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#11
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What would you buy with a 50k budget?
I've thought about that many times, but I don't have a big enough
garage attached to the side of my house and I am not sure there is any facility in this city to rent where I could do such work. Besides, at 55 I really don't want to have to wait a year for my financing to work out and then spend another 2 years building before I can fly. By that time I will be just a couple of years shy of 60 and who knows how much time will be left for flying. Time is ticking.... In that case I would seriously look at a Zenair CH2000 You could pick up a 10 year old plane with a mid timed engine for somewhere in that neighborhood instead of a 40 year old plane thats been rebuilt 10 times. Lou |
#12
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What would you buy with a 50k budget?
On 2008-05-17, Lou wrote:
In that case I would seriously look at a Zenair CH2000 You could pick up a 10 year old plane with a mid timed engine for somewhere in that neighborhood instead of a 40 year old plane thats been rebuilt 10 times. The CH2000 looks like a nice airplane, but it's a bit on the slow side: 75% cruise is 99 knots. -- Jay Maynard, K5ZC http://www.conmicro.com http://jmaynard.livejournal.com http://www.tronguy.net Fairmont, MN (FRM) (Yes, that's me!) AMD Zodiac CH601XLi N55ZC (ordered 17 March, delivery 2 June) |
#13
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What would you buy with a 50k budget?
Piper PA 22 you can get a VERY nice one for 30K or less AND have money left
to maintain and run it. A 150HP Tri-Pacer will do as well or better than a 172 and is an easy to fly fun little plane. Cheers: Paul N1431A KPLU |
#14
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What would you buy with a 50k budget?
The CH2000 looks like a nice airplane, but it's a bit on the slow side: 75%
cruise is 99 knots. -- Jay Maynard, K5ZC http://www.conmicro.comhttp://jmaynard.livejournal.com http://www.tronguy.net Fairmont, MN (FRM) (Yes, that's me!) AMD Zodiac CH601XLi N55ZC (ordered 17 March, delivery 2 June) I agree, the speed would be an issue. I've alway wondered if you could upgrade the engine for speed. If you look at the Zenith 640 kit, it's a 4 seater that has a cruise of 150 but they pride themselves on using the exact same airframe as the ch2000. Does that mean you should be able to get 150 out of the CH2000? Lou |
#15
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What would you buy with a 50k budget?
On 2008-05-17, Lou wrote:
I agree, the speed would be an issue. I've alway wondered if you could upgrade the engine for speed. If you look at the Zenith 640 kit, it's a 4 seater that has a cruise of 150 but they pride themselves on using the exact same airframe as the ch2000. Does that mean you should be able to get 150 out of the CH2000? Good question...it'd take an STC, since the Alarus is a Part 23 airplane, but if the airframe is the same, it should work, at least that far. -- Jay Maynard, K5ZC http://www.conmicro.com http://jmaynard.livejournal.com http://www.tronguy.net Fairmont, MN (FRM) (Yes, that's me!) AMD Zodiac CH601XLi N55ZC (ordered 17 March, delivery 2 June) |
#16
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What would you buy with a 50k budget?
.stuff snipped. What would you buy if all you had was 50k...? .other stuff snipped. Others have chimed in with various options. My reply is a bit more pessimistic. $50k ain't gonna do it for a certificated beast. Kitplanes have their own economics but I am not going there in this analysis. Sure, you can buy an older tin can for that price, but may not be able to fly it long. The various expenses will likely cost you enough to double that figure in several years. Experiences vary, but you could pay lots in the near future for unseen problems (or ADs). Or, you may pay that out over 5-7 years IF you get lucky and don't fly a lot. 10GPH X $5.00/gal once a week is $2600 annually. Fly 2 hours a week and double that. $800-$1200 for insurance. $800-$3000 annually for cheap tie down on up to basic hangar. Throw in $2k for annual. Another $2k for odd repairs and you can see how the bill mounts. On the low end, that adds up to $8200 a year. In 6 years you paid another $50k to operate the beast. Florida? I would strongly consider weather detection. Add another $2k one time expense for the Garmin and $360 a year for the subscription. Many on this group scoff at these prices and boast about how "they did it cheaper". The ones who could not afford it don't pipe up about how the expenses swamped them into selling. Sure, IF you have the tools, and IF you have the hangar to work in, and IF you have the one in a hundred mechanic that will let you do the work, and IF you have the know how, and IF you have the time, and IF you can search for cheap parts, and IF your wrench will let you use them, etc. things can be cheaper. You got those? Many don't. Most pay "retail" as I estimated above. So, I say that $50k is a good start. If you have the $8k - $10k in annual expenses also figured into the budget, you may make it work. By the way, make sure you have $15k or so lying around just in case the engine decides to go out to lunch. Good Luck, Mike |
#17
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What would you buy with a 50k budget?
