5 Most Common Problems With Cheap Airplanes 

Here is what I say about owning an aircraft. I have owned 4 aircraft myself. 1 The purchase price is just the entrance into ownership. 2 if you buy a $35,000 Piper Cherokee the parts to maintain it usually come from a company’s who is now building the same airplane for $350,000. In other words the prices of parts are going to be high. I bought a Beechcraft C-35 Bonanza several years ago. Within 4 years I had put an additional $30,000 in it. We did an engine overhaul, prop Overhaul, flap motor, gear motor. All of those were done in the first 4 years. I just purchased a Taylorcraft 5 years ago, for 18,000, the second year it needed new struts and a engine cylinder . Those two alone were $7,000. I spent another $4,000 last year on replacing a leaky wing tank and a new wooden prop. Good Job Mike you.

I'm a sailboat owner, and that's pretty pricey with "marine" grade material, stainless parts, navigation equipment/radar, etc. I met a pilot who also sails. He told me "want to make sailing look cheap? Buy a plane." lol

Definitely some great tips Mike, especially for those of us just getting into this crazy world of general aviation.

There's no way around it, if you want to own an airplane, (and fly it), you need the $.

An old airplane saying, flying airplanes requires two things, airspeed and money.

From a from airline pilot, and instructor ...thanks for the video....good stuff. Especially in South Florida, log books are key ...and of course, paying for a pre-buy inspection ...pardon my language, but there are tons on "polished turds" for sale. Many sellers merely slap a paint job onto a sub-par aircraft. and, I'm not naming names ..but an FAA inspector friend caught a guy swapping engines.

ADS-B Out is all that is required, not In. Also, ADS-B is not required at all below 10,000 in most of the National Airspace System. There are cheap solutions to make your aircraft with old radios ADS-B out compliant.

Thanks Mike! Some good advice as I start looking for my own plane to fly.

This is high quality content! Thank you!

Thanks, Mike! That was an excellent breakdown of information. Very good "aha" moments. God bless you and your family.

Very good video. Easy to get your eyes open for just what you might be getting into. So many RU-vid videos just focus on the purchase price of an aircraft and don't even give a thought to the maintenance costs. Again, great video.thanks!

Love the blue and gold paint on that Cherokee... Vintage and beautiful!

Although there is little chance of a plane flying into my life just yet, you Sir have given out some sound advice I had no clue about previously.Thank you! Subbed.

I really appreciate your videos. Great content and you consistently have very well thought out and interesting information. Thanks for these videos.

Thank you Mike, Love your channel. This is very helpful info as I get closer to purchasing my first aircraft.

Good Stuff Mike..... really enjoy your videos.

Mike, I love your channel!! You disseminate some really valuable information! Nice job!!!

Great job on the video Mike!

Owning a airplane is like owning a expensive time share. If you use it to its fullest extent, you'll break even on the cost, but you'll have the time of your life. If you don't use it to the fullest, It will be a nightmare.

Nice man...Mike when you come to visit Brazil with your plane?

In addition to time since overhaul for an engine, is the calendar time. Each engine manufacturer also sets an elcapsed time since overhaul as another overhaul recommended interval. My :Lycoming is 10 years max recommended between overhauls.

I really appreciate your videos... keep up the great content

It is really making me rethink my plans about buying an inexpensive Piper Cherokee 180. Mike, any interest in capturing the process of buying an used aircraft from beginning to end? I am talking about an purchase, start with research, pre-buy inspection, knowing where to look for the ADs, finding insurance, financing options, etc... I think it would be awesome to find someone that is about to start this and then capture the whole thing on video.

This is all great information! My former flight instructor and World War II Aviation fanatic was looking to buy a T6 and he found a perfect one the only problem was the only log book entry was " flies great"

This guy is no professional announcer, but his channel sounds a lot more authentic than some I've visited.

Great real world tips...thanks for posting!

Awesome, just amazing videos and information. Thanks!!!

Great job on your video from a longtime aircraft mechanic.

good advice , thank you for posting !

Point #5 is incorrect. Engine overhauls are NOT required after a specific time unless your are using the aircraft under commercial rules (Part 121 or Part 135). For the vast majority of people who will be purchasing used single-engine aircraft to fly for personal purposes (Part 91), the manufacturer specified TBO (time before overhaul) is not a requirement. Granted, that doesn't mean there may be some other reason or requirement to overhaul an engine, e.g. prop strike, evidence of camshaft failure. The engine's age, such as 2000 hours or 12 years, is by itself not.

Very informative, that was very helpful, thanks !

Usual useful level of information! Thanks, Mike!

Hello from Uzbekistan. Thank you for the video and for the buzz that you present to us.

Great info Mike, thanks!

Great content Mojo! 👍👍

Thanks for sharing. Good info! Fly safe.

I lost my Skipper to Wilma on 05, Beechcraft 77, great little puddle-jumper, well made, very slow, but it flew, the tie down was only$48.00 per month , annuals under $500., low time, I flew that little plane from Hollywood Fl to Danbury Ct, to Farminddale NY and back to Florida. It was cheap but really a good little machine. Low price is one thing, cheap experimental are something else. I'm grounded for good now.

