The reality of owning your own airplane 

Hey guys! I wanted to let you know I just launched an "Insiders" Newsletter where once a week I'm sharing an important lesson I've learned in aviation, links to my latest content so you don't miss out, and links to any other interesting or helpful content I've found. Subscribe (it's free) at: airplaneacademy.com/insiders

A Mile of Road Will Take You a mile but a Mile of Runway Will Take You Anywhere

AWESOME DUDE . Bad part about owning an airplane finding a good reliable honest mechanic

First step in being able to own an airplane: Make enough money to be able to own and maintain an airplane.

I love your videos. This honest video about aircraft ownership. Owning an airplane will enhance your life greatly, and give you opportunities that wouldn't be remotely possible without one. I like how you show the other side of the coin, everything has a downside. I never want to give up not being an aircraft owner.

My Father & I have owned 14 airplanes. We have built 2 experimental airplanes from kits. Airplanes are a blast although are a pain in the neck. Lots of work. You had better be mechanically inclined and work on your own airplane regardless of your money. You need to know every nut & bolt on your airplane at all times. Your butt is on the line. Cost is just one negative factor. Liability is huge. I have experienced lots of engine failures even with brand new parts & engines. It happens more often than people know. Airplanes (and rotorcraft) are very risky. It's a pain to own an airplane although there's nothing like flying inverted or gliding to a landing. Tons of fun when things go right.

Expense wise, the best way to stay ahead of the curve is to calculate your (true) expenses, add 20% and then escrow that amount every month regardless. I've done this for years and never have had to worry about those unexpected squawks that occur. Also never have to worry about incurring debt or compromising safety.

Really great video! Usually informative videos are completely boring but you gave great, concise information in a way that was still entertaining to a large degree. Keep em coming! I’m working to find funding for the last few hours of my commercial, hoping to see the beautiful country like you soon, once I can complete my training!! Hoping to get an aerial photography and surveying job. Your videos keep me motivated during my time away from the cockpit. 👍🏼 Thank you!

Wow, seldomly heard such wise words from such a young man! Thanks for the honesty, Charly!

Great video! It looks like you have an awesome airplane, too!! I love the club that I belong to (5 aircraft total, including Cessnas and Cirrus) but I'd be lying if I said I didn't look longingly at you guys with your own birds. Happy flying!

Charlie, your videos are the best! Thank you so much! Keep producing them! You inspire us all.

Extremely good summary! Thanks, Charlie!

Nice video, good info. Like the way you look and talk, puts me at ease. Hoping to buy soon.

One of the biggest things holding me back from getting that PPL is what to do at my destination. I love the idea of flying to places that would take all day in a car. But very few of the small airports have any accommodations. I want to get out in the county, go camping, hiking etc but I need a car waiting for me at the airfield. I don’t see how they lifestyle is possible without roadable aircraft.

I went for my first flight yesterday. It was so amazing. With some time and budgeting I have decided to get PPL and possibly go for commercial license as well.

Love this video. Exactly what I needed.

Another great Video Charlie!!!

Got straight to it. Thank you!

You seem like a genuinely nice guy and very informative. Thank you for your passion so that we can learn from you!

Really enjoying your videos and specifically those that address aircraft ownership. For myself, I’m at a crossroads where I need to make a decision on buying or continuing to rent. I’m trying to build time towards my commercial rating and beyond. Friends say I should buy a “cheapo” time builder, but I wonder if it is more cost effective to pass-on the “unexpected costs” by continuing to rent. Unfortunately, the only way I can justify purchasing a time builder is to have it also serve a useful mission by being a decent family hauler. Just thinking out loud as I watch your videos while enjoying my morning coffee!

Being a pilot and owning airplanes is the best thing I ever did with my life. But I love being a pilot which is a full time hobby. Most folks aren’t cut out for it. It’s a lot like golf. If you want to be good you have to live it.

Really nice video, great information and very well done. Thanks for sharing.

All things I knew and was aware of but just confirms for me that being part of a club is the best of both worlds (renting vs owning).

