Buying a Plane to train in and keep

JCranford said:
Nope, cuz they still gotta eat the cost if you ding it
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Exactly..... And with the 210's, it is often said with regards to gear up landings, it's not if, but when.

The 210's are very nice... but a whole lot of airplane for a new pilot. Which is why insurance premiums are going to be pretty steep until you acquire sufficient total time and time in type.

John Cranford here has a really, really nice 210 and I've had a ride or two with him in it. I have observed how much there is to know and apply when flying it. And I observed how John is super meticulous to make sure he doesn't forget a key step in his flow or checklist.

But even with his being thorough, all it would take is a distraction during a landing or approach for a flight to turn from awesome to disaster.



(and John, we still have the curled prop blades from the most recent gear up landing for 149G. I've been thinking of buying them from the club and making a trophy with the inscription of "It's not if, but when")
 
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PlasticCigar said:
Engine failure isn’t the leading cause of GA fatalities. A turboprop is a lot of plane for a new pilot.
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This. I'm just a dime store desk jockey but it sure seems to me you're giving yourself increased exposure to the thing that kills pilots more often (pilot error) in order to give yourself a little less exposure to the thing that kills pilots less often (engine failure).
 
Im still very low time, 150ish hours. 35 years old. I initially thought i could schlepp my family of 5 over the rockies between denver and salt lake. Then i learned to do that with any reliability i would basically need a jet. 90% answer is a pilatus or king air. 60% is probably an sr22t. All planes i can technically afford on paper, but we would need to make sacrifices elsewhere in our lifestyle. I actually say we can't afford them. The best answer is for me to buy an extra and tickets on the airlinr anytime we want to go anywhere. Kids grow up and get sick getting stuffed into the hot 210. I also read and read and read when i first started. Planes i oogled over to buy a year ago arent the planes i oogle over today.

A quote comes to mind, which i think applies to myself just as much as anyone else. "Some things cannot adequately be explained to virgins, either with pictures or words." The learning experience has been a true joy. If you got the chedda to buy a plane to start off, i say go for it. As all pilots should, have an extra focus on ADM.
 
WimberleyTx said:
Thanks Mike! I just got off the phone with Chad, I had a great conversation with him. Thank you for his contact, I will be working with him for sure.
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Not sure if you have purchased already or not, but I have trained several private pilots in their own airplanes (and live in New Braunfels). Would love to chat with you. I'll send you my phone number in a message.
 
Davidl13 said:
My story is very similar to yours and I came to the same conclusion about the P210s silver eagle. I closed on one earlier this week. I hope to have my ppl soon. I will have a mentor pilot be in command until I am competent and safe with all systems. it’s a great plane and should serve me well for many years. Feel free to reach out, I am happy to share what I have learned
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This. Me? The only way I will ever own that 50 year old Aztec I dream about is if I win the lottery. If I win big there will be room in my hangar for the turboprop next to the Aztruck and the Cherokee, but as Davidl13 says, if you can afford something that burns Jet-A, hire a mentor pilot until you accumulate some hours, some experience, some wisdom, and the ability to keep up with how fast things happen and how much information is coming at you. Just my humble opinion as an affirmed descendant of the original Murphy.
 
Not sure if I missed it. Is the idea to train from scratch in a Silver Eagle ?


Btw. for an old Cessna proximity to a Cessna Service center isn't particularly important. For a Silver Eagle you want to be close to a mechanic familiar with that conversion.
 
That’s a whole lotta plane!!
Imagine showing up for your ppl checkride in a silver eagle. Lol.
 
I didn't read all of the comments but if it were me, I'd rent for the first 20-30 hours. My opinion is that first 20 hours are REALLY hard on airplanes. Then once you are landing better, then buy the plane you want. I wouldn't think the transition would be too difficult.
 
lancie00 said:
I didn't read all of the comments but if it were me, I'd rent for the first 20-30 hours. My opinion is that first 20 hours are REALLY hard on airplanes. Then once you are landing better, then buy the plane you want. I wouldn't think the transition would be too difficult.
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Ive never really understood the “train in the plane you’ll fly” belief. Extrapolated out, people should be learning in 767s...... but seriously, training in a plane that has qualities that make it easier to learn fast and then progressing to more challenging planes seems much faster and more well rounded than building muscle memory around a specific plane
 
Davidl13 said:
Did you say rent a silver eagle? To train in?

unobtanium
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Nope. I said I didn't read all of the comments and I'd rent a plane for the first 20 hours of training.
 
I would agree about renting until you learn the nuances of landing an aircraft. Let someone else's plane experience the plops and flops of a student pilot.
 
I started on 172s, then changed to PA28 (Warrior) about five lessons in. Never went back. Looking down is overrated. Seeing where you're going turning base to final is far more important than what is directly below me.

I bought an Archer about halfway through my PPL. Did my IFR and racked up about 600 hrs in that plane before selling her. A twin will be next, as it fits my missions better.
 
when you finally decide on the aircraft that meets your needs, you will be required to get checked out. why not start there.
 
