Page 29 - Volume 16 Number 5

next owner may well like the changes but will just as likely not be willing to pay anything extra for them.If the airplane in question is a personal airplane, in my view it is always a good idea to approach these decisions with the underlying premise that it should be enjoyed. However, that enjoyment can be diminished if the financial element is out of line.It seems that the most difficult element of these types of decisions is achieving the balance between the ability to recover the costs of modifications and the sub- jective aspects of personal desire and operational improvements they provide.The taking on of a project to modify an airplane to meet specific needs can be a significant commitment of time and energy. It is typical that a buyer will reflect that commitment in terms of a reduced offer price as a form of compensation.Whether or not the seller agrees with that philosophy is questionable. However, in the case of a turnkey airplane, the variables associated with the time and expense of modifi•cations are eliminated and reaching an agreement is more viable. T&TDane C. Jenning, president of Tandava Aviation, served as head of Cessna’s used aircraft operation for 14 years. He has performed 6,500 turbine air- craft evaluations for prospec- tive business aircraft purchas- ers and has been involved personally in 650 transactions during his 20 years in the busi- ness. Jenning has more than 3,000 hours as a commercial multi-engine pilot with a Ci- tation 500 Series type rating. He holds a degree in corporate finance from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s degree from the University of Texas. You can reach Jenning at (888) 733-7161 or dane@tan- davaaviation.com.MAY 2012TWIN & TURBINE • 27