Buy or sell a used ULM with confidence - Jean-Marc Lezcano

Experience shows that buying and selling a second-hand microlight is often fraught with pitfalls, even for people who have been in the microlight business for many years. What's more, the sums involved are high.

The seller may find himself faced with a dispute, or even litigation, after the sale. The buyer may see his purchase grounded for various reasons. Added to these situations of good faith are the actions of less well-intentioned people: concealment, deception, bad faith, even swindling...

In other cases, fortunately the most frequent, the buyer must assess the condition of the microlight he is considering buying, and the way it has been maintained, with as little uncertainty as possible, so that he can enjoy his hobby in the third dimension with the greatest possible confidence. The seller will benefit from transparently highlighting the advantages of a healthy, well-maintained microlight, in the face of the buyer's inevitable mistrust.

This book has been written to help develop this mutual trust when buying or selling an ultralight. As well as giving basic advice, it provides a methodological framework for the detailed examination of essential or useful documents, visual examinations of the powertrain and airframe, and supporting the sale with more in-depth technical examinations, before proceeding to a test flight.

It can also serve as a guide to improving the capital preservation of any ULM acquired - which will one day be resold - by encouraging the implementation of practices that will develop the confidence of the future buyer.