Selling my FlyBaby

[jesse]

Selling my Flybaby - lots of fun and very affordable flying. $8,000. Located in Beatrice Nebraska (KBIE)

For more information including pictures and logbooks:
http://www.n48ml.com

 

[eman1200]

is your TT correct on the website?

 

[jesse]

is your TT correct on the website?

yes - to the best of my knowledge it is. click airframe logbooks. all the logbooks are there back to day one.

 

[James331]

Be a great little burger getter or a time builder, seems like a good buy, good luck on the sale Jesse

 

[steingar]

What kind of aircraft will you get next?

 

[jesse]

What kind of aircraft will you get next?

No clue, not looking, no desire to look. Something someday.

 

[Matthew K]

Very interesting. Weird to see a near flyable plane and $5,000 next to each other

 

[3 in the green]

wow that looks like a total blast.

 

[Caramon13]

Darn...makes me wish I had some real TD time..

 

[weilke]

Darn...makes me wish I had some real TD time..

That thing would be a good way to get TD time. Cheap to operate and cheap enough that you could fly it uninsured.

 

[wanttaja]

That thing would be a good way to get TD time. Cheap to operate and cheap enough that you could fly it uninsured.

Yep. Not sure what the hull insurance cost would be for a Fly Baby, but not having paid any for ~25 years means I've probably saved enough to buy another one.

Liability is cheap; about $180/yr. They insist on me having passenger coverage, though....

Ron Wanttaja

 

[jesse]

Still for sale. I’ve been slowly dropping the price - currently asking 5k. I will burn it at Teds next bonfire before I sell it for a penny under that. This airplane fires right up and idles smooth as silk. No reason it wouldn’t be airworthy and flying with half a days worth of an A&Ps time.

I’ve learned through this experience that people who are in the market for a sub $10,000 airplane are horrendously unreliable.

I’ve yet to actually have someone show up to look at it. I’ve had 5 different people schedule times to look at it but all of them either no showed or cancelled. There are a few people that I wouldn’t sell this thing to no matter how much money they’d give me based off how much of my time they’ve wasted.

I had one guy that had an airline flight and was all gung-ho about picking it up. However he told me a few days before that he wanted to pay via PayPal. That set off a few red flags for me...told him cash, cashiers check, or wire..and he disappeared.

I do have a party that says he will be here in three hours later today with a trailer to pick it up. We shall see - he is trading me a fairly new Harley for it. I figure a Harley will be a **** of a lot easier to sell.

 

[jesse]

As to cost to own Flybaby - insurance would be silly. I had it once, Hull was $800 a year for a several thousand hour CFI with plenty of tailwheel and Flybaby time.

At the current price of 5k I seriously doubt there is a better bargain out there that will get someone in their own airplane in the sky.

 

[Direct C51]

Jesse, not sure what's wrong with it, but my suggestion is to pay that A&P a half days work and get it flying. A flying plane is much easier to sell. $500 to your A&P can get you a real buyer, and probably a couple thousand more on the sale price. Again, I say this not really knowing the story.

 

[Anymouse]

Still for sale. I’ve been slowly dropping the price - currently asking 5k. I will burn it at Teds next bonfire before I sell it for a penny under that. This airplane fires right up and idles smooth as silk. No reason it wouldn’t be airworthy and flying with half a days worth of an A&Ps time.

Rather than burning it, have you considered donating it and taking the tax deduction??

 

[hindsight2020]

why isn't it airworthy? It's a really cheap airplane, so I do understand how uneconomical it can be to have 2017 mx labor rates sunk into it. But that's the way the cookie crumbles on this all-thrust/no-vector so-called hobby...

 

[Mtns2Skies]

@G-Man

 

[Clark1961]

why isn't it airworthy? It's a really cheap airplane, so I do understand how uneconomical it can be to have 2017 mx labor rates sunk into it. But that's the way the cookie crumbles on this all-thrust/no-vector so-called hobby...

cracked oil tank - must be repaired/replaced to be airworthy

 

[G-Man]

@G-Man

Are you joking? I mean, thank you for this helpful post. The FlyBaby looks like terrific fun - but not for tallish people who want to fly in the Rocky Mountains. How about you, skinny taildragger man?
(Jesse - apologies for the diversion to your post...) This looks like a ton of fun for lower altitude flying. Do agree it's going to be ten tons easier to sell if it can fly.

 

[Clark1961]

Are you joking? I mean, thank you for this helpful post. The FlyBaby looks like terrific fun - but not for tallish people who want to fly in the Rocky Mountains. How about you, skinny taildragger man?
(Jesse - apologies for the diversion to your post...) This looks like a ton of fun for lower altitude flying. Do agree it's going to be ten tons easier to sell if it can fly.

You can fly it into the mountains. Getting back out may be optional.

 

[jesse]

Sold. Well traded for some cash plus a Harley. Now I need to sell a Harley.

Anyone want a 2011 Harley Davidson XL883UL Sportster? Make me an offer. 1,800 miles. Mint condition.

 

[weilke]

Sold. Well traded for some cash plus a Harley. Now I need to sell a Harley.

Anyone want a 2011 Harley Davidson XL883UL Sportster? Make me an offer. 1,800 miles. Mint condition.

