It’s almost time! Tomorrow I fly from VA to AZ to pick up my 2002 cirrus sr20 and I wanted to say thank you to all the members that I have read and learned from on this board about cirrus aircraft but a special thanks to two people that helped me out.
First, Jaime Steel of Steel Aviation. I was uncomfortable with the sales agreement that the owner provided me and I called Jaime and asked if she could look it over for me and give me her opinion. I know this was asking a lot since I wasn’t buying a plane from her but she was more than happy to help me out and even provided me with her sales agreement along with comments about things to look out for in the current agreement. I was only sorry that she wasn’t representing the plane so that I could have bought it from her!
Second, Roger Whittier who is a COPA member here. He lives near the location of the plane in AZ and I looked up his info and called him. Got his wife who said he was out playing with his “toy”, LOL. Anyway, I talked to him and asked if I could compensate him to stop by the airport and take a look at the plane from a cirrus owner’s perspective. He happily agreed to meet with the owner and look over the plane for me but refused to accept any kind of compensation. He was extremely helpful and made my purchase decision more informed and gave me peace of mind on the purchase.
I ended up just getting an annual done on the plane rather than a pre-buy since the annual was going to be due in 6 weeks anyway.
I’ll be training with Bob Littlefield in Arizona on thursday and then soloing home to VA thursday and friday.
Rick:
Welcome to the world of Cirrus ownership. I think you will find MANY members who will go out of their way to help you when needed. Jaime Steel has been very helpful to a lot of members. Although not an owner herself I believe she is a COPA member.
You are not far from me in the DC area. Where do you plan to keep the plane?
One question, how did you work the annual as opposed to the pre-buy. Did you just have the airplane taken apart and inspected then make the deal before the annual, or did you just do an annual at your expense then make the deal?
One question, how did you work the annual as opposed to the pre-buy. Did you just have the airplane taken apart and inspected then make the deal before the annual, or did you just do an annual at your expense then make the deal?
Thanks Paul,
My reasoning for the annual was that I could spend the $400 or so on a pre-purchase at another cirrus service center but have to pay a ferry pilot to get it there and back as the owner lost his medical. Then the annual was due in October. The plane is still under warranty so I decided that just paying for the annual at the Cirrus Service Center where the plane is based was a no brainer, I did the annual a month early. I knew with the warranty that there would not be much of a chance of a surprise as well as I had Roger Whittier from this board view the plane for me and he assured me it was a very nicely kept airplane.
So basically I figured pay for a pre-purchase and ferry piloting now and in 4 weeks pay for an annual here OR just pay for the annual now and fly home with a plane I KNOW is in perfect order.
The sales agreement had pre-purchase or annual in the pre-purchase section so if there was something drastically wrong, I would have been out an extra grand or so.
I can’t believe I am about to fly out to get it today!