You are probably not looking for an Ag, pipeline, or various low end of the economic scale airplane. MTV and lots of good mechanics here can explain very good ways to purchase and maintain aircraft properly. I write this just to alert you to where a lot of airplanes come from.

Most of the Ag mechanics I worked, as pilot, for or leased planes from saw only two classes of airplane: tired and all used up.

The airworthiness certificate is the most important piece of paper for (not carried in Ag aircraft) the airplane. I know that because when they bought tired or used up airplanes, AC was just about all they were concerned with or interested in. An airplane with a weak engine, fabric you could put your finger through, or that had crashed totally was not used up. The parts and an "original" airworthiness certificate could become a new rebuilt airplane.

The airplanes I flew for and with these guys had "really clean logs" and an original airworthiness certificate.

Thanks and now we know...

Best,

Tommy

Super Cubs come to mind.

Nowadays AG operators trade in their 2,000 hr ships for Brand New, and repeat. They must be making tons spraying.

Free trade in the global market changed Ag from a six tired Cubs and then Pawnees to one million dollar+ jet powered Air Tractor or Thrush. Supply increasing to meet demand and tariff and trade wars have reduced the price of staple crops. Sprayers who buy new rather than rebuild the tired and almost used up know who "the pick up man" is. The bank.

At that price they are working almost year around or picked up.

Was not uncommon in the helicopter world. If (more like when) you crashed you'd chisel off the data plate and bring it back to the office with the logbooks. The same serial # would fly the next season. I even know of a case where two owner/operators simply traded helicopters mid-season by switching data plates and keeping the original logbooks, repainting the registration - didn't matter, it crashed that season anyway, though the insurance company questioned why the colour seemed to have changed

I'm writing from memory so don't nail me on the exact wording, but I flew a lot of Pawnee and CallAir spray planes that had this and only this in the logbooks: "This airplane has been inspected in accordance with Part ...? and has been found to be airworthy for return to service." Page after page had just that stamped onto the page, dated and signed.