Very informative..Great work.

Very important video thanks Can u share a complete case scenario where so one bought an old derelict and how much $ it needed to be fit for flying

Really good educational information. Thanks Mike.

I am impressed! At first I thought.. here we go.. great advice!

Very helpful, thanks!

Excellent advice...I'm looking at a 69 Mooney M20 with 110 SMOH, but older avionics.

Great video. Very informative

Rule #1 If no hangar, it might be a money pit, depending on the prevailing climate where it was stored. Rule #2. Beauty is only skin deep. You have to inspect all the nooks and crannies for corrosion and/or hidden damage. #3. Complete log books are nice to have, but if you can't read the sloppy hand writing, they can be useless. Rule #4. Be sure to check the TBO on all major components, and BTW, those engines also have a recommended overhaul time based on calendar (years) not just the tach time or Hobbs meter. One final thing; the only guy who never got laid off from an aircraft or engine manufacturer is the one who raised parts prices.

Excellent video, Mike!

I like that you tell it like it is. No BS just straight talk.

Thanks so much for the info ......Priceless 5🌟

Man I haven’t even seen a Beechcraft Skipper(the plane I got my private in ) or Piper Tomahawk in twenty years, can’t imagine trying to keep one of those flying today.

Great information regarding before you purchase any older aircraft

Excellent info, thanks

What do you think of the first composite airplane the boeing 787 my favorite is the boeing 727-100

Great advice, simple and to the point with no B!

can you do video on cessna 421

Yep, being an A & P and pilot. I always get the airplane I am about to buy inspected by another person in addition to my inspection just in case I missed something important due to my excitement about buying an aircraft. As this video described, I learned life lessons of being cheap and paying big later.

For sure some good points made. In regard to the engine I think it is important to clarify that the engine has a TBO limited by both hours and time, generally around 2000 hrs base or around 6 years of available service whichever is sooner, the propeller will also have a TBO with hrs flown and/ or time elapsed in available service, I say available service because the engine and prop can be sat idle between TBO and still require strip down inspection/ overhaul just on calendar time elapsed. Engines usually only qualify for longer TBO,s when they are fairly well used i,e more than 30 hrs a month. The biggest enemy of any aircraft is being sat idle it causes big corrosion and deterioration issues not only with the airframe, seals and other perishables but the engine also corrodes badly when left idle, idleness is the single biggest cause in high and unforeseen maintenance. A busy aircraft is always the best option particularly with well documented maintenance with factory overhauled zero timed engine(s) which come with new engine logbook(s)

Mike you said ADS-B in and out. Probably a slip but just in case, ADS-B IN not required. Engine overhaul also isn't mandatory. Well maintained engines can go past TBO forever as long as they're maintained and test good. I've heard of engines running double of TBO.

Great video!! You helped me!

Great information!!!!!

This is great information for any prospective owner of an older SEL airplane. It’s also worth noting that generally any Piper or Cessna purchased will be a “type-certified” aircraft, which among other things, means that the owner cannot work on most things, unless they have an aircraft & power plant certificate (issued from the FAA). In simple terms this means that an owner will be paying a serious premium for labor/parts to fix/upgrade any issues that exist with any type-certified airplane. A cheaper alternative to this route is buying either an “experimental “ or “light sport” aircraft. If you are a prospective airplane buyer, do your research!

This IS one of your best Videos. Thanks.

Great information here.. Thanx

Great Video!

How do you inspect for frame structure problems, such as a cracked wingspan or something internal? Can a mechanic get to these areas?

Excellent video! I love your channel!

Mojo please talk about and present the Piper Tomahawk II

Such superb advice.

Great advice 👌

I would add that it is important to consider how long ago an overhaul was done. If a major overhaul was completed 20 years ago and the engine only has 200 hours on it there is a good chance that there is internal corrosion that will cause that engine to go bad way before tbo. Lycomings in particular have issues with can and lifter corrosion which can't be inspected without tearing down the engine. Planes with recent overhauls AND a lot of use are the best bets when it comes to getting a long life from that engine.

Mike; what are the projected costs for overhauling any of the rotax engines ?

As a licensed aircraft mechanic since 1964, and having worked for 2 airlines, both the Navy and Army as a civilian contractor, and in general aviation, I tell potential aircraft buyers my golden rule. When someone asks me what they can buy for $35,000, I tell them to find a partner and now buy a $70,000 plane. I don't think I've ever met a plane owner who needs the plane full time. If you have a partner you get to buy a nicer plane and get to split the costs of ownership.

You can get a used plane for $40 000, Wow! I'll get one, you need to upgrade the avionics for $40 000 and an engine overhaul for $20 000 Ah!!!!!

Can you do repairs on your private plane yourself? I’ve heard you could do this as long as you have an experimental sign on the aircraft. I’ve done all my cars maintenance, big or small. Unfortunate it costs the price of a used plane for an engine overhaul something is wrong there...

