Need advice for starting with a 172 or 152

RST Engineering wrote:
On Wed, 14 Sep 2011 19:14:14 +0000, jlareau2124
wrote:


So I am a freshman in college and my ultimate goal is to make it as a
commercial pilot. I was planning to attend Embry Riddle this semester
but decided to defer a year to save money and acquire my pilots
certificate locally around me where its cheaper. My question is whether
it would be worth the extra forty or so on every lesson to fly a 172
over a 142? Keeping in mind where I want to go, would flying a 142 hurt
me overall financially and/or skill wise?

Thanks

If you are REALLY serious about it, negotiate a long term loan to BUY
a 172 and put it on leaseback. Even a well-used 172 with some decent
avionics and stuff that isn't falling apart will garner enough income
to pay off the loan. Then your flying is costing you nothing but
fuel. That's the smart person's move.

Thanks,

Jim

If you think that is true in general, particularly in today's economy, and
not highly dependant on the level of activity at the airport, I have some
prime beach front property in Montana to sell you.

In the AOPA archives somewhere is an article that discusses the many things
that happen when you fly your leaseback without paying the rental fee as
just another renter and it is well worth reading.

I'm not saying this won't work, just that one has to do a lot of homework
first to try to ensure one doesn't wind up with an airplane payment with
insufficient income to cover it.


--
Jim Pennino

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