What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Tailwheel endorsement worth it?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Duncannon

Active Member
As someone who wants to fly instead of build, would it be worth getting a tailwheel endorsement to broaden my options on searching for a flying RV(6-9)? It seems there are more tailwheel RVs than nosewheels, and the tailwheels tend to sell for a bit less (this is not ALWAYS the case). I don’t necessarily need a TW, but if it helps me get a slightly better deal, I wouldn’t mind, even if insurance is a bit more expensive.

On a second topic, as someone who earns less than $50k annually, could it be a good idea to buy a cheap tailwheel such as a Cessna 120/140, Luscombe 8, etc.? This would not only serve to build tw time to help with insurance, but also give an introduction to aircraft ownership in general. If I can’t afford to fuel, insure, or maintain a $25k with an 80hp engine, I certainly can’t own an airplane with twice the hp and thrice or frice (4x) the purchase price.

I should mention that I’m not mechanically inclined to perform my own maintenance (at least to start with), so maintenance won’t really be cheaper than on a certified aircraft.
 
Join a flying club or get into a partnership. Ownership can throw large surprises at you without notice. When I lept into ownership we did so with an $8,000 1/3rd share of a 1968 Cherokee 140. I learned alot about ownership in the 5 or so years we owned our share. A note about old planes - they may be cheap to purchase but they may not be cheap to maintain. One annual we had intergranular corrosion in the wing spars and poof it needed new spars. The shop got $19k to put NOS spars in the wings. While paid labor may not be cheaper from experimental to certified, parts for certified airplanes generally cost multiples of the same part for an experimental airplane. Don't be in a hurry, spend lots of time around the local patch and network some other pilots and owners. A share of an RV is also not uncommon, tailwheel or otherwise. Learn some maintenance skills while helping your new network and start looking for an RV-6(a) as thats the best value in the RV world at current.
 
Thanks for the reply. I forgot to mention, I would have a thorough prebuy done, log a few hundred hours and then sell it in a couple of years without sinking any money into it aside from the annuals and routine maintenance. I can do without GPS and ADSB, so long as it doesn’t need an engine overhaul.
 
……..log a few hundred hours and then sell it in a couple of years without sinking any money into it aside from the annuals and routine maintenance…...

This is what everyone hopes for. But as others have said, you just never know. You’re always just a surprise major A/D, or a couple of ‘weak’ cylinders at annual, from a major expense. Be prepared for the worst.
 
And to answer the OPs question, yes it is definitely worth getting that tailwheel endorsement! Only then will you able to properly pilot an airplane, as in using all of the flight controls :)
As to the pros and cons, look in the related sticky thread, the tailwheel is a clear winner, above all by the looks :D

Shields up and secure…
 
Yes to getting your tailwheel endorsement. It will make you a MUCH better pilot, even in any other planes you will fly. It amazes me how non tailwheel pilots who think their landings are nice are often times landing with some side loading, earning the tailwheel sign off, you’ll be landing every plane much better. Also suggest getting the instrument rating, even if you don’t intend to fly IFR, it’ll also make you a better pilot.

On a scale of 1 to 10, Flying a C-120 or 140 or champ, Cub, t craft is probably a 3 , while flying the Luscome 8a is a 5 or 6 in difficulty. Most tailwheel RVs are also a 5, nosewheel RVs being a 1, the typical nosewheel GA plane being a zero in difficulty. Basically if you can fly a Luscome, you can fly a tailwheel RV. Perhaps the “difficulty” scale is a poor choice of words.. “skill required” is better, also the enjoyment factor is another description of the scale.. although Cubs are sooo much fun too!
 
Listen to AV8ER. I was in your shoes many years ago and a partnership made the numbers work and reduced the risk of those surprise bills which really shouldn’t be a surprise as with airplanes they always happen no matter how good a prebuy you get.

As for tailwheel. If you ever want to understand why you really have rudder pedals get a glider rating or a tailwheel endorsement or both.

