Beechcraft Aircraft Founded in Wichita, Kansas in 1932, the Beech Aircraft Corporation started up during the Great Depression and just before World War II began. Founder and President, Walter Beech, led Beechcraft until he died in 1950. Before Walter’s unexpected passing, his wife Olive Ann Beech worked with him as the company’s secretary and treasurer. Following his death, she became acting President, which was hard for many people to accept at the time. However, Olive held that [...]

After years of experience specializing in new and used aircraft markets, you better believe ASA Accredited Appraisers in aviation have seen it all. There’s an old saying that goes, “You could put 10 appraisers in a room, and you’d simply end up with 10 opinions.” And while there may be some truth to this, ultimately, people want to know who’s right and who’s wrong. So when it comes down to it, who is to say which opinion is [...]

What do you envision when you picture the fastest single-pilot aircraft in the world? Whether you’re interested in range, luxurious amenities, or configuration for business travel, many of the fastest single-pilot aircraft combine them all to make flying an incredible experience. If money were no object and because we’re dreaming big, this is our list of the top 11 fastest single-pilot aircraft on the market. Need an aircraft appraisal? VREF has been your aviation appraisal partner since 1994. [...]

Cessna By Textron Aviation Cessna’s founder Clyde V. Cessna became inspired to create aircraft while watching an airshow in 1911. With experience as a mechanic and auto salesman, Clyde built his first aircraft with a kit from Queens Airplane Company in the Bronx. Over time, Clyde became a fairly proficient pilot. In 1916, Clyde got the opportunity to use a space for his aircraft dreams rent-free with one condition – any new aircraft he made had to have [...]

Piper Aircraft Website Brothers Clarence and Gordon Taylor established Taylor Brothers Aircraft in 1927. After about a year, Gordon Taylor passed away, initializing a name change to Taylor Brothers Aircraft Corporation. The start of the Great Depression caused Taylor Brothers Aircraft Corporation to go out of business, causing Clarence to pull away from his aviation career. After its closure, investor William Piper purchased company assets for $761 in 1930 – equivalent to about $12,335 in the 21st century. [...]

Cessna By Textron Aviation Website Cessna’s founder Clyde V. Cessna first visited an airshow in 1911, sparking his interest in making aircraft. With experience as a mechanic and auto salesman, Clyde made an aircraft with a kit from Queens Airplane Company in the New York area. Using this aircraft, he practiced as a pilot and became quite good. In 1916, Clyde had a unique chance to manufacture aircraft rent-free on one condition – including “Jones-Six” painted underneath the [...]

The landscape for aircraft appraisal has changed over the last 10 years. In the past, you’d be able to find listings for aircraft that are no longer available in newspapers or at your FBO. In fact, you would find that those aircraft listings were 60+ days old. Now, the resources for buyers and sellers are simply different and more readily available. So it’s time to realize that there are other resources available to not only help you find [...]

Is there any one reason why missing logbooks impact an aircraft's value? The short answer is that without logbooks intact, it’s impossible to know how well and how frequently an aircraft is being maintained and cared for. Logbooks record a number of items relevant to the aircraft itself. So when they go missing, it can be a problem for both the seller and insurance companies being asked to provide coverage. In aviation, it’s seen often enough to be [...]

There seems to be an aircraft for every type of buyer when you’re looking at Piper Aircraft productions. Whether you’re looking for a completely private flight experience, a business jet for your professional travels, or a trainer aircraft for effective learning, Piper is a trusted name in the aviation industry. Piper is truly well-known for several standout differentiators including its use of Native American names for its products and its vintage Hershey bar wing design.  But for Piper [...]

Maintaining pilot and aircraft logbooks is a practice that dates back over a century. The way pilots maintain logbooks hasn’t changed much over the years. But with increasing technological advances, digital logbooks may end up being the only future there is in aviation record keeping. Need an aircraft appraisal? Contact us today to get started. The Digital Revolution of Maintaining & Storing Logbooks Are we close to saying goodbye forever when it comes to keeping physical logbooks for [...]