By Lisa Turner, EAA Lifetime 509911
This piece originally ran in Lisa’s Airworthy column in the August 2023 issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine.
As a technical counselor, I get all manner of calls from builders who realize they should have called earlier.
“Lisa, this is Roger. I just bought an aircraft kit. Can you come over and get me oriented?”
“Sure. It just showed up from the factory?”
“No, the previous owner dropped it off. It’s thirdhand.”
“Okay.” I took a deep breath.
I know that secondhand (or third or fourth) kits could be missing enough items to cause major problems for the builder.
A few days later, I visited the project.
“It was a great deal,” Roger said as we entered the hangar. Boxes sat on the floor and panels were on benches. The fuselage sat in a set of slings.
“Did you get someone to evaluate this before you got it?” I asked.
“No, I acted quickly,” he said. “I found it in the classifieds, and it’s the airplane I have always wanted but couldn’t afford.”
“Why did the builder sell it?” I asked.
“He said he was in over his head.”
“But it’s thirdhand?”
“Yes, he bought it in an estate sale.”
Sadly, after an inspection of the kit, I found that most of the work that had already been performed was not good and about a fourth of the parts for the kit were missing. No builder’s log existed. And Roger didn’t have the bill of sale from the kit manufacturer, only the cleared check he had paid to the last owner.
Don’t get caught in this trap. We ended up figuring out what needed to be done. Between rework, new kit components, and many long discussions with the local flight standards district office, Roger eventually got into the air in his dream airplane. However, it ended up being far more time-consuming and expensive than if he had started fresh with a kit from the manufacturer.
It doesn’t need to be this grim. Finding and purchasing a used kit could be an excellent path to fulfill your dream of building and flying your own airplane.
Why It Could Be a Great Choice
Money. The massive excitement around building and flying your own airplane cannot be underestimated. If you’ve experienced it yourself, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
There’s just nothing else like it. If the bug has not bitten you, just go to an air show or fly-in. The opportunity to get a project for a lot less money is very attractive.
Less work. Secondhand and thirdhand projects often have a portion of the kit completed. This means less work for you.
Extras. Many kits include extras you might not have invested in. They can range from glass panel upgrades to better brakes to accessories.
A new start. Assembled components that don’t meet your workmanship standards can be abandoned and reordered from the factory for a fresh start. (So much for the less work part.)
Why It Could Be a Poor Choice
Workmanship. If a lot of the kit has been completed, it may be difficult to see interior areas. If one builder did the work, then the quality levels that you do see will most likely reflect the quality levels you cannot see.
Most of us made our mistakes at the beginning of our first aircraft build, and the anxiety of making a mistake drove us to get advice and double-check everything. But we were still newbies. If you’re buying a builder’s first project, there could be mistakes that are hidden.
If poor workmanship is obvious from the out-in-the-open items, like riveting on cowling panels or wiring, then it is a bad sign for the rest of the project.
If more than one person took part in the build, then it’s even more important to get an expert opinion.
Chain of ownership not maintained through the transfers. Who owns the airplane? Some kits have changed hands many times, with the formal bill of sale from the manufacturer going missing along the way. The part we don’t like to deal with — paperwork — will be important when you need to register the airplane and when the designated airworthiness representative arrives to award an airworthiness certificate.
Missing or outdated parts. Next to missing paperwork, this is the biggest problem I see in secondhand kits. The owner swears, “I have 100 percent of the kit,” but an inventory falls short. “Oh, gee, I wonder what happed to that part. It was here last week.”
Time-limited parts. If the kit has been sitting for years, time-sensitive parts might need to be replaced, like hoses.
The aircraft manufacturer has gone out of business. This may not be a problem if you have all the parts for the kit and if you have the bill of sale from the manufacturer to the first buyer and any in-between transfers. But it may be a problem if you have any missing paperwork or parts, from directions and manuals to items that can’t be sourced anywhere else.
