Owning your own airplane for flight training?

H

HatTrickHero11

Pre-Flight
Joined
Dec 1, 2011
Messages
75
Location
California
Display Name
Display name:
HatTrickHero11
Will owning your own airplane to get your private pilots license in decrease the cost of getting your license?
What would be the pros and cons of owning your own plane to do flight training in?
 
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHH!!!!!


OOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! :rofl:


HEHEHEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! :goofy:


Oh, sorry. 1) Less time? NO.
1 alternative ) HELL NO! :smilewinkgrin:

Pros: You know who last flew the plane and what happened with it.
You have the keys in your pocket.
The plane is always available.

Cons: HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHEE!!!

I bought my 235 as a student. It set me back a ton in training. It cost me tons of $$$.

Don't do it.

Even if you weren't a student my standard advice is airplane ownership is not intended for mere mortals ESPECIALLY being the sole owner.

Find a good club and sign up.
 
Last edited:
Go ahead buy one, get yourself in to deep to back out :)

My advice is the exact opposite of Mike's.

Yes, it quite possibly will be more expensive, but could be "cheaper" in the long run if you buy a 60's model Cessna 150 and all the flight school has for rent is G1000 172s.
 
Last edited:
I bought a Cherokee 140 about 10 hours into my training and don't regret it. The rental planes on the line might have been airworthy, but they were pretty ragged out. Also, I think I did end up flying more often. Once you are signed off for solo, you can pretty much fly whenever you want (but only for what you are signed off for). I probably took more hours to finish, just because I was enjoying flying and could go up whenever I wanted to (just no passengers). Airplane ownership may not be for everyone, but if you can afford it, it is great peace of mind knowing you were the last one to fly the plane and also, that it will be available when you want it.
 
I guess this depends on if you consider the purchase price of the airplane as part of the cost of getting your license. I bought my plane when I had 2.9 hours in the logbook. It worked out great for me. It's really going to depend on what plane you are wanting to purchase and learn in.

Pros:
You own a plane!
You don't have to worry about scheduling to rent or someone not being back on time.
You have the freedom to choose an independent instructor. (this turned out to be a big plus for me)
When your done with flight training and now have you license, you still own a plane!

Cons:
You now have fixed costs. Insurance, tie-down/hangar, maybe a monthly payment.
You're responsible being sure maintenance gets done, both routine and unexpected.
 
So far thanks for the help. Let me clarify. I thought putting owning it wouldn't get so much dramatic answers. Here is the more complex version.

I won't personally be owning the aircraft, a guy from my church has said he is going to buy one. I would talk to him and ask him if I could use it. With that said, now would it decrease cost in the short and long run? Pros and Cons of this?
 
HatTrickHero11 said:
So far thanks for the help. Let me clarify. I thought putting owning it wouldn't get so much dramatic answers. Here is the more complex version.

I won't personally be owning the aircraft, a guy from my church has said he is going to buy one. I would talk to him and ask him if I could use it. With that said, now would it decrease cost in the short and long run? Pros and Cons of this?
Click to expand...

That will depend entirely on the agreement between you and him.
 
Depends what part of the country your in, but it is probably worth at least $70 an hour.
 
While I find the above post interesting.... I say yes, if you have the means to buy your own plane and train in it go for it. Even if you purchase a high performance single, twin, etc. It might take you longer to get your license, however, it's the plane you will be flying for a few years. That way you will have cheaper insurance year two and more experience in your plane (which is priceless). Also, since you own your plane... Go for your PPL and once you finish, get your IFR.

Do know that owning your own plane is more expensive than owning your own car. Also, plane ownership is not just flying. Think of your plane as a business and realize that you will have to manage every aspect of your plane, maintenance, software updates, etc...

Also, be prepared for the external expenses of flying. The wife and I found that the plane added significant expenses to our budget. Such as the $500 weekend or the $200 golf game... or the $150 sushi dinner on the beach... So just be warned that a plane will add significant $$$ to your budget... Hopefully, you will get a low maintenance plane and spend all your spare $$ on traveling...
 
John221us said:
Depends what part of the country your in, but it is probably worth at least $70 an hour.
Click to expand...

For reference the Cessna 150 here rents for 60/hr wet, it burns about $5.50 100LL at 5.5 gal/hr which washes out to about 30bucks an hour in fuel.
A more realistic number in most places for a 150 would be I'm guessing about 85/hour so you'll be saving 55 bucks right there

If the plane you're borrowing is a Cessna 182 and the flight school is renting out an old 150 at 60/hr you might actually lose money.
 
Last edited:
HatTrickHero11 said:
So far thanks for the help. Let me clarify. I thought putting owning it wouldn't get so much dramatic answers. Here is the more complex version.

I won't personally be owning the aircraft, a guy from my church has said he is going to buy one. I would talk to him and ask him if I could use it. With that said, now would it decrease cost in the short and long run? Pros and Cons of this?
Click to expand...

What type of airplane? Is it suitable for training?
You will be getting insurance, right?
What happens if something breaks while you are flying the airplane? Who pays?

Good Luck.
 