Tom-D said:
when you finally decide on the aircraft that meets your needs, you will be required to get checked out. why not start there.
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AggieMike88 said:
I would agree about renting until you learn the nuances of landing an aircraft. Let someone else's plane experience the plops and flops of a student pilot.
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Definitely my plan
 
Buying a plane to train in and and ultimately keep is sort of like a teenager getting a tattoo. There are times when someone as a teen knows exactly what they want on their body, gets it and is happy with it forever more. Those times are rare. More often you get to be 35 and you look at that tattoo you got at 15 and you wonder how you ever thought anything about it was the least bit cool. At 15, you don't know what you don't know.

Whenever I hear someone who has little to no flight experience talk about how they must have a high wing for sight seeing or a low wing because they like how it looks or whatever I just think to myself, yeah I remember being 15... Good times. Good times.
 
Some of us marry our teenage sweethearts, some don't. The difference with airplanes is, you can own and keep as many as you can afford! LOL
 
And, if you have multiple planes at the same time, they don't get jealous of each other. Also, once you sell a plane, you don't have to keep paying upkeep on it.
 
I bought a 2005 C182T glass panel right after I got my BFR after a 30 year pause in flying. Had about 100 hours when I bought. Great decision but in humble opinion, you may find it best to fly 100 hrs in rentals before you buy a plane. First, flying various rentals will help you with the buying decision. What avionics? Even what price point? It is amazing how your eye wanders when you are out and about flying every weekend. I love my plane. But I love the others too.
 
Start with a rental, get your solo in it, then buy your 210. I did 21 hours in a Warrior, then bought a Cherokee Six and finished my PPL in it. Insurance wasn't bad. By the time I had my PPL I had more than satisfied the insurance requirements AND was comfortable in my own plane. No need to buy and retrain AGAIN. You will get to know your plane while having the safety of a CFI in the right seat to help you learn.
 
benyflyguy said:
That’s a whole lotta plane!!
Imagine showing up for your ppl checkride in a silver eagle. Lol.
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That's nothing. I know someone who showed up for her PPL checkride with P-51 and SNJ time in her logbook. I guess that's a bit different than actually bringing one to the checkride, but still...

Lantraxco said:
Some of us marry our teenage sweethearts, some don't. The difference with airplanes is, you can own and keep as many as you can afford! LOL
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That's true of women, too, but if you thought airplanes were expensive... :hairraise:
 
I would highly recommend that you come up to Georgetown and meet Scott at SR Aviation. He maintains a Silver Eagle and it has been a great source of income for him. I think they are on their third engine in three years.

I am working at a school here that had a client that earned his private in his Malibu then traded up to the Matrix and finally to a Piper Meridian. He earned his instrument to allow him to fly the Meridian in the flight levels.

I own a Bonanza but a 210 would be my 2nd choice.
 
MD11Pilot said:
I would highly recommend that you come up to Georgetown and meet Scott at SR Aviation. He maintains a Silver Eagle and it has been a great source of income for him. I think they are on their third engine in three years.

.
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3rd silver eagle engine in three years? Say what? 1750 hrs to HTSI and 3500hrs TBO... @210ktas cruise...

To make it to either HTSI or TBO event is 1000nm/day @ 5hrs/day @365 days/yr

What does he do to run that many hrs a year?

Inquiring minds want to know...
 
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Davidl13 said:
3rd silver eagle engine in three years? Say what? 1750 hrs to HTSI and 3500hrs TBO... @210ktas cruise...

To make it to either HTSI or TBO event is 1000nm/day @ 5hrs/day @365 days/yr

What does he do to run that many hrs a year?

Inquiring minds want to know...
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...or the engine failed prematurely... Which does happen.
 
Mtns2Skies said:
...or the engine failed prematurely... Which does happen.
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That's impossible. The whole reason for looking at the Silver Eagle is because a wife insists on having the safest 210 possible. :p
 
Mtns2Skies said:
...or the engine failed prematurely... Which does happen.
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The odds of 3 rolls Royce m250-B17f2 engines in 3 years due to failure... is in effect, zero.... Empty headed remarks for no good reason...

There is something else to that story that is innacurate or left out.. if you give it even minimal thought..
 
Davidl13 said:
A fools statement.. and a nasty one at that...
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Lighten up Francis.

In case you need the joke explained to you:
It's a lighthearted quip skewering both the willingness of pilots to buy whatever their wife wants and the notion that the Silver Eagle is 'the safest 210'.
 
The engine has been flown very little. I am not privy to the exact number of hours but as of two weeks ago they were installing the third engine. All of them had chip lights on. The plane is fascinating but WAY WAY WAY beyond my budget.

I have a Bonanza but my second choice is a 210.

I just saw the post from Hank at Texas Top in San Marcos. Contact him. He is a very good source and instructor.
 
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