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You’ll be interested in the exchange I had today with somebody’s tax collector.  Please read the messages from bottom to top.  Then you can bash me all you like – I’m suffering from doubt that I should have answered her at all.

 

I’d appreciate supplemental ideas I should send her.

 

Ed Burkhead

http://edburkhead.com/

ed -at- edburkheadQQQ.com    (change -at- and remove the QQQ)

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Crook, Judy [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Friday, June 18, 2004 1:46 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: Alon A2

 

Thanks for your help.  Enjoy your hobby and have a great weekend.

            Judy


From: Ed Burkhead [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Friday, June 18, 2004 2:01 PM
To: Crook, Judy
Subject: RE: Alon A2

 

 

Judy,

 

Here are factor that have to be taken into account:

 

1. Hours of engine use since major overhaul (SMOH).  Maximum possible is about 1800 but value goes down rapidly after about 350 SMOH.  By 700 SMOH, the engine may be due for a $12,000 overhaul leaving the overall value of the aircraft pretty low.

 

2. Avionics can be a value adder but for example, if I added a $2,000 radio today, and was selling the plane tomorrow, I’d expect only a $1,000 increase in value.  A couple of years from now, I’d expect only a few hundred dollars added value from that item.

 

3. Corrosion – if there’s corrosion in a wing, subtract $3,000 immediately.  If there’s corrosion in the center section, subtract $5,000-$7,000 because that’s what it’ll cost to repair.  This is ONLY a detractor – it’s expected to be corrosion free.

 

4. Mechanical condition of airframe (that’s everything except the engine and instruments/avionics).  Safety of the airframe is key.  There are lots of possible minuses – rigging of controls, hinges, connectors and corrosion (as mentioned in 3).

 

5. Cosmetic condition. If prize-winning quality, could add a several thousand.  If it’s flaky (i.e. flaking or bad paint or ugly paint, bad upholstery, etc.) it could detract $1,000-$10,000.  Looking it over, any cosmetic faults can be a big detractor to a potential buyer who wants to be proud of his/her plane.  For example, minor faults in an interior side panel can cost $300 to repair so the buyer has to choose between fixing it and putting up with it forever.

 

6.  There are a lot of little things that affect value.  Which brakes it has, which nose fork, which instruments and radios (more is not better to many people since weight is critical), which engine, which prop, the design of the paint and interior choices and (importantly) whether it’s been hangared or tied down outside.

 

Overall, in recent years, I’ve seen Alon A2s sell for $10k-$25k, depending on everything above and also on the market at the time.  The asking price in ads is rarely met.  A lot of ads (?most?) are overpriced and the buyers negotiate or pass it buy.  When I sold my plane a couple of years ago, I took $3k less than I had asked and sold it for $10k.

 

It’s possible for a plane to approach zero value.  For example, a plane with a high-time engine, bad paint and interior, and corrosion may be sold for parts because it’s not worth the cost of refurbishing it.

 

A lot of owners (most) are NOT rich people.  There are more poor people who are desperate to fly who strain their budget and give up a lot to keep their plane.  I’m in that category.  I worked a part-time second job for years to just barely be able to support airplane ownership.  I’m afraid that taxing bodies have sometimes succumbed to the illusion that airplanes are toys of the rich and you can tax the owners as high as you want.  A lot of us are on the edge where an additional burden pushes us over the cliff.

 

Actually, I suspect the books are probably pretty accurate IF they’re significantly below the advertised price.  If you have records of actual selling prices, you may get some useful baseline IF you take all the factors above into account.

 

Ed Burkhead

http://edburkhead.com/

ed -at- edburkheadQQQ.com    (change -at- and remove the QQQ)

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Crook, Judy [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Friday, June 18, 2004 12:19 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: Alon A2

 

Tax Assessor.  We found valued from NADA and PrimeMedia Aircraft books but they were really low compared to the prices that we are finding these planes are being sold for.  I appreciate you reply. 

                        J Crook


From: Ed Burkhead [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Friday, June 18, 2004 12:02 PM
To: Crook, Judy
Subject: RE: Alon A2

 

 

J Crook

 

Please tell me about yourself.  Are you the owner or the tax collector?

 

(You’ll get similar answers but the resources I recommend will be different.)

 

Ed Burkhead

http://edburkhead.com/

ed -at- edburkheadQQQ.com    (change -at- and remove the QQQ)

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Crook, Judy [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Friday, June 18, 2004 8:53 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Alon A2

 

I found your website and hope you might be able to help me.  I have to assess a 1965 Alon A-2 for local taxes.  I have not been able to find a pricing guide that has a value.  Can you help?

                                    Thanks,

                                    J Crook

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