From Dreaming to Doing: New Pilot Buys First Aircraft with AOPA’s Help

AOPA member William Flesher began flying just two years ago, as a birthday present to himself. Flesher’s grandfather was a pilot and had a big influence on him. He flew both the Cessna L-19/O-1 Bird Dog and the de Havilland DHC-4/C-7A Caribou during the Vietnam War. Later, in civilian life, he flew for the Forest Service. “I’ve had a desire to fly since I was a child. Finally able to do it,” Flesher remarked.

With 125 hours quickly adding up in his logbook, Flesher is already working on his instrument and commercial ratings, along with his A&P.

The recently minted private pilot just bought a 1978 Beech Sundowner from his flight instructor through the AOPA Finance Quick App program. “[My instructor] got a job in the Caribbean,” Flesher said. “And he was looking to sell it to somebody who would fly it.”

Flesher chose the Sundowner because he liked the fact that its cabin is larger than those found in a Cessna 172 or Piper Archer. “You’re not rubbing elbows with the person sitting next to you,” he said. His Sundowner sports an impressive avionics suite, thanks to that same instructor: two Garmin G5s; a Garmin GTN 750; a Garmin GI-106; a Garmin GTX-345 transponder; a Garmin GM 340 audio panel; and a JPI-701 engine monitor.

Flesher said AOPA Finance was actually his second choice. “I went through another company first, and that company was just so much of a hassle. It seemed like every time I would get everything that they wanted, they’d then say, ‘Oh, well, you know, you got to justify this, or you got to justify this.’ It was just such a hassle.”

Flesher then applied online with AOPA Finance. The representative who contacted him explained everything, suggesting that the Quick App program might be most beneficial for his loan. All he would need to provide was his application, an ID, and bank statements. So, he chose that route. “It was just as painless as she promised,” he said. Once his application package was submitted, his loan was approved and funded the following week!

Flesher offered two suggestions when asked what advice he might give to a prospective aircraft buyer. “Don’t waste your time going with anybody besides AOPA Finance. And second, get the best airplane for your mission at that time. Buy the airplane you need now, not the one you want.”

Great advice. Great rates. Helpful and responsive reps you can trust. Three good reasons to turn to AOPA 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.