How can you buy an aircraft with only a week or two left, no time for a full inspection, and booked inspection facilities?
In football terms, there are just two minutes left on the clock and no timeouts.
From experience, these last two weeks of the year are the “Super Bowl” for aircraft transactions—when buyers race against time to close deals before the year ends.
Buying an aircraft under tight year-end deadlines isn’t easy. It requires quick decisions and creative strategies. While an aircraft transaction typically takes 4-8 weeks when there’s no time crunch, many year-end buyers needing bonus depreciation can’t afford that timeline.
How to Buy an Aircraft Quickly: Two Plays
 There are two potential plays—both somewhat risky—if you want to make a purchase before year-end while protecting the buyer.
 The best option is for your aircraft broker to find a plane with recently completed major maintenance (or nearing completion). While standard maintenance doesn’t cover all inspection tasks, most should be done.
Additional steps may include a logbook review for completeness and damage history, plus borescopes of engines and the APU. These checks aim to ensure no “significant findings” (e.g., items that would disqualify the aircraft from consideration).
The challenge: Most planes like this are already under contract.
The second play is to find a well-maintained plane and perform a limited inspection for “significant findings.” Both parties can then close the deal, leaving part of the seller’s proceeds in escrow (a “holdback”). This contemplates a full pre-purchase inspection in January, with the holdback paying for the “squawks” discovered and with remaining funds returned to a seller upon completion.
The risk: The holdback might fall short of repair costs, or the full inspection might reveal serious issues. Success depends on a well-crafted aircraft purchase agreement outlining both parties’ post-closing obligations.
While the ideal approach allows plenty of time for thoughtful due diligence, creativity is possible when the clock is running out. These risky plays aren’t for rookies or the faint of heart. Success demands a strong acquisition team, including a skilled broker and aviation attorney.
‍
This article is not intended, nor should it be construed or relied upon, as legal advice. The comments, recommendations, and analysis expressed in this article are those of the individual author, John Farrish, are purely informational. This article does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and the author or his law firm. If specific legal information is needed, each person should retain and consult an attorney with knowledge of the subject matter.
‍
‍