What I Learned Appraising a Stunt Plane

I once had the unique opportunity to appraise a stunt plane. This wasn’t just any aircraft, the pilot had built it himself and flown it in countless airshows. His favorite event was the Oshkosh Air Show.

After the pilot passed away, his widow donated the plane to the Clow Museum in Bolingbrook. When I got the assignment, I’ll be honest, I didn’t know one iota about aviation. But I was determined to figure it out.

I reached out to an aviation expert in Arizona who agreed to help, but the legwork was up to me. That meant climbing a ladder, peering into the engine, and snapping detailed photos of every angle. At one point I said to the guys at the airport, “Wow, this engine is so clean!” They looked at me like I had three heads and said, “Lady, if your car engine has trouble, you can pull over, right?” I nodded. “Well… in the air, YOU CAN’T.” Point taken.

The expert used my photos and answers to draft the description and assign the value. It was an unforgettable experience and one of the most fascinating appraisals I’ve ever worked on.

1974 Pitts S-1S

Schedule Your Consultation