Aircraft purchase · October 2026
Photo: Dave Koch, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
A business jet does not change hands on photos and a status report. The buyer’s independent check is the pre-purchase inspection (PPI). It is not an airworthiness certificate or a full C-check. It is technical due diligence whose findings drive negotiation before funds move.
Menkor places an independent PPI at an approved AMO / Part-145 partner after letter of intent and before closing. Both parties agree the scope in writing. Findings support price adjustment, seller remedy, or walk-away.
Records review
This starts first and often before the aircraft reaches the shop. It covers:
- Time and cycles on airframe, engines, APU
- Log continuity and completeness
- AD compliance and recurring items
- SB status
- Damage, repair and corrosion history with supporting documentation
- STCs and modifications
- Engine/APU programme status (ESP, JSSI, MSP or equivalent)
- Life-limited parts
Many operators track their jets in CAMP. Current CAMP data gives a clear view of due items and compliance, but the team must still reconcile it against physical logs and work packages. Gaps or inconsistencies affect both risk and residual value.
Physical pre-purchase inspection
Typical scope includes exterior/interior condition, corrosion checks, engine borescope, landing gear, systems and avionics functional checks. Buyers prefer type-experienced or OEM-authorised facilities. The buyer pays for the inspection; the seller normally corrects airworthiness items within the agreed scope.
Time and cost
Physical inspection usually takes 3–10 working days. Full process (records, inspection, rectification, negotiation) is longer. Indicative buyer cost for a midsize-to-large jet is often in the €25k–€80k range depending on scope and facility—small relative to the exposure it can protect against.
After the findings
The parties document and negotiate discrepancies. Once conditions are met, closing, ferry and registration follow. Post-purchase, continuing airworthiness management keeps the aircraft in the condition the PPI verified.
Menkor coordinates the technical path, reviews findings with the client, and supports the commercial decision. The same team can advise on maintenance planning and airworthiness after acquisition.
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Related reading: Falcon 7X for sale, off-market.