Dear Legacy Citation Buyer,

Mike isn’t wrong about selling a Legacy Citation—there are plenty of aircraft that can only be sold the way he envisions. However, I have to take the counterpoint and say you shouldn’t deviate from a standard deal.

Most sellers, especially aircraft dealers, want to avoid a Phase 1-4 inspection. As a buyer, I strongly prefer one, and for good reason. The only scenario where skipping it makes sense is if the price truly justifies the risk—but a low price alone doesn’t mean it’s worth it.

If your budget forces you to buy without a full pre-purchase inspection, including Phases 1-4, you need to set aside funds to cover those expenses over the next couple of years. If the aircraft would have had $100K in airworthiness discrepancies at pre-buy, those issues don’t disappear—you’ll just be discovering and paying for them when the next Phase 1-4 comes due.

I’ve been accused of everything—from self-promotion to incompetence, even ripping people off. The truth is, we’ve helped multiple clients who found us through Beechtalk or whom I introduced to Beechtalk, including a couple who now own Citation Vs we acquired for them. If I weren’t acting in good faith, do you think I could openly discuss these things here without past clients calling me out?

⸻

Dear Beechtalk Community,

Ten years ago, I set out to build a company that protects turbine aircraft buyers, and I’ve done that. We’ve served well over 100 clients—probably around 130 now—but what I’m most proud of is the hundreds, maybe thousands, of people we’ve helped who never even hired us. From phone calls to guidance shared here on Beechtalk, I know my words have helped many navigate this space.

I get that my posts might feel repetitive or even self-promotional at times, but remember—you likely came here looking for information, guidance, and help. I love what I do, and I love talking about it. If that ever comes across as ego-driven, I apologize—it’s just my passion and my career.

It’s funny—my biggest critics seem to be jet owners, the very folks I set out to help! But I learned a long time ago that unless you fly under the radar and stay unknown, you’re going to have critics.

Haters gonna hate, but I won’t let that distract me from my mission.

I called Tom Clements and he came over and looked through the logs and we flew the plane for about 2 hours

Chip, congratulations you have come a long way from your days at RidgeAire..Attaboy.

In 2012 I flew in with a friend to look at a King Air. Y’all made a pretty good business of taking in popular models, sending them to your paint shop, improving the interiors and adding some updated avionics and then flipping them.

Your company didn’t seem to keen on an extensive prebuy inspection so I called Tom Clements and he came over and looked through the logs and we flew the plane for about 2 hours. Later closed on the plane and it hasn’t been a disappointment….however the A/C during the prebuy was a bummer.

I called Tom Clements and he came over and looked through the logs and we flew the plane for about 2 hours

Second? In front of King Air of course. Unless you like going 100 knots slower on the same fuel flow in a more cramped louder cabin.

Second? In front of King Air of course. Unless you like going 100 knots slower on the same fuel flow in a more cramped louder cabin.

And youre buying American.

And youre buying American.

I like the feeling it leaves in my wallet.

Come say hi anytime you're in Santa Fe. I'll buy dinner so you have some change left over for brake and gear overhauls.

5000' runway is a ridiculous limitation for a TP. Unfortunate truth.

Thanks

I don’t do gear overhauls …Part 135 only and not necessary for an airplane that has 2500 TT and 100 hrs year utilization.

I have the steel Parker brakes (now). Overhaul costs the same as your King Air.

Do I have to buy dinner now?