First year of ownership

[455 Bravo Uniform]

My first year of ownership. Not too bad.

Expensive. Ownership is more costly than I thought, with its minor unscheduled maintenance (flap electrical x3, and airspeed indicator x2). But no catastrophic surprises.

Any other expense has been my attempt to get to zero squawks, plus some discretionary stuff. It’s a chase to stay ahead of old parts, but also good to know when to just be content.

I took care of some known STC paperwork issues at purchase on my dime, and some AD paperwork & confirmation at this annual that were missed at prebuy, but all that was cheap by comparison to parts & labor.

And I never got my spreadsheet back out after closing. Not chasing such a thing as “break even”. Cost of entertainment. I may sell it tomorrow or next year or 5-10 years from now, who knows.

Flew it about 40 hrs in the first year, stored it 4 months over the winter. About 1hr/week not counting storage time.

I learned a lot about piloting, what with the constant of my own plane. Flap issues and airspeed indicator issues in this first year taught me a lot about reliance and assumptions, especially in the approach phase.

I learned a lot about systems. And a lot about myself. And a lot about friends and family who were potential or actual passengers (never would have predicted who would act how).

This bird taught me a lot. Cost of education.

 

[TommyG]

It is costly to own. Fortunately I have a partner, and that partner is an A&P. Upgrades, squeaks, real MX problems all adds up.

The trade off. It is ours, no one else is beating it up. If anything breaks or not working right, we get right on it and fix it. We are on the same level of being anal with keeping clean and organized. So the plane is always just the way we like it. So far we never have and schedule conflict. So it is always available for use for however long.

So to me well worth it.

 

[denverpilot]

Ownership is definitely a whole new learning curve.

Besides the negatives of unplanned maintenance and costs, you also get to really get “in tune” with a particular airframe. Usually owning is the first time anyone can do that unless they take a job flying the exact same aircraft somewhere.

That part is kinda fun. I don’t think it really kicks in hard until about the 100th hour in the aircraft. Then you’ve started noticing things about that specific airplane that are slightly different than others of the same type.

Like mine has a slight right turning tendency and we’ve chatted about having it re-rigged, but after a while you get used to it and don’t let go of the yoke for too long under the hood or in IMC, or you cheat and push a little left rudder or even trim it slightly rudder left and accept the inefficiency and the ball slightly off center for the ability to go completely hands off.

But you really figure out all the little quirks and features of your specific aircraft starting somewhere around 50 hours and really strongly at about 100. And that’s really nice. It becomes really obvious if it’s doing something subtly different. Like slowing down because it’s picking up ice you didn’t notice and weren’t expecting on the white wing... or flying oddly because you’re loaded within limits but waaaaay tail heavy. Stuff like that.

After you do some really long XCs in your own airplane you can do stuff like trim it absolutely perfectly on a non bumpy day and then play with shifting your weight to maintain altitude within 5’-10’ just out of curiosity and boredom. Ha. I did something like an hour in cruise slogging upwind back from Nebraska one day without touching the yoke at all, and shifting my head or parts of my body fore and aft to maintain altitude. Haha. Left and right is harder.

Had to quit when I wanted to reach in the back and grab my snack and water bottle from the bag. Messed it all up doing that. Haha.

 

[steingar]

Why'd you store it over winter? Airplanes like the cold. They climb real fast.

 

[Mtns2Skies]

Flew it about 40 hrs in the first year, stored it 4 months over the winter. About 1hr/week not counting storage time.

40 hours?! I'm 4 months in and on my second oil change!

Glad you had a good annual . I too am enjoying ownership, and it is teaching me a TON. The Skywagon is still kicking my butt.

 

[luvflyin]

My first year of ownership. Not too bad.

Expensive. Ownership is more costly than I thought, with its minor unscheduled maintenance (flap electrical x3, and airspeed indicator x2). But no catastrophic surprises.

Any other expense has been my attempt to get to zero squawks, plus some discretionary stuff. It’s a chase to stay ahead of old parts, but also good to know when to just be content.

I took care of some known STC paperwork issues at purchase on my dime, and some AD paperwork & confirmation at this annual that were missed at prebuy, but all that was cheap by comparison to parts & labor.

