Buying/owning a plane?

[Speedrat]

Private pilot here as well. I have owned 5 different planes including a Skybolt biplane, Citabria, a couple old Cessna 120 and 140s and started in a Cherokee 140.
I spent less on each plane than guys spend on a bass boat or a Harley.
I'm a blue collar guy who made it work and it was a hobby. I did all my own maintenance as allowed as the owner which includes a lot- oil changes, tires, brakes, etc. Annuals are a breeze if you tear it down and have the inspection done by an IA. Most of the cost of annuals if the tear down and put back together so they can access vital points to inspect.
Buy a plane if you can but one you can learn to fly in first then sell and/or trade in to what you really want.
I have done a straight plane trade before, just like cars it's just another market.

I know we have a few pilot members here and I've even flown to do a gun deal. I've also flown someone from OSA when a family member of theirs had an emergency and he needed to get there asap.

Lots of enjoyment and freedom from flying and owning your own plane. Do it now, you'll never regret it!

 

[HoLeChit]

isn't a kitfox a F.A.R. 103 airplane?

According to their website "The Kitfox currently in production does not qualify as an ultralight aircraft under FAR part 103. " however, the plane in that picture is 3 generations old. I dont know about that one. I doubt it, I think far103 requires something like 250lbs total empty weight or less and under 5 gallons of fuel. I think.

 

[HoLeChit]

Private pilot here as well. I have owned 5 different planes including a Skybolt biplane, Citabria, a couple old Cessna 120 and 140s and started in a Cherokee 140.
I spent less on each plane than guys spend on a bass boat or a Harley.

yeah, I’m figuring I’m just a sucker for financial abuse. Hunting, fishing, shooting, hunting dogs, boats, why not add planes to the list? I am surprised at how relatively “affordable” reasonable planes are though.
[/QUOTE]

I'm a blue collar guy who made it work and it was a hobby. I did all my own maintenance as allowed as the owner which includes a lot- oil changes, tires, brakes, etc. Annuals are a breeze if you tear it down and have the inspection done by an IA. Most of the cost of annuals if the tear down and put back together so they can access vital points to inspect.
Buy a plane if you can but one you can learn to fly in first then sell and/or trade in to what you really want.
I have done a straight plane trade before, just like cars it's just another market.

I know we have a few pilot members here and I've even flown to do a gun deal. I've also flown someone from OSA when a family member of theirs had an emergency and he needed to get there asap.

Lots of enjoyment and freedom from flying and owning your own plane. Do it now, you'll never regret it!

I’m reasonably mechanically inclined, with 15 years of heavy equipment maintenance under my belt. I figure I could do a lot of the maintinence that doesn’t need to be certified. I also know a few A&P guys. I don’t know if they could be of any use, I know nothing of the field. I’m excited at the idea of having a plane and the freedom/opportunities it could provide for sure.

 

[OkieJoe72]

So I'm looking to sell my chevy and get back into a lexus/toyota, and what do you know, first thing I see in the classifieds section is a mint kitfox 4 and trailer thats well cared for and priced within my budget for a vehicle. I just had to sit and think for a minute about how mad the wife would be if she knew I sold the truck for an airplane. View attachment 364886

Your wife will cut off any and all nighttime activities for a very very long time. Don’t do it!

 

[HoLeChit]

Your wife will cut off any and all nighttime activities for a very very long time. Don’t do it!

She would likely cut off a lot more than that. I'm definitely the man of the house and all, but that woman scares me a little inside.

 

[p238shooter]

There are some good comments and advice posted here by real owners and pilots so I will not duplicate. I took off on vacation thinking about buying a travel tailer and came back with a Cherokee 180 in 1976 and currently own a Cherokee 235 for taking long trips and a Zenith 801 for mostly fun stuff. The 801 has roughly a 250-270 ft roll in and out on paved surfaces, longer depending on terrain. Yes I am getting older and do not take many long trips any more and have developed other hobbies, so thinking about thinning the herd a little. Yes it can be an expensive hobby, but there is no other way to duplicate the feel, excitement, and sense of accomplisment of being a pilot. I totally disagree with the statements some here have made of taking 5-10 years to get a ppl license to be a compitent pilot. I got my PPL at 38 flight hours in about 5 months including ground school. Like others here, I would suggest you visit a few local airports and make some new friends while looking around and finding a way to ride along to get a good feel of what you are looking at. Good luck to you and your decisions.

 

[Roy14]

25k for a ready to fly airplane. I know nothing about the model but I’d definitely call that affordable.

 

[DRC458]

25k for a ready to fly airplane. I know nothing about the model but I’d definitely call that affordable.

I always wanted an Ercoupe, but it's a little too late in life for me!