AOPA's reimagined Cessna 152

steingar

steingar

Taxi to Parking
Joined
Feb 6, 2007
Messages
29,248
Location
Land of Savages
Display Name
Display name:
steingar
8V0XijQk4vNSriQQABQvripLZgptYWwnjKt42Qa2YXY=w1842-h1224-no


iM-1awNdxk7YxUMrEzWtHDAgR2NSsocSNMwgS6IusnU=w801-h532-no


Emphasis on the imagination:

w7dGr2Wg-32bm7fiq5jaDHa1HIW-dIsT9DZMXcdu2oc=w279-h419-no
 
Wasn't that thing priced at something completely ridiculous, like 90k or something?
 
90k for a 50 year old, VFR only aircraft that can haul one and a half people the speed of your average minivan.

Perfect.

Actually, I don't hate the idea. I'd rather see AOPA spend there money on these kinds of things then keeping SMO open.
 
Why? I'd rather see them keep SMO open...
 
btw, am I the only one thinking they put the stopwatch there because they had an empty hole and wanted to fill the panel as cheaply as they ever can?
 
Refurbished, yes. Reimagined? Nope. What requires imagination is buying that for the maximum $25k I'd ever spend on a one fitty two.
 
The pitch is $70/hr operating cost apparently...not sure if that covers acquisition at $90K...but I'm in a club with $50/month dues and an archer for $95 tach time wet...IFR, 4 ish people... Bought the thing with a 530W, new engine, and 1500tt for 73k.
 
MichiPilot said:
The pitch is $70/hr operating cost apparently...not sure if that covers acquisition at $90K...but I'm in a club with $50/month dues and an archer for $95 tach time wet...IFR, 4 ish people... Bought the thing with a 530W, new engine, and 1500tt for 73k.
Click to expand...

IIRC what they said when they were building it - the 70/hr includes the plane payments/financing and they had some sort of deal with a bank when they were planning on building more than one of these. But that was calculated for a club enviroment with some unrealistic hours/year flown estimate.
 
mtuomi said:
IIRC what they said when they were building it - the 70/hr includes the plane payments/financing and they had some sort of deal with a bank when they were planning on building more than one of these. But that was calculated for a club enviroment with some unrealistic hours/year flown estimate.
Click to expand...

What was the estimate?

Our club operates 4 of them and we are at $65/hr right now. $65 a month dues and $300 refundable deposit when you join. That includes insurance. I think the deductible is $1500 and liability is 1M smooth

I want to say they are getting 400 hrs/year per airplane but I cant remember exactly
 
Last edited:
Bonchie said:
90k for a 50 year old, VFR only aircraft that can haul one and a half people the speed of your average minivan.
Click to expand...

I flew a well maintained 152 around for 200 hours or so. Got my instrument rating in it. I conservatively planned on 95 kts at 4.5gph and it ran great on mogas. Average annual was $1000 and the insurance was 800.yr

The full fuel payload is about 400lbs

If they are well maintained they are pretty efficient. Most people's 152 experience is with the ragged out flight school planes. The fairings are all cracked, the paint is chipped, propeller is worn out and has a bunch of nicks that have been filed out. Wheel pants are gone and the plane is out of rig.
 
Damned ugly and made for midgets.

Is this the best we can do? Is this the best the premier American flying society can come up with?

We're fooked.
 
Spend 100k on this, or 100k lobbying for Part23 reform. Which one is more effective?
 
Sweepstakes are stupid and I can't believe they're still doing them. If they're going to give away a $100k airplane they should at least use a merit-based selection process.
 
Sold this for $ 24.5k, almost the same damn thing..95% totally refurbished before sale...
 

Attachments

  • N9282U April13.jpg
    N9282U April13.jpg
    125.1 KB · Views: 67
  • IMG_0474.JPG
    IMG_0474.JPG
    1.5 MB · Views: 81
Last edited:
If AOPA thinks 90k for that will save GA we are doomed.
 
Scree that. It's not ADS-B compliant, therefore totally and completely unsafe, and you might get run over by an F-16!!!

:)
 
AOPA has no idea what the real GA pilots want,they should do more surveys and questionairs when they take your dues money. 90 k for a refurb VFR plane is out of line. I've seen some nice IFR 152 s privately owned for less money.
 
dans2992 said:
Why? I'd rather see them keep SMO open...
Click to expand...

Because AOPA should focus there money on grass roots growth of GA.

Not throwing millions at a single airport that already has other organizations fighting for it.
 
MichiPilot said:
Like what?
Click to expand...

