James,

I'm already an airplane owner and I'm completely sympathetic with your point
of view. At least once a month I wonder if it's all worth it, but that's
probably more a function of how I use my plane rather than strict economics:
if I was using my plane for business, rather than a weekend escape from the
usual grind I might not second guess myself so much. But as it stands now,
even on my modest PA28-140, I've spent a (for me) shocking amount of money.
It's quite sobering when you realize that the last few years of flying and
maintenance could have provided a nice chunk of your daughter's college fund
(not to imply that I've put flying in front of my daughter, I've been saving
for college too, but if I didn't fly I'd have been way ahead of the game).

When I bought my plane I decided that I would give ownership a try for two
years, then rethink the situation. I chose two years because the first year
is not always representative, especially your first annual. I decided to
buy something modest so I wouldn't break the bank, and in the first year I
was working on an IFR rating so I had plenty of excuses to fly. I'm halfway
through the trial period now, I have my IFR rating, but few excuses to fly.
My wife puts up a good front, but flying scares her and she's only been up
twice. She's suggested sailing instead which is inline with your comment
that flying is interesting, but people feel more comfortable on a boat. My
daughter isn't yet old enough to enjoy this so it's basically just me on the
weekends. Anticipating that this might happen, I decided that I would try
and fly for charity as another way to use the plane, but I'm waiting to see
if the 500 hour rule goes into effect (I'm about 100 hours short there).
We'll see how I feel at the end of the year...

So let's see, I think I covered about four threads he is owning worth
it...how can I justify flying...my spouse doesn't like it...I may just give
up ownership altogether. Oh, I forgot the FAA. Actually, I don't have
enough data to have an opinion the we haven't formally crossed paths yet,
and I don't think I've owned long enough to fully understand how badly I may
be getting taken.

cheers,
mark

"James Blakely" wrote in
message ...
Well, I may be someone who can give some information.

Got my pilot's certificate about 5 years age, been a renter ever since. I
hate renting. So much so, I've decided that I'm not going to fly unless I
own an airplane. I have enough money saved up so that I can buy my target
airplane (182RG) outright. I haven't flown in over 6 months. Why? The
economy. I'm looking at that 182RG fund as a pretty nice "rainy day fund"
if I ever loose my job. (Pretty good possibility, the company I work for
hasn't made a sale since November 2001.)

The thing I don't like about flying is all the oversight. You sneeze at
the
wrong time, the FAA is threatening you with revocation and civil fines.
Really, I haven't enjoyed flying since the pop-up TFRs started.

So, in looking for something to fill my spare time, I've taken up sailing.
I don't find it nearly as satisfying as flying, but I'm way more at ease.
So, although less satisfying, I find it about as enjoyable as flying.

Now, unlike some, I'm planing on being a trailer sailor. I'm not going to
keep my boat at a marina. (Slips cost about as much as t-hangers do.)
So,
I'm limited to a 22' lead keel or a 27 foot with water ballast boat. You
can find good used boats in this range for less than $10,000. Hell, a new
Hunter 27' with water ballast is $17,000, and that includes a trailer.

So, basically, I could buy a new boat and not worry about not having to
lose
all my nest egg. Also, I don't know of any cases of the Coast Guard
dry-docking an entire fleet of boats until some maintenance is performed.

I find that people are more interested in that I'm a pilot but that they
are
much more willing to go sailing with me than to go flying. So, I find
sailing much more communal than flying.

I'm shocked how anyone can hop into a boat and take off. I guess that's
my
FAA over-regulate-everything indoctrination. Also, I find boaters to be
much less arrogant and much more friendly that pilots.

The really sad thing is, I'm not really missing flying. My medical
expires
in May, I've decided that if I don't suddenly decide that I miss flying,
I'm
going to give it up for good in May. Sometime between now and then I'm
planning on breaking my no rental policy just to go up once again to see
if
I miss it.


"Dave Covert" wrote in message
...
This is something that has puzzled me for a while...

I (a private pilot) work in the pleasure marine industry and have
noticed
that almost anyone who wants to own a boat does own a boat. Now, some
boats
are indeed pretty cheap, but a $20,000 boat is fairly common (approx
cost
of
a 150?). Here in the Clear Lake area of Texas there are something like
10,000 boats sitting in marina slips with an average cost of something
like
$30,000 each... many cost way, way more than that. A boat slip here on
the
Texas coast will run you about $5/foot (which is cheap, I know) and
insurance for a $100,000 boat will run you maybe $2,000 a year. Most
leave
their slips once or twice a year. Marine maintenance and gear is not
cheap
either. That is a whole lot of expense for so little use.

That is 10,000 people, here in Houston alone, that never bothered to
take
a
class in boating, but that are willing to drop $30,000 on one, pay
$150-$250
on slip rent and $100-$150 per month on insurance.

After so much effort learning to fly, why do pilots not do the same
thing?
Whereas most boaters own a boat, most pilots do not own a plane.

Is it initial cost? Boats and planes cost about the same, so I don't
think
that is it.

Is it storage? A boat slip can cost a bit less than a hanger, or a bit
more,
but planes can use cheap tie-downs. Do people not buy planes because
they
might have to tie it down outside?

Is it lack of use? Boaters have the same problem... when to use the boat
in
their spare time. Why would they spring for the boat and a pilot with
the
same time constraints not spring for the plane?

Is it insurance? Plane insurance is more costly than boat insurance, but
using a tie-down would make up for that.

Is it maintenance? Perhaps that is it... planes are required to undergo
expensive preventive maintenance where boats just get a tow back to
shore
when something breaks. Is it really the fear of 'the annual' that
causes
people not to fly?

Is it fear of flying? Do people learn to fly because they want the
challenge
but secretly believe they are just asking to make their wife a widow
every
time they fly? Do people not trust an airplane they could buy?

I truly want to know the reason for this and the only way I am going to
find
out is to listen to more pilots.

So please, if you are a pilot, and you don't own a plane, please email
me
with a candid explanation as to why you personally don't own one. I will
compile the 'data' and post it back to the group once I have some idea
of
the answer.

Dave
74 Grumman AA5, N9560L
dave(a)thecoverts.com