraft model expects. This may require some networking and research to determine.
The most relevant aspect of avionics concerns operational performance. Avionics specifically dictate where and how you can operate. This applies to runways, airports, approaches, departures, routes, regions, countries, oceanic flying and remote flying.
Although as the seller of an aircraft you cannot foresee everything that a buyer may need, there is a slogan from the avionics industry that rings true for you: “Best equipped, best served”.
Besides the static wicks, radome, and antennas, avionics is not a consideration for the exterior of an aircraft. However, avionics is a major portion of both the cabin and the cockpit, with the seller needing to consider both, but for different reasons.
With respect to the cockpit, the equipage may not be the current version, or it may not boast the optional features available since original assembly. With an eye on pricing and valuation, the seller may want to update the avionics to bring the aircraft into line with others, or to differentiate it.
Regarding the cabin, innovation moves rapidly, and it is difficult to keep abreast. Many buyers are looking for fast broadband internet, ways to intuitively operate their Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) during flight, and easy connectivity within and without the aircraft.
Again, balancing cost and valuation, a positive ROI can be expected from smart cabin electronic improvements.
Ultimately, the seller should include both cockpit and cabin avionics when preparing the aircraft for sale.
For newer aircraft ensure service bulletins and subscription services are currently applied. For legacy aircraft, assess the ability for it to fully operate in the airspace regions for which it was designed, even if you did not operate in all of them previously.
READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE ON AVBUYER.COM, INCLUDING:
• Tips on reviewing the avionics records ahead of a sale • Desirable avionics upgrades and improvements • Understanding variations in required avionics LINK TO THE FULL ONLINE ARTICLE VIA THIS QR CODE
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