So, I say that $50k is a good start. If you have the $8k - $10k in annual expenses also figured into the budget, you may make it work. Good Luck, Mike Mike I couldn't agree more. However isn't that why you and your partner would sit down and make a budget and agree to both, an hourly rate and a monthly rate to be paid into an account that would need both signatures to write a check to pay these expenses? I don't belive the OP is going into this blindly ( or maybe they are), but at least they have realistic numbers to start with rather than asking what the best plane $15000 could buy. Going on how your post reads, these two should buy something like a piper 140 at $35000 and have a reserve of $15000 for repairs. Can't disagree with that either. In fact that is just the advice they are looking for. But if it where you, what would you buy? Lou |
#18
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What would you buy with a 50k budget?
On Sun, 18 May 2008 09:00:10 -0500, Mike Spera
wrote: .stuff snipped. What would you buy if all you had was 50k...? .other stuff snipped. Others have chimed in with various options. My reply is a bit more pessimistic. $50k ain't gonna do it for a certificated beast. Kitplanes have their own economics but I am not going there in this analysis. Sure, you can buy an older tin can for that price, but may not be able to fly it long. The various expenses will likely cost you enough to double that figure in several years. Experiences vary, but you could pay lots in the near future for unseen problems (or ADs). Or, you may pay that out over 5-7 years IF you get lucky and don't fly a lot. 10GPH X $5.00/gal once a week is $2600 annually. Fly 2 hours a week and double that. $800-$1200 for insurance. $800-$3000 annually for cheap tie down on up to basic hangar. Throw in $2k for annual. Another $2k for odd repairs and you can see how the bill mounts. On the low end, that adds up to $8200 a year. In 6 years you paid another $50k to operate the beast. Florida? I would strongly consider weather detection. Add another $2k one time expense for the Garmin and $360 a year for the subscription. Many on this group scoff at these prices and boast about how "they did it cheaper". The ones who could not afford it don't pipe up about how the expenses swamped them into selling. Sure, IF you have the tools, and IF you have the hangar to work in, and IF you have the one in a hundred mechanic that will let you do the work, and IF you have the know how, and IF you have the time, and IF you can search for cheap parts, and IF your wrench will let you use them, etc. things can be cheaper. You got those? Many don't. Most pay "retail" as I estimated above. So, I say that $50k is a good start. If you have the $8k - $10k in annual expenses also figured into the budget, you may make it work. By the way, make sure you have $15k or so lying around just in case the engine decides to go out to lunch. Good Luck, Mike Mike, Thanks to you and to the others who have responded. I have to say that your comments mirror the thoughts that have been going through my mind since I woke up this morning. What I have learned over the course of the last few days, is that the professional degree I obtained 20 years ago has me stuck in a career that does not give me the financial means to fuflill this passion I have had for 40 years. I was able to get my ticket in 1998 and thought that I would be able to accumulate time and afford the hours to become a proficient pilot. I even looked into getting an instrument rating, but that expense was far above my means then as it is now. As far as VFR flying was concerned, things looked hopeful but flying only 15 or so hours a year is not going to satisfy my quest to become a proficient aviator. I thought that perhaps just tooling around the neighborhood in a little 152 or so would satisfy the urge, but in the pathetic 150 hours I have amassed over the last ten years I am already beyond that. Confining myself to local hops around the pattern does not hold much appeal any longer if I cannot mix it up with some good XC's every so often. The thought of taking those relatively longer XC flights to places further than 100 miles from the home base are part of what motivated me to obtain that license. But, sadly, the longest XC I have ever flown in that time is the one required for the PPL. Of course you all know that to become a good aviator requires XC flights that will expose a pilot to many different situations. (A totally obvious statement I know.) But that experience I crave requires flights that I cannot begin to fund either in renting or owning. Even though some posters have mentioned rentals over owning, the rental market at the FBO's near me is really not a valid option due to the limited availabilty of the aircraft. A club could be an option in the right locales, but for some reason clubs are almost nonexistent in northern Florida. The only way to acheive the lofty goal of becoming an experienced pilot, would require an aircraft in the 80k to 100k price range. Add to that the cash reserves for the gotchas and the typical operating costs and let's just say I will have to wait until I win the lotto to see this dream come true. In the meantime, I have decided to push this long standing, all consuming passion out the door. It will be difficult to turn in my wings, but necessary. Cheers Kirk |
#19
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What would you buy with a 50k budget?
Good going Mike.
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#20
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What would you buy with a 50k budget?
Kirk wrote:
snip The only way to acheive the lofty goal of becoming an experienced pilot, would require an aircraft in the 80k to 100k price range. Add to that the cash reserves for the gotchas and the typical operating costs and let's just say I will have to wait until I win the lotto to see this dream come true. Nonsense. There are lots of simple aircraft out there for well under $80k at todays prices that won't eat you alive with gas, insurance and maintenance more than capable of 100+ mile cross countries. I took that attitude and screwed around until I was 60 to buy an airplane. That is one of the major mistakes of my life. -- Jim Pennino Remove .spam.sux to reply. |
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