Odd Question?...

[AKAV8R]

Anyone ever been approached about selling a reserved tail number not currently on an aircraft? Just wondering, as I have but not sure what value or price to put on it?

Thoughts?

[Toobuilder]

I have sold an N number on my registered airplane; but "reserved" or acid etched into the side of the fuselage should not mean anything when determining value, should it? I would think it's "worth" exactly as much as the market will bear.

Remember, the first one to name a price (seller or buyer) is at the disadvantage. Let them make an offer.

[Mel]

I have purchased a "reserved" number.
The seller should send a notarized letter telling the FAA to release the number to the purchaser. This letter should be sent to the purchaser so that it, along with the purchaser's request for the number can be sent to FAA registration in the same envelope. That way, there is no chance of the number being released and then reserved by someone else.
This is what FAA registration suggested and it worked well in my case.
As far as value, my cost was simply reserving the original owner another number of his choice.
The value of a reserved number is that which the seller & the purchaser agree on.

[benbell4140]

I looked into buying a reserved number recently. The guy was asking $500 but I backed out. I figured I could use the $500 elsewhere on the plane.

[Toobuilder]

Originally Posted by benbell4140

...The guy was asking $500 but I backed out...

I sold mine for $2,500 and the guy didn't even blink. I also spoke "first" - and learned a valuable lesson... He may have offered ten times that!

[Bushcaddy]

I've had several offers for N2C. The highest was $3000 and I wouldn't take it. I would say I get some form of contact every 6 mos or so...

In each case I would not give the prospective buyer a number, I told them I would not go back and forth, if they are serious they should think about what the most is they'd be willing to pay and I will simply tell them yes or no.

I do have another number reserved just in case the day arrives, but I know my number is special and it would take an awful lot to make me part with it.

[dhammer]

I'm in the corporate aircraft consulting business and have purchased several numbers from others to put on clients aircraft.

Like some have said, it is what the market will bear. Two already in use ones that stick in my mind were $5000 to refinish a glider and a complete delux paint job on a Cessna plus $10,000 for spending money. For a buyer that just spent $50m for a G550, a few bucks for a number is pocket change.

The most for a reserved one I did was for a copy company that wanted their numbers to match the machine models they built. That guy got a $25,000 check for his $10 registration.

So, I guess the short question is who want's it?

Don

[dmaib]

There are some legendary stories around about corporate aircraft owners shelling out big bucks for N numbers. I seem to remember that Nike paid $$$$ for N1KE, but don't know for sure. I have personal knowledge of one where the corporate jet owner offered the owner of a west coast Cessna 182 quite a bit of money for his number, to no avail. Then he offered to just buy the 182 for around $35K and was successful. Had the 182 flown back to MN where he had the numbers changed, and then sold the 182! He wanted that number pretty badly.

[Strasnuts]

I flew a Decathlon for a fish spotting outfit several years ago with N8SF. I had a call to repaint the aircraft in exchange for the N-number. We were too busy to deal with it at the time.

[Jerry Cochran]

I seem to remember that Nike paid $$$$ for N1KE

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinqu...NNumbertxt=1KE

A G-V. Nice.