And I never got my spreadsheet back out after closing. Not chasing such a thing as “break even”. Cost of entertainment. I may sell it tomorrow or next year or 5-10 years from now, who knows.

Flew it about 40 hrs in the first year, stored it 4 months over the winter. About 1hr/week not counting storage time.

I learned a lot about piloting, what with the constant of my own plane. Flap issues and airspeed indicator issues in this first year taught me a lot about reliance and assumptions, especially in the approach phase.

I learned a lot about systems. And a lot about myself. And a lot about friends and family who were potential or actual passengers (never would have predicted who would act how).

This bird taught me a lot. Cost of education.

Planes like to fly. Not good to be storing them in crappy climates. Make ya a deal. I’ll come pick up your plane this winter, take it to the sunny, dry Southwest, cook all that Midwest humidity out of it and give it some exercise. As a fellow POA’er I will do the right thing and do it for free.

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

40 hours?! I'm 4 months in and on my second oil change!

Glad you had a good annual . I too am enjoying ownership, and it is teaching me a TON. The Skywagon is still kicking my butt.

Just wait another quarter century and we’ll see how much time you have, lol!

Your teacher is meaner than mine...

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

Planes like to fly. Not good to be storing them in crappy climates. Make ya a deal. I’ll come pick up your plane this winter, take it to the sunny, dry Southwest, cook all that Midwest humidity out of it and give it some exercise. As a fellow POA’er I will do the right thing and do it for free.

Funny, I’ve thought about half year ownership sending it to my buddy in Houston for the icy months.

Was just too hard between work and weather to get flights in. My hangar neighbor stores both of his Bonanzas in the same hangar as me over the winter and has over 2k hrs on his engine, no cyl work (Conti). He fogs with oil before leaving and then again before starting.

 

[steingar]

I still don't understand the winter storage thing. We get lots of really nice days during the winter months. Could and sunny, wonderful days to fly. you do need to heat the engine up, but your airplane will climb like a homesick angel. I don't do too many winter trips (that may change if and when I get the IR) but I do lots of winter day trips. Most of the bigger runways are plowed, and the winters cape is gorgeous from the air.

 

[frfly172]

I started a spread sheet,on my first airplane ,a 172 .after about two years I stopped using it. Haven’t really kept track of the true expenses of owning. Like having an airplane when I want it for as long as I want it. So owning is worth it to me. I try to fly twice a week and take several long trips a year . Average about 120 to 160 hrs a year.

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

The air gets thick, but time gets thin from early November thru Feb. Holidays, work at end of the fiscal year and start of the new one, short daylight, and not wanting to leave the house in constant 20F to minus 10 degree weather. Plus 2 kids in high school.

 

[hindsight2020]

Winters in KLAF is where I cut my teeth as a brand new IR rated kid. First encounters with icing, first encounter with the leans while solo. I certainly have some memories of the place. I'd hate to be an airplane owner up there though, winter sucks. Much happier in the sweltering heat of Central Texas lol.

 

[1RTK1]

Every time I visit my son in the winter at Purdue (not aeronautical related) the flight school is busy flying, they must be doing a lot of instrument training, every time I go there the weather is low overcast

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

It’s been nuts the last few weeks. 20 ROTC students learning to fly from scratch in a few short weeks. Planes hitting their 100 hr/annuals in a few weeks time, oil changes every 1-2 weeks. It’s been a zoo at the FBO, but fun to watch. One of my CFI buddies who does the stage checks said they had a student solo at 8 hours. Rare pic with planes on the ground.

 

[denverpilot]

View attachment 64480 It’s been nuts the last few weeks. 20 ROTC students learning to fly from scratch in a few short weeks. Planes hitting their 100 hr/annuals in a few weeks time, oil changes every 1-2 weeks. It’s been a zoo at the FBO, but fun to watch. One of my CFI buddies who does the stage checks said they had a student solo at 8 hours. Rare pic with planes on the ground.

You’re keeping busy!

 

[FastEddieB]

Like mine has a slight right turning tendency and we’ve chatted about having it re-rigged, but after a while you get used to it and don’t let go of the yoke for too long under the hood or in IMC, or you cheat and push a little left rudder or even trim it slightly rudder left and accept the inefficiency and the ball slightly off center for the ability to go completely hands off.

