Reflections on a year of aircraft ownership

On Dec 4, 9:03*pm, brian whatcott wrote:
Mike Ash wrote:

So far I do not regret my decision to purchase in the least. */snip/
Money wasn't a worry to me, but it's still something I thought about. So
far, so good. I put 55.4 hours on it over the past year */snip/

All in all, it's been a great year. All of the good things that I
anticipated in owning an aircraft have come true, and none of the bad
things. It was a great choice, and I'm looking forward to another year
with it.

For me it's just been a month or two. A C-150, like I owned 20 years ago
- and had to sell when I was out of work then.
Though *this time I paid twice as much as I sold for back then, this
plane is in better shape, though only a year younger than the other one
* - *in better shape now at least. *It had been flown to Dallas from
Wisconsin - which said something for it.

But the trial flight was a trial: water in the pitot, so the ASI was all
over the place - mostly slow - the transponder folded up, the loran (!)
was posted unserviceable, the radio was flakey, the mag compass was out
of fluid, several fixings were missing from the cowl, a floppy external
door handle, a missing ELT antenna.....

All fixed up quite quickly or replaced - at no great expense.
And here I am with ten plus *hours of familiarization in it and finding
my comfort level again. Why did I wait so long? I ask myself.

I am full of joy - and though joy may not last for ever, it's enough
to taste it presently... The best moment was turning up unannounced at
the home field, and finding an open front tee hangar to keep it in,at a
price I could afford. *The scariest moment to date was looking up the
price of a new door latch from Cessna - $1200 !! (no kidding)
..but there's always another way, even if salvage airframes have largely
gone away as a parts source. The happiest moment is deciding on a sunny
afternoon, to go flying, without much fuss. * * I am interested to see
what happens at my first annual, in four months: the days of $200
annuals are fading rapidly from memory, I reckon.

Brian W

The conventional wisdom, "If you have to ask how much, you can't
afford it" isn't always true! You already have the pleasure of knowing
the airplane's there whenever you want it -- absent it being grounded
of course.

Speaking of conventional wisdom, what did you figure to be the break
even point between renting and owning something like a C150? My
'indifference point" many years ago (my language for the level of
usage where renting v owning were equal pains in the butt) was about
125 hours a year for a complex single.

a wrote:
...what did you figure to be the break
even point between renting and owning something like a C150? My
'indifference point" many years ago (my language for the level of
usage where renting v owning were equal pains in the butt) was about
125 hours a year for a complex single.

The FBO owner mentioned he'd sold his C150 years ago - the customers
were getting too heavy to hold gross with decent fuel, he said.
For my biennial review, it was $150 for a one hour checkout with a
172 and instructor. That was way too much for my taste. But its
strange how $150 seems like nothing when putting another loran in or
whatever, if it's your own plane. There is just no comparison for me. I
expect to do 40 hours a year on up in it....

Brian W

brian whatcott wrote:
a wrote:
...what did you figure to be the break
even point between renting and owning something like a C150? My
'indifference point" many years ago (my language for the level of
usage where renting v owning were equal pains in the butt) was about
125 hours a year for a complex single.

The FBO owner mentioned he'd sold his C150 years ago - the customers
were getting too heavy to hold gross with decent fuel, he said.
For my biennial review, it was $150 for a one hour checkout with a
172 and instructor. That was way too much for my taste. But its
strange how $150 seems like nothing when putting another loran in or
whatever, if it's your own plane. There is just no comparison for me. I
expect to do 40 hours a year on up in it....

Brian W

When this group had all the regulars there use to be the AMU. I think it
was aeronautical money unit. It equaled $1000.00. Therefore your $150.00
was only .150 AMU. Doesn't sound so large.

--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
Sold
KSWI

Ross wrote:
... there use to be the AMU. I think it
was aeronautical money unit. It equaled $1000.00. Therefore your $150.00
was only .150 AMU. Doesn't sound so large.


In a sailboat context, that's 0.15 boatbuck...

Brian W

On Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:40:06 -0600, brian whatcott
wrote:

In powerboat context..

"BOAT" means.

"Bring On Another Thousand"

I know this, and..

I also know what an "AMU" is...



Dave



Ross wrote:
... there use to be the AMU. I think it
was aeronautical money unit. It equaled $1000.00. Therefore your $150.00
was only .150 AMU. Doesn't sound so large.


In a sailboat context, that's 0.15 boatbuck...

Brian W

Dave wrote:
On Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:40:06 -0600, brian whatcott
wrote:

In powerboat context..

"BOAT" means.

"Bring On Another Thousand"

I know this, and..

I also know what an "AMU" is...



Dave



Ross wrote:
... there use to be the AMU. I think it
was aeronautical money unit. It equaled $1000.00. Therefore your $150.00
was only .150 AMU. Doesn't sound so large.

In a sailboat context, that's 0.15 boatbuck...

Brian W


But with a boat you do not need an A&P/IA to sign off your work. I had a
21' Chriscraft for several years and did all the work myself.

--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
Sold
KSWI

brian whatcott wrote:
Ross wrote:
... there use to be the AMU. I think it
was aeronautical money unit. It equaled $1000.00. Therefore your
$150.00 was only .150 AMU. Doesn't sound so large.


In a sailboat context, that's 0.15 boatbuck...

Brian W

What kind of sailboat do you own?

--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
Sold
KSWI

On Dec 9, 12:45*pm, Ross wrote:
brian whatcott wrote:
Ross wrote:
... *there use to be the AMU. I think it
was aeronautical money unit. It equaled $1000.00. Therefore your
$150.00 was only .150 AMU. Doesn't sound so large.

In a sailboat context, that's 0.15 boatbuck...

Brian W

What kind of sailboat do you own?

--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
Sold
KSWI

The O'Day sloop (25 foot swing keel) was simply not expensive -- the
biggest annual cost was a pier side docking, and that was a bit over
$1000. "Flight" planning for 5 knots took a different mindset though.

a wrote:
On Dec 9, 12:45 pm, Ross wrote:
brian whatcott wrote:
Ross wrote:
... there use to be the AMU. I think it
was aeronautical money unit. It equaled $1000.00. Therefore your
$150.00 was only .150 AMU. Doesn't sound so large.
In a sailboat context, that's 0.15 boatbuck...
Brian W
What kind of sailboat do you own?

--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
Sold
KSWI

The O'Day sloop (25 foot swing keel) was simply not expensive -- the
biggest annual cost was a pier side docking, and that was a bit over
$1000. "Flight" planning for 5 knots took a different mindset though.

I used to have a 21 foot Chriscraft power boat. My aircraft (to keep
aviation content) mechanic has the building rights to the Valiant
Yachts. http://cedarmills.com/valiant.htm Check out his airstrip also.
Nice gathering place for all of us.

--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
Sold
KSWI

Ross wrote:
brian whatcott wrote:
Ross wrote:
... there use to be the AMU. I think it
was aeronautical money unit. It equaled $1000.00. Therefore your
$150.00 was only .150 AMU. Doesn't sound so large.


In a sailboat context, that's 0.15 boatbuck...

Brian W

What kind of sailboat do you own?


A SouthCoast 22. That's a swing keel. I keep it at the house. But it
wants three people for anxiety-free mast raising, and that's a problem.

My younger son has a better way. He recently rented a lake-front place
with a personal mooring out front for his Hunter 25 - and space for a
trailer too....

Brian W