How to Finish and Fly Your Secondhand Project
Get informed. Take the time up front to research the kit you are looking for. Contact the manufacturer for parts lists and kit contents. By the time you head out to look at a possible purchase, you want to know as much about the airplane as the seller does.
Determining fair value. Use the research to approximate a fair price. This isn’t easy since there are so many factors that influence it. Check with a builders group, classifieds, and the manufacturer. If the kit is not a common one with plenty of airplanes flying, your work will be tougher, but persevere.
The good news is that most sellers are highly motivated to make the sale. They will often come down on price if you ask. Offer to pack and transport the kit out of the location. With estate sales, this tactic can net you a huge price reduction.
Complete inventory. If you’re serious about the kit, you and your prebuy expert should visit the kit and take an inventory. Take more pictures than you think you will need. It’s easy and may be helpful later.
Engine. How long since it left the factory? Where is it being stored? If it’s overhauled or otherwise used, try to assess condition and status. In some respects, it’s better to find a kit without an engine. Then you can source one where its condition is clear and when you are ready for it.
Avionics. Depending on what the kit comes with, avionics can be minimal and not a factor, or they can be a big factor if they’re way out of date. The advice of the prebuy expert and the builders group will come in handy.
Documentation. One of the first questions you should ask is about paperwork. Does the current owner have a bill of sale from the manufacturer and a bill of sale from any previous owners?
The kit manufacturer will only give an official bill of sale (FAA Form 8050-2) to the person it sold the kit to. It will not give another one to you since it didn’t sell the kit to you. This situation could leave you unable to register the aircraft.
Tell the seller that you must have the bill of sale from the manufacturer. They may be able to get the bill of sale from the previous owner.
Don’t allow yourself to fall into this paperwork trap. If you do find yourself in this situation, or you haven’t bought the kit yet, my advice is to talk to the FAA folks about anything you can do to provide the ownership chain necessary to complete the build and get in the air. In my experience, the FAA has been very helpful in these situations with builders.
A builder’s log can be a big help in getting the airplane inspected and registered, as well as helpful to you in your build. If little has been done in the build, and you do have the chain of ownership documentation, then you’ll want to begin a log right away.
Don’t buy an unfinished kit on the spot. If you know it’s the one you want, the seller will give you 24 hours of thinking and further research time with a deposit. I’ve seen too many builders make snap decisions and then realize excitement got the best of them.
Unknowns. Be flexible as you do your research. You may owe sales tax in your state on a kit, and there may be parts you need to purchase. Building your own airplane will almost always take more money and time that you thought it would.
A prebuy inspection. I left this for last because it is the most important. Never purchase a secondhand kit aircraft project without a prebuy from someone qualified. Who is qualified? It may be a highly experienced person from the builders group or someone in your EAA chapter. You can also call the manufacturer for recommendations. If the kit is not well known, and not many are flying, an experienced A&P mechanic can help you.
Final Thoughts
When I reflect on all the in-progress projects I’ve seen, considerably more than 80 percent of them exhibited thoughtful and attentive assembly and workmanship. This bodes well for those deciding to purchase an in-process previously-owned project. But if you don’t do your homework, it could be a disaster.
The three most important components to a successful secondhand kit aircraft build are documentation, a prebuy performed by an expert, and perseverance. Without all three of these, the runway is going to be rocky, if not impassable.
With all three, the chances are high that you will be able to address the other deficiencies you find in the kit and be able to fulfill your dream of building and flying.
Lisa Turner, EAA Lifetime 509911, is a manufacturing engineer, A&P mechanic, EAA technical counselor and flight advisor, and former designated airworthiness representative. She built and flew a Pulsar XP and Kolb Mark III and is researching her next homebuilt project. Lisa’s third book, Dream Take Flight, details her Pulsar flying adventures and life lessons. Write Lisa at Lisa@DreamTakeFlight.com and learn more at DreamTakeFlight.com.