No ground-adjustable aileron trim tab?

 

[denverpilot]

No ground-adjustable aileron trim tab?

LOL. Negative Ghostrider.

 

[deyoung]

Heh - around here, winter is prime time; summer is when I have to work for flying time (because I'm not a morning person, and getting up with the sun is a lot of work for me )

 

[eman1200]

Congrats on year 1. It’s pretty awesome and a little unbelievable at times, no?

 

[DaleB]

No ground-adjustable aileron trim tab?

LOL. Negative Ghostrider.

That's why we have balsa wedges and vinyl wrap.

 

[GRG55]

Every time I visit my son in the winter at Purdue (not aeronautical related) the flight school is busy flying, they must be doing a lot of instrument training, every time I go there the weather is low overcast

How about those folks at UND, with their months on end of unrelenting below freezing weather.

 

[denverpilot]

That's why we have balsa wedges and vinyl wrap.

?????? Haha. I think I used that on some model airplanes as a kid.

 

[DaleB]

?????? Haha. I think I used that on some model airplanes as a kid.

It works just fine on full sized aircraft as well. Doesn't take a lot of wedge to trim out a minor roll or yaw.

 

[AKBill]

I still don't understand the winter storage thing. We get lots of really nice days during the winter months. Could and sunny, wonderful days to fly. you do need to heat the engine up, but your airplane will climb like a homesick angel. I don't do too many winter trips (that may change if and when I get the IR) but I do lots of winter day trips. Most of the bigger runways are plowed, and the winters cape is gorgeous from the air.

I really enjoy winter flying, what I don't enjoy is getting the plane ready to fly. Preheat for 3 hours, covers, moving snow from tie down (I park outside). But it's worth it...

 

[GRG55]

I really enjoy winter flying, what I don't enjoy is getting the plane ready to fly. Preheat for 3 hours, covers, moving snow from tie down (I park outside). But it's worth it...

There should be some sort of award for people as dedicated as you to getting in the air no matter what!

 

[GRG55]

40 hours?! I'm 4 months in and on my second oil change!

Glad you had a good annual . I too am enjoying ownership, and it is teaching me a TON. The Skywagon is still kicking my butt.

I have a feeling I'm going to go through a similar period of some good butt kickings too. And the only thing worse than owning one airplane is owning two.

I've been fussing with the idea of a taildragger (as an antidote to flying the twin) for a couple of years now. Went through the usual analysis process (we engineers don't do anything without creating a bigger than necessary spreadsheet ). Narrowed it down to either a Super Cub or an Aviat Husky.


And now coloradobluesky's Aviat Husky has a new home. Have fly rod. Will travel.

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

I have a feeling I'm going to go through a similar period of some good butt kickings too. And the only thing worse than owning one airplane is owning two.

I've been fussing with the idea of a taildragger (as an antidote to flying the twin) for a couple of years now. Went through the usual analysis process (we engineers don't do anything without creating a bigger than necessary spreadsheet ). Narrowed it down to either a Super Cub or an Aviat Husky.


And now coloradobluesky's Aviat Husky has a new home. Have fly rod. Will travel.

View attachment 64507

Whoa! You are crazy x2!

That’s gonna be fun. Congrats to both you and @coloradobluesky ! Will you start a new pic thread? Or post here.

 

[GRG55]

Whoa! You are crazy x2!

That’s gonna be fun. Congrats to both you and @coloradobluesky ! Will you start a new pic thread? Or post here.

What little taildragger time I have was in the distant past, so I've got some learnin' to do. I wanted to expand the range of flying I experience and looking forward to that. Once I am proficient enough to get it into some interesting places I'll post some pics.

And yes, I have already cracked my skull on one of those Fowler flap hinges (only minutes after @coloradobluesky warned me about them). I am trying to avoid doing the same on those lethal looking aileron spades.

 

[denverpilot]

And yes, I have already cracked my skull on one of those Fowler flap hinges (only minutes after @coloradobluesky warned me about them). I am trying to avoid doing the same on those lethal looking aileron spades.

