VFR only and ownership

F

Flyfeld

Pre-Flight
Joined
May 1, 2016
Messages
65
Display Name
Display name:
Flyfeld
Does it make sense to own an airplane if you are VFR only? For someone who has no intention of flying IMC and does not have to fly anywhere if weather is not adequate is it necessary to get instrument rating in order to justify ownership of an airplane. I do understand the benefits of the training etc. and it is always encouraged but for this discussion lets keep it to the ownership aspect. Appreciate the input.
 
I have my IR but own a VFR-only airplane.
 
I’m VFR only and have a plane. It’s really a matter of having a plane available whenever you want to go flying. Not having an IR just means fewer opportunities to fly, but otherwise doesn’t have much bearing on ownership.
 
I'm VFR only (for now anyway) and own an IFR plane. If that doesn't make sense then I guess I'm senseless. :dunno:
 
Last edited:
Count me as one more.

Even when I get my IR I doubt it will change my planning one bit. It will just give me more options if things start going south.
 
There are plenty of pilots who own airplanes and do not have an instrument rating.

There are also plenty of VFR only airplanes.

I’m not understanding why someone would limit themselves to renting or borrowing simply because they don’t have an instrument rating. If you want a plane and can afford one, buy it!
 
Totally makes sense. Otherwise there would be no market at all for airplanes not equipped for IFR.
 
I'm a CFII and fly two severely VFR planes. I'm not crying about it.
 
GeorgeC said:
I have my IR but own a VFR-only airplane.
Click to expand...
Same here (or used to). Traveled all around the country VFR, including many trips where IFR wouldn’t have been an option even if the airplane was IFR-equipped.
 
Plenty of folks only fly VFR. Many have instrument ratings but choose not to. The do fine.

Ultimately, no one can answer that question better than you. It's kind of like the instrument rating itself.

Primary in my mind (not necessarily anyone else's) would be degree of utility compared with the cost of ownership. Do you live in Seattle with 226 days of overcast a year or in Yuma with 242 clear days? In "good" seasons will you use it enough? What other options do you have to outright ownership?
 
Heck, I flew VFR only for business trips for five years! Got stuck exactly once. (All clients were within 300 nm, and near podunk airports!)
 
if you want a plane, get a plane. VFR/IFR/Commericial ...doensnt really matter. I have seen a guy who is building one have 100k invested already and doesn't have his license yet :d:d

PS: VFR pilot owning a highly capable IFR plane
 
Highly depends on what your non-owned options are like.
 
I'm instrument rated and a CFI, but own a VFR only airplane. Why you may ask...because its fun!

Unless you are in aviation strictly from a business standpoint, its hard to justify doing anything in aviation financially. But so is owning a boat, or motorcycle, or nearly any other hobby. It all boils down to what you want to do, and what you can afford to do.
 
Owner and VFR only. For now. Yes, do it.
 
I owned my plane for over a decade before I got my instrument rating. Getting the rating didn't do much for me cost wise as my wife doesn't have the rating and the insurers I've been involved with won't lower the rate unless all the pilots are so rated.
 
PPL VFR and ownership is very common. Heck, you might be surprised at how many pilots own an airplane and don't even have a valid pilot's license!

I own two airplanes and it makes ZERO financial sense. Neither does my bass boat or my hunting property! Do it!
 
+1 on VFR/IFR making no difference to aircraft ownership. I rented for 25 years before I finally got tired of scheduling issues and worrying about what the last pilot did to the aircraft...
 
I have my IR and both aircraft are capable but they aren’t up date and I’m not current. I figure, most of the flights that I can’t do VFR, I probably shouldn’t be doing them IFR either. My aircraft aren’t all weather machines and thunderstorms, icing, low ceilings / vis have a way of grounding even IFR aircraft.
 
Yes; it makes sense. I got my private ticket 55 years ago, but never bothered getting an instrument rating. Flying only VFR hasn't really been much of a handicap; if I was on a long cross-country (like California to Florida and back several times), I just budgeted time for weather delays en route.

I've owned three airplanes, and the last two have been IFR certified. Having the airplane IFR capable is nice if I'm flying with a friend who is instrument rated and current.

One reason I've never pursued an instrument rating is that you really have to use it to stay proficient and current, and in my experience over the years there were very few times when I wished I had the rating.
 
I've flown all over the country on various trips VFR only. As long as you have time to wait the weather out it works just fine.

I did get an instrument rating eventually though after all the times there was a thin layer of clouds sitting at 1,000-2000' holding me up for days. I've only used it when I wouldn't have been able to go otherwise once so far.
 
