6 Untold Truths of Aircraft Ownership 

As a former owner of multiple airplanes i can say this is spot on and very well done. Hangaring the aircraft is a must and i agree with your thoughts about keeping it outside at times. You are constantly worrying about it and always on your mind. Take care and blue skies and tailwinds always.

Purchasing a quality full-coverage (wings, fuselage, empennage, prop, canopy) saved my 150 from sun, rain, wind damage without a hangar

I think that before a person buys and airplane they have to first decide what their "mission" will be for the aircraft. If it is commuting then purchase something reliable, $100 hamburger is a different airplane and traveling with a family is a larger airplane. People also need to understand the value their airplane might have both before and after purchase. Experimental's (I own one) are often not valued as high as a certificated airplane...bottom line is that flying is an expensive hobby and people need to take that to heart before going into it.

I always thought plane ownership was a fools errand but my hats off to people who do.

The 1st rule of aircraft ownership is to NEVER,EVER,EVER add up the cost of owning an aircraft. 😂

This is a excellent video that every aspiring aircraft owner should see...bar none ! All of the ownership topics are covered completely, and should be heeded by those interested in aircraft ownership. Thanks, and good luck !

Great video and feedback. As someone who wants to buy an RV-12 your videos are invaluable.

Love your vids!

You're right.

It was great to meet you at Sun and fun!!

I've heard about airplane coops that seem to make airplane ownership a little more manageable for someone that just wants to fly every so often. I don't have any experience with them, however.

Great comments and agree with them all. As a good rule of thumb if you are flying less than 100 hours a year, aircraft ownership isn't for you. Consider joining a club or stick with renting. Each method has advantages and disadvantages. Best things about ownership is you know the airplane and its quirks, only you are flying it, but all costs are on you. Clubs is a happy medium between renting and owning.

This was great. And matches my experience having owned two certified airplanes. The only thing I would add to this is that my intention was to put my airplane in a hangar. But finding one was very very difficult. I've been on several waiting lists for 3 years and I have no idea when I'm going to get to the top. I'm very interested in building an experimental airplane, and the repairman certificate that would come along with it. But I can't really do that until I know I have a hangar to put it.

I want to thank you for this video, because I am currently looking to buy and Airplane after three years renting. I have been on the bubble with buying an airplane, because it just seems so insurmountable! But on the flipside, the rental market is getting crushed! Any of the Flight schools are going to ATP route, and so renting Legacy aircraft is becoming a thing of the past. All of the schools are buying brand new aircraft, that they do not rent to pilots once they get their certificates. The few Flight schools that do rent legacy aircraft, are getting crushed by folks like me, and their own students for those same airplanes. So I am really being pushed into Airplane ownership. But it’s such a scary proposition for sure. Anyway, thanks for the video. One last thought, I cracked up when you listed, the different certified aircraft. Spot on with the one shiny Airplane company! Fly well, brother!

I own a Beech Sierra over in Kissimmee. I know about the rent going out of control. 592 a month now with tax for my T hangar with Sheltair! It's nuts. The plane was relatively cheap to maintain the first 3 years as I bought mine in 2020 but holy cow from October to January of this year I spent over 11k to fix a cylinder, audio panel and some other things that went bad at the same time. Be ready for some HUGE repair bills.

After earning my ticket last year in a very cost-effective Cessna 150 club, I needed to upgrade to faster airplanes to travel for work. Joined a non-equity club for access to a couple glass panel 172's and a 182, and my costs per hour went up exponentially. Proficiency is critical, especially for a low-time pilot, so the less often you fly the more dangerous you are to yourself and others. I now realize the perfect situation (for me) would be to own a vintage taildragger that I can fly weekly around the patch and short cross-countries to stay sharp, and when you need a faster more capable machine, rent that sh!t. So I'm rebuilding my home cockpit simulator with hardware devices that emulate the Garmin G5, 750/650 units and the G500 autopilot so I can fly the faster stuff competently but am also in the market for a Cessna 140 or Stinson 108. I'm senior in my career and fairly well compensated but there is just no inexpensive way to do it. Flying is really expensive.

Fuel costs are otrageous hanger costs nuts. Sold the plane and quit. I used to budget $80 an hour anthing not spent o. Fuel went into an account for annuals. Nothing like a big repair lisy

Here in Ocala, hangar rent is around $390/month. Can’t imagine $500 plus! I can’t justify owning my Zenith Cruzer, money wise, I just love having my own plane, and love working on it as well!

If you are financing an aircraft, the lender will most likely require that it is insured. Insurance is really not an option.