I don't know what it's like to go through flight school so I dont know all that I have to pay for when going to normal route and using one of the company's planes. Hence the question..

Since bringing that up, what all do you have to pay for to get your private license?
 
HatTrickHero11 said:
what all do you have to pay for to get your private license?
Click to expand...

Everything...

Aircraft rental
Instructor fees -both air and ground time
training materials - usually a book, sometimes videos (can borrow both sometimes), foggles,
insurance (renters or owners)
Test fees - written $150, DPE ~$300 to $400
gas and/or other costs to commute to/from airport
club dues (maybe)
third class medical/student pilot ticket ~ $100

that's most of it
 
Clark1961 said:
Everything...

Aircraft rental
Instructor fees -both air and ground time
training materials - usually a book, sometimes videos (can borrow both sometimes), foggles,
insurance (renters or owners)
Test fees - written $150, DPE ~$300 to $400
gas and/or other costs to commute to/from airport
club dues (maybe)
third class medical/student pilot ticket ~ $100

that's most of it
Click to expand...

Ok, So I will take away aircraft rental if I am allowed to use his plane. I will buy a Kings private Pilot and do my ground school that way, and I need a third class medical for a private pilot?
 
Been there, done that. Nothing focuses your attention on training like having your own $90,000 airplane in the hanger, a student license and all your friend and relatives asking "when are you going to get your license so we can go flying?"

Seriously, it all depends. I greatly, greatly underestimated the time it would take to get my certificate. I believed all the light sport hype about 20 hours of training. It took me about 10x that to be a safe, proficient, certified private pilot. Thanks to a marvelously generous and patient hangermate CFII and getting away from light sport and going the private pilot route, I'm happy, but there was a lot of pain on the way.

Some people have a natural knack for flying. If you don't, it will take a long time. Be prepared to stick it out and not be the 80% that doesn't finish the training.
 
HatTrickHero11 said:
Ok, So I will take away aircraft rental if I am allowed to use his plane. I will buy a Kings private Pilot and do my ground school that way, and I need a third class medical for a private pilot?
Click to expand...

3rd class, written test, practical test. The online courses can even sign you off to take the written.
 
HatTrickHero11 said:
Ok, So I will take away aircraft rental if I am allowed to use his plane. I will buy a Kings private Pilot and do my ground school that way, and I need a third class medical for a private pilot?
Click to expand...

Third class is the minimum for the private pilot cert. Best thing to do is consult with an AME before doing the actual exam. The AME has rules that must be followed (FAA sez so) and a little prep can save a lot of heart-ache.
 
Ok, so a third class medical. Is renting the airplane the bulk of the price for private pilot?
 
HatTrickHero11 said:
Ok, so a third class medical. Is renting the airplane the bulk of the price for private pilot?
Click to expand...

In a word, yes. But rental prices typically include fuel, which it sounds like you would be paying for. Also, trainers tend to be relatively fuel efficient. We don't know if the plane your friend is planning to purchase is as fuel efficient. Remember, fuel runs $5 to $6 per gallon, and fuel usage ranges from 4 gph to 22 gph. The higher fuel flows also tend to be more complex, which equates to a longer time in training. So, it's possible that you don't save bucks, depending on what he buys, but you will have experience in a more capable aircraft.
 
I will have to talk to him and see what he is thinking. What are some airplanes would I save money on that are good training and have high gph?
 
You want something with low gph (gallons per hour) when training. High gph is typically associated with traveling machines (e.g. Cessna 182, 206, Cirrus SR-22, etc.) that are great for their intended purposes, but not the most efficient at doing a lot of pattern work, as you tend to get when doing primary flight training. That's not to say at you wouldn't benefit from one of these, but that you wouldn't be getting a pilot certificate for the lowest cost.
 
gprellwitz said:
You want something with low gph (gallons per hour) when training. High gph is typically associated with traveling machines (e.g. Cessna 182, 206, Cirrus SR-22, etc.) that are great for their intended purposes, but not the most efficient at doing a lot of pattern work, as you tend to get when doing primary flight training. That's not to say at you wouldn't benefit from one of these, but that you wouldn't be getting a pilot certificate for the lowest cost.
Click to expand...

Haha my bad. I got a little distracted with the NBA game. So the low gph are basically the really old non retractable gear Cessna? I don't know the numbers yet..
 
HatTrickHero11 said:
Ok, let's say all I had to do is pay for gas.
Click to expand...

No offense, but if this is all you pay, then you must not like your friend much. You know he would be subsidizing you... If you both understand that going in, then fine. But, if not and he later realizes what it is costing him, that could sure put a strain on the friendship.
 
skidoo said:
No offense, but if this is all you pay, then you must not like your friend much. You know he would be subsidizing you... If you both understand that going in, then fine. But, if not and he later realizes what it is costing him, that could sure put a strain on the friendship.
Click to expand...

I was just using it as an example. I would pay more than gas I would think, just trying to figure out the cheapest way to getting my license
 
Learning to fly has 4 constraints
1. CFI schedule
2. Airplane schedule
3. Your schedule
4. Mother Nature

You can do nothing about #4. With your own airplane, #2 = #3, so the only unknown is the CFI schedule.

