How Many of You are Aircraft Owners?
08-22-2013, 04:44 AM
#21
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Mar 2013
Posts: 215
I can't tell if you're kind of bashing my initial post, but the main purpose of me putting up this thread was for others to share their stories and spark conversation between. While I would love to own an aircraft, the intentions of this thread were not in terms of looking for any advice for myself, although some of the stuff said would of course be taken into consideration.
I just wanted the owners to be able to freely discuss their ownership and story.
I'm not trying to spark an argument or feud, just stating my purpose. I couldn't tell if maybe it was sarcastically involved for yourself. If so, I feel the same way at the moment, haha.
I just wanted the owners to be able to freely discuss their ownership and story.
I'm not trying to spark an argument or feud, just stating my purpose. I couldn't tell if maybe it was sarcastically involved for yourself. If so, I feel the same way at the moment, haha.
08-23-2013, 01:22 AM
#23
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2005
Posts: 8,939
No, what I meant was that many of us had been RJ FOs for half a decade or more and barely made enough to support the wife/family, let alone buy an airplane. Finally at a LCC, the wage is livable but nowhere close to being comfortable to buy an airplane.
Most guys I know that outright own their own airplane fell into one of the following:
Single.
Married but no kids.
Lucked out in aviation by getting hired at a major in their 20s and upgraded in their 30s and have been in the left seat since.
There are a few I know who are married with kids and have a partial (fractional?) ownership of a plane. I'm sure there are guys with wife and kids who are still financially able to afford an airplane which they keep at a local airport, but those are rare.
I would love to buy my own little Cessna or Piper but with a wife and kid I know that any extra money I have I save for them (mostly the kid's future college fund).
Most guys I know that outright own their own airplane fell into one of the following:
Single.
Married but no kids.
Lucked out in aviation by getting hired at a major in their 20s and upgraded in their 30s and have been in the left seat since.
There are a few I know who are married with kids and have a partial (fractional?) ownership of a plane. I'm sure there are guys with wife and kids who are still financially able to afford an airplane which they keep at a local airport, but those are rare.
I would love to buy my own little Cessna or Piper but with a wife and kid I know that any extra money I have I save for them (mostly the kid's future college fund).
08-23-2013, 05:34 AM
#24
Runs with scissors
Joined APC: Dec 2009
Position: Going to hell in a bucket, but enjoying the ride .
Posts: 7,755
I hear you! When I found out my wife was having twins, my budds in my Guard unit decided to have a 'Name the Babies' contest. There were many very funny names written up on the chalkboard in the briefing room;
Jose/Hose B, Thing 1/Thing 2, This one/That one, etc. but the easy winner, and names that are still used by my Guard buddies 25 years later:
No Boat / No Motorcycle.
I had just sold both; my J24 sailboat and my BMW R100S, and liquidated lots of my savings, to come up with a $20,000 down payment for our first house.
Yeah, there aren't too many 'Married with Children' airline pilots who can afford anything but diapers these days! The guys I race catamarans with today are 90% childless (never had kids).
One guy calls me the "Poster Child for Birth Control" because I have 4 kids (3 in college) but I never have new sails! Or an airplane.
Most racers buy a new set at least every year, sometimes several per year. Mine are 5 years old....but I do have the best beer in my cooler, only because beer is cheaper than new sails, and after a few Torpedo's, who cares! Those clowns drink Bud Light! So you tell me, who's better off? ;^)
I do have a friend who has 3 airplanes, but he's not an airline pilot. He built two of them and got the third as payment for work he'd done on another plane. He's an aircraft mechanic/builder, lives on a grass strip with his workshop/hanger in his back yard. When I get the itch to fly, I buy him a 12 pack of Torpedo, 10 gallons of Mo'gas and pay him a visit.
Jose/Hose B, Thing 1/Thing 2, This one/That one, etc. but the easy winner, and names that are still used by my Guard buddies 25 years later:
No Boat / No Motorcycle.
I had just sold both; my J24 sailboat and my BMW R100S, and liquidated lots of my savings, to come up with a $20,000 down payment for our first house.
Yeah, there aren't too many 'Married with Children' airline pilots who can afford anything but diapers these days! The guys I race catamarans with today are 90% childless (never had kids).
One guy calls me the "Poster Child for Birth Control" because I have 4 kids (3 in college) but I never have new sails! Or an airplane.