Oliver
 
Help

I agree with the above. I’ve flown tail wheel airplanes from a Pitts to a DC-3. I learned in a Cessna 140 and have never had problems with landing. I suggest a partnership. Since you aren’t mechanically inclined, do your part by cleaning, book keeping, and other things to make the partnership work. Fly as much as your wallet will allow.
 
Tailwheel airplanes are a blast to fly. They require more skill and are intolerant of sloppy flying so they demand a higher level of proficiency. Interestingly, it takes about the same time to learn how to fly up to solo on a nosewheel or a tailwheel airplane (not sure why), so it seems like you learn more in the same amount of time.

Once you have it, all kinds of classic and antique aircraft are now accessible, like cubs, champs, stearmans, warbirds etc, women will find you irresistible and you will never want to touch a nosewheel airplane again.
 
When I was in high school flying U-Control models in front of my house, the guy across the street came over. He was retired Air Force pilot. he stood behind me as I spun around and had a few useful comments...like when the engine stopped - "Get the nose down". He gave me lots of good advice. He was really supportive.

One thing he said was:

"When you start your flying lessons, do them in a tailwheel airplane. It's like learning how to drive a stick in a car first. After you learn how to fly a tailwheel, flying a nose wheel will be a snap. Just like driving an automatic is a snap."

As I learned to drive on a stick I completely understood what he said.

My local flight school didn't have tailwheel but the instant I got my PPL I then drove up to Hampton New Hampshire and got my tailwheel endorsement in an L-4.

That meant that when I got Acro instruction in Super Decathlons, I didn't have to learn how to fly a tailwheel.

When my local flight school acquired an aerobatic Citabria all I needed to do was take a checkride.

When I bought my tailwheel RV-8 (I didn't want a nosewheel) I had acquired a lot of tailwheel time.

So my recommendation is go tailwheel.
 
Tail wheel, yes…

Flying a tailwheel, (conventional gear) is exactly the same as flying a tricycle gear airplane. You can not tell any difference between them. Taxiing, taking off and landing them are a bit different and as others have said mastering that, I believe, makes you a better aviator because you have to learn how to control the airplane from chocks to chocks, something than is demonstrably easier to do with a nose wheel attached.
This of course is my opinion and like a couple other items we all possess, is worth exactly what you paid for it.
Pass the salt please..
 
If you have any interest in tailwheel flying at all, then absolutely yes, get the endorsement if for no other reason than it will confirm what you’d be willing to purchase. I had no tailwheel time before finishing my -9, but have found that it was easy to learn and is way more fun than flying with a nosewheel.
Plus, don’t worry about insurance. After you get some tailwheel hours the rates seem to even out, making whatever difference remains negligible, if not non existent.
Good luck.
 
Learning to fly a tailwheel aircraft as others have said will make you a better stick and rudder pilot, no question. Personally I don’t find the RV’s to be difficult tailwheel aircraft to land, very stable actually, much more so than a Pacer or Luscombe….I’ve owned both.

I do agree that the tailwheel version is prettier to the eye, it was my first preference however I ended up buying an A model because it was so well equipped and was a beautiful build plus if flown correctly can be expected to take off quicker and land shorter …in my experience. The tailwheel has better prop clearance and therefore would be a bit better in rougher fields but fact is I use wheel pants as my first decider on rougher strips. So I don’t really consider either model to be a capable back strip aircraft. Certainly perfectly fine for decent grass strips or gravel strips but best on pavement. :):)
 
Insurance

Not that I want to hijack this thread, but,…

Does anyone else believe insurance companies are bound and determined to stop insuring tail wheel airplanes? I personally know many people who are either unable to get insurance at all for their tail wheel airplanes, or had their rates jump by shocking amounts to the point they had to sell their baby.

