Want to buy a plane and would like some advice!

I

Inkoosikas

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Inkoosikas
Hello all! I am wanting to buy a plane as a commuter for work. I have to drive roughly 6 hours 2 times a week and my time is very valuable to me, so being able to cut that time down is important.

So far I like the capabilities and specs of the C182, and I am familiar with Cessnas already. However, I am pretty new to aviation and I don’t know what to look for when buying a plane.

I like the weight capacity of the 182 and the speed, but I don’t know if someone could suggest a better plane?

If I do decide to go with a 182, are there things I need to look at in particular? Specific years better than others?

Also, I am trying to stick around an $80,000 budget.

Thank you for any info!
 
Unless your work schedule is very flexible, you're going to need an instrument rating, and even then you'll still need to make the drive in your car on occasion. Have you done any flight training yet? If not, I'd recommend doing SOME before buying any plane. It's not like getting a driving license.
 
Inkoosikas said:
Hello all! I am wanting to buy a plane as a commuter for work. I have to drive roughly 6 hours 2 times a week and my time is very valuable to me, so being able to cut that time down is important.

So far I like the capabilities and specs of the C182, and I am familiar with Cessnas already. However, I am pretty new to aviation and I don’t know what to look for when buying a plane.

I like the weight capacity of the 182 and the speed, but I don’t know if someone could suggest a better plane?

If I do decide to go with a 182, are there things I need to look at in particular? Specific years better than others?

Also, I am trying to stick around an $80,000 budget.

Thank you for any info!
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Do you really need the speed and gross weight of a 182?
 
You'd be hard pressed to find a solid 182 for $80k these days. The R is the best model though... @Katamarino will agree :D
 
6 hours, speeding, is about 450miles (390kts).

Let's be kind and say that is 3 hours flying, plus an hour for pre and post flight activities.

So you're saving ~2 hours each way.

How far from home to the hangar? chips away at that time saving.

Cost?!? Fuel, hangar, etc. Driving is cheaper.

Dispatch reliability? Car more reliable.

Your time, as valuable as it is to you, is better spent on the ground. you can't pull over for a phone call, or text like a fiend, if your flying an airplane.
 
You can get a Baron B55 for $50,000...it will have 300 hours left on the engines and require you to have a multi.

Now, more realistically - the best bets for you could be a Piper Arrow or Grumman Tiger. Also, a Mooney M20F or M20E could fit the bill, though those planes would be older. They'd also be faster. You might be able to find an older Cirrus SR20 for something approaching that, but probably about $20k more. Maybe a Cherokee 180, though the speed would be kinda meh.
 
Ravioli said:
Your time, as valuable as it is to you, is better spent on the ground. you can't pull over for a phone call, or text like a fiend, if your flying an airplane.
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Good point. As soon as self-driving cars become a thing, that airplane is going to be on barnstormers.com along with dozens others at a very significant discount.
 
The OP shows as living in Central AK. If so, yeah, high-wing , somewhat STOL characteristics come to mind. Don’t forget some preheat.
 
Thank you all for your input! I definitely have a lot to look into!

I little more info about myself might help out a bit. I already have my ppl and am going to start working on my instrument Rating. Speed is definitely most important to me, however I do have a family that I would like to take with me on occasion in the plane I am looking to get, so decent room and weight capacity is also important.

I own a good sized concrete company that is expanding rapidly and so when I say my time is important to me, that is an understatement; 12-14 hours of driving a week is a lot of time wasted that I don’t have.

My house is literally 300ft from the end of a runway at the local airport, so it really wouldn’t take anytime getting there to get ready to leave.

Again, thank you all for the input so far!
 
The 182 would be perfect for your needs. The most important thing you can do is get a solid prebuy inspection from someone who knows the 182 well. It’s going to cost some money and you may have to pass on a few airframes and pay for a couple of inspections. Do not under any circumstances use the mechanics currently servicing the aircraft for a prebuy. Find some not associated with the airframe or current owner.
 
