Want To Buy Good starter plane

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Zacc

Filing Flight Plan
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May 20, 2020
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Zacc
I am currently looking for a good starter plane. Are there any good suggestions?
 
Define your mission, how many seats will be filled 75% of the time, short hops, long cross countries,IFR, does speed matter, budget, insurance if new pilot, fixer up or turn key...... and the list goes on?
 
.... and define not just your purchase budget, but also what you can afford to "burn" each month/year in fixed costs associated with ownership (hangar, maintenance, inspections, insurance, database, etc).

Are you already a pilot? Or are you seeking something to first train in, and then shortly afterwards build experience in?
 
Short to medium range would be preferable, maybe a long cross country once in a while. Normally there would be one to two people in the plane. Ifr would be nice but definitely not a necessity. My budget would be between 20,000-30,000. I am a new pilot. And I don’t want nothing that’s going to be super maintenance induced. Also a single piston engine.
 
AggieMike88 said:
.... and define not just your purchase budget, but also what you can afford to "burn" each month/year in fixed costs associated with ownership (hangar, maintenance, inspections, insurance, database, etc).

Are you already a pilot? Or are you seeking something to first train in, and then shortly afterwards build experience in?
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AggieMike88 said:
You might enjoy having 3 additional pistons......at least...
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Haha sorry I meant single engine
 
Zacc said:
between 20,000-30,000
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It will be very difficult to find a good aircraft with decent avionics for that budget. Especially if you need it to reliably go cross country.....

For 2 people plus baggage, decent avionics, decent range/speed, and better than average condition, plan on $45k-55k at minimum.

Otherwise, you'll be dumping money into a $30k aircraft and eventually wind up spending close to $15k-$20k additional.
 
Ryanb said:
Do you want it to be airworthy for that price?
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Now, now, now. Don't be negative.:fingerwag: He will figure things out. Besides, I heard that plane prices are going to tank in one of the other threads.

It has been a few years but I started out with less budget than that and found a '76 Warrior in good shape, mid-time engine, basic IFR. Now the logs had been lost but you can't have everything.
 
You will have to pick something with an acceptable defect for that price. Bad paint, run out engine, ancient avionics. I settled for incomplete logs for my defect to bring the price down. It had been a repo and the logs did not come along with the aircraft when repossessed. But the paint was very good. The owners had put some money into it, but they should have paid off the note first. I you look hard enough, it may happen.
 
I think it is hard to beat a good Piper Cherokee, single engine, fixed prop and fixed gear. Get one to that has been well maintained and kept clean with 500-1200 hours on the engine. I sold my '68 pa28-140 with 500+ SMOH for $32000 Dec 2018. Get a good hand held GPS, be careful and have fun. We sure did. 400nm single leg was doable if there wasn't a headwind, and we did it alot in that airplane.

https://airfactsjournal.com/2013/04/make-a-case-for-your-airplane/
https://airfactsjournal.com/2013/05/7-day-vfr-cross-country-weather-planning/
 
Tom-D said:
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I looked at this listing and I would likely pass. The engine has 2640 hours since new and is due an overhaul. Now, as long as it checks good you can keep flying it, but it is likely to need overhaul relatively soon. YMMV but an overhaul would cost $15-20 k +/-. For another $8k you could have a lower time engine and better resale to boot. I kept my Cherokee for 14 years and put 500+hours on it. I bought it with 4450 total time and 0 hours SMOH. Bought in 2004 for $42k and sold 2018 for $32k. 500 SMOH for $32k is a pretty sweet buy in place. That is the gold standard to me.
 
William Pete Hodges said:
I looked at this listing and I would likely pass. The engine has 2640 hours since new and is due an overhaul. Now, as long as it checks good you can keep flying it, but it is likely to need overhaul relatively soon. YMMV but an overhaul would cost $15-20 k +/-. For another $8k you could have a lower time engine and better resale to boot. I kept my Cherokee for 14 years and put 500+hours on it. I bought it with 4450 total time and 0 hours SMOH. Bought in 2004 for $42k and sold 2018 for $32k. 500 SMOH for $32k is a pretty sweet buy in place. That is the gold standard to me.
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William,

This is something I have been looking at.
https://www.trade-a-plane.com/searc...-9+TAMPICO&listing_id=2378889&s-type=aircraft
 
AggieMike88 said:
It will be very difficult to find a good aircraft with decent avionics for that budget. Especially if you need it to reliably go cross country.....

For 2 people plus baggage, decent avionics, decent range/speed, and better than average condition, plan on $45k-55k at minimum.

Otherwise, you'll be dumping money into a $30k aircraft and eventually wind up spending close to $15k-$20k additional.
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As you know I have bought lots of airplanes. There is lots of really nice stuff that can be had for $30,000. You need to have cash ready to buy when deals come up because they go fast. Right now for $30,000 any day of the week you can get a nice older 172, 175, Bellanca Super Viking..
The really, really nice IO-550 Bonanza I had. The one I sold a few months ago for $125,000.... I paid $32,000 for it and spent $2500 on tires, new fuel lines and annual. I flew it for a year and a half and put about 80 hours on it without a problem. Everyone else was scared of that plane because it sat for 5 years and was dusty... I knew it was good.Bonanza M35...jpeg
 
Zacc, I know nothing about that type,(Tampico) but the numbers seem to look good. Pay for a good prebuy inspection done by an AI who knows the type and has a good reputation. A good prebuy inspection is worth every dime!
 
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William Pete Hodges said:
I looked at this listing and I would likely pass. The engine has 2640 hours since new and is due an overhaul. .
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certainly,,, but for 18,000. and a used engine, ??
there are 3, 0-300-D for less than 10k.
 
A friend has a Citabria that was restored in 2000.... 400 SMOH O-200. Really nice plane. $25,000
 
William Pete Hodges said:
I know nothing about that type,(Tampico) but the numbers seem to look good. Pay for a good prebuy inspection done by an AI who knows the type and has a good reputation. A good prebuy inspection is worth every dime!
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@SixPapaCharlie started with a Tampico before he and his Dad got the Cirrus that launched his YT career. I had several rides in it. Not the fastest thing in the world, but comfortable enough in the right seat and the back.
 
@Zacc .... one thing to put on your "need to consider" list is IFR capability.

If you are going to do those long XC's to Texas and back, having a good IFR airplane will increase your dispatch rate once you also hold the rating.
 
I can't vouch for condition on that one because I don't know it. However, given the serial number is low enough, you'd an count on most of the structure having been zinc chromated (not that corrosion is often a problem with even the later Navions). The prop's been updated to the single shoulder model which terminates one of the most onerous ADs. It doesn't say but likely the other big AD (fuel system) has been done. Has some desirable mods (exhaust based heat, rear step, updated wheels). Still, a pretty original panel (complete with an ancient horizon) but they put a PSE intercom in so it's ripe for a lower cost update. It has updated (downdraft) cooling and it looks like someone has worked on the baffling recently, so that's a good sign.

Would be a great ship for further restoration, but should make a pretty good VFR flyer if the engine is in good shape.
 
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