The Plane That Got Away

L

LJS1993

Line Up and Wait
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LJ Savala
During your time in aviation has there ever been an opportunity to purchase a plane that you really loved but for some reason it just didn't happen? Did you make what became a poor decision or was the timing just not right?
I ask this because I know in the muscle car scene this happens often. For instance I had an opportunity to purchase a 70 Dodge Challenger with everything numbers matching for $2500 dollars back in the early 90's but balked on that sweet opportunity for a 78 Chevy Blazer that was fun, but just wasn't what I dreamed of owning.
I know the prices are higher in aviation but there has to be similar instances nonetheless.
 
Long before I was ever truly seriously interested in getting my pilots certificate, I passed on a deal to buy a Cessna 150 for $2500 that had a run-out engine as the only thing really wrong with it. I could've put a rebuilt engine on it, got my certificate and have flown it for a very long time as a timebuilder, then sold it and still made a nice profit.
 
Missed a closed bid on a Cessna 150 with a partner in the early 90's by $500. Stuff happens. Whether for a reason or not, none will ever know.
 
In '06 I passed on a Cardinal RG that, mechanically, was a cream-puff compared to the bird I eventually bought. But although that one had an excellent panel for its day, it would have cost me much more (by at least twice) than the difference in price plus all the mx expenses I've been put through to equip that airplane the way mine is today. So, at least so far, I'd say I've come out ahead.
 
azure said:
In '06 I passed on a Cardinal RG that, mechanically, was a cream-puff compared to the bird I eventually bought. But although that one had an excellent panel for its day, it would have cost me much more (by at least twice) than the difference in price plus all the mx expenses I've been put through to equip that airplane the way mine is today. So, at least so far, I'd say I've come out ahead.
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What are you flying now?
 
The Cherokee 180 that I rented from the owner for 2 years. He would have sold it to me for $18k. Sold it to someone else while I was trying to get the money together. :mad2:
 
bigred177 said:
The Cherokee 180 that I rented from the owner for 2 years. He would have sold it to me for $18k. Sold it to someone else while I was trying to get the money together. :mad2:
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Should have put a deposit down? :dunno:

I am constantly amazed at people who call me up and say "I'll take that" (stuff I am selling or renting out something) and never show up. Until I have cash in hand, or a deposit it is still for sale or rent. When they call back and ask about the item or apartment and I tell them it is gone they get ****ed.

Cash on the barrel head, then we'll talk. :idea:
 
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A Staggerwing in the back of the hangar for $5,500 in 1962.
 
wabower said:
A Staggerwing in the back of the hangar for $5,500 in 1962.
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That was more than a years salary for new school teachers and airline pilots then. Still a great deal in the long run. There were ads about that time in the NY Times for Corsairs for $5,000 and AT6's for less. My father wouldn't buy one.:)

Denis
 
I had a couple of opportunities to buy either a C-140, or a T-Craft. '78-'79.
But the asking price for each was over $1000. And there's no way I could scrape together that kinda dough.
Those same airplanes now sell for $20k, and I still can't scrape up th' funds.

While $5500 for a Staggerwing sounds cheap, I would think that in '62 it would be a rather large investment. And with 80 octane being 35-50 cents a gallon, very expensive to operate as well. :rolleyes:
 
Geico266 said:
Should have put a deposit down? :dunno:

I am constantly amazed at people who call me up and say "I'll take that" (stuff I am selling or renting out something) and never show up. Until I have cash in hand, or a deposit it is still for sale or rent. When they call back and ask about the item or apartment and I tell them it is gone they get ****ed.

Cash on the barrel head, then we'll talk. :idea:
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I should have, but he called me and told me Monday. The plane was on its way to a new home on Thursday. I didn't even have time to think about it.
 
I was going to go in three-way on a Cardinal back in the eighties. One of the partners couldn't pull it together and the deal fell apart. Probably not bad in the long run. All of us in relatively short order went our separate ways.

We were looking at buying the club arrow with partners but again the partners faded (we were going to go 50-50).

I then started looking at Navions. After much search and calling people on the internet, one in Wisconsin was decided that it was the one. Calling them, I'd found out it had already had a deposit set on it. I looked around further at Navions (even traveling out to Kalamazoo to look at another). About a month later I got a call from the Wisconsin one and the buyer had backed out. That's the one I got.
 
John Steinbeck said nothing good ever gets away. I might have seen this in somebody's tagline as well. Steinbeck was talking about girls, but it applies here, too. :)
 
Had checkbook in hand once to buy a really nice Mooney M20C, owner backed out at the very last second and decided he wanted to keep flying it for another year or two. Three months later he ran it out of fuel and put it in the dirt.

Thinking back on it now, I'm kind of glad it didn't work out, I'm in a better spot now all the way around.
 
rotorhead1026 said:
John Steinbeck said nothing good ever gets away. I might have seen this in somebody's tagline as well. Steinbeck was talking about girls, but it applies here, too. :)
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Ron did say he missed out on a three-way in a Cardinal...
 
Two years ago I learned that a Staggerwing at a nearby airport had sold for $90k,
WIAI. It had not flown in ~seven years. It was not the Queen of the fleet, nor was
it the ugly sister.

I didn't even know there was a Staggerwing in the neighborhood. My favorite A&P/IA
was tasked with getting it airworthy. All it required was a rebuilt starter and a few
new hoses ... along with the usual inspection, lube & cleaning.

Dunno if I would've pulled the trigger on a $90k WIAI deal. Then there is the
matter of insurance ...
 
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