I really think insurance companies don’t want to touch them anymore, and are happy to continue to price themselves out of the market.
 
tailwheel's and insurance

tail wheel hull insurance not available after 80th birthday, regardless of your ratings or time in type.
liability is 150% higher. if you are closing on 80 ??
my experience, yours may be different.
larry
 
Most of the responsis here based on the belief that a tail wheel ratting is good because it makes you a better pilot. I dont necessarly agree with that. A centered ball is a centered ball in either plane.
Your income is on the low end for airplane ownership. Why invest $1,200 in getting your endorsement so that you can spend $2500 more a year insuring your plane? There are plenty of A modles out there. You just need to be paitent.
 
At least until they see your insurance bill laying on the counter... hahaha :D

My cessna 170 is $1300 a year to insure. That's pretty cheap given how it drives my wife wild that I have a 73 year old tailwheel.
 
On a second topic, as someone who earns less than $50k annually, could it be a good idea to buy a cheap tailwheel such as a Cessna 120/140, Luscombe 8, etc.? This would not only serve to build tw time to help with insurance, but also give an introduction to aircraft ownership in general. If I can’t afford to fuel, insure, or maintain a $25k with an 80hp engine, I certainly can’t own an airplane with twice the hp and thrice or frice (4x) the purchase price.

Not many answers to this part of your post, and I realize I'm on the conservative end of the financial spectrum, but I would advise you to not buy any airplane at this time. 1. As previously noted, it is expensive. 2. You don't make that much. 3. If it flies or floats (or...) it is less expensive to pay by the hour. 4. See #1.

I didn't buy a plane outright until I made about double what you're making AND the house was paid off. I was in 3 different flying clubs and one partnership over the years, and those are what I'd recommend at this point in your flying career. Most people don't end flying nearly as much as they think they will, so renting or a club almost always comes out WAY ahead.

As for the TW endorsement, go for it. It is fun, challenging and educational.

Most of the responsis here based on the belief that a tail wheel ratting is good because it makes you a better pilot. I dont necessarly agree with that. A centered ball is a centered ball in either plane.
Your income is on the low end for airplane ownership. Why invest $1,200 in getting your endorsement so that you can spend $2500 more a year insuring your plane? There are plenty of A modles out there. You just need to be paitent.

One reason would be that if he can fly either, he doubles (or more) the pool of potential candidates. I found looking for and buying a plane to be very challenging, and I'm glad I considered non-A models even though I did not have a TW endorsement. Insurance on my RV6 is less than $1000 a year w/ hull coverage at $70K 10+ years into ownership, so the $2500 "more" estimate seems excessive to me.
 
Last edited:
Airplanes are “a vacuum in space that suck up all your money.” I personally don’t believe you’re ready for the “cost and responsibility of ownership” at this time. You never want to neglect needed maintenance. Others have suggested a partnership and even that may be beyond your financial capability at this time.

I concur that your best option is a flying club. That offers several advantages (1) the ability to reasonably rent an aircraft, (2) the ability to work with a club A&P/IA and learn about aircraft maintenance, (3) access to possibly more than one club aircraft, and (4) the ability to get additional ratings through club associated instructors. I also encourage you to join a local EAA chapter.

Why risk destruction of your joy of flying by rushing into ownership too soon? Once you build up your experience, technical knowledge, financial resources and aviation skills the right opportunity will arise that will lead you to the airplane of your dreams. Have patience and persevere. BTW, get all the endorsements and tickets you can - they all build your aviation skills.
 
Last edited:
without sinking any money into it aside from the annuals and routine maintenance.
Stifling a chuckle here... Especially with certified A/C, the "routine" annual is almost a myth, and anyone who has been in aviation for very long has had or knows someone who has had the proverbial "annual from [heck]." That said, if you educate yourself you are much less likely to spend money that you don't have to. The best way to do that is to read Mike Busch's books on airplane ownership, well worth the $$.

Regarding T/W endorsement - someone mentioned the higher cost of insurance for T/W aircraft but I'm not sure anyone has mentioned that it the endorsement is likely to lower your rate whatever you fly. I fly an experimental tailwheel A/C and get what I consider to be very good rates, which I attribute partly to having a bunch of T/W time but also the Instrument rating and maybe even the seaplane rating.
 