Hey, please make more of this type of educating videos. Make say "Top 50 red flags"

Good video. Of course the log books are number 1. But I would classify the Total Time on the engine as the number 2 issue. Often you will see a good airplane with a low price, and find out that the engine is due for overhaul. Also sometimes especially if the airplane has not been flown in several years, even though the engine is say low or mid time a compression check will turn up some low reading cylinders. In this case you could just have a "top overhaul" preformed for much less than a complete re-build.

Outstanding video.

Very informative.

Is it hard to find parts for kit planes?

At the top of the importance of inspecting a prospective purchase candidate's log books is to verify compliance with ADs. If a seller did not comply with ALL A.D.s, I wouldn't walk - I'd run away from the deal. It'd be a peek into how they treated the airplane overall. As far as engine overhauls, best to get in the habit of putting a certain amount of money per hour you fly into an account just for that shocker of an event. Sorta like a college fund. Save little-by-little over time, or face writing a huge tuition check!

I think that 235 is based at my home field. Are you in NY?

Mike are there any videos that 8about Charlie brown field

We need more how to videos. Thanks for sharing that.

First, thanks for you’re content, keep it up! I don’t think a prebuy inspection can be emphasized enough. We bought a Beech Sierra at what was considered the lower part of the fair market value. If we had a better prebuy, we would have learned someone used silicon seal on the crankcase and the jugs. Also, if the top was borescoped, they might have seen the spalling camshaft. What we saw was an aircraft with good paint and ok interior. The instruments all seemed ok. Also, the SMOH was about 900, not even the halfway point for the engine. The issue was that it was improperly maintained and it the last time it was overhauled was 16 years before we bought it! One day we were taking off, this is after flying FL to OR and the plane sitting a couple weeks, and we weren’t making enough power to climb more than 500 feet above the ground. Luckily we were able to land safely on the airfield and then we found out all the things I just told you. We ended up getting a factory reman put on the plane! $40k for material and labor!! Not such a good buy folks. After several instruments being sent out for overhaul, landing gear pump being changed, new batteries, we had a great plane. Paying a trusted mechanic $500-$1500 or whatever(it depends on region and plane) is a very good idea, it will save you in the long run. (Btw - a GA engine that is over 12 years old can be considered suspect for overhaul. That’s not to say there aren’t excellent maintained engines out there at that age that are great and can go beyond TBO, just saying buyer beware!!!!)

Nice information .. which aircraft should I buy ....? Is it Cessna or beechcraft...?

Any chance you are able to do an owners review on commander 114s and costs ?

Excellent video.

overhaul is not a requirement unless the aircraft is flown under commercial operations, there are many o320s over 3000 SMOH that are still getting good compression readings. Always take it case by case.

Great video on the hidden costs of buying a "cheap" airplane. Rule #1 in aviation, there is no such thing as cheap!

excelent video, hello from Panama

Great Insider Information. Essentials to know for the safety of Pocket & Man.👍👍👍

Most common problem number 6 - Not having a bank balance that covers any of this activity. I'm off out to buy a lottery ticket...

Good info.... Thx.

Part 91 operations do not require an engine overhaul at TBO. Flown many hours on engines over TBO. Overhaul on condition, evaluate oil, consumption. oil analysis, borescope inspection.

Mike Can you do a cover on the Socata brand aircraft

As a flight instructor I've seen dozens of people buy airplanes based on the sticker price and not know the engine is up for overhaul in 100 hours, or think that's "plenty of time". The folks who try to save the most money by doing work themselves on their "certified" airplanes (questionable if some of these airplanes are still legally certified now, depending how closely they worked with an engineer), or get into airplanes that are more complex because the price is right, these pilots end up with the most surprise expenses and have lower satisfaction overall. Probably the biggest mistake I see people make is purchasing an airplane before completing their PPL. This could be a good strategy if they end up keeping that airplane, but oftentimes the airplane they buy doesn't end up suiting the role they wanted it for, and they didn't have the experience to know that (range, gross weight, speed, avionics, fiki, etc). Remember an engine overhaul on most of the GA stuff out there costs more than a PPL... Aircraft ownership is kind of like getting a second pilot's license. Lots to learn about ADs, how maintenance works to inform picking a good shop, tracking calendar and hours airworthiness items and parts, even just finding a replacement part on some of these older airplanes can be a week of searching and making calls. Overall I know many pilots who love having their own airplanes, but cost is never the reason why.

To sum it up, there is no point in owning an airplane unless you have tons of cash. Its like with boats, do your license and rent it, anything goes wrong you return it and walk away with a smile. In Europe you can rent a Cessna 150 or 172 for 105-160EURO(118-181USD) and it´s your turn to check logbooks, walkaround and then decide to fly it...Why own something that will compete with goldiggers attacking your wallet/account?!

Is that in New Jersey?

Like seriously who gives this video a thumbs down? This was all good information. Great job man.

Do comm/nav radios in and older airplanes commonly need to be replaced?

my dad and my second cousin and I purchased a Mooney m20E 1965 model a little under 50k, and about a month or so into owning it after we got the annual done; some wires broke when my cousin and his family was flying to Reno Nevada for the air races about a year ago so he had no avionics nothing; and had a hand held radio luckily so he was able to get on the ground without incident so id say check the wiring everywhere when your buying an airplane.