Guys bought a rare abandoned airplane in Virginia and then attempted to see if it could fly them home

This team from Rebuild Rescue rolled up at Leesburg Executive Airport with a Saratoga, a couple of toolbags, and just enough optimism to power a dream.

Their mission? Wake up a Liberty XL2 that locals said hadn’t moved in nearly two decades.

If the electronics and engine would play nice, they’d try to fly it out instead of trailering it.

While getting it working was one thing, flying this abandoned airplane from Virginia to Pennsylvania would be quite another.

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What happens when you try to fly an abandoned airplane home

The Liberty was rare to begin with. 

A composite two-seater with a digital engine management system, it was supposed to be the future of small aviation. 

This one, though, had barely 48 hours on the clock and had been sitting untouched for 17-18 years. 

The Rebuild Rescue crew saw potential, snapped it up, and set out to see if it could still do what it was built for.

Step one was picking up their pilot, Pete, at Sky Manor before dropping into Virginia for the Liberty XL2. 

Under the hood sat a small four-cylinder engine that hadn’t been touched in years, still carrying its original parts. 

The fuel tanks were topped and clean, but the main battery was weak at just 11.5 volts.

From there it was all about the electronics. 

The crew set up the tracking beacon and radio system, swapped in fresh backup batteries, and replaced anything that didn’t fit right. 

By the time the panels were screwed back on, they’d also wiped away more than a decade of dust and grime. 

Taxi checks came next. 

The Liberty’s quirky finger-brake setup felt odd, tire pressures needed a tweak, and the boost pump noise raised eyebrows. 

But with a friendly local tech signing off on a VFR transponder check, it was time.

The little two-seater rolled onto the runway, pushed forward, and took to the skies.

“I kept pulling the power back and it just kept going towards 120 knots,” the pilot reported after the first lap. 

The Liberty XL2 lifted off easily, felt quick in the climb, and cruised steadily around 110-120 knots. 

A puff of smoke off the tires on landing didn’t scare anyone, and they sent it up again. 

Aside from some vibration above 2,500 rpm (likely a prop balance job), the flight was smoother than anyone expected.

After multiple laps and a safe landing, confidence was high enough to hand it over for the ferry flight. 

Pete took the controls, while the rest of the crew chased in the Saratoga to grab air-to-air footage. 

A forgotten plane was now alive again, flying itself home to the Rebuild Rescue hangar at Chester County, Pennsylvania.

What’s next for the Liberty XL2

The Liberty is now back at the Rebuild Rescue hangar for a deep clean and a prop balance. 

From there, the plan is to put it up for sale. 

With only 48 hours on the airframe and a fuel burn of about five gallons an hour, it’s an ideal fit for a flight school or a private owner looking to build time. 

Whether it ends up training new pilots or serving as someone’s personal plane, one thing’s certain – it’s no longer just sitting forgotten on the ramp.

To see more of this abandoned airplane, subscribe to Rebuild Rescue on YouTube or watch the full video below:

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