Flying Affordability

cocolos

cocolos

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Jul 4, 2012
Messages
468
Location
Davis, CA
Display Name
Display name:
cocolos
Hi All,

I was curious how do most people here in General Aviation afford to fly? Simple question but I wanted to know whether most people split it between a hobby and business/work. Or do you split PIC time? or even some time of volunteering where you could split the cost.
 
For the most part, I can afford to fly. My airplane is paid for and we make enough to pay for annual inspections, maintenance, and upgrades. The cost of weekend flights and cross-country flights and tie-down fees, likewise are covered by our salaries. In future, we intend to purchase a hangar and eliminate tie-down fees.

We have flown for Animal Rescue Flights and find that there is a financial reward by being able to write off some of the expense on our income tax, but certainly not enough to cover the inconvenience. We do it for the love of animals and flying.
 
I bought a low cost E-AB that runs on about 4 gallons of auto gas per hour and I do all my own work (except for the annual condition inspection).

I drive a POS car so I can afford a POS airplane.

I wouldn't mind taking on an partner either.
 
Once my youngest was out of college it freed up enough budget to fly in a modest airplane. I had saved many years. I bought the airplane and put aside a pretty hefty chunk of money in case of catastrophic service needs such as engine overhaul.

I have a Cessna 140 that burns an average of 5.6 GPH. It's in good shape, but it still costs a good bit for insurance, annual, repairs, maintenance.

I would have LOVED to have been able to afford to fly when I was younger, but my family came first.

Where there's a will there's a way. Hopefully you don't have to save until you're past 60 to afford it as I did.

Good luck
 
It was years before I had the time and money at the same time. Passed my PP checkride two days after turning 49. Passed my IR ride at 59. I have a job that pays well and my wife works, as well. Kids are out of college and the one wedding we had to pay for was 9 years ago. :D

Oh, and I belong to a club and that reduces costs nicely, as well.
 
I watched my pennies over the years, and had a fairly good job that usually offered free housing, ( the quality varied), or at least a subsidy when free housing wasn't available. I'm retired, and have an adequate retirement package and have made some fortunate investments over the years. And oh yes, my wife is a highly regarded attorney who specializes in international corporate law, her meager income helps some. :D
 
I drive a 70's model car so I can fly a 70's model airplane.
 
Kids grown. 1971 vintage 1500 sqft house and cars paid for. Paid cash for our 1/4 share in a 2007 DA40XL. Drive a 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan ("airport limo") whereas most friends drive $60K+ leather lined urban assault vehicles. We choose instead to own a Ferrari in the Sky and enjoy the lifestyle that it enables us to experience.

When people ask me how much money you need to own an airplane, my answer is a simple, "all of it of course." If the passion for aviation burns in your belly then my advice is to just pursue it with all the resources you can muster. As for your partner in life, remember the old adage, aviation does not cause divorce as much as divorce causes aviation. In the end analysis you either are or are not, an aviator.
 
Umm... I make enough money to afford it, priorities considered? isn't that how everybody does it, in the end? for some, "priorities" means flying instead of paying for something else important, whereas for others it might mean a choice of leisure activities... but all the same, we all cough up the dough in the end :D
 
Paid for my PPL out of pocket (3 grand in 1994). Instrument paid by Tuition Assistance. I could use GI Bill for advanced ratings but have no need. Deployed to Iraq in 2004. Money saved bought airplane number one. Deployed to Afghanistan in 2009. Money saved bought airplane number two. Stay single, don't have kids and put a large chunk of your income towards flying and it can be done. :)
 
Last edited:
denverpilot said:
Moral of the story: Don't have kids. Haha.
Click to expand...


+1..........

Early on, both my ex and me were in 100% agreement on not having kids.... The world is too *ucked up to bring them into this mess and they cost a TON... Unless you are a trust fund baby, the choice is have fun or have kids... Ya can't do both.:no:
 
Last edited:
Bought half a Warrior a couple of years ago. Had a job making pretty good money, kids are gone, time to fly. Currently on an early retirement package and looking for work. Still flying, not quite as much.
 
cocolos said:
I was curious how do most people here in General Aviation afford to fly? Simple question but I wanted to know whether most people split it between a hobby and business/work. Or do you split PIC time? or even some time of volunteering where you could split the cost.
Click to expand...

In addition to a day job, I also have two of my own businesses that I generate a small side income with. Most of that side income goes into flying.

I managed to fly about 40 hours in 2011--a year where I was unemployed for a total of nine months. The majority of that was in rented Cessna 152's but I also managed to get a Complex Endorsement and rack up some hours in retracts...I didn't do that until after I had a job again though.