Most of the responsis here based on the belief that a tail wheel ratting is good because it makes you a better pilot. I dont necessarly agree with that. A centered ball is a centered ball in either plane.
Your income is on the low end for airplane ownership. Why invest $1,200 in getting your endorsement so that you can spend $2500 more a year insuring your plane? There are plenty of A modles out there. You just need to be paitent.

A comment like this shows that you haven’t landed a tailwheel plane yet. It absolutely will make you a better pilot, because tailwheel aircraft are unforgiving in not being landed straight. You aren’t looking at “the ball” while in the flare. It’s all done visually. Most nosewheel pilots don’t even realize they are landing with a tiny crab or drift. I assure you, if you buy an hour in a tailwheel plane and do takeoffs and landings, this will make more sense.
 
Last edited:
Getting your tailwheel endorsement will make you a better pilot, but only in a very narrow sense as Taltruda mentioned:

"It absolutely will make you a better pilot, because tailwheel aircraft are unforgiving in not being landed straight."

But realistically, anything one does offers the potential to gain beneficial experience. The money spent on the TW endorsement might be put to better use in other areas, like instrument training for example.

On the other hand, my TW endorsement has saved me money (insurance) over the years -- as I was convinced to not build a taildragger after completing the training. :)
 
Wow

"...Most nosewheel pilots don’t even realize they are landing with a tiny crab or drift..."

Really? I have seen PLENTY of those superior TW pilots make HORRIBLE landings, too...

It's not about the airplane as much as the pilot...
 
"...Most nosewheel pilots don’t even realize they are landing with a tiny crab or drift..."

Really? I have seen PLENTY of those superior TW pilots make HORRIBLE landings, too...

It's not about the airplane as much as the pilot...

And I made some of those horrible TW landings.

But I can you tell that - speaking only for myself - I was far far more focused on perfect fuselage alignment when learning how to fly a TW than I was flying a NW. This was because landing on a hard surface in a TW is less forgiving.

So now when I fly a NW I'm just as careful.

I'm not saying that I didn't need to be more aware of fuselage alignment when flying a NW...just saying that I was a little less concerned about it.
 
Last edited:
A comment like this shows that you haven’t landed a tailwheel plane yet. It absolutely will make you a better pilot, because tailwheel aircraft are unforgiving in not being landed straight. You aren’t looking at “the ball” while in the flare. It’s all done visually. Most nosewheel pilots don’t even realize they are landing with a tiny crab or drift. I assure you, if you buy an hour in a tailwheel plane and do takeoffs and landings, this will make more sense.

I made an over-simplified comment to make my point. Why would you assume that I have no knowledge about the subject? My point is that you can apply the same discipline to flying and landing a Tricycle gear plan as you can a conventional gear plane. It is not the tailwheel endorsement that makes you a better pilot, it is your flying discipline that makes you a better pilot.
The OP did not ask the group: “How can I become a better pilot?” He asked about ways to find his dream plane and if it was a good Idea to open up his search window. I gave my opinion that a guy making $50,000/year should not spend significant money on an endorsement aimed at helping him buy a plane that will cost more to insure every year over a comparable A model. Tail wheel planes account for 40% of the accidents but are a small percentage of the fleet. That makes them more expensive to insure, gives them less utility for the average guy, and gives them a lower safety margin. When there is an 18kt crosswind gusting to 25KT my Cub stays in the hanger, but I don’t bat an eye at taking out my A model RV. My Cub has ½ the hull value of the RV yet the insurance is $3,500 VS $1,000 for the RV. I renewed both last week, so these are real numbers.
 
A comment like this shows that you haven’t landed a tailwheel plane yet. It absolutely will make you a better pilot, because tailwheel aircraft are unforgiving in not being landed straight. You aren’t looking at “the ball” while in the flare. It’s all done visually. Most nosewheel pilots don’t even realize they are landing with a tiny crab or drift. I assure you, if you buy an hour in a tailwheel plane and do takeoffs and landings, this will make more sense.

