EXCLUSIVE BUYERS ADVANTAGE PROGRAM
AND HOW IT WORKS

Thank you very much for taking the time to read about our “Exclusive Buyers Advantage Program and Inspection Service”. We are sure we can be of valuable service to you. Let me explain how this service works, and then please feel free, at any time, to contact us regarding any questions you might have. Or just give us a call to talk airplanes!

FEES – We charge a flat fee based on the type of aircraft you are looking for. No one trying to “bump you up” to a higher price aircraft to increase his or her fee or commission. That is just one of the beauties of this program. Not to mention the savings that can be negotiated by Gene Unterman and “Dealer Net” and Wholesale Prices extended to us that we pass onto you.

FEE SCHEDULE

Single Engine		Twin Engine		Jet
Light, fixed gear	$5,000	Light	$8,500	Business Jet, light	$35,000
Retractable, 4-place	$5,500	Cabin class	$9,500	Business, Jet, heavy	$45,000
Fixed gear, 6-place	$6,000	Business turbo-prop	$15,000
Retractable, 6-place	$6,500
Pressurized	$7,500

*Transport category aircraft quoted on request by type.

The fee is paid in thirds as each phase commences. Checks, Visa, or MasterCard are accepted. In addition to the fees listed above, there are expenses, but more on that later.

The knowledge and experience learned over thirty years, and from buying over 4,500 Piston and Turbine General Aviation aircraft, are now available to insure you of a successful aircraft acquisition. Why take chances with engines, airframes, possible damage, hidden non-recorded damage, corrosion and simply paying too much for the value received, to say nothing of you and your family’s lives? Unterman Aviation will oversee all aspects of the transaction, including selecting the proper aircraft for your needs, experience, and budget.

We will make our best efforts to obtain a squawk free aircraft at the lowest reasonable price possible – often at dealers wholesale price. You will never have to leave the comfort of your home or office unless, of course, you wish to be at the inspection or be involved in flight-testing. Our prices are very competitive and lower than those of a disinterested broker. When you compare the savings together with the savings of your precious time, our Buyers’ Advantage Program will take the hassle out of finding, selecting, and purchasing your new aircraft.

THE THREE PHASES OF YOUR ADVANTAGE PROGRAM

PHASE ONE – At the time you engage our services we will research all sources available to us. Trade-A-Plane is the best single source, as well as all Internet sites. A dealer, broker or individual may wait as much as 10-14 days for his ad to appear in Trade-A-Plane (and even longer on publications that come out only once or twice a month). As a result dealers many times list on an overnight dealer fax line that only other dealers have access to. These listings appear before it appears in Trade-A-Plane and other publications. If it is a desirable aircraft, and priced right, it will often be sold before the advertisement hits the printed page. Our company subscribes to Plane Fax and several computerized listing services as well as to approximately 20 other publications a month. Through these sources, and through dealers who we know are reputable and specialize in a particular type of aircraft, we compile specifications on the best (as many as necessary) aircraft available. We will discuss the aircraft with you in detail, together with price evaluations. Together, we will decide which are the best possible candidates. We will contact only the OWNER OR EXCLUSIVE BROKER of those aircrafts and drive them crazy with our questions. We will require substantiation of their answers to us with hard copies of listings, and yellow tags, as necessary, in order to separate fact from fiction. We will have as much information as humanly possible before making an offer or arranging a pre-purchase inspection. Our efforts will save you time and money. We will continue this process as long as necessary to find you the right aircraft at the best price. Once an aircraft has been selected, the price negotiations begin. All price reductions are negotiated strictly for and passed onto you. This aspect alone may save more than the fee. The dollar savings is just part of it. Consider the timesavings and safety considerations. You would typically pay a broker 6-7%; this equals 6,000 to 7,000 dollars on a $100,000 aircraft, and savings are even greater on more expensive aircraft. Our fees are often lower because brokers do not generally pass along dealer net prices – assuming he is entitled to them.

The seller is informed that before a pre-purchase is done we expect him to put in writing representations and promises that all items will be in working order, that all ADs have been complied with, and that everything will be in airworthy condition. We will advise you of the “Aircraft Bluebook Digest” price, which is the only true price digest. Don’t be confused by so called “sellers” price appraisal and evaluator systems like those found on the Internet or Vreff. They are “Johnny come lately” price evaluators that were put together strictly for the purpose of getting the seller higher prices. We will discuss enough aircraft so that you will have an accurate feel for the market place. Although we will not hesitate to suggest an appropriate price, the final decision on price, as well as all other matters, is yours. Once a mutually agreeable price is established and we have confirmation, in writing, of all the above items, a pre-purchase is in order. It is important to note that because of 26 years of experience, knowing how to ask the right questions and evaluating faxed information before a trip is made, that there are rarely any surprises once the aircraft is inspected. This saves you money on wasted extra trips and pre-purchase inspections.