Most racers buy a new set at least every year, sometimes several per year. Mine are 5 years old....but I do have the best beer in my cooler, only because beer is cheaper than new sails, and after a few Torpedo's, who cares! Those clowns drink Bud Light! So you tell me, who's better off? ;^)
I do have a friend who has 3 airplanes, but he's not an airline pilot. He built two of them and got the third as payment for work he'd done on another plane. He's an aircraft mechanic/builder, lives on a grass strip with his workshop/hanger in his back yard. When I get the itch to fly, I buy him a 12 pack of Torpedo, 10 gallons of Mo'gas and pay him a visit.
08-26-2013, 10:01 AM
#25
Bracing for Fallacies
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: In favor of good things, not in favor of bad things
Posts: 3,543
I was about to get all huffy with you. 
Are you describing me? I have a 182. But I doubt you were my instructor.
Seriously though, an older 182 can be found in Trade-a-plane for a reasonable sum, and annuals/maint are not THAT bad. I don't even keep track how much I spend anymore as it is depressing, but the trickle of small bills that come in are less than some people spend on golf. I was very close to getting a Cirrus SR20 but decided I simply could not justify the expense.
I would second what every other person says, and only get a plane if you are going to USE it. If not, it becomes a really expensive recurrent item like that gym membership you never use. However, the freedom to visit your relatives 500 miles away without a grueling drive is indeed priceless.
Are you describing me? I have a 182. But I doubt you were my instructor.
Seriously though, an older 182 can be found in Trade-a-plane for a reasonable sum, and annuals/maint are not THAT bad. I don't even keep track how much I spend anymore as it is depressing, but the trickle of small bills that come in are less than some people spend on golf. I was very close to getting a Cirrus SR20 but decided I simply could not justify the expense.
I would second what every other person says, and only get a plane if you are going to USE it. If not, it becomes a really expensive recurrent item like that gym membership you never use. However, the freedom to visit your relatives 500 miles away without a grueling drive is indeed priceless.
Owning an airplane I think for me will mean sacrificing other hobbies and toys. In other words, sacrificing the nice boat, car, motorcycle, four wheeler, snowmobile, golfing, expensive hunting crap. I think most people want it all, and are unwilling to give up all those things for a plane. Partnerships are the closest thing I believe most will get to owning.
I'd like to think I can make all the sacrifices of toys for a plane...shoot, I've done without my whole life thus far just getting my flying career going with no debt. I like the idea of having the *freedom* to fly where and when I want, and mod my plane as I see fit. I'd really like to share flying with my kids, and use the plane for them to learn in. I'd also like to do Angel Flight and Pilots For Paws or whatever it is called.
As I said before, that freedom does have a price. I may only be able to afford a 150/2, or a 172, but that should suit me. Maybe, I will come upon a reasonably priced 182 later in life and have the income power to pull the trigger on that.
10-23-2013, 10:18 AM
#26
Line Holder
Joined APC: Oct 2013
Position: Capt
Posts: 38
About 10 years ago, I discovered Warbirds. Not the rare, old, big money warbirds but small, efficient, and fairly priced foreign warbirds. There are plenty of IAR 823, 4 place aircraft around for reasonable prices and, since most are certified as experimental, they only require a yearly condition check that only required an A&P mechanic sign-off instead of a full blown inspection.
I have experience with a Navion (US Navy trainer), Yak 52 (Russian 2 seater), Nanchang (Chinese 2-seater) and even a FW-195 (German/Italy 4 seat). They are all fun to fly, have some aerobatic capabilities and economical. Getting out of the "big metal" and into a fun airplane occasionally that is not a Cessna or Piper can be gratifying and keep you interested in "stick (or yoke) and rudder flying".
I have experience with a Navion (US Navy trainer), Yak 52 (Russian 2 seater), Nanchang (Chinese 2-seater) and even a FW-195 (German/Italy 4 seat). They are all fun to fly, have some aerobatic capabilities and economical. Getting out of the "big metal" and into a fun airplane occasionally that is not a Cessna or Piper can be gratifying and keep you interested in "stick (or yoke) and rudder flying".
10-23-2013, 01:14 PM
#27
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2011
Position: retired 767(dl)
Posts: 5,761
I hear you! When I found out my wife was having twins, my budds in my Guard unit decided to have a 'Name the Babies' contest. There were many very funny names written up on the chalkboard in the briefing room;
Jose/Hose B, Thing 1/Thing 2, This one/That one, etc. but the easy winner, and names that are still used by my Guard buddies 25 years later:
No Boat / No Motorcycle.
