Opinions on buying a plane

T

ted gilbertson

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I have been thinking of buying a plane with a friend of mine who is a cfi. There is no one in the area who give instuction with a conventional plane and I thought it might be a nitche for instruction. I want to get tail time and get my CFI so I thought this might be a way to do it. I was thinking I could get the time I want and also do instruction,rental,sightseeing and banner flying. I know that I wouldn't be able to work until my commercial was done. I need to get time in a tail plane so I can start doing ag stuff so I thought this might be a alternitive to renting. i would also love to teach people to fly!! I was thinking of a stinston or cessna 170 something not too expensive. What does everyone think?
 
I would imagine that there might be insurance issues with providing a plane for flight instruction of third party students (not you.)

As for the plane...all manner of people have learned to fly in anything from a J3 cub to a Cessna 185 or a Bushawk. But for primary students in a taildragger I could think of nothing much easier than a Cessna 170. Standard yokes and side by side seating. Of course I am biased :D
 
I thought about letting my flight instructor use my Warrior to train other students in. I figured I could make a few hundred extra dollars a month, perhaps even pay for all the maintenance. That was until I called my insurance company. Using my Warrior for training or any other commercial activity would boost my premiums from around $700.00 per year that I am currently paying, to over $8,000.00 per year.

When I started calculating just how many hours a month I would have to rent it, then looking at the accelerated time on my engine, one hundred hour inspections, and regular maintenance, it just was flat out not worth it.

Buy your taildrager with your friend and just enjoy it, you'll be better off than if you try to turn it into a commercial endeavor.

John
 
alaskaflyer said:
Of course I am biased :D
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Me too. :D A 170 is an excellent TW airplane to learn in. But others are correct. Insurance to teach others will KILL you in a figurative sense and maybe even a literal sense if you have a weak heart. :mad3:
 
John Baker said:
I thought about letting my flight instructor use my Warrior to train other students in. I figured I could make a few hundred extra dollars a month, perhaps even pay for all the maintenance. That was until I called my insurance company. Using my Warrior for training or any other commercial activity would boost my premiums from around $700.00 per year that I am currently paying, to over $8,000.00 per year.
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That's the same story a friend went through when he had his 210 in a lease situation a few years ago. The commercial ops insurance kills the $$$ every time. :nonod:
 
Thanks guys, insurance sure sees to ruin everything these days. I will have to give the insurance company a call, but you guys told me would I already suspected.:frown3:
 
alaskaflyer said:
I would imagine that there might be insurance issues with providing a plane for flight instruction of third party students (not you.)

As for the plane...all manner of people have learned to fly in anything from a J3 cub to a Cessna 185 or a Bushawk. But for primary students in a taildragger I could think of nothing much easier than a Cessna 170. Standard yokes and side by side seating. Of course I am biased :D
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I think one of the best qualities of a 170 (good not only for training but for owner enjoymentand as well) is that most people can see over the nose.
 
Best Answer might be a Aeronca 7AC or J-3/J-4. Maybe Chief.

The advantage here being that they qualify for Sport pilot and would allow you to do sport pilot instruction as well as Private pilot instruction. They might also be cheap enough you could self insure them.

Brian
 
ted gilbertson said:
I have been thinking of buying a plane with a friend of mine who is a cfi. There is no one in the area who give instuction with a conventional plane and I thought it might be a nitche for instruction. I want to get tail time and get my CFI so I thought this might be a way to do it. I was thinking I could get the time I want and also do instruction,rental,sightseeing and banner flying. I know that I wouldn't be able to work until my commercial was done. I need to get time in a tail plane so I can start doing ag stuff so I thought this might be a alternitive to renting. i would also love to teach people to fly!! I was thinking of a stinston or cessna 170 something not too expensive. What does everyone think?
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Here is a nice 170 that I just went through. Needs mufflers yet but is mostly completed. Owner wanted to sell it before I started now I'm not sure but it never hurts to ask.

Dan
 

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stingray said:
Here is a nice 170 that I just went through. Needs mufflers yet but is mostly completed. Owner wanted to sell it before I started now I'm not sure but it never hurts to ask.

Dan
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Seems to be missing the stripe on the fin too... :smilewinkgrin:
 
smigaldi said:
Is that a 170 in your avatar Wayne?
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Nope, it's an old 180. With a physique bearing witness that I'm only a couple of generations removed from swinging in the trees, I can see over the nose of the 180 too, but that's not the case for the non-orangatan folks.
 
I'd go with the Stinson 108-2. Self insure for loss, and just get liability for the times you want to crash into a G-IV. It lands like a kitten, smooth flying, takes auto fuel, and it's an orphan so you can get around the AD nightmare of Cessna. I think the 170 is a good plane too, but I've never flown one.

Another one to look at is the Piper Pacer, or converted Tri-Pacer.
 
I agree with Doc here.
Stinson-very roomy-2 at our field ,very nice birds.
Pacer or Tri-Pacer converted- very reasonable when it comes to dollars,best bang for your buck starting in tail draggers, power off drop like a rock I'm told, nice flyer's though.
Maybe a Chief, kinda small if you're a big guy
Luscombe ,all metal (most) fast for the horsepower,beautiful polished. Kinda small also.
 
Flight school around here got a 7AC Champ for light sport training. Last I knew (several years ago), they were paying something like $6000 per year insurance for training/rentals. They are now trying to sell it, as they don't have an instructor who is interested in training in it, and it is a money losing proposition for them...

Jim G
 
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