Kyler Laird wrote in message ...
unicate (Shirley) writes:

I wasn't specific in my other post, but am asking for advice, suggestions,
cautions, tips on the airplanes themselves -- what to look for, what to avoid,
red flags, etc.

Take a look at previous threads on the topic. There are several.

I started my Private with the intention of just boring holes in
the sky when I was a kid. When I finally got serious about it, I
bought a twin and finished. I fly because it allows me to make
trips I couldn't make otherwise. It's very rare that I make a
flight that I could have reasonably made in a "trainer" (or even
in a "step-up" plane like an Arrow or C-182).

I think it's important to decide early whether you're going to
eventually want something more than a "trainer". If so, do you
really want to buy a trainer for your primary instruction? If
you do, think *hard* about resale value and don't go nuts on
avionics. Also consider how your experience is going to look to
an insurer. (It might make more sense to get a low-end
retractable now if you're going to want insurance for a
retractable later.) Long-range insurance planning can make a
*big* difference.


I have to disagree here. The best advice I was given before I
purchased my first airplane was "Buy for the next 5 years...not the
next 30". I know quite a few people around the airport who bought
expensive 'touring' planes (A-36s or Barons) that just sit on the
tarmac because they cost $200 an hour to fly. They bought them with
the intention of flying them on long trips etc., but they almost never
fly them because it sosts too much to bore holes in the sky, and
unless you bore holes in the sky, you aren't current enough to handle
a Bone.

Since the original poster is just finishing their private license, for
the next 2 or 3 years (at least) they will be working on their
instrument ticket, their Commercial ticket...stuff that requires
hours, and for these things, an hour in a $30/hour 152 is the same as
an hour in a $150/hr A36.

Since planes like this don't depreciate much (if at all), then all
that will be lost by buying a cheaper, small plane to train in is the
opportunity cost of the money, which right now isn't all that much and
interest expenses, which are more than outweighed by the cost savings
of owning a plane that you fly 125 hours per year.

If I was in this persons shoes, I'd go out and buy a $25,000-$35,000
four seater. A 1960s vintage 172, or a Beech Musketeer. You get much
more functionality out of it that you would a two seater, and the
operating costs are not that much higher. Both of these planes are
inexpensive to operate and own, and will certainly do for training,
local flight and XCs of less than about 400 NM.

This is basically what I did do myself, altho I waited until I
finished my private license to buy it. A couple friends and I bought a
1963 Beech Musketeer for $26,000 and flew the heck out of it. I did my
instrument and commercial training it it, and some of my CFI. Took it
all over...we put over 500 hours on it the first year we owned it. And
it eneded up being *much* cheaper than renting one of the FBOs beater
172s. While they wanted $72 an hour for a 172, the fully loaded costs
of the Musketeer over almost 3 years came out to be right around $47
per hour, wet, including some fairly expensive maintenence items.
Right there, that saved me thousands of dollars.

After you use this plane to get your license, *then* decide if you
need something more. I'm buying another plane like this (sold my
Musketeer to a club for a very tidey profit and a membership in the
club). The Club has a nice touring plane (A Cessna 206) and may be
getting a twin. Given that I need these planes maybe 5 times a year
for longer trips, it makes more sense for me to own a 'cheap' plane
(i.e. a $40 per hour 172 or Musketeer) and fly the club plane (at $80
or $125 an hour) than to own a more expensive plane.

Different strokes for different folks tho, so this is just my two
cents worth

Cheers,

Cap



It might be quite a bit better in the long run to go somewhere
else (like an intensive course?) to finish your Private and just
save for the plane you really want. It *could* even work to get
*that* plane for your primary instruction because insurance will
probably require a bunch of dual in it anyway. (You won't hear
many people advising that you get a high-performance retract for
primary training. I'm just saying that you should consider it.)

Bottom line...decide what you're likely to want out of your
plane before you start looking at buying one, then learn about
the possibilities for *your* situation.

--kyler