Buying an aircraft is the logical next step after achieving your Pilot's license, and for many of our flyers, it was the mission all along.
We have had to sit idly while some of our students made classic purchase mistakes, such as buying too much airplane, getting involved with unscrupulous dealers, and not realizing the true cost of aircraft ownership. We hate to see planes on the ramp unloved, and we especially hate to see students unhappy with their set of wings.
Presented here is, in our experience, the "short list" of planes that new students should be considering as a first airplane. Each of these planes represent a good value for the dollar, provide good performance for the mission, and are easy to insure, maintain, and sell when the time comes. Don't just take our word for it, however - check out the infinite volume of articles on this topic, including:
Google Groups: "buying first airplane"
AvWeb Articles
Aircraft Shopper Online
Controller Online Classifieds
The "Aviation Consumers Guide to Used Aircraft" (in our lending library)
Ask Mike, he will bore you stiff with plane buying knowledge... perhaps curing your fever forever! :)
We have had to sit idly while some of our students made classic purchase mistakes, such as buying too much airplane, getting involved with unscrupulous dealers, and not realizing the true cost of aircraft ownership. We hate to see planes on the ramp unloved, and we especially hate to see students unhappy with their set of wings.
Presented here is, in our experience, the "short list" of planes that new students should be considering as a first airplane. Each of these planes represent a good value for the dollar, provide good performance for the mission, and are easy to insure, maintain, and sell when the time comes. Don't just take our word for it, however - check out the infinite volume of articles on this topic, including:
Google Groups: "buying first airplane"
AvWeb Articles
Aircraft Shopper Online
Controller Online Classifieds
The "Aviation Consumers Guide to Used Aircraft" (in our lending library)
Ask Mike, he will bore you stiff with plane buying knowledge... perhaps curing your fever forever! :)
All "payloads" below are listed with 3 hours of absolute fuel range. Numbers are annualized and approximate.
For inexpensive flying, the Cessna 150 series have been the de-facto since the 50s. Cheap to acquire, cheap to maintain, with simple systems and plentiful parts. If you can feel comfortable in a C150, it is worth considering as a personal 115mph runabout.
| Value: | $15,000 - $30,000 |
| Insurance: | $1,100 |
| Fuel (6 gph x 100 hours x $3.50/gal): | $2,100 |
| Tiedown: | $600 |
| Engine Maintenance: | $600 |
| Annual Maintenance: | $1,500 |
| Hourly @ 100 hours/yr: | $59/hr |
Beech is, without a doubt, the Lexus of the sky. Built like tanks, a Beechcraft is usually light on the controls, and light on maintenance -- frequency, not cost. We love the little skipper, even though there are not too many of them flying, and still believe they are a great alternative to the C150/152. Do not confuse these with the Piper Tomahawk, which has earned its shabby reputation. The Skipper is the real deal, and worth considering for your 2-place runabout needs.
| Value: | $20,000 - $35,000 |
| Insurance: | $1,200 |
| Fuel (6 gph x 100 hours x $3.50/gal): | $2,100 |
| Tiedown: | $600 |
| Engine Maintenance: | $600 |
| Annual Maintenance: | $1,500 |
| Hourly @ 100 hours/yr: | $60/hr |
Want a 2-seater made after 1985? This is it, the Diamond 20. Sporting a fuel-injected engine, and all-composite construction, this slippery motorglider can get a move on. All-composite construction means a DA20 is NOT APPROVED FOR IFR FLIGHT, but for playing when it's nice out, this is a hard one to beat. We recommend the "C1" Continental-engined Katanas over the higher-maintenance "A1" Rotax planes.
| Value: | $80,000 - $135,000 |
| Insurance: | $2,500 |
| Fuel (6 gph x 100 hours x $3.50/gal): | $2,100 |
| Tiedown: | $600 |
| Engine Maintenance: | $600 |
| Annual Maintenance: | $1,800 |
| Hourly @ 100 hours/yr: | $70/hr |
A popular first plane for their low acquisition costs and low-wing design, the Piper is Cessna's rival for low-cost flight. Sporting as much rear legroom as a Corvette (read: none), this is not a good pick for tall pilots who want to fill the seats. Docile handling and easy maintenance make the Piper line an easy first plane.
| Value: | $30,000 - $65,000 |
| Insurance: | $1,300 |
| Fuel (8 gph x 100 hours x $3.50/gal): | $2,800 |
| Tiedown: | $600 |
| Engine Maintenance: | $800 |
| Annual Maintenance: | $2,000 |
| Hourly @ 100 hours/yr: | $75/hr |
The most popular aircraft, of any kind, EVER made. And for good reason - with nearly 40,000 examples built in the last 50 years, the Skyhawk is the most docile, forgiving, and pleasant aircraft to fly, