20-year AOPA member Jason Stanley, an instrument-rated private pilot, recently used the services provided by AOPA Aviation Finance to buy a Piper Arrow III.
“I grew up with the understanding that the only way to be a pilot was to be in the military. And so of course, around the time I was 12 or 13, my eyesight went bad. I was like, there goes my dream of being Maverick. I didn’t know places like Embry-Riddle existed.”
His college girlfriend’s father was a pilot, and it was during a conversation with him that the father told Jason he could simply go to a local airport and take lessons. Jason said he immediately did what any smart person would do: he took what little bit of money he had left to pay for school and went and put it down on flight lessons instead! “Thus began my bad habit of flying airplanes.”
Apparently, Jason’s private pilot achievement inspired his own father, who went on to gain his private ticket soon after. The two of them then went into partnership on a Piper Archer II. Jason flew it for many years but had to stop in 2009.
“I started a financial firm, so you know as it is with starting a business and having a young family, all unnecessary expenses get put on the back burner.”
His recent business expansion created a solid case for using his license to better serve his clientele. “I told my assistant I’m tired of driving all these places. I’m going to go get checked out again, finish my instrument rating and we’re just gonna go fly everywhere now.”
Jason says he leaned on AOPA Aviation Finance throughout the process as this was his first aircraft purchase solo. He admitted he went into it assuming it was like a car in that he’d have to finance the airplane for roughly five years.
“Working with AOPA Aviation Finance was actually a very easy process,” he said. “I was a little bit more concerned because I’m self-employed and I know that I don’t take normal paychecks typically. Lenders like to see W2 wages and all this stuff.”
And what did Jason buy? A Piper Arrow III that a good friend and mentor had been refurbishing for his pilot wife. “I made the quip one day that I should just buy it from them instead of looking at the Comanches I’d had my eye on because I knew what’s going into their plane, I wouldn’t have to do a pre-buy and all this other stuff.” A day later, they agreed.
“Start to finish the whole financing aspect of it was maybe thirty days at the most. It was a pretty seamless process,” Jason told us. His friends had put a new engine in the Arrow III. Jason added an all glass, all digital avionics and engine monitoring suite. If photos do it justice, he may just have the most cherry Arrow III on the planet.
When asked if he’d use AOPA Aviation Finance again for his next purchase, Jason replied, “Absolutely. This won’t be my last airplane.”
Great advice. Great rates. From helpful and responsive reps you can trust. Three good reasons to turn to AOPA Aviation Finance when you are buying or refinancing an airplane. If you need a dependable source of financing with people who are on your side, just call 800.62.PLANE (800.627.5263), or click here to request a quote.
