Looking for starter plane

"Dude" wrote in message
...

Most things that people pay interest on, they shouldn't. That's because they
would often save money and make a wiser choice by buying cash. If you can't
afford the luxury of a new car, then buying a used one is likely a better
choice.

I did that most of my life, and that is why I can now afford the luxury of
a new one every now and then. l compromize by using a healthy down payment and
maximum 36-month financing.

They are pretty much disposable items in the end. As far as furniture and
other items go, you are likely upside down in them as soon as you start making
payments - and the rates are usually stupid.

I agree.

Houses are different, the cost of buying and selling is just too much. Buying
a house with over 20% down that you can afford to pay for is usually a wise
decision so long as you buy right, and expect to live there for 5 plus years.
Often, renting and saving will not get you there, and in the meantime, the
house you wanted has likely appreciated.

Bingo! In my county, the average home went up 36% last year. In that type
of market ther is no way to "save" yourself into a house. You just have to
somehow get up a down payment and then jump on that elevator.

Now, for airplanes. You can buy an older plane and usually get back most of
the money you spend to buy it. What you are out is anything you put into it
to to bring it up to standard, fuel, maintenance, engine time, insurance, and
INTEREST. Yes, you can avoid INTEREST. But, planes are like houses more than
like cars or other items.

Save money; rent.


Vaughn

Save money; rent.


Vaughn

Ya, I heard the old saw the other day:

If it flies, floats, or f(ornicates) its cheaper to rent.

Normally, I laugh and agree, but this time I couldn't think that there was
something wrong with that advice. Then it came to me. In all three cases,
what the guy who rented it last did to it may kill you!

Is it worth the savings?

Ben Hallert wrote:
: rent (Cessna only). I like the low wing planes, and I really want to
: buy my own for my upcoming IFR training.

: Piper Tomahawk w/ IFR stack. I've seen nice looking, low time aircraft
: listed in places for the 20-25 range. Here's what I get:

: 1. Full ownership, no financing.
: 2. IFR capable in the indicated pricerange.
: 3. Enough usable space to carry me and an instructor (I'm 250, leaving
: about 160 to for a fully fueled plane).
: 4. Low wing
: 5. Low cost of ownership.

I would just like to add that this sounds like a fairly reasonable plan,
especially since you've got a little more to burn than the 20-25 you initially stated.
I think it's worth saying that there's a completely different set of rules that apply
to a plane purchased for obtaining and IFR rating, vs. one that's used for IFR travel.
The former can be effectively done with a ratted out Cessna 150 or a PA-38 with an
AI/DG and one VOR/ILS. In many ways it's better to train it something like that
because it's slower so you can learn easier, and minimal equipment really makes you
work hard and become proficient on minimal equipment. About 80% of the airwork of the
rating is minimizing brainpower keeping the shiny side up while you juggle and add
other tasks.... all perfectly doable in a minimally-equipped trainer. If you're just
finishing your PPSEL, you'll want to do lots of VFR flying as well, so it'll get lots
of use just learning the ropes there.

The latter probably shouldn't be comfortably done without a little more
equipment redundancy, high-level of maintainance, and a bigger engine up front.
You're most likely talking a few hundred hours before you'll be ready for that,
anyway. By that time, a Cherokee is a minimal "step-up," and you may be looking more
for an Arrow-class plane to go places.

Anyway, I wouldn't get too involved in getting a cherry IFR Traumahawk for
training. You don't need that much until you really want to *use* it... then you'll
want to have some more options if things go down the crapper. My opinion, of
course... but consider that just the database updates for an IFR-certified GPS are
nominally $600-$1200/year (depending on the model). That's about as much as the
*insurance* on my bird.... for training you don't *need* that.

-Cory
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************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************

I don't know what GPS you're talking about but the database updates for
our Garmin 430 are only around 300 bucks per year..

Jon Kraus
PP-ASEL-IA
'79 Mooney 201

snip
course... but consider that just the database updates for an IFR-certified GPS are
nominally $600-$1200/year (depending on the model). That's about as much as the
*insurance* on my bird.... for training you don't *need* that.

Brian Sponcil wrote:
: them, yada yada yada) can also be said for the skyhawk. Performance is
: roughly the same and you get a 2nd door, albeit likely for a higher cost.

True... at the time I was looking (about 3 years ago), it was an $8-10K
premium for a comparable 172 vs. -140's.

-Cory

--

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************