The issue of where you live ought to be included. My local reliever airport was redesigned to accommodate the airlines again, and there was then no hangar to be had within 45 minutes away. Also, even that one was just not very nice or a good value. I paid similar money for a trashy hangar with a huge taxi time, no actual security, and way out of town. That airport is now getting pressured over noise, too. Well, my wife had her own career which was why we could afford a plane, but didn’t want to live in the far suburbs. This eventually led to selling the plane which just became less fun and more of a chore. It even wasn’t good for travel since the added drive meant we were often going out of the way to use the plane rather than drive. At this time, the airport near our vacation home is getting pressure to close as well. You know, if I wanted all my neighbors to hate me, I would have taken up shooting or raising chickens or something. This country has gone fudnutz.

What is the name of your insurance company….?

I think I’ll stick to simming. I already feel enough of that pressure to ride my motorbike.

Good video however you may want to include several other considerations. Such as factoring in projected depreciation, annual state personal property taxes, annual conditions etc. Also if you purchased an experimental aircraft which you did not build yourself, you will not be eligible for a Repairman certificate under 65.104. I don’t believe that just anyone can go wrenching on your aircraft. Am I correct?

The only difference between men & boys are the price of their toys. (and ongoing costs)

True you need to fly, but even in Florida, if the aircraft is INSIDE A HANGAR, then the elements are less likely to affect the engine. Cold regions are actually more destructive due to hoses, wiring, tires, softer items freezing and thawing and wearing without noticing how badly. Corrosion affects the propeller, cylinder fins, areas around fuel tanks or bladders, piano-type control hinges, and the battery box the most. Insurance is a crises in aviation, and airfield require it, so man;y are flying without it and getting kicked off airfields. The other costs to consider are hangar or tie-downs, cleaning products, ANNUALS, and losing a component, like a panel that is VERY costly to upgrade or replace. Also, it is possible to get bad fuel once in a while and that can really be expensive.

Hanger rental at KVDF Tampa Exec $535.35 month electric included.

It is all well and good to think you'll save $$$ to forgo insurance on a plane you purchase. However, many airports, including mine, will not allow one to base their plane there without insurance which include the airport or, in my case, the airport owner, which is the county, to be named as also insured. One cannot do this without...and insurance policy. I only know of one airport locally which does not require this.

Wait, it's expensive? I never would have thought..

Tiny comment regarding maintenance for experimental. If you do not have a repairman cert for that experimental aircraft, you still have to have an A&P. You can probably negotiate with an A&P to do a lot of work on your own under their supervision or inspection afterward but its probably not completely correct to say that you have a choice to do the work yourself.

Hangar is probably very good although 500$ is pretty obviously robbery unless it's very premium land in a city. The hangar looks like it can take a much larger plane but smaller might not be available. In the tragic state of GA, light sport/experimental definitely seems to be the way to go. Literally 5x cheaper to fly than an old cessna 172. And you can look for a few quality guys to split ownership with so costs are almost negligible. From thinking I had to come up with at least 150k to get into flying I was suddenly a co owner of an LSA for 8k$ with hangar and insurance and everything. It's also a great way to step up what you can afford although unfortunately my owner group wasn't willing to change out our slow elvis looking Evektor. If we are thinking crazy thoughts, say an Eclipse 500 twin jet with 6 owners, that could be less than 250k. People pay way more for a WW2 bonanza. And the hangar is the same. 11meter wingspan. Do you bring the kickscooter in the plane? :) you can probably get small ones that can fit in it.

As a wise man once told me: If it flies, floats or fcks it cheaper to rent.

Thanks for sharing

Accidentally found this channel. Seem funny that my tail number is N2222S

I own 3 airplanes, it svcks. They take up a lot of space and don't do much of anything. SImulators are more fun and cheaper to fly. You can fly any time risk free and do anything in a simulator. Fly the sim, and actually enjoy flying. Owning and flying an airplane actually svx. It's no fun at all.

Who is “they?”

It's like having a baby... whaaaah whaaaaa...ka ching.....

You dont take compression reading on pistons , you take compression readings on the cylinders D.A.

Get the plane… Have a partner…. (A good spouse makes an excellent partner!) Upgrade plane…. Bigger better faster! Live longer… get IR! 😃

Sorta like owning a horse. The cheapest costs is buying it !!!

You're scaring people away with your lifestyle and insurance nonsense. Thumbs down. Hangars can be costly.

Plane owner ship is the 2nd fastest way to go Broke !!!! Racing is the first... Another Toy 4 the RICH...