I've given my ideas many times. You can check the last big AOPA thread. Grants to flight schools, helping setup clubs, scholarships, expanding access to training, better local organizations, fighting tooth and nail for the PBOR2 no matter what it takes, etc. are all things they should be spending that $70 million they have in the bank on.

Instead, they've been more focused on making sure celebrities have a place to part their jets. Nothing wrong with jets, but AOPA is "supposed" to be about the little guy and expanding GA.

For the cost that they've spent on these 90k VFR-only 152s (I think they have 7 or 8 of them), they could of bought 20 well-equipped Warriors and granted them to clubs with stipulations on training use. That's just one idea of how they could better spend money.
 
Last edited:
Bonchie said:
I've given my ideas many times. You can check the last big AOPA thread. Grants to flight schools, helping setup clubs, scholarships, expanding access to training, better local organizations, fighting tooth and nail for the PBOR2 no matter what it takes, etc. are all things they should be spending that $70 million they have in the bank on.
Click to expand...

All of this is happening already? Do you read the newsletter?
 
MichiPilot said:
All of this is happening already? Do you read the newsletter?
Click to expand...

Yeah, no it's not. At least not anywhere near the level it should be happening.

But if you think AOPA is great, good for you.
 
taters said:
Sold this for $ 24.5k, almost the same damn thing..95% totally refurbished before sale...
Click to expand...

5% of 24.5k is $1225, which wouldn't pay to install the radios in that 152 in your old 150, much less new wiring, new switches, new paint, machined metal instrument panel, new vacuum hoses, new regulator, overhauled/ repaired instruments.


As a mechanic that has rewired, recovered, repaired I see a lot more than 5% difference in quality between your old vs AOPA's.

Still... $90k seems pretty high. It should be an aerobat at that price.
 
mtuomi said:
Spend 100k on this, or 100k lobbying for Part23 reform. Which one is more effective?
Click to expand...

Bingo, or greasing career politicians to prevent user fees.


For 90k :lol: Doesn't even have a GNS430, but there's a ass for every seat I guess.
 
They guy makes a really good point. Yeah, you can get a tired old 150 or 152 for 25 AMUs or less. Odds are the poor thing still have 50 year old wiring, a 50 year old panel ect… How much are you going to trust that old stuff flying over mountains, or water, or at night? It might even have new paint and a nice interior, who knows, maybe they even gussied up the panel. But did anyone really tear into the thing, make certain it was ship shape through and through? No, not at all.

Now these guys have done that. They want $90K for it. Comparing to an old airplane it comes out expensive, but is that really the correct comparison? What does a new airplane cost? I was talking to one of the weight-shift manufacturers (while the Meridian crashed, no less) and they want well north of $100K for one of those things. Open cockpit, looked like bailing wire to me. So these guys want $90K for a 150. Doesn't seem so bad to me.

Having flown an aircraft with an extensive restoration I can tell you it does give peace of mind. What's that worth? I really hope the guys resorting these things can create a market for themselves, because I think there is one. Heck, anything to get more airframes and pilots into the sky.
 
steingar said:
They guy makes a really good point. Yeah, you can get a tired old 150 or 152 for 25 AMUs or less. Odds are the poor thing still have 50 year old wiring, a 50 year old panel ect… How much are you going to trust that old stuff flying over mountains, or water, or at night? It might even have new paint and a nice interior, who knows, maybe they even gussied up the panel. But did anyone really tear into the thing, make certain it was ship shape through and through? No, not at all.

Now these guys have done that. They want $90K for it. Comparing to an old airplane it comes out expensive, but is that really the correct comparison? What does a new airplane cost? I was talking to one of the weight-shift manufacturers (while the Meridian crashed, no less) and they want well north of $100K for one of those things. Open cockpit, looked like bailing wire to me. So these guys want $90K for a 150. Doesn't seem so bad to me.

Having flown an aircraft with an extensive restoration I can tell you it does give peace of mind. What's that worth? I really hope the guys resorting these things can create a market for themselves, because I think there is one. Heck, anything to get more airframes and pilots into the sky.
Click to expand...

You can get a well-maintained 182 for that price. Color me not that enthused.
 
petrolero said:
You can get a well-maintained 182 for that price. Color me not that enthused.
Click to expand...

At that price you'd get a well maintained 182 with 50 year old airplane problems. Or, you could get a refurbished 152 with no problems. Make your choice.

Even the nicest unrestored old airframes have problems these days. I am friends with a guy who has several newer airplanes and a few very nice older ones. Guess which ones I'm always working on? It isn't the new ones...
 
That cost is exactly why you don't see every A&P restoring Cessna 150s or for that matter any spam can.


no one wants to pay for it. Buyers seems believe they can buy a POS and run it just as cheap.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top