Is WV a good state for an aircraft owner?

[DMD3.]

I saw an ad on Indeed for a job I may be interested in in WV (either Princeton or Huntington). WV is one of the lowest CoL states, so that would make it an attractive option for someone desiring aircraft ownership? I’m at the point in my life where I could technically afford to buy a cheaper aircraft such as an old C150 or Cherokee 140 (anything around $50-60k) and fly/maintain it for a few years. But an expensive issue such as an engine overhaul or bad annual could render the aircraft unairworthy and me not affording to get it flying again (this has happened to many aircraft owners in the past). So I’m continuing to build up my nest egg and hopefully with the next 5-10 years ownership will become a reality.

I was browsing an older thread: https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/best-places-for-cheap-hangars.139618/

No one mentioned they reside in WV. Does anyone on here live(d) there and would it be safe to assume that many airports will have fairly cheap hangar/tiedown rates? But I’m also wondering what kind of weather they get? I’ve heard that during winter, they may go a month or two of gray, dreary overcast skies. And while the winters aren’t as harsh as the northern states, they will definitely be colder and snowier than what I’m used to in GA. Also, it’s a very mountainous state, so as a non-IFR rated pilot, I’ll have to exercise caution, particularly on X-country flights. So what are your thoughts?

 

[hindsight2020]

Crazy that 60k is now considered C-150/PA28-140 territory. I've owned (cosmetic clapped out admitedly) C150 in my late 20s, I'm not even 50 years old so it wasn't that long ago. My wages and their paltry NDAA legislated increases are a matter of public record, so it's no surprise to find out they certainly haven't kept up with inflation. The real world kind, not the cooked CPI cherry picking one from uncle sammy. Even if I were to stipulate uncle's bogus CPI calculator, apples to apples, my old C-150 in 2009 would be 29K today if inflation were accounted for. Given 60ish is my price point these days for aircraft replacement higher in the performance spectrum as you're looking at, guess I'm cooked.

At any rate, back to your question. The only cost shavings of consequence for moving regions on the airplane specific costs is the storage, everything else is almost damn near within one sigma of each other, and yes that includes labor all over the country these days. If you're willing to tie down the thing, that storage regional cost delta narrows even more, making relocations less impactful/worthwhile. Moving to WV to save a few AMUs in storage fees is wackadoodle.

The economic proposition for low end airplanes like the ones you mention also get worse these days than more overpriced ones, since the former are that much closer in hull value to the clownshoe pricing that powerplant vendors/servicers are listing at. This makes your purchase de facto engine-only. Put another way, a proposition where it's actually cheaper to buy another airplane than it is to mess with the engine. I can tell you that was the case for my former plane when it tried to mort me year and change ago. Would have worked out if I had crashed the hull, but integrity and all the things it hasn't got me in life. Digressing. Point being, even with the nonsense pricing of today, I could replace the thing for less than the value of the engine repair and R/R as quoted, plus the prior insured value. And lord knows I couldn't sell it last year for the value of either, let alone the combined capex had I gone with the repair.

The other option is Geoarbitrage, which isn't complicated, but that's not what you're doing as someone seeking income from local sources.

So no. I don't think moving to WV will materially improve the cost structure you're attempting to tackle. You can replicate much of the savings carve out you seek by merely picking up below-median housing in non-coastal suburban/exurban region, provided the job is there to pay for it. It's how I did airplane ownership relatively comfortably for 13 years and 3 airplanes, before Powell stole my life on behalf of his corporate overlords that is.

Move to WV because you enjoy WV, don't do it for airplane ownership. Good luck.

 

[Zeldman]

I flight instructed in WV for 18 months late in the last century at Ona, WV, between Huntington and Charleston. I can't comment on the cost of living because I lived in my RV on the airport rent free. My only cost was food and gas.

As far as weather, I flew every month. Maybe not everyday but enough to have a bank account. And not what I would call mountainous, the highest point is Spruce Knob at somewhere around 4800 in elevation. I used to fly fire patrol in the western and southwestern part of the state. I don't think I ever got above 2500msl in that area. Might be different around the Appalachian Mountains and Allegheny Mountains, all in the eastern part of the state.

The folks all seemed friendly. I had a flat tire on a trailer on a back road and almost every vehicle that passed stopped and offered to help. Beautiful state and plenty of outdoor activity, hiking trails. I really have no bad memories of living in WV.

 

[Randomskylane]

November to March fly over and check for ice before landing is my only useful info.

One time the runway was fine but taxiway and ramp to gas weren’t. Ten degrees and needing fuel (pump handle frozen too) wasn’t great.

Beautiful state, friendly people.