N1120A said:
You might be able to find an older Cirrus SR20 for something approaching that, but probably about $20k more.
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No, no you won't. Try $50K more.

I'd say get a Maule tri gear for that price or a '70s 172. The speed of a 182 is nice but the prices the past 2 years (basic med anyone?) have gotten totally out of whack. Seriously, $110K for a 45 year old plane with original, outdated avionics!?
 
simtech said:
Let cut through the bull from the start...bonanza!
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And, for once, I'd agree with that recommendation (provided the new owner has 300+ hours, and is instrument rated.)
 
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wheaties said:
No, no you won't. Try $50K more.

I'd say get a Maule tri gear for that price or a '70s 172. The speed of a 182 is nice but the prices the past 2 years (basic med anyone?) have gotten totally out of whack. Seriously, $110K for a 45 year old plane with original, outdated avionics!?
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172/Skyhawks have also suffered the price increase (which started right after I sold mine ...)
 
simtech said:
Let cut through the bull from the start...bonanza!
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For a decent plane, what should I be looking for in terms of times and maintenance for the aircraft?
 
Inkoosikas said:
For a decent plane, what should I be looking for in terms of times and maintenance for the aircraft?
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Don't buy a cheap junky plane that looks like it was drug out of the river.... LOL!
You can usually tell if a airplane is good or a maintanance hog by a quick walk around. The condition usually tells if it was maintained properly or neglected.
 
Yes, help us out. a 6 hour drive could be 360 miles in the Midwest or 100 miles in the northwest. If the trip is on the shorter side, the plane will save you even more time.

I would like some insights into the air distance between the two places and I would encourage you to talk to some real Alaska pilots @Zeldman and others. As I hear it, Alaska has some spectacularly dangerous flying weather that can change quickly and this will be your largest hazard.

I agree, if it's 100nm distance, you might be well served to get a STOL-ish aircraft that can fly low and slow if you get trapped by low ceilings or something. if it's 300 miles, you might want something faster.
 
Given the location, the OP's desire to carry a family, and the OP's occupation I'd say skip the 182 and start looking at the 206.
 
ktup-flyer said:
My useful load is 1305. 182 will do it.
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Didn’t say it wouldn’t. Try loading large, heavy objects in a 182 vs. a 206 and see which is easier. Considering the guy is in the concrete business I could easily see him needing to move men or equipment in the future and the 182 would come up short in my opinion.
 
mondtster said:
Didn’t say it wouldn’t. Try loading large, heavy objects in a 182 vs. a 206 and see which is easier. Considering the guy is in the concrete business I could easily see him needing to move men or equipment in the future and the 182 would come up short in my opinion.
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Just go Cherokee Six then
 
You might consider a Mooney, though insurance and annual will be more expensive due to it being retractable gear (even if you buy one for $80).
 
+1 : Please give a few actual examples of airports you would be flying too?

Also, what are expectations when it comes to operating costs? You have your own business so this gonna play out nicer for you regarding taxes but still. If you think $130/hr is high you won't want a 182. If you can easily afford $300/hr you could get there way faster (but more $$$$ up front).

Finally, a 182 can haul a lot but if you are a family of 4 and just one person is "big" you will still be able to make flights but you'll be leaving some fuel behind. If 2 are "big" and 2 are average then might want something that can haul a bit more. In other words, maybe work some W&B to see what planes actually work for you.
 
ktup-flyer said:
Just go Cherokee Six then
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That’s an option as well, and I almost suggested that too. But I’d take a 206 over a Cherokee 6 or a 182 any day of the week. Especially one with a float kit.
 
From airport to airport it’s roughly 230nm or a 370 mile drive.

I am working on my instrument Rating, but I am a little ways away from it.

I have also considered the C206, they are just a bit more than I want to spend, but not out of the question if it makes the most sense to go for.

As for size, my family is tiny. Personally I am about 5’3” and the rest of my family is smaller than me or still a child.
 
