Aircraft ferry guides for owners
Costs, permits, preparation, tailwheel trips and out-of-state purchases, explained plainly.
Straight answers for owners who need an airplane moved, written by the Gold Seal Ferry team at Van Nuys Airport. Each guide starts with a short answer and links to the FAA sources.
How much does it cost to ferry an airplane?
What an airplane ferry flight costs: pilot day rates, owner-paid expenses, and worked estimates for Van Nuys to Arizona and Van Nuys to Texas.
Do I need a special flight permit (ferry permit) to move my plane?
When an airplane needs an FAA special flight permit (ferry permit) under 14 CFR 21.197, how to apply through the FAA AWC portal or Form 8130-6, and what it costs.
How to prepare your airplane for a ferry flight
An owner checklist for a ferry flight: documents, logbooks, insurance, squawks, keys, fuel and handoff. It matches the intake checklist our ferry pilots use.
Ferrying a tailwheel, STOL or aerobatic airplane
What owners should know before ferrying a taildragger, STOL or aerobatic airplane: insurance minimums, pilot experience, crosswinds, range, route planning and cost.
Buying a plane out of state: how to get it home
Bought an airplane in another state? The steps to get it home: pre-buy, logbooks, title and FAA registration, insurance binder, and the ferry flight itself.
Tell us where your airplane needs to go
Send the aircraft, route, and dates. We reply with the day rate, expected days, an expense estimate, and the assigned pilot's qualifications for your insurance broker.
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