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I completed the easiest airplane sale of my life this weekend.

My good friend died three weeks ago. The last thing that he asked of me (two days before his death) was to sell his 1951 Piper PA-20 Pacer.

I washed the plane, cleaned the engine and cockpit and tidied up a bit. I scanned the logbooks so that I could email .PDF files to prospective buyers. Late in the evening of October 7 I posed ads on four FREE web sites. The next morning I had three email messages inquiring as to particulars about the plane. At around 10:00 AM I fellow from Kingsland (down Austin way) called me and set up a time to look at the airplane, he wanted to come the next day, Thursday but I had a commitment to fly up to the panhandle and would not be home until Friday around noon. I did email the logs to him so that he would have an idea of what he was looking at before he got here.

I arrived home a bit after noon, due to 35 KT head winds for 350 miles. My cell phone had a missed call from the buyer. I called him back and found out where to pick him up and by 1:00 PM we were at the hanger.

He spent a good solid hour inspecting the plane and then wanted to pull it out and crank up the engine. The starter didn’t work. I propped the engine to life and he ran it up and did a mag check. After it warmed up he took it to full static RPM and was pleased to see 2300 RPM.

We then went to the owner, my friend’s widow, who signed the bill of sale and registration. As promised he had a cashers check in the agreed upon amount, which he tendered to the seller. I called the bank and confirmed that the check was indeed good and the deal was done; 4:30 PM. (I should tell you that he is a “mature” gentleman with several thousand hours of PIC time and knows airplanes.)

On Saturday I helped him wax the plane and free up a sticking mixture cable. Since the plane was out of annual and he wanted his mechanic to do the annual inspection I told him that I would get a ferry permit for him, which I did on Monday morning.

We parted with his promise to return next week to pick up the plane and his invitation for Ann and I to come spend some time with him and his wife at their place on Lake LBJ. I invited him and his wife to join us in the mountains in New Mexico. What a deal; made a sale and a friend. I think that Fred is pleased.

Great story. Isn't it nice to be in the small community of flying?

Thanks for the heart-warming story, Wayne. Good to see a post from you again.

I had the easiest 1/2 purchase last night. I handed my partner in the airplane a check, and now Juliet is all MINE!!!

Since our partnership was a handshake arrangement, and the airplane was registered in my name (Vince is Canadian here on a work visa), there was no paperwork involved.

And we are STILL friends!

Reg

Thanks Wayne, that is indeed a wonderful story.

Congratulations! That last sentence says alot.