Buying an Airplane?

Tree fiddy and an expired socal sectional from 1996?

 

Come on man, it’s got the red power band installed!
Sounds like your sectional charts are as up to date as mine..how did we ever fly anywhere without Foreflight?

 

Just let your dispatch do their job and file the flight plan hmmph!!

 

Gino,

Yes both of mine have the air start. Kind of a pain until you get used to it, but I managed to never be stranded! A buddy has a Super Chipmunk and that thing is COOL.

Jay

 

Since selling the Bonanza a few years ago, I haven't done any GA flying. I'm not really missing it. When I get the itch again, I'll probably knock off some bucket list warbirds by flying for the CAF. I'm currently an aircraft sponsor on an SNJ in Wisconsin, just need to find the time and motivation and funds to do a checkout on a Texan at a school in Florida. The cool thing about the CAF is all flying is considered a tax write off. If it flys, floats or fucks, cheaper to rent.

 

I've always wanted to look into that, but I think the closest chapter is 4 hours away from me.

 

The DAL and Houston based pilots had it good for a while, they would let them park at the maintenance hangar. But I think it got too crowded over there and as usual guys took advantage.

Nowadays it would be like trying to get through the USPS voicemail system to get someone at HQ to approve that or even call you back.

 

It just seemed cheap. Annoying parts that aren’t available through normal channels. Cubcrafters support left a lot to be desired. Fit and finish was kinda meh. I just didn’t like it other than it was fun to fly.

 

Anyone have any feeling for what's up with the used single engine market these days? Will there be a return to pre-covid prices?

 

Just had that conversation with a friend that’s tied into the used aircraft market. I said the market would most likely have correction in 2024.. he told me I’m smoking crack and explained why. Essentially demand has risen, there’s no appreciable new (certified) aircraft entering the market place and prices will remain high or continue higher.

 

I've also noticed the clapped out planes have been getting gobbled up and refurbished. Not many dead paint, torn seat 1900 hr engine Cessnas and Pipers for sale.

 

You looking for one? I know where one is pre refurb.

 

No. Definitely not. I used to fly a lot when we had a beach house that was an hour flight or 3-4hrs drive depending on traffic. The drive sucked bad. Now we have a place in FL and GA doesn't make sense from a time or financial standpoint. We can fly round trip for $100-200/person commercial and it's a 2hr flight. Likely 5hrs plus a fuel stop in a single. Even in a 10 gallon/per hr Mooney, it's 100 gallons both ways.
In short, I'll leave the flying to Gino and the other pros.

 

Ahh. So we've finally hit the point where the airplanes produced in the 1970's airplane boom now cant sustain the ever contracting airplane market.

It was bound to happen eventually.

 

Close. People are now dragging out planes that previously would have been sold for parts and re-furbing them since a 60 year old cherokee/172 in decent flying shape is now 30-40K+ and nice ones are 60-70k.

 

If you’re seeing those prices on 172’s, buy! Double those numbers for current market.

 

Yeah, I'm not seeing many decent 172s below 120K.

 

Dammit!

 

I've been amusing myself for two days watching videos
about passengers landing planes after the pilot dies or
becomes incapacitated or pilots having to make emergency
landings due to equipment failure and was curious how
many emergency landings the pilots here have had to make.

 

I’ll fess up. Talking about how the light airplane is currently bananas, prices are out of whack, etc, I’ve got a deposit and awaiting an inspection to close on this…

Super excited, I’ve always wanted a 180 and figured I’d never make it happen.