You did well.

So I guess his girlfriend didn't want to go riding with him after all.

 

[wanttaja]

Sold. Well traded for some cash plus a Harley. Now I need to sell a Harley.

Anyone want a 2011 Harley Davidson XL883UL Sportster? Make me an offer. 1,800 miles. Mint condition.

How's the oil tank?

Ron Wanttaja

 

[Clark1961]

Sold. Well traded for some cash plus a Harley. Now I need to sell a Harley.

Anyone want a 2011 Harley Davidson XL883UL Sportster? Make me an offer. 1,800 miles. Mint condition.

I've got an 08 XL1200C Sportster. How much cash will ya throw in on the trade?

 

[Matthew K]

Sold. Well traded for some cash plus a Harley. Now I need to sell a Harley.

Anyone want a 2011 Harley Davidson XL883UL Sportster? Make me an offer. 1,800 miles. Mint condition.

The irony here is that I'd be 100x more likely to not be killed by more parents if I got that airplane over the motorcycle

 

[Anymouse]

Sold. Well traded for some cash plus a Harley. Now I need to sell a Harley.

Anyone want a 2011 Harley Davidson XL883UL Sportster? Make me an offer. 1,800 miles. Mint condition.

I'll give you $1000 for it, but I can't pick it up until the 2nd half of November at the earliest. Assuming I can get out of this country that is.

 

[SCCutler]

I'll pay you $7,500.00. I'll send you a $10,000.00 cashier's check, and you send me the $2,500.00 excess to cover expenses...

 

[SkyDog58]

Well I guess I can quit pondering the logistics involved if I were to buy it. Glad you got it sold.

 

[hotprops]

the engine was worth 5k

 

[steingar]

Congrats on the sale. A buddy has a Harley Sportster. I have to admit it is the first bike I've ridden that I'd just as soon not ride again.

 

[wanttaja]

the engine was worth 5k

The hardware (turnbuckles, wheels, brakes, etc.) were worth another $2000.

Ron Wanttaja

 

[jesse]

Congrats on the sale. A buddy has a Harley Sportster. I have to admit it is the first bike I've ridden that I'd just as soon not ride again.

They do have some unique attributes that make them fun. It’s a different kind of fun compared to a Jap bike.

I will admit they can be fun. However they handle like **** on a good day (handling isn’t the point I guess). You can sort of get used to the handling...until it rains some day..the handling in the rain is horrendous...

Anyways, doesn’t matter, it’ll be getting sold. In the mean time I’ll ride it a little. Realistically I’m probably stuck holding it until spring.

 

[G-Man]

Cross-thread wonderfulness imminent:

The irony here is that I'd be 100x more likely to not be killed by more parents if I got that airplane over the motorcycle

I'd say your biggest worry is getting killed by Eggman if you speak to his daughter!
By the way, Matthew K, did I adopt you? Do I have to pay for your food now?

 

[Matthew K]

Cross-thread wonderfulness imminent:


I'd say your biggest worry is getting killed by Eggman if you speak to his daughter!
By the way, Matthew K, did I adopt you? Do I have to pay for your food now?

Well I don't see that happening unless he tells me her name. So it looks like I'll live another day.

My parents would be happy if you paid for my food! Adoption depends on if you have a plane though

 

[steingar]

They do have some unique attributes that make them fun. It’s a different kind of fun compared to a Jap bike.

I will admit they can be fun. However they handle like **** on a good day (handling isn’t the point I guess). You can sort of get used to the handling...until it rains some day..the handling in the rain is horrendous...

Anyways, doesn’t matter, it’ll be getting sold. In the mean time I’ll ride it a little. Realistically I’m probably stuck holding it until spring.

They have grunt, I'll give them that. Can't get past the engine vibrating like that. My friend says it gives the bike character. I never thought of design flaws as character, but I guess that's just me. Still, you'll have an easier time selling a bike than an ultralight airplane, I think you actually did quite well. Put a couple chrome gee-gaws on it and you can sell it for more.

 

[timwinters]

Or he could decorate it with motorcycle bling lights.

There are two Harleys around here that I oft see parked at the local Legion Hall at night, they leave their bling lights on out in the parking lot. To me it's the equivalent of a 16 yo who blings out his Honda Accord. I don't get it.

They look like this...not pink...but the same idea:

 

[1600vw]

Check out the lights on this Velomobile. This man has some skills when installing lights.

 

[Anymouse]

Or he could decorate it with motorcycle bling lights.

There are two Harleys around here that I oft see parked at the local Legion Hall at night, they leave their bling lights on out in the parking lot. To me it's the equivalent of a 16 yo who blings out his Honda Accord. I don't get it.

They look like this...not pink...but the same idea:

It's an anti-theft device. No one in their right mind would ever steal something like that!

 

[UngaWunga]

Shame. If I could've fit in it, $5k is damn cheap for a plane. Wonder if I could've stuffed it in the corner of my t-hangar.

 

[jesse]

Shame. If I could've fit in it, $5k is damn cheap for a plane. Wonder if I could've stuffed it in the corner of my t-hangar.

New owner had no issues fitting it into his t-hangar with his Stinson.