PHASE TWO – At the commencement of Phase Two the 2nd third of the fee is due. The inspection phase includes mechanical inspection, compression check, Borascope (if necessary), logbooks, AD listings, cosmetic inspection, and flight-testing. Turbo-charged, Turbine and pressurized aircraft are tested to flight levels. Flight-testing is not only done to determine that all systems are working, but also to determine that the aircraft flies straight when trimmed out with the autopilot off, a great method of determining damage to fuselage or wings. If you wish to be at the inspection site, your presence is welcome and you will learn a lot from watching the inspection. Sometimes, depending on aircraft type, location, who the seller is, and if you wish to pay the travel expenses, we will perform the inspection personally. In many cases we are able to get the seller to bring the aircraft to our location allowing for a personal inspection without travel expense. In many cases an independent, well-qualified shop will be used for the pre-purchase inspection to save the customer our travel expenses. The first rules of aircraft transactions are that no two are ever the same.

Once the inspection is complete you will be informed of the results in detail. We will comply a detailed list of any squawks. We require the owner/broker to sign the squawk list and agree to correct the problems at their expense, or make the appropriate monetary concessions. This is the time when a final decision is needed and the owner/broker is deserving of a deposit if the decision is a “go”. Again, our research is so thorough that once we select an airplane to inspect it is usually the one that is purchased. If, for any reason, the airplane is rejected upon inspection, there is no additional fee charged. You pay the fee only once, although there could be additional expenses if a second trip or pre-purchase inspection is required.

PHASE THREE – This phase varies depending on several factors including whether you are paying cash or financing. We can help you with financing and know where the best rates are. We will work with any financing firm or bank you may choose to use. Most regular aircraft financing institutions are familiar with us and if they require a specific appraisal they are always more then happy to have it completed by us. We will complete all paperwork, evaluations, or appraisals that are required. We will handle all aspects of the closing including complete title work, and title evaluation to make sure there are no liens or “clouds” on the title. We will deliver the aircraft to your ramp if you desire. Of course, if you want to have the fun (if you have the time) of picking up the aircraft yourself, you are more than welcome to do so. Although with our services the necessity and expense of escrow services are simply not needed, but you are always welcome to use them if you request. Remember, we are here to serve you, and to accomplish that task in the way that makes you feel most comfortable.

In most cases the closing process goes as follows: Once we have been advised that all necessary repairs have been made, we will have your or your bank forward a cashier’s check to us made out to the owner (some banks prefer to wire-transfer the money). We will inform the owner that we are ready for the closing and ask the owner fax us copies of the documents that they plan to provide at the time of closing. There is no point in going to a closing and finding out that the owner does not have all the required documentation to ensure a clear title. Once we are sure that all necessary documentation is in place we will pick up the aircraft and make sure that the original documentation is present (to ensure clear title), and then exchange your check (or call you to authorize your bank to wire the funds to the owner for title to the plane).

Before the owner receives your money the aircraft will be examined to make sure that all check list items have been repaired properly and we will test fly the aircraft again to make sure nothing has broken. We also will check for other items that may have come up (although we don’t expect problems we have seen just about everything happen at least once, such as making sure the aircraft has not had an additional 50 hours put on it). We will check to make sure the logbooks have not been lost, or that a fuel truck has not backed into the aircraft since it was last inspected. We will do everything that is humanly possible to make sure you get what you expect. That is what the customer advantage program is all about.

EXPENSES – The expenses are nothing more, and many times less, that what you would spend if you were completing this program yourself. The most important factor is that we inform our customers about the expenses before they happen and you have the right to say yes or no. The biggest expenses will be transportation and overnight expenses if you elect to have us do the inspection personally and we were not able to get the aircraft transported to our home airport. Transportation cost is figured as follows: Round trip airline coach fare, on a major carrier, non-stop if available, plus overnight and meal expenses if necessary. Airfare, overnight expenses and meals will also be quoted up front for your approval. In addition to the trip expenses the current fee to the FAA approved title Search Company for the Title Search and Form 337 Search, combined, is $100. It will cost $5 to register your aircraft with the FAA once you take possession. Other charges are for phone calls and faxes. The total of all expenses, other than transportation, usually comes to about $250.

THE MOST COMMONLY ASKED QUESTION IS “HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?”

There are some things that we can promise and some things that we can’t. We promise you that we will be as careful in all phases of the program as though we were buying the aircraft for ourselves. We can’t promise how long the process will take because we are very selective. Although we have more sources available to us than anyone else does, we do not control what comes onto the market place. There are bad airplanes out there and a lot of overpriced aircraft. Typically we spend one month to find an aircraft; sometimes less and sometimes more.

After 30 years of experience and buying over 4,500 General Aviation piston and turbine aircraft, there is no one better equipped then we are to negotiate the lowest price. That fact alone can save you many thousands of dollars and usually much more than the fee. We know all of the things to look for in the inspection including items that could cause costly repairs long into the future. We can save you time and much aggravation. The cost in time and money by not having to make wasted trips to look at junk can be considerable. Most important are the many dollars, and maybe your life, that can be saved by a complete inspection.

Sincerely,

Eugene R. Unterman
President

Unterman Aviation Consulting
Phone: 760-346-3399     Fax: 760-406-6262
www.unterman-aviation.com -or- unterman@unterman-aviation.com email