Buying an aircraft in Italy
Italy has an active general aviation market, particularly in ultralights and piston singles, with strong manufacturers (Tecnam, Blackshape, Vulcanair) and a dense network of airfields. These are the points buyers most often underestimate.
Read the guide →Buying an aircraft in France
France has one of Europe's largest GA fleets, generous airfield density and a deep used market, plus some specifics worth knowing before you commit.
Read the guide →Buying an aircraft in Germany
Germany combines a large, well-maintained fleet with meticulous documentation culture, often the easiest place in Europe to buy a used aircraft with a verifiable history.
Read the guide →Importing an aircraft into the EU
Importing (typically from the United States) can unlock better prices and equipment levels, but the landed cost is much higher than the sticker price.
Read the guide →The pre-buy inspection
No analysis, including PlaneFit's, substitutes for a physical pre-buy inspection by an engineer who knows the type and answers to you, not the seller.
Read the guide →Cessna 172 vs 182: Skyhawk and Skylane compared
The Cessna 172 Skyhawk and Cessna 182 Skylane look almost identical on the ramp but answer different missions: the 172 is the world's default trainer, the 182 the natural step up in payload, speed and range. This is how they compare on the numbers that drive the buying decision.
Read the guide →Stepping up: five high-performance single-engine aircraft
Once a buyer outgrows a trainer, the choice stops being about a single 'best' aircraft and becomes a question of mission: cruise speed, cabin space, fuel type, runway length and whether the step is to a turboprop or a jet. These five singles each answer a different version of that question. Treat the figures below as indicative starting points and verify them against the linked profile and the specific example you are considering.
Read the guide →Cessna 172 vs Piper Archer vs Diamond DA40: the trainer showdown
Three four-seat single-engine pistons dominate almost every shortlist for a first aircraft: the Cessna 172 Skyhawk, the Piper Archer (PA-28) and the Diamond DA40. On paper they fly the same mission, but their operating economics, airframe history, real-world payload and hidden maintenance costs make for three very different ownership experiences. This is how they actually compare. Treat the figures as indicative starting points and verify them against the linked profiles and the specific example you are considering.
Read the guide →The best first aircraft under 90,000 euro
Aviation has a reputation for being reserved for the wealthy, but an entire slice of the market is genuinely accessible to first-time buyers. Know what to look for and you can acquire a capable entry-level aircraft in the 23,000 to 32,000 euro range (about $25,000 to $35,000) and run it for roughly 36 euro a day (around $40). These are the strongest budget buys that sit well under 90,000 euro (about $100,000). The figures are indicative and reflect the US market these aircraft trade in most actively; European ownership costs differ, so verify against the linked profiles and a local shop.
Read the guide →Buying your first aircraft in the United States
Buying your first aircraft in the United States means navigating hidden logistics, alarming maintenance bills and a real shift in how you think about the cost of flying. Drawn from actual ownership experience, these are the realities to prepare for. Costs are US-market figures with rough euro equivalents; European ownership differs, but the mindset lessons travel.
Read the guide →