First Time Buyer - My Thread.

[rockyfatcat]

Bonanza ok. Others depending on the part are sometimes getting harder to find, or have long lead times. Textron really supports their Cessnas for the most part, and they own Beech now. All others are getting closer to orphan status as far as new parts go. Of course, always salvage, which has to be used at times regardless. In time it seems the fleet is going to be Bonanzas, 172, and 182s (restart and old), and Cirrus.

Read AC 23-27 very carefully. Not everything needs to be TSO STC PMA 8130 ETC if your aircrafts certification was before 1980

 

[DJTorrente]

Start a flying club?

Or at least a partnership. @Justin M is not the first person I've heard recently talking about NJ Area flying club wait lists. (I suppose its possible he is, but just doing so in multiple venues... but I digress). The clubs have no interest in disclosing their wait lists, but some shoe-leather investigation might unearth some partner candidates who are similarly frustrated.

ETA -- Which club dissolved in '24? Was it a COVID hangover? Where did those members go?

 

[Bell206]

How difficult will it be to get parts if I buy one?

Not hard in most cases. However, there are some specific models or specific items that have issues or are becoming a bit scarce. The best place to start is to discuss which aircraft you are interested in with your mechanic first to see what his take is for your area. And if you don't have a mechanic yet, I would highly recommend you select him first before you select any aircraft as it will be his subjective opinion that will matter the most in the long run.

 

[Steamflyer]

Read AC 23-27 very carefully. Not everything needs to be TSO STC PMA 8130 ETC if your aircrafts certification was before 1980

Know and have used it. Not going to help if you need an airframe specific part that was curiously hydroformed or forged in the past. Or used some electrical component last manufactured in 1979. Also, where was TSO STC PMA 8130 word salad mentioned in the original post?

Post was based on experience - plus no one wants an aircraft in their shop for six weeks waiting on a part that used to be in stock always for the past 40 years. So there's that.

 

[Half Fast]

And if you don't have a mechanic yet, I would highly recommend you select him first before you select any aircraft as it will be his subjective opinion that will matter the most in the long run.

Agreed, and I suggest joining the type club for an aircraft under consideration. A type club can help you locate a knowledgeable mechanic, and can help with locating parts or steer you away from certain models that may be hard to maintain. Clubs are also repositories of tons of data that can help you fab owner-produced parts, identify appropriate substitute parts, etc.

 

[Steamflyer]

Unless there's an antique or a curio you must have, buy a PA28 (not my favorite personally as it's neither fast nor can you see the ground), 172, a 182, or a Bonanza. Then you can both fly it a lot and easily have it maintained.

 

[WDD]

Unless there's an antique or a curio you must have, buy a PA28 (not my favorite personally as it's neither fast nor can you see the ground), 172, a 182, or a Bonanza. Then you can both fly it a lot and easily have it maintained.

There is a lot to be said about buying a Camry or Accord of an airplane - that is, a 172, 182, PA 28, etc. They just work - do a lot of things well, every A&P can work on them, you can get parts, they fly well, etc.

 

[Justin M]

ETA -- Which club dissolved in '24? Was it a COVID hangover? Where did those members go?

Skywagon Club based in Morristown (kmmu) shut down when the owner aged out - unable to maintain the planes.

A few of us tried to buy one of the planes but felt the family wanted too much for it.

I imagine it was a situation where many members were not flying anymore.

 

[WhiskeyPapa]

Worth repeating.

Worth repeating a third time, except +$75K is modest. Count on spending +$100 "soon enough"

 

[WhiskeyPapa]

I would start getting smart on Bonanzas. You can trade cost for speed. Mine is on the very affordable end and runs 145kts TAS. You can buy a newerish one with an IO550 and see 170KTS with plenty of room for two+baggage and even room to take others when you want. You can stay well under 300K for a lot of great planes.

I would try to avoid the ramp tie down. I know this is easier said than done, but it's really important. Especially since you want to help with MX. You need a place to do that

Hi.

My club dissolved in 2024 so I'm going to try to find a plane to fly in 2026. Your feedback is welcome. I read this thread:

S

Thread 'Plane purchase 1st time'

May 13, 2024

Hi. I am looking for information and advice regarding plane purchase. I understand the process in general ( title search per AOPA etc) after we find plane we are interested in. What do we do 1st? Contact seller? Make written offer? Do title search? Set up escrow, do pre-buy? I want to know what the sequence should be. The pre-buy may be a challenge. He is maintaining the plane at Lexington KY Blue Grass and that is the name of mechanic that pops up for pre-buys in that are. I doubt we can get our local Maryland mechanic to travel to KY so it makes sense to find someone local...

