When a 50-Year-Old Lien Grounds Your Aircraft Sale

Good morning! I’m currently editing what will become my first-ever airplane review video for the new Flybuyer YouTube channel, featuring a 2000 Piper Saratoga II TC. I filmed it this past summer in the sweltering Texas heat. It was so hot that my camera died by 9 am, and I had to hold it up to an air conditioning vent in a nearby pilot lounge for several minutes, just to cool it down enough to keep filming—which happened six times!

And without using the Google machine, any idea what the TC stands for? 🛩️

-Rob Roy

In today’s email:

• Selling Your Plane? Check for Ancient Curses First

• Around the Skies: Lilium’s last-ditch sale effort, Russia’s covert air attack, Sunset flight gone wrong, NASA pushes electric aviation, Allegiant’s holiday strike threat, Honda’s eVTOL prototype, Haiti airspace deemed unsafe, 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act updates

• PilotTube: Flying the Sleek European Tarragon

THE BUSINESS OF AVIATION

Old Liens Never Die; They Just Resurface at the Worst Time

When an unsuspecting aircraft owner tried to sell his Cessna 182, he found himself facing a 55-year-old surprise: a lien from 1969 still haunting the plane’s paperwork. Despite having changed hands at least ten times, no one had caught this lingering issue—until a diligent buyer backed out faster than you can say “clear title.” It turns out, the FAA’s recent shift to digitized records is unearthing a graveyard of “zombie liens” and sellers are finding out the hard way that these ancient skeletons don’t vanish on their own.

According to aircraft broker Todd Huvard, these old liens are resurfacing as the FAA cleans up its records, revealing just how messy things got back when microfilm was all the rage. So, what can sellers do when confronted with an unwanted lien? The first step is to conduct a thorough title search through reputable services like AIC Title or Aerospace Reports before you even think about listing your aircraft. If you find a lien, clearing it can range from easy (contacting the bank that issued it) to downright impossible (tracking down defunct mechanics or long-lost lenders). And yes, it often involves dusting off your detective hat.

But what if the bank that issued the lien is now just a distant memory? Huvard suggests starting with the FDIC’s Bankfind tool to locate any successor institutions that might hold the key to your release. If that fails, you might need to shell out a few hundred bucks for a title company to take on the dirty work, though there’s no guarantee they’ll succeed. For the bold and budget-conscious, a DIY approach is possible, but one wrong box ticked on the FAA’s 8050-41 Lien Release form and you’re back to square one.

Whether you’re buying or selling, the moral of the story is clear: always do your title homework. Even cash buyers aren’t off the hook; skipping a title check might save you some hassle now, but it’ll come back to bite you when it’s time to sell. The truth is, ignoring a lien is like ignoring a weird noise under the hood—it might not stop you from flying today, but it’ll leave you grounded eventually. In the world of aviation, a clean title is worth its weight in gold.

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AROUND THE SKIES

🛩️ Struggling electric jet maker Lilium has tapped KPMG (not an airport) to find a buyer after a denied government loan forced the company into insolvency. Despite having 780 orders on the books, Lilium’s financial runway is running out, with its stock set to be delisted from Nasdaq. The hope is that a sale can breathe new life into the ambitious Lilium Jet program, before it becomes just another grounded dream.

🛩️ Russia is reportedly behind a plot to start fires aboard U.S.-bound aircraft using incendiary devices disguised as hand massagers. Test explosions at DHL hubs in Germany and England in July were allegedly trial runs to smuggle these devices on flights. Western security officials see this as part of a broader sabotage effort targeting North America-bound planes.

🛩️ Ignoring warnings and a sunset deadline, a Beechcraft Baron pilot took off from Catalina Airport after dark (on an unlit runway where night operations are prohibited). Minutes later, the flight ended tragically in a ravine.

🛩️ NASA has tapped Electra to design an all-electric airliner, part of its mission to decarbonize aviation under the AACES 2050 program. Electra’s innovative “blown-lift” tech allows ultra-short takeoffs, aiming to transform commercial air travel. The project could see electric planes flying passengers within decades, ushering in a cleaner, greener future.

🛩️ Allegiant pilots are gearing up for a strike, rejecting a 70% pay raise they say isn’t enough to fix low pay and long hours. The airline insists they've added perks and better schedules, but with holiday travel around the corner, this showdown could put a serious dent in festive plans.

🛩️ Honda just got the FAA’s thumbs-up to test its eVTOL prototype—a hybrid air taxi with eight propellers and a gas turbine that promises a 250-mile range. Sure, Hyundai and Toyota are already in the eVTOL race, but Honda’s pulling out its secret weapon: all that HondaJet experience.

🛩️ The FAA has banned all U.S. flights to Haiti for 30 days after gunfire hit three planes, including an American Airlines flight. The NOTAM restricts flights within 10,000 feet of Haitian airspace due to security concerns. Airlines like JetBlue and American have suspended services, prioritizing the safety of crews and passengers.

🛩️ Packed with changes that could impact how you fly, the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act covers everything from safety to consumer rights. But are these changes good or bad? This video breaks down the 13 most important updates you need to know to stay in the know.

PilotTube

AOPA’s Dave Hirschman takes the sleek Tarragon for a spin (not that kind of spin); it’s a European light sport aircraft poised to make waves in the U.S. under upcoming MOSAIC rules. With its carbon fiber frame, cutting-edge Garmin avionics and turbocharged Rotax engine, it’s a speedy contender that’s ready to turn heads in the light sport category.

Have an Aircraft I Can Film?
I’m on the lookout for airplanes to review for the Flybuyer YouTube channel (coming soon). If you own, fly or have access to a piston, turbine, business jet, helicopter, seaplane, bush plane, warbird or blimp I can film, please fill out this form!

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