Thinking of buying a plane...

[KNS]

There was an episode of 'Ice Pilots' several years ago (Buffalo Airways up in Canada). They were searching for a CL-215 Amphib (the older ones with radial engines) because they were scarce but sought after. They found one down in Columbia (not the one in the photo).

They flew down to South America to inspect the plane and anxious to buy if it checked out. They found the plane in not too bad of shape but the logbooks were a mess. They walked away.

[NeedSpace]

Originally Posted by ckcarr

I LOVE this photo. I only wished I lived in a less congested area. Some day, I would like to be a pilot good enough to drop a tundra tire and glide across the top of a lake.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by KNS

There was an episode of 'Ice Pilots' several years ago (Buffalo Airways up in Canada). They were searching for a CL-215 Amphib (the older ones with radial engines) because they were scarce but sought after. They found one down in Columbia (not the one in the photo).

They flew down to South America to inspect the plane and anxious to buy if it checked out. They found the plane in not too bad of shape but the logbooks were a mess. They walked away.]

One of the airplanes we bought for the company I used to work at was a Cessna 206 Turbo with a factory hole in it that was sold new to the South Korean government. It was crated and shipped to them and wings and tail put back on, and flew for several years. It was taken apart, and shipped to Belize and the hole in the floor was covered with plug, and seat installed. It was used to transport tourists around for several years. It was sold and flown to Honduras and finally we made an offer on it. We told them if the log books were all done right, and the airplane passed our local mechanics approval we would transfer the full purchase as soon as the mechanic said it a go.

For some reason none of the local pilots wanted to go to Honduras and and fly across 1,500 miles of jungle and the Gulf of Mexico to get the airplane up here. They found a transport pilot and he flew it up to Oklahoma City, and it passed the inspection, and the logs were not perfect, but good enough. The deal was done, and that 206 is still in regular use in Baton Rouge, LA.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I love the idea of owning a plane but my finances do not. Kids college is more important so maybe down the road...

I flight instructed and flew commercially years ago. I’ve done very little flying since. I do miss it; I love aviation and always will but it’s ultimately a rich guy’s game. The only real way to do it is on someone else’s dime (unless you enjoy lighting $100 bills on fire for fun or have extraordinarily deep pockets).

Annuals are painful... an AD could pop up at any time (or never) and be anywhere from minor to tens of thousands of dollars. Most people get lucky, some don’t.

Make sure you get ADSB compliant. That’s at least a few grand if it’s not already addressed on top of everything else.

[GH85Carrera]

We only have an airplane because of the business. Our 182 has the G-1000 glass cockpit. We had to add on ADS-B last year and that was a 10 grand bill at the radio shop. We only start the engine if we have a customer project to fly or during the annual or other maintenance like an oil change. We did buy a nicer airplane that we had to have, but like buying car or airplane, a nice example properly maintained will hold value or go up in value. I suspect we could sell our 182 for a profit right now. Not interested is selling. Business is great and the customers want new flights, so we will keep selling them new images.