Thank sir for sharing the knowledge. It was most helpful to me I was wandering how can I get a peace of flying in a plane as a pilot. Sir you are the answer to my passion that I had. I never thought it could be possible in my life but you came with the answer thank you so very much 👍👍👍👍👍

As a multi/single engine/IFR pilot who has never owned an airplane, I love my airplane owner friends/acquaintances. Some are now in their 70s but still working hard to pay their bills (including for their aircraft). Me? I retired at 56 and fly weekly in a flying club turbocharged, air conditioned Piper Saratoga with G1000. No bragging rights for sure but I zzzzzzz peacefully. Oh, I drive a 2007 Toyota Camry.

Love this video very informative

The prices now from just two years ago have dramatically increased. To anyone curios the September 2023 prices for airplane ownership are radically different from these prices back in 2021.

Very informative, thank you!

I find the whole Texas to be beautiful. Some say central and the plains in the northwest Texas are "boring", but I find them beautiful and a gem in their own way. You're living many people's dream.

Just discovered your channel. Thanks for the Pro/Con comparison. ✈

Your videos are so underrated

This is great video with practical perspective. Sadly flying doesn’t fit into my lifestyles currently. I could maybe swing it but with wry young daughter, family time, starting a business.. it pains be I had to give it for now. I do some home sim flying but money, risk and time just are not there for me. I tried renting occasionally to keep my ppl up but all it was make me thing I would be dangerous with very marginal skills. I’ll return to real flying if and when time, money and life allows in a balanced fashion I can fly frequently so I am a safe pilot and not just a pilot.

Like the vid. I would like to see a vid on what and how to see things once you reach your destination. Rental cars are not always available. What can you do after you land?

I also think about the gratitude of flying. Man has been looking up to the sky for eons, and we live in a time when we can go there.

Oh yeah... flying around the 4 Corners for 3 hours is a blast. I like to pick an airport, route, or waypoint, and navigate to it. It's pretty landscape the first time :o) I put my iPad where you have yours but I'm looking for a different place. I subconsciously use that little area in the windscreen (Lindbergh reference) when I land and I can tell the difference when the iPad is there.

Excellent video!

One financial strategy I found useful in owning and operating an airplane; is to figure out your cost of operation, subtract fuel, and multiply that by the hours you fly each flight; and have a dedicated bank account just for your airplan. This fund will be used for maintenance and repairs. You also have to consider the cost of your average annual or 100 hr depending on your flight operation. You'll never have to worry about paying for repairs want to Major breakdown occurs. And it will happen someday. For the Grumman aa-1b I can get away with $35 an hour, Cessna 150 about 50 an hour. Erica champ I'm looking at about 40 45 an hour.

I think this is a very very helpful channel for a new very new pilot Like myself

Charlie. My son just bought a 182 and is going through his PPL. Do you have a video on what video gear and mounts work well on the 182? I’d like to get some advice before we plunge in. Thanks for your great channel and advice.

Most important, availability of having the plane waiting for you when ever to where ever,,,I had two three other pilots beging me to let go my schedule just because they also want to use the club plane on a beautiful weather weekend

Greetings! I've watched your videos for a little bit now and I see I'm pretty early on this one, so I'm taking this opportunity to ask you some questions I've had: Should I buy a Cherokee or a Cessna? Do I need my PPL to solo a glider if I own the glider and I have 14+ years of age? (assuming I was rated for it?) If you don't want to answer those questions, it's totally fine with me, so no pressure lol. P.S, thank you for taking your time to help student pilots, future student pilots, and pilots! I appreciate it!

I love your videos. I'm actually started looking to purchase a C-182 myself. Trying to determine a realistic annual cost estimate. I know it very depending on hours flown, location, etc. But before I take the plunge, need to ensure I can afford it. I expect to fly about 125 hrs/per... based on your ownership, do you have an estimated total annual cost I can use as a single data point?

do you have to stop at airports to get gas or can you make it across the country without doing so?