I had just sold both; my J24 sailboat and my BMW R100S, and liquidated lots of my savings, to come up with a $20,000 down payment for our first house.
Yeah, there aren't too many 'Married with Children' airline pilots who can afford anything but diapers these days! The guys I race catamarans with today are 90% childless (never had kids).
One guy calls me the "Poster Child for Birth Control" because I have 4 kids (3 in college) but I never have new sails! Or an airplane.
Most racers buy a new set at least every year, sometimes several per year. Mine are 5 years old....but I do have the best beer in my cooler, only because beer is cheaper than new sails, and after a few Torpedo's, who cares! Those clowns drink Bud Light! So you tell me, who's better off? ;^)
I do have a friend who has 3 airplanes, but he's not an airline pilot. He built two of them and got the third as payment for work he'd done on another plane. He's an aircraft mechanic/builder, lives on a grass strip with his workshop/hanger in his back yard. When I get the itch to fly, I buy him a 12 pack of Torpedo, 10 gallons of Mo'gas and pay him a visit.
Jose/Hose B, Thing 1/Thing 2, This one/That one, etc. but the easy winner, and names that are still used by my Guard buddies 25 years later:
No Boat / No Motorcycle.
I had just sold both; my J24 sailboat and my BMW R100S, and liquidated lots of my savings, to come up with a $20,000 down payment for our first house.
Yeah, there aren't too many 'Married with Children' airline pilots who can afford anything but diapers these days! The guys I race catamarans with today are 90% childless (never had kids).
One guy calls me the "Poster Child for Birth Control" because I have 4 kids (3 in college) but I never have new sails! Or an airplane.
Most racers buy a new set at least every year, sometimes several per year. Mine are 5 years old....but I do have the best beer in my cooler, only because beer is cheaper than new sails, and after a few Torpedo's, who cares! Those clowns drink Bud Light! So you tell me, who's better off? ;^)
I do have a friend who has 3 airplanes, but he's not an airline pilot. He built two of them and got the third as payment for work he'd done on another plane. He's an aircraft mechanic/builder, lives on a grass strip with his workshop/hanger in his back yard. When I get the itch to fly, I buy him a 12 pack of Torpedo, 10 gallons of Mo'gas and pay him a visit.
10-23-2013, 03:24 PM
#28
Runs with scissors
Joined APC: Dec 2009
Position: Going to hell in a bucket, but enjoying the ride .
Posts: 7,755
Down here in Florida they are usually $8.99/6pack at Publix, but I wait until they go on sale for $7.99, or better yet, the 12 pack box goes on sale for $12.99 about once a month, that's when I load up on them.
10-25-2013, 06:25 AM
#29
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2007
Position: Out of Regional Jet flying
Posts: 296
I have owned a Luscombe 8A (I rebuilt from a basket case) a 172L, an Earlybird Jenny (built from plans), a 2-33 glider and a heavily modified Avid Flyer.
I currently own a 160hp IFR Piper Colt and am rebuilding another Colt for float ops. That will have a 160hp with extended wingtips and have EDO2000's.
In addition, my son and I are building identical Cassutt racers. We haven't decided on the powerplant though. We won't be racing them, so we aren't married to the O-200.
I currently own a 160hp IFR Piper Colt and am rebuilding another Colt for float ops. That will have a 160hp with extended wingtips and have EDO2000's.
In addition, my son and I are building identical Cassutt racers. We haven't decided on the powerplant though. We won't be racing them, so we aren't married to the O-200.
10-26-2013, 01:59 PM
#30
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2013
Position: Left
Posts: 644
I own a Piper Warrior, the 2nd plane I've owned. Part of the reason I got is was to see if the 2 midlin kids were interested in learning to fly. I fly it for various trips, Canada earlier this year with it. I flew the Al-Can Hwy with the wife in the previous plane.
I had some land I never went to & got tired of paying the taxes. I sold the land & turned it into a plane. Yes, it's cheaper to rent, but there are benefits to ownership.
I had some land I never went to & got tired of paying the taxes. I sold the land & turned it into a plane. Yes, it's cheaper to rent, but there are benefits to ownership.
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