I'd be willing to bet that 99 percent of the ground loops that happened were caused by pilots with a tail-wheel endorsement....

-Marc
 
I'd be willing to bet that 99 percent of the ground loops that happened were caused by pilots with a tail-wheel endorsement....

-Marc


That's the same as saying: I'll bet that 100% of all nosewheel collapse/accidents/failures etc. happen to NW pilots.

That does not mean that getting a TW endorsement doesn't help with airmanship.
 
Last edited:
When comparing costs I wonder:

What, if any, are the added costs in tires, maintenance, etc with a NW aircraft?

I don't know since I've never owned one - might be small. But if we are looking at the economics of it then we have to factor that in too.
 
Difficulty ratings

Most tailwheel RVs are also a 5, nosewheel RVs being a 1, the typical nosewheel GA plane being a zero in difficulty.

Outside of the -9A my time is in Warriors, 150/152s, and 172s, and I think the -9A is actually even easier to land than the certified birds (none of which are tough of course). :)
 
I made an over-simplified comment to make my point. Why would you assume that I have no knowledge about the subject? My point is that you can apply the same discipline to flying and landing a Tricycle gear plan as you can a conventional gear plane. It is not the tailwheel endorsement that makes you a better pilot, it is your flying discipline that makes you a better pilot.
The OP did not ask the group: “How can I become a better pilot?” He asked about ways to find his dream plane and if it was a good Idea to open up his search window. I gave my opinion that a guy making $50,000/year should not spend significant money on an endorsement aimed at helping him buy a plane that will cost more to insure every year over a comparable A model. Tail wheel planes account for 40% of the accidents but are a small percentage of the fleet. That makes them more expensive to insure, gives them less utility for the average guy, and gives them a lower safety margin. When there is an 18kt crosswind gusting to 25KT my Cub stays in the hanger, but I don’t bat an eye at taking out my A model RV. My Cub has ½ the hull value of the RV yet the insurance is $3,500 VS $1,000 for the RV. I renewed both last week, so these are real numbers.

There certainly is some truth to this gentleman’s comments. If your instructor held you to a much higher standard when teaching you to fly a tricycle gear aircraft then it would certainly make the transition to conventional gear far easier.
Problem there of course is that most instructors have only flown tricycle gear and their standards were not that high to begin with. These aircraft by their nature want to go straight, even if they are landed crooked….
Because tailwheel aircraft need to be put down straight and flown until you tie them down they hold you to a very high standard right out of the box. But he is right in saying that you can learn to fly a tricycle gear to an equivalent standard to a tailwheel because pilots with lots of tailwheel time do it every time they fly a tricycle gear.
 
When comparing costs I wonder:

What, if any, are the added costs in tires, maintenance, etc with a NW aircraft?

I don't know since I've never owned one - might be small. But if we are looking at the economics of it then we have to factor that in too.

There probably is a bit more cost to owning an aircraft with a nose wheel however it’s a very small number with an RV.
Best way to fly an RV6-7-8-9-12 is to think of your nose wheel as a taxi wheel. Don’t fly it like folks do with Cessnas and Pipers etc.
As soon as you apply full power lift the nose wheel off and when landing hold the nose wheel off until you no longer can….it’s a taxi gear and if flown like this will give you very few problems. As for cost compared to tailwheel….a bit more but on an hourly cost basis, hardly worth mentioning.:)
 
When comparing costs I wonder:

What, if any, are the added costs in tires, maintenance, etc with a NW aircraft?

I don't know since I've never owned one - might be small. But if we are looking at the economics of it then we have to factor that in too.

The overall cost of owning a tricycle gear airplane is probably likely to be lower because of less outlay for repairs from ground loops and runway excursions :D:D.
 
The overall cost of owning a tricycle gear airplane is probably likely to be lower because of less outlay for repairs from ground loops and runway excursions :D:D.

Tell that to the “A” model drivers that dig in a nose gear and end up on their backs.