I have split PIC time and I have taken passengers up for their pro-rata share, however, the vast majority of my 180ish TT are paid for out of my own pocket.
 
having an awesome wife who is afraid of how grumpy i would be if i didn't get to fly and makes good money and doesn't mind crewing and chasing me around. other than that, just setting priorities.
 
Set priorities and understand that real flying isn't in Flying magazine(or AOPAs)
 
I have a wonderful wife who is fully in favor of me flying. And I lie my a&$. Off about the costs of ownership and fuel burned !!!!!.

Name witheld so no one tells my wife.
 
Anyone have a new car with their plane? Mine is a 2000 toyota land cruiser, the airplane is probably cheaper per mile in gas:D
 
Jthamilton said:
Anyone have a new car with their plane? Mine is a 2000 toyota land cruiser, the airplane is probably cheaper per mile in gas:D
Click to expand...

I had an 89 land cruiser and unless your soloing in a 737, it's cheaper to fly.

How do I afford to fly? Hell if I know, the bank keeps clearing the checks. I spend 90% of my money on flying, the other 10% I waste.
 
And I thought that most people here were well off (I'm not). As for paying for flying, yep, you gotta sacrifice other pleasures. But I think that for pilots, flying is one of the greatest pleasures!
 
My airplane cost less than most people's car, gets better mileage than my F150, and sips 3.9 GPH of car gas.
 
Jthamilton said:
Anyone have a new car with their plane?
Click to expand...

Occasionally.

I bought my 1974 Cherokee in 1994. At the time I had a 1993 Explorer. Later I bought a 2001 Escape, and now I a 2006 Mariner hybrid. All of them got better mileage than cherokee - none of them were as much fun to own (or expensive to maintain).

otoh - I just sold my cherokee. :-(
 
DavidWhite said:
But if you do have kids, make sure you have one that doesn't want to learn to fly

:hairraise:
Click to expand...

I have three kids (8,10,13), but none of them seem interested. :(

Recently when I asked the 13 year old if he wanted to go flying, his answer was "I prefer a sim death to a real death".

Such confidence in his old man!
 
Bought a E-AB for less than $10K, burns pump gas at 4 GPH. But I fly for fun, not for work or long distance travel.
 
I started flying when I was in high-school. Initially, I paid for it with a paper route and waitinng tables. Later I had a gig as file clerk working evenings at GMAC until I got my taxicab license.
Now I am fortunate enough that I can pay for it with my day-job, I just make sure the expenses are evenly spread across bank accounts and credit cards.:wink2:
 
Gubbins said:
I have three kids (8,10,13), but none of them seem interested. :(

Recently when I asked the 13 year old if he wanted to go flying, his answer was "I prefer a sim death to a real death".

Such confidence in his old man!
Click to expand...

HaHa - like I learned, never let them see you "pushing the envelope" in the sim. They'll think that's how you always fly!
 
Work my butt of during the week and most weekends. I do not take vacations often either. No matter how you cut it flying is expensive. Certainly bigger planes cost more than smaller planes, but maintenance unless you do it yourself is fairly constant though more complex planes cost more. However I would suspect that older planes cost more to maintain than newer planes. For me every cent I put in flying is worth it. My wife does not fly nor will she ever get into a small plane, my son flies with on occasion(but he prefers to jump out of perfectly functioning planes--go figure) and my daughter flies on occasion. Most of the time I am solo.

Flying is therapy for me, trying to convince my accountant to write it off as a medical expense, tried to get my insurance company to pay for it as preventive medicine(just kidding). My family notices I am a much happier and nicer person after I fly so they support it. As for kids I have two and even with all the crap they give me I would not give them up for anything in the world. For those of you who think they are not worth it, you really do not know what you are missing. There is certainly good and bad with kids, but kid is the one thing in life where you forget the bad and always remember the good.

Doug
 
Yea, affording flying is going to be one of my challenges. Mostly because I want to fly for weekend trips, and I want to go placed that are farther away.

I am planning relatively soon to move to New Zealand. This should help, as I want to live just outside of Wellington, so nothing is that far away (if I keep it in NZ)
 
Jthamilton said:
Anyone have a new car with their plane? Mine is a 2000 toyota land cruiser, the airplane is probably cheaper per mile in gas:D
Click to expand...

On an average per trip basis, I calculate the fuel consumption of my Arrow at somehwere around 12 mpg at best economy. So it's about like driving a large van. Or a 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser.
 
Sac Arrow said:
On an average per trip basis, I calculate the fuel consumption of my Arrow at somehwere around 12 mpg at best economy. So it's about like driving a large van. Or a 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser.
Click to expand...

Yea, but I would not take a Land Cruiser on a 1000nm trip.
 
Wow great responses everyone! I agree I know flying is expensive but I feel amazing after every flight and I can't wait to go up again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top