I bought a cherokee 180 after solo & my long XC, but before I took the checkride. 12 years later, I still have it.

The local college with an aviation program even discusses in the beginning classes that it's practical for 3-5 students chip in and buy a 152, which will take them thru the PPL, Instrument, part of the Commercial and the CFI exam. Then they can sell it and in the long run (4 years) not lose a lot of money.

And then there's that group of students (same college) that only want to learn PPL in a Cirrus SR22 and are paying $200+/hr and don't understand why they can't afford lessons as often as they want.
 
Well I'm only 20 years old. So buying a plane just isn't going to happen. I'm not going to struggle financially because of it. Education comes first. So I either get to use my friends or use the schools.
 
HatTrickHero11 said:
Well I'm only 20 years old. So buying a plane just isn't going to happen. I'm not going to struggle financially because of it. Education comes first. So I either get to use my friends or use the schools.
Click to expand...


Hang in there. Owning a plane will come in due time, after your priorities are taken care of.

That is assuming that we are still free to fly and buy fuel when your time comes... Pay attention to the elections this year. It is especially critical for the future of young ones...
 
Well I will give you a hint of who I'm not voting for; He is our current president. That should be a good enough hint I think.

So basically, my best bet is to save up money, and just go full force into training during an upcoming summer and save money that way?
 
Does buying a car make getting your driver's license cheaper? ;) No.

Does it make things simpler in terms of not needing to schedule borrowing a car? Yes.

That pretty much covers it. :)
 
As you can see, this is not a "one size fits all" issue.

I bought my plane to learn in because at the time, there was no other alternative. There were no rent planes available in my area.

I shopped and bought a plane that was well suited for my mission at a reasonable price. It sips fuel, as airplanes go and has been a great aircraft.

Once I got back into flying this time, I don't think I would have given up whether I had my own plane or not. In fact, since I bought a taildragger, I made it tougher for myself than if I had been able to rent a nose wheel plane to learn in.

As far as owning a plane making it cheaper to learn to fly? I can't see that happening in any more than maybe one in fifty situations, but that's nothing but a completely uneducated guess.

I have NOT sat down and added up all the expen$e$ incurred in learning to fly. I knew it was not a cheap endeavor to start with. I bought a fuel thrifty plane for a good price and thought everything through to try to minimize the cost, but I KNEW that it was not going to be cheap.

Would I do it again? ABSOLUTELY!

If you want to own a plane and that's just something you want to do and you are aware of all the costs and issues involved, GO FOR IT! If your goal is to find a cheaper way to learn to fly, think about it A LOT before you dive in.

Whatever you do, start working through the process and learn to fly. Rent plane, your plane... just DO IT!

Most important of all, keep us posted on your decisions and your progress.
 
No, it will not. The costs of purchasing and then selling an airplane will exceed the savings over a rental. Only if you keep the plane after training and continue to fly it at least 75 hours a year will that plan save money over a rental.

Above is based on owning four different planes over the last 35 years.
 
That's probably true in your case, but some of us more-adept pilots only had to learn once. :tongue:

Ron Levy said:
No, it will not. The costs of purchasing and then selling an airplane will exceed the savings over a rental. Only if you keep the plane after training and continue to fly it at least 75 hours a year will that plan save money over a rental.

Above is based on owning four different planes over the last 35 years.
Click to expand...

Ron's shortcomings notwithstanding:wink2:, whatever financial results have been obtained in years past should not be used as an estimate of those that could reasonably be expected in the future. Used airplane prices were relatively steady for many years, but those days are behind us.
 
wabower said:
whatever financial results have been obtained in years past should not be used as an estimate of those that could reasonably be expected in the future. Used airplane prices were relatively steady for many years, but those days are behind us.
Click to expand...


That is an interesting point. The reduction in acquistion cost may make it more viable. The major risk is that the student doesn't finish his/her PPL for whatever reason. Money, time, doesn't like flying little planes, etc. They you're stuck with a plane to sell in a very poor market.

If somone does this, I would encourage them to buy a plane that they could use to travel after the PPL is obtained. It may not be their ultimate travelling machine, but at least something like an Archer, 172, Cardinal, Tiger, etc.
 
In order to accurately determine cost of rolling stock, the resale price must be included in the analysis. The only factor that ever caused the cost of owning to be even remotely comparable to renting was an often-hoped-for but seldom-achieved resale price. All of the other costs (perhaps with the exception of insurance) are now significantly higher than in previous times. The primary problem with an own-vs-rent analysis is that it's like dancing with a bear. When you own, you can't quit when you're tired, only when the bear is tired.

Anthony said:
That is an interesting point. The reduction in acquistion cost may make it more viable. The major risk is that the student doesn't finish his/her PPL for whatever reason. Money, time, doesn't like flying little planes, etc. They you're stuck with a plane to sell in a very poor market.

If somone does this, I would encourage them to buy a plane that they could use to travel after the PPL is obtained. It may not be their ultimate travelling machine, but at least something like an Archer, 172, Cardinal, Tiger, etc.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top