G,day from Sydney, Australia. Thank you for your latest video from your channel. * Recently I was watching Skywagon University channel, were; Mark shared his knowledge and information about the (AD) strut to floor connection: inspection and modification if failure is found. * Has this (AD) effected your plane? 🌏🇭🇲

Please keep preaching about not skimping on maintenance and keeping out my God my customers need to listen to pilots like you as an IA get frustrates me when I tell a customer XYZ is broken it needs to be replaced only for them to find a used part on eBay and want me to put it in of which I tell them no and we have a back and forth about why so expensive I'm not the one charging for the part I'm just putting it in so thank you very much

Owning an airplane should a positive venture on all aspects.

Love the beard

I'm in Austin Texas, and I hope one day to own an airplane! About how much doe it cost to store it?

So would you buy again?

are you instrument rated ? just curious, im going for that soon as i get my private since im going for commercial

When I began actively flying in the early 70's, nearly every private plane was used, at least a part of the time, for Business travel. Thus was a tax write off! In the end, the owner/pilot ended up not paying a cent from his/her own pocket to fly the plane. And even today, with prices so high, it's likely the best way to go.

Would you recommend owning a plane as opposed to renting for someone who is trying build flight time as quickly as possible?

For those who own your own plane, I wondered how many hours do guys fly per year? Trying to justify the cost of renting vs owning.

Do u ever do bush lands, maybe in someone else's 0pane

lol burn alert *crowd ooh's n groans* hahahaha i love that, too funny ;-))

How much income does someone need to own a plane? This is aspect is confusing because a lot of these videos say you need like 15 to 20k a year in cash. Do many people really has that much money to burn per se? In sure many ppl could allocate that much money, but to pay the mortgage, retirement, taxes, etc would seem to eat up all that money, even for someone making 120k or more

Hi

LOL 4:10 is pretty true

you look 29... when did you get 16 years in... lol.. great video

Planes and loans go together like Corvettes and booze.

I have been interested in aviation for a long time. Do I own a plane? Nope. The true reality is, if I did, it would spend most of it's time sitting and collecting dust. Sure, I could take it to visit a few friends, but I'm not going to be popping by every other weekend from a multi state flight. Would it save me drive time? Yes. Would it save me money? Nope. I am not retired or rich. It's like guys who buy boats and then you see the boat spending most of its time in storage or under a tarp on the side of the house. Between insurance, hangar fees(if you can find one and afford it), time to actually go out and stay current flying, fuel costs, it is just a big no from a personal purchase standpoint for me. You are at the mercy of the weather whenever you take an extended trip. Need to be back in time to get to work? Hmmm. Mechanical breakdowns happen. The list goes on. It's a toy purchase and an expensive one at that. You increase your expenses, your liability, your risk factors. If someone knocked on my door and asked if I wanted to do all three of those things by signing a paper, the door gets slammed shut. Oh and you have to shell out another $8,000+ for getting your pilots license. And then even more if you want your IFR rating. Welcome to the money pit. Don't forget the regular flight reviews, and inspections, repairs, upgrades, subscriptions, expensive headsets and on and on and on. Plane for sale. Ran like a top when I put it in storage years ago.

Hanger rent?

Hi I am from india I'm looking forward to become a pilot but I dont have a clear idea about it,can you help me?

Time to go flying?🤷🤷

I would love to own one if I were rich like you but I was born poor :-)

I want to buy a plane. I do not have my pilot's license. I've got the flying bug when I realized that it's cool. I'm going to buy a plane one day, and I don't care.

There are a few people who can use GA aircraft for work. The other people who own GA aircraft are usually obsessed or very wealthy. Most people get over their obsessions. The best advice is to fly a lot, a whole lot, before you buy one. You’ll probably get over your obsession. It will be money well spent. Sorry for the brutal advice. Any other advice feeds a fantasy for most of you. Never good.

You focus constantly on the cost of flying. I really wonder if you are suffering financially, yet keep owning because you want to prove to others that you are a baller. Real ballers don't focus on the money, because they have plenty of it, and it's no object. You say you can afford to own an airplane. Okay, stop focusing on the money then. Good luck, son. Be a true baller. Don't talk about money all the time. Look at Matt Guthmiller. He doesn't focus on the money. He focuses on the fun of ownership and flying. Matt is a true baller, and an adventure hound. That's why he has a huge following.