This thread has run it’s course for me.
 
"...Most nosewheel pilots don’t even realize they are landing with a tiny crab or drift..."

Really? I have seen PLENTY of those superior TW pilots make HORRIBLE landings, too...

It's not about the airplane as much as the pilot...

HAHA, yeah. I spent the better part of the Airventure week directing traffic at the 18R(36L)/P3 intersection last year so I got to observe up close several ground-loops, a nose-over, and a gear-up in addition to many, many terrible and unstabilized landings in all kinds of planes. Part of that is the nature of the stress induced by the level of ops at OSH, but most of it was just plain poor to completely absent crosswind/directional control by the majority of pilots I witnessed. The difference being that what might just be ugly for a trike can be devastating for a tailwheel aircraft.

But back to the OP's query, I agree that aircraft ownership of any kind other than buying into a club or multi-partnership is probably financially unrealistic for him at this time. Experience gained has value in reduced insurance premiums and fewer "oopsies" that will need repair. But the expectation that you can keep costs low is unreasonable, as even "routine" maintenance and insurance can quickly become untenable.
 
No insurance???

I see that insurance keeps coming up. Well, I know I'm going to get 'advice' about this, but I don't have any insurance. When I was hangared at a field that required it, I had only liability insurance which was about $400 a year.

"Yeah, but what'll you do when you have an engine failure and have to land off field and bust the plane?"

Fly high. I have had four engine failures over the years, and didn't break a thing. I try to always fly high enough to glide to either an airport, or a decent secondary landing spot. Every time it happened I was surprised that I didn't need to replace the seat cushion, I was sure my butt cheeks had bitten a hole in it...

Now, as far as a NW vs TW the only input I have is this, a tailwheel is good for your feet, and I love my plane, but at the end of a long trip, when you're tired, and there's a strong, gusty crosswind, you're going to be thinking "Boy, I sure wish this was a nose wheel plane right now!"
 
Tell that to the “A” model drivers that dig in a nose gear and end up on their backs.

This thread has run it’s course for me.
:D

I should have added a couple of more smilies, apparently….

Some folks take this subject pretty seriously, I guess. Never could understand that. Somewhere in my 50year-old logbook I have many, many hours in a clipped-wing Cub and an Aeronca Champ. I always considered flying those airplanes as “flying”. I never thought that my ability to fly them successfully might make me some kind of super-pilot. :D. :D
 
Last edited:
Thanks for all the advice. Hearing that I don’t earn enough to own isn’t what I wanted to hear, but I needed to hear it. :). Seems like I once read that the average cost of ownership for the 2-seat RVs (fuel, insurance, maintenance) was roughly $1k per month, but perhaps this applies to the owners who perform their maintenance.

I’m in the Valdosta Ga area; does anyone know of any flying clubs even remotely close to this area?
 
Last edited:
I know you want to fly and not build, and say your are not mechanically inclined, but why not get you fix renting for now, and re-consider building. A slow build RV like a 7 or 9 is still one of the most budget-friendly ways to have your own plane, and you can stretch the expense over however long you need. Just because it seems everybody is building $200k RV’s, you can still finish a budget build for well under half that figure. I started my build when I wasn’t making that much more than you, and 4.5 years later had my own airplane. Mid-time used engine and fixed pitch prop. Over the years I have added an A/P and IFR GPS as finances allowed.

And the biggest financial plus to the plan is that you can maintain that airplane for as long as you own it, which can be a huge savings.

Plenty of people with minimal mechanical inclination have build beautiful RVs. It’s not for everybody, but every time you look at that airplane, you will smile in amazement. You don’t even need to stick to RV’s - lots of other budget options out there like sonex, etc.

Chris
 
what?!

"...Seems like I once read that the average cost of ownership for the 2-seat RVs (fuel, insurance, maintenance) was roughly $1k per month..."

I have owned many airplanes over the past 40 years and none of them ever cost $1k a month. Of course that would depend if you are paying a majority of that in hangar rent...
 