Flyfeld said:
Does it make sense to own an airplane if you are VFR only? For someone who has no intention of flying IMC and does not have to fly anywhere if weather is not adequate is it necessary to get instrument rating in order to justify ownership of an airplane. I do understand the benefits of the training etc. and it is always encouraged but for this discussion lets keep it to the ownership aspect. Appreciate the input.
Click to expand...

Simple answer is yes, buy an airplane even if you are a VFR only pilot. You won't regret having your own plane. What part of the country do you live in? Do you get a lot of IFR weather?

The more complicated answer is, it depends on the plane you are buying. If you are a VFR only pilot looking at a Turbo Cirrus, Columbia 400, Piper Malibu or Mirage, or a P210 (or a turboprop, especially a turboprop), you will not be getting the best use of the airplane if you aren't instrument rated. All those airplanes are meant to fly high, which usually means going through clouds or up into the flight levels, where you have to be IFR.

Make sure your airplane matches your mission. A VFR only mission doesn't require an IFR airplane.

However, this all changes if you live in the mountains. Then you absolutely want a turbo, but you don't want to be flying around in the clouds and not able to see the rocks while picking up ice.

By the way (and I doubt this is the case), I mention the turbo prop only because a turbo prop is terribly inefficient below 18,000, so if that's your budget, get an IFR rating so you don't burn through all your gas money.

txtopaviation.com
 
Great input, I live in the northeast but hope to relocate to the sunshine state soon. The airplane I want is a 182 or maybe an Archer which would fit my mission. I think the answer for me is to get some instrument training for the sole benefit of sharpening my skills buy an airplane and see how it goes. I was under the impression most owners were IFR but really didn't know. I will probably end up buying a IFR capable airplane from what I have been looking at which will be good if I decide to pursue the rating. Thanks everyone!
 
I’m VFR only and bought a plane (182). It’s got IFR equipment. Starting IFR training in 2019.

Do it.
 
I'm senseless like @Timbeck2. Maybe even more so.

My plane is IFR equipped and I keep the inspections current. It's also Aerobatic.

I am not IR and I have no Aero training.

Someday I will be as capable as my plane.
 
Not very many places you can rent a Stearman or a Pacer or a Cub or a Pits. And while there are examples of each that are IFR, I think its safe to say most are VFR aircraft and most are privately owned.
 
I bought a vfr only machine as right now i dont see an IR in my future, though things can change with time. One of my mentors who flies the wings off his planes always said an IR thats not used regularly is a great way to kill yourself, and for my missions I just dont see the need to go instrument... So no neec to rule out ownership being vfr only
 
Our very own @Mtns2Skies owns an airplane and he’s commercially rated but doesn’t possess an instrument rating. Go figure!

To the OP: What difference does it make??
 
I've owned one or another plane for more than 30 years and fly mostly VFR, although I am instrument rated and use it. What you will discover is owning a plane will create more opportunities to fly and may encourage you to get IR training...not necessarily to enable you to fly in crappy conditions, but to give you more options when things are marginal VFR. It took me 4 years of VFR only ownership to start IR training, else I would no be able to fly far away some months of the year in central NY.
 
You guys are bringing a big smile to my face, love the perspective I am getting here.
 
I never enjoyed being in the clouds. I am IFR rated, but haven't been in the clouds since I passed the ride..

but my insurance is cheaper. (or was)

The training is worth the effort. You will learn a lot of skills that may keep you alive.
 
Bought a 182 as a wet behind the ears PPL...flew from FL to CA all VFR...racked up more hours in the first two years mostly all long XC trips VFR than I logged yearly after I got my IFR rating.

You fly VFR for fun...you fly IFR if you have to get somewhere!

Only reason I really even got my IFR was not to fly in hard IMC...cuz in most of those conditions I don't wanna be flying anyway...but my coastal home airport gets a ton of marine layer fog I need to pop in and out of.
 
I had a commercial for years with no instrument rating, now 35+ years later I fly a heavy jet for a living but my Cessna 180 doesn't even have a VOR receiver.
 
I'll fly into the clouds when someone pays me to do so. And that paid flight comes with another qualified pilot, in an airplane that doesn't need to deice most of it leading edges, with excellent redundancy, competent maintenance, dual APs, jet engines, IRS GPS RNP...

So I buy this Sierra for flying into the clouds. Guess what I don't fly into? Maybe I'm getting lazy when it comes to cloud flying. Maybe I know my limits. Mostly, I'm sure, it is that I'd just rather not fly into the clouds, and enjoy flying.

Did you get the approval for 2 VFR airplanes yet?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top