Valuation & Records Guide

Two questions, two products — powered by PlaneLists aircraft intelligence

PlaneLists answers two different questions about an aircraft, with two distinct product lines. What is it worth? — a RAMP™ valuation. What does the FAA file actually say? — a records report. They are different tools for different jobs; many buyers use both.

Valuation Line“What is this aircraft worth?” — instant, automated, market-grounded

Valuations are powered by the RAMP™ engine (Real Aircraft Market Pricing), which draws live comparable data from 10+ aviation marketplaces. Every valuation carries an Appraisal Confidence rating — High, Moderate, or Indicative — describing how well-supported the number is.

Valuation · Tier 1

RAMP™ Custom Valuation — $5.99

A tailored market valuation that incorporates your aircraft's specifics — comparable analysis with configuration and condition adjustments, and an Appraisal Confidence rating. Instant and downloadable.

Best for:

Valuation · Tier 2

RAMP™ Verified Valuation — $24.99

A defensible, downloadable valuation PDF with comparable analysis, adjustment reasoning, subject-aircraft research, and market support — the documented valuation, with its Appraisal Confidence rating. Persistent and shareable.

Best for:

Valuation · Tier 3

PAAO Signed Appraisal — Quote-based

A complete, appraiser-reviewed and digitally signed valuation report. A qualified appraiser examines the workfile and signs the final report. Each signed report carries a unique verification code, QR code, and SHA-256 content hash for independent authenticity verification.

Best for:

Get a Valuation — from $5.99 Request Signed Appraisal

Records Line“What does the FAA file actually say?” — same-day, analyst-reviewed due diligence

Records reports read the aircraft's actual FAA file — the official CARES (Civil Aviation Registry Electronic Services) record — and distill the full chain of title, every lien and release, Form 337s, applicable ADs, and damage history into page-cited findings. Every finding cites the exact page of the FAA file it came from, and a PlaneLists analyst reviews the report before it is delivered. This is pre-purchase due diligence, not a valuation.

Records · Title Search

Title Search — $89

The complete chain of title and every recorded encumbrance, each lien classified and traced to its release where one exists — page-cited to the official FAA record.

Best for:

Records · Full Report

Title, Airworthiness & Damage Report — $249

Everything in the Title Search, plus Form 337 damage and modification findings, full Airworthiness Directive applicability across airframe, engine, and propeller, an NTSB accident cross-check, and a VANT™ trust score — a 300–850 rating of how clean and complete the FAA file is. The complete pre-purchase records picture, analyst-reviewed and delivered same business day.

Best for:

Order a Records Report

How RAMP™ Works

RAMP (Real Aircraft Market Pricing) is a rules-based valuation system, not a black-box model. Here is how it builds a value.

Live Market Data

RAMP searches 10+ aviation marketplaces in real time, including Controller.com, Trade-A-Plane, Barnstormers, ASO, GlobalAir, and others, identifying comparable aircraft by make, model, year, and configuration.

Model Normalization

Models are normalized against a rules database to ensure accurate matching — a 1977 Cessna 172N is matched against other 172N and 172-family aircraft, not unrelated types.

Tiered Comparable Scoring

Each comparable is scored on model match, year proximity, configuration similarity, evidence quality, and source reliability. Direct-match comps carry the most weight in reconciliation.

Configuration Adjustments

The engine applies adjustments for total time, engine time since overhaul, avionics tier, paint and interior condition, and damage history, each documented in the reconciliation narrative.

Modification & STC Review

Detected modifications and STCs are identified from listing data and FAA records, reviewed for value relevance, and confirmed mods are factored into the indicated value.

Appraisal Confidence

Every valuation carries an Appraisal Confidence rating reflecting the quantity and quality of comparable data behind it. A high rating has many consistent direct-match comparables; a lower rating signals thinner data and should be read with caution. (Appraisal Confidence rates the valuation; the VANT™ score on a records report rates the aircraft's records — two different things.)

Which Do I Need?A quick decision guide

If you want to know what an aircraft is worth, get a RAMP™ Valuation — Custom for a quick tailored number, Verified for a documented PDF, or a Signed Appraisal where an appraiser's certification is required for legal, estate, or insurance use.

If you want to know whether the aircraft's title, liens, damage history, and ADs are clean before you buy, get a Records Report — a Title Search for the title-and-lien picture, or the full Title, Airworthiness & Damage Report for complete due diligence with a VANT™ trust score.

Buying a six-figure aircraft? Most serious buyers use both: the valuation to set the price, the records report to confirm the airplane is what the seller claims.

PlaneLists.com™ — Aviation Data Intelligence
Valuations powered by the RAMP™ engine · Records reports read the FAA’s CARES file