"...Seems like I once read that the average cost of ownership for the 2-seat RVs (fuel, insurance, maintenance) was roughly $1k per month..."

I have owned many airplanes over the past 40 years and none of them ever cost $1k a month. Of course that would depend if you are paying a majority of that in hangar rent...

Hangar rent is the biggest variable I think - with my ~$600/month hangar rent, I’m pretty sure my cost of ownership is around $1k/month at least. If I ever relocate, nice and affordable hangar space will be high on my list of priorities (if not my wife’s…).

Chris
 
I don't think anyone here is saying that it would.

"...Seems like I once read that the average cost of ownership for the 2-seat RVs (fuel, insurance, maintenance) was roughly $1k per month..."

I have owned many airplanes over the past 40 years and none of them ever cost $1k a month. Of course that would depend if you are paying a majority of that in hangar rent...


I believe so. I posted a thread on this awhile back, but I’ll probably do tie down if I ever own. A lot of the airports near me basically allow you to tie down for free (with a minimum fuel purchase). But I WILL use covers.
 
Hangar rent is the biggest variable I think - with my ~$600/month hangar rent, I’m pretty sure my cost of ownership is around $1k/month at least. If I ever relocate, nice and affordable hangar space will be high on my list of priorities (if not my wife’s…).

Chris


The mobile home I’m currently living in is only $550 monthly, though I’m also paying renters insurance. The cost of living is lower in Ga, but the avg.income is also typically lower.
 
I believe so. I posted a thread on this awhile back, but I’ll probably do tie down if I ever own. A lot of the airports near me basically allow you to tie down for free (with a minimum fuel purchase). But I WILL use covers.

Not sure why you have my quote in your post...I was referring to the concept that learning to fly TW aircraft making people "super pilots"

Had nothing to do with tie downs.
 
"...Seems like I once read that the average cost of ownership for the 2-seat RVs (fuel, insurance, maintenance) was roughly $1k per month..."

I have owned many airplanes over the past 40 years and none of them ever cost $1k a month. Of course that would depend if you are paying a majority of that in hangar rent...

I just did a quick spreadsheet math based on the 100hr/year of flying. Combine the cost of fuel, hangar, oil, maintenance reserve, insurance, my monthly cost is over $1200. Some will have more, some less. I think the $1000/month is conservative. From the number, this cost is comparable to a flying club in SoCal, given the same number for flying hours. Of course, the cost is much higher if you are paying for the aircraft loans, which is not included in my calculation.
 
Last edited:
Low cost flying.

Looking for cost cutting options???. Looking for Ways to cut living cost so there is more left over for airplanes???
Drive an older car, no payments, liability only insurance.
House sit, to avoid rent,,, police sometimes can get reduced or free rent in apartments.
When you are poor,, you may not need liability or hull coverage on your plane?
Who sues a poor guy?
Wear old clothes,, keep your first wife,, or don’t get married,, no kids.

When I started flying I thought planes were cheap. I bought a ‘59 C172 for $9500 in 1984. Now I think they are expensive. The fleet is smaller, older, and harder to find a good one. That ‘59 172 is a lot of $$s today!
Too bad the OP is not a builder. I still think the kit plane is a good way to have an airplane.. buy it one kit at a time… Buying a flying airplane forces you to finance, + insurance, ,,, or have cash. Pretty tough to come up with $100,000 cash,,,

What are the cheapest turn key Exp airplanes out there? Sonex? Some older Rans models? EAA bi-plane? Zenith? Thorp? I’m thinking there are home builts to be had for under $30,000. That would be fun and turn key for someone that is just getting started,,,
 
Last edited:
keep your first wife,, or don’t get married,, no kids

Good ones :D

Too bad the OP is not a builder. I still think the kit plane is a good way to have an airplane.. buy it one kit at a time…

Way cheaper to buy an already built and flying E/AB than building one. Not counting the hours, when one could be flying iso building, but just materials. With the actual and coming price increases, building one's dream is becoming more and more difficult to finance :(
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top