• Stormswift
• Replies: 29
• Forum: Maintenance Bay

My mission is
* cross country flights for visiting family, with my wife if she can handle the flight length.
* taking friends on local jaunts and sight seeing.
* while traveling away from home, flying around the area to see family in other cities; often bringing someone with me.

Some ideas about the airplane.
* I'd really like experimental, but I don't have time, skills or interest in building.
* I'd love a high wing; but experimental high wings are the exception, not the rule.
* the Lancair IV and Glasair II/III appeal to my wife because she can only take about 4 hours in the plane; she doesn't love the price of the Lancair.

My Location:
* It is expensive to own a plane in my area. Not like I can afford to keep it at Teterboro (KTEB) ha!
* Probably will find a tie-down at a small paved airport in north western New Jersey.
* I haven't found a mechanic yet; but that is something I'd do once I found a plane I wanted to purchase.

Some planes I've considered:
* Glasair Sportsman 2x2 high wing tricycle gear. Unknown cross-country viability
* Lancair IV. I don't have any experience flying a turbo engine; but the speed looks amazing.
* Glasair SII FT. Slower than the Lancair but the fixed gear is probably easier to insure.

My experience:
* About 500 hours, most in Cessna 182
* VFR only, but hope to get Instrument Rating this year

I think my maximum spend is 300K; but that number is way higher than my wife would be willing for us to pay for a plane.

I saw a tricycle Sportman 2x2 for sale, but they won't allow a pre-buy inspection; so I'm not really comfortable with that.

Worth repeating: 1) Find a mechanic (he can help you make the buy); 2) Find a hangar. Even a "cheap" plane requires a hangar. Consider it part of the cost of ownership. And don't forget: a plane is a liability, not an asset, even when owned free and clear. You will be out of pocket for unexpected maintenance; 3) add in the cost of an engine overhaul to the price of purchase + some for minor breaks. That money has to be readily available from the moment the plane becomes yours. If an overhaul + unexpected maintenance items are a burden, you can't afford the plane; 4) a corollary: if you have to finance the purchase, you can't afford it. If you can handle all of these things, the plane can become a truly wonderful addition to your life.

 

[WDD]

I would love a hangar. In many areas - such as where I live - they aren’t available. If I had that as a mandatory I would never be able to own.

BTW - “if you have to finance the purchase, you can't afford it. ”. That is nicely said!

Think of it this way - owning a plane is a more convenient way to spend more money.

 

[Mileage]

It’s been a while since I posted on this thread because …life!

What is your break even number for renting versus buying (Not including cap-ex or engine replacement)?

I feel like if i spend 65,000 on rentals per year, I would have been better off buying and using that 65K annual spend for maintenance and upkeep of my own plane.

If I fly so little I only spend 25K, I should rent. Somewhere in the middle, near 50k I think, is the inflection point.

What’s your range?

I’m sure many will think it’s not about the money, but surely it has some consideration.

One of the considerations is how difficult it can be to rent. I've never been able to make it work. Finding a place that rents is tricky. They often require a check out flight with a CFI before you can rent and then require additonal checkouts if you haven't rented recently - sometimes within the last 30 days - and then you have to find a plane available when you want it. Flying actual cross country can be a challenge given scheduling. It was this factor more than the expense per se that finally made me an owner.

 

[Dana]

I have thought off and on about building an experimental category aircraft. The issue that has always stopped me is the issue of liability after I would sell it. I have heard that one can break the liability chain by selling without the engine as non-flyable. But who really knows in litigious society we live in.

Many people worry about this, but it just doesn't happen. From what I've read, there has never been a successful lawsuit against the builder of an experimental.

There is a lot to be said about buying a Camry or Accord of an airplane - that is, a 172, 182, PA 28, etc. They just work - do a lot of things well, every A&P can work on them, you can get parts, they fly well, etc.

But Camrys and Accords are boring...

 

[WDD]

So I guess I enjoy boring - that is, flying 125 hours last year going places, Oshkosh Fisk, Angel Flights, seeing family and friends.

Vive l'ennu !!! Now, back to bingeing “Discovery Wings” on YouTube while my Mac n Cheese heats up for dinner.

 

[WhiskeyPapa]

Many people worry about this, but it just doesn't happen. From what I've read, there has neverbeen a successful lawsuit against the builder of an experimental.

But Camrys and Accords are boring...

depends on how and where you fly them!