Some people split pool noodles and cover them, especially in a hangar where the pool noodle pieces won’t blow away if they do fall off.

 

[murphey]

Some people split pool noodles and cover them, especially in a hangar where the pool noodle pieces won’t blow away if they do fall off.

$1.99 or less at Target. I use them when traveling so that other people don't damage anything. Even with a low wing, people don't realize that a flap or even the elevator is not a good place for a coffee cup.

 

[denverpilot]

$1.99 or less at Target. I use them when traveling so that other people don't damage anything. Even with a low wing, people don't realize that a flap or even the elevator is not a good place for a coffee cup.

Heck, you have a flap that has walking tread on it, don’t you?

Not that I’d recommend anyone stand on those much anyway, but...

 

[Mtns2Skies]

I have a feeling I'm going to go through a similar period of some good butt kickings too. And the only thing worse than owning one airplane is owning two.

I've been fussing with the idea of a taildragger (as an antidote to flying the twin) for a couple of years now. Went through the usual analysis process (we engineers don't do anything without creating a bigger than necessary spreadsheet ). Narrowed it down to either a Super Cub or an Aviat Husky.


And now coloradobluesky's Aviat Husky has a new home. Have fly rod. Will travel.

View attachment 64507

DUDE! Congrats! Beautiful bird. FWIW my ranking of tandem bush planes is:
American Champion Scout
Aviat Husky
Piper Super Cub



CubCrafters Carbon Cub

So you've done pretty well!
Also we need more pics... especially ones in the back country... Here's an example... (sorry I can't resist not showing off, I love my taildragger)

 

[steingar]

I really enjoy winter flying, what I don't enjoy is getting the plane ready to fly. Preheat for 3 hours, covers, moving snow from tie down (I park outside). But it's worth it...

My aircraft lives in a hangar. I’d not have an airplane tied up outside, escepially in a brutal place like Seward’s Folly. I have a heater doodle thingie that sits in the engine bay keeping the motor warm. I stick a space heater in the cockpit while I preflight, then I open the door and go.

Yeah, it’s cold. But here we have these neat things that keep you warm. They’re called coats.

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

Coats and heaters are stupid.

 

[GRG55]

Coats and heaters are stupid.

That's what I think about air conditioners in piston airplanes

 

[chemgeek]

Owning is great. I figure on about 4x fuel for annual cost of you fly 50-100 hours a year. That typically covers routine and unexpected maintenance, some upgrades, and fixed costs.

The first year or two is the worst as you are fixing someone else's discrepancies. After a few years it will be up to your standards and costs will stabilize.

 

[Brian Priest]

I sooooo want to own. Ya I know it’s expensive. But the freedom to do what I want with MY airplane, is very appealing.

Only thing is, can I afford it? I’d have to finance it. what will ownership actually cost me? If I knew that answer then I could make a better go/ no go decision.

Then of course, what to get!

 

[chemgeek]

Used aircraft are remarkably affordable to purchase, and dependably expensive to maintain. If you can buy an aircraft, but can't sustain 4x fuel in operating costs, then it will be financially challenging to own.

 

[Brian Priest]

In general, would you all include hangar, annual, insurance, fuel/oil, overhaul, upgrades in that 4x fuel cost approach?

 

[weilke]

In general, would you all include hangar, annual, insurance, fuel/oil, overhaul, upgrades in that 4x fuel cost approach?

That's why the '4x fuel' rule is kind of silly. I have paid $75/month for a hangar and I have paid $350/month. I have flown 200hrs/year and I have flown 2. Your cost structure depends entirely on where you are, what kind of plane you own and how many hours per year you fly.

There are two checks you write:
one to hold the keys:
- hangar
- insurance
- basic annual inspection fee
- subscriptions
- property tax (if applicable)
- interest on the note (if you had to borrow)

And then there is a little check you write for 'each additional hour':
- fuel
- maintenance that scales by the hour. oil-changes, tires, magneto overhauls, other component overhauls

Find the numbers to fill those boxes for your location and the plane you want to own.

If sole ownership is out of reach, find a partnership. The hourly cost will not be affected by co-ownership but the fixed monthly/yearly 'nut' just to hold the keys decreases by 1/2 2/3 or 3/4 respectively.