"Michael Adams" wrote in message
t...
I am looking for some input on the least expensive airplanes to own. I've
heard so many horror stories about the $5000 or even $15,000 annual, or the
seat adjuster that costs $600, that I thought I would get some input on
this before buying. So I'm looking for low purchase price (used), low
repair and parts costs, and low $ per hour to run.

Michael

There is no such thing as low parts cost on a certified airplane. The
voltage regulator on my Cherokee 140 went bad a few years ago. This is a
Chrysler part. NAPA gets $35 for an identical part. Piper sells theirs for
$350. BTW, the Cherokee 140 is at the bottom end of both the purchase price
scale as well as the maintenance scale. HOWEVER, I had both a $19,000 annual
followed by a $6000 annual. Those two prretty much put the plane back into
premimum condition. I've been spending around $1500/year since. (BTW, it's
for sale for $27,000)

The reason the parts are so expensive is because very few are manufactured,
and the certification cost is high. So, if you're really looking for low
cost parts, you can't do it with a certified aircraft.

That leaves you with buying a homebuilt. If you jump over to
rec.aviation.homebuilt and look for the FAQ, you can read plenty.