I do that type of flight about once a week. 160 nm from a Class C airport to a class E airport.

I have a Cherokee 6.

The bigger, heavier plane is nicer in turbulence and hard IFR approaches. I looked at the 206, but couldn’t find a good one while I was looking. Found several PA32s and missed out on a few until I found the current one.

Look for better avionics and autopilot. You’ll appreciate it.


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I would look at 182RG. 155 KTAS, lots of useful load (usually 1200 or more), $100K.
 
Where would you drive 6 hours out of Fairbanks to work?
 
asicer said:
Good point. As soon as self-driving cars become a thing, that airplane is going to be on barnstormers.com along with dozens others at a very significant discount.
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By the time self driving cars become ubiquitous, today's single engine airplanes will be another thirty years older.
 
Inkoosikas said:
From airport to airport it’s roughly 230nm or a 370 mile drive.

I am working on my instrument Rating, but I am a little ways away from it.

I have also considered the C206, they are just a bit more than I want to spend, but not out of the question if it makes the most sense to go for.

As for size, my family is tiny. Personally I am about 5’3” and the rest of my family is smaller than me or still a child.
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First off, at your size and family size I would think the Mooney crowd would be jumping in here any minute.

Regarding your distances:

I would think that drive is easily 6hrs with any stop or wx. And probably costs you between 12gal...25gal depending on what you drive. Not sure what auto fuel costs up in AK.

You haven't give us any info on terrain so I'll just guess another 30nm in case you have to fly around some big rocky things. That's then 300sm flown. In our old straight let 182P we pretty much always run about 145mph ground speed (zero winds) at about 11.7gph. So around 2hrs flight time (no winds) and fuel rounded up to about 30gal to account for starting, climbs, warming it up, etc.

So even in a old straight legged 182 you would knock a ton off your drive time and expensing it would put a nice dent in the operating costs.

Maybe you should also consider how often you can make the flight. What if you can only make the flight 35% of the time because even with a IR, you do not feel comfortable or plane is not capable (FIKI). Would you still do it then? I would :)

I would think something like a Mooney is gonna knock that 2hrs down to maybe something just over 1.5hrs. Doesn't quite seem like enough though to justify the faster/smaller plane vs the great W&B advantage of the 182 especially if you take other work people with you that might be heavier, taller, etc.

I was looking at our FlightAware tracks from a fly-in on Saturday. Our 182 was doing 151mph ground speed and the Dakota (another nice plane!) was doing 154mph. Both at 7500msl, same exact track. Was cool to see how much alike they are...except we have an extra door :) But we need a small step ladder :( In other words, don't rule out Dakota's either.
 
To the OP...ignore all of the replies above that don't include a 182 or maybe a 206. They will perform your requirements, allow you to land on gravel runways without the beating a low wing will suffer, and be cheaper to operate and maintain than most of those proposed.

There are lots of 182s and 206s in Alaska, and finding a knowledgeable mechanic won't be difficult. Avoid retractable landing gear. Three tires hanging out in the breeze are cheaper, and the time gained by folding them up isn't worth the cost.

You will spend more than you want to to get a good IFR capable plane, but considering the strong economy and the Section 179 deduction, another $20-$30 thousand might not be completely indigestible.

These type of threads are common. Ask about a specific airplane, and you'll get two pages of "No, buy this instead".
 
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In addition to 182/180 discussion, I think you could consider an older Bonanza too, perhaps with de-ice if you can find it. I would probably want a strategy of
1. drive if it's even sort of iffy, and have a car I can use without embarrassment at both ends
2. Either have something that I can set down anywhere if the weather goes to crap on me (STOL or float plane) or have something weather capable and the skills to run it

Thanks for sharing your distance. A 182 or Cherokee 235 would be great. I would also throw out the idea that if you're going to do this even 35% of the time, you might appreciate the faster plane and a mooney or bonanza might feel worth it on the 4th back and forth, let alone the 100th.
 
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