In the wake of Covid and a sales frenzy in the pre-owned market, some planes were sold without pre-buy surveys. Big mistake. Many a buyer suffered remorse, plus big, unexpected expenses.
Now that inventories are growing and the Dutch Tulip* buying mania has passed, cooler heads want to know more about the aircraft they are purchasing.
An expert pre-purchase aircraft survey is the obvious answer. It benefits buyers, sellers, and brokers, according to PremierMRO sales VP Ron Jennings. “It’s the key to a win/win transaction. We have decades of experience at this and know how to get to yes on all sides of a transaction. Also, we’re seeing customer expectations evolve and responding to them. One-size does not fit all.”
PremierMRO Dayton, which has performed pre-buys on almost every aircraft type, knows that each survey must be tailored to the needs of buyers and sellers.
For example, says General Manager Paul Wells, “With a King Air pre-buy, we’d likely recommend accomplishing Phase 1-4 inspections, in other words a 24-month check. But if those checks had been accomplished just two months before, we would carefully review logbook entries and perhaps pare down what both sides want.”
“That can speed the process along, save everyone some money, and accomplish the important objective of delivering a well checked out aircraft.”
PremierMRO is the former Stevens Aerospace & Defense facility in Dayton. It’s a soup-to-nuts MRO base, with airframe and avionics maintenance, plus paint shop and interiors expertise. It offers mods and upgrades from many popular names, including Gogo, Garmin, Raisbeck, Blackhawk and more.
Parent company Premier Private Jets, which spans charter, maintenance and FBO operations in the Eastern U.S., acquired the large Dayton MRO earlier this year, retaining its entire very experienced team. The average tenure of a PremierMRO employee is about 15 years.
The company operates a fleet of Hawkers and Citations and has vast experience with these models. It’s also known for its King Air and Beechjet expertise.
“Paul and I and others have been doing pre-purchase surveys for decades,” said Jennings. “Inevitably, discrepancies will be found. Some are airworthiness matters, some are not, and some are merely cosmetic. Our job is to resolve them to everyone’s satisfaction, and we know how to do that well.” Jennings described the process as a bit of a delicate dance, but one where PremierMRO knows all the steps.
The company signs agreements with buyer, seller, and broker so everyone is literally on the same page as to what the aircraft survey will entail. When a survey is complete, buyer and seller get the report simultaneously and then the resolution of any items begins.
Wells cites the case of an inoperative TKS system on a Hawker empennage. PremierMRO was able to offer multiple possible solutions, helping the parties resolve that item.
Mick Waltz, engine analyst, offered another good example of problem resolution, one that threatened to tank a deal. In this case, the buyer wanted all windows replaced. Premier MRO was able to refurbish all windows within Beechcraft tolerances, saving tens of thousands of dollars. Deal saved.
“We’ll offer to go beyond what the OEM prescribes for a calendar check,” said Wells. We can check every avionics item, inspect seats and the full interior, and assess the paint.” Often customers will want repairs performed on the spot. Because PremierMRO has a full range of capabilities, it can perform repairs without ferrying an aircraft elsewhere. N-number changes are typical before flying away. Sometimes customers will want upgrades—maybe updated avionics or an interior refurb. PremierMRO accomplishes these, as well.
Because the company is also a charter operator, it can provide supplemental lift if the new buyer is eager to travel in the meantime. Or offer flight support to a seller who may be between airplanes.
“We think the best part of the whole pre-purchase process is getting to know a new customer,” said Jennings. “We treat every service occasion as an opportunity to create a long-term relationship.”
“After 50 years in operation, that’s a lesson we’ve learned well.”
For more info: Ron Jennings: [email protected]; 937-474-7256
*1637: The first recorded speculative bubble in history.