Select the inspector and disclose conflicts before committing to the inspection.
Ask about relationships explicitly
AOPA recommends a third-party inspector familiar with the make and model who has not been the regular person maintaining the aircraft. Ask about work for the seller, broker, operator and aircraft, as well as any economic interest in the sale or repair outcome. A disclosure does not automatically resolve the conflict, but it gives the buyer and lender evidence for deciding whether the proposed review is acceptable.
Check model capability and scope
Request qualifications relevant to the selected aircraft and proposed work, availability of needed equipment and access to approved data. Confirm which work will be performed by the named facility versus subcontractors. A general certificate or an impressive hangar does not answer whether the team has the exact model experience needed. Obtain a written scope and deliverable, not just a verbal recommendation.
Consider two different shortcomings
An entirely independent shop may lack the required model expertise, while a highly experienced provider may have maintained the subject aircraft for years. Neither independence nor expertise alone answers the selection question. In an illustrative purchase, the buyer may commission an independent model specialist to coordinate work at an appropriate facility, subject to lender and contractual agreement. The team should document why the arrangement addresses both needs.
Protect the reporting channel
Specify who receives findings, who may authorize additional work and who controls the buyer's acceptance decision. Do not allow informal instructions to narrow the agreed scope without written approval. Ask the technical adviser to distinguish observed facts, estimates and unresolved concerns. Retain conflict disclosures and the final scope with the purchase file so the decision can be understood later.
Working document to prepare
Use an inspector-selection record with model experience, relevant authorizations, named staff, recent relationship to the aircraft or seller, subcontracted tasks, available equipment and reporting channel. Record references or other verification actually obtained rather than unverified claims. Ask the lender whether the proposed arrangement meets its requirements before booking. Preserve the selection rationale alongside the scope so later participants understand why the team considered both capability and conflicts acceptable.
Your next-step checklist
- Disclose seller and aircraft relationships.
- Verify exact model capability.
- Identify subcontracted work.
- Preserve buyer-directed reporting and extra-work authority.
Sources & further reading
Primary sources support the relevant facts. Our planning questions and illustrative exercises are editorial analysis; they do not replace transaction-specific advice.
- AOPA independent pre-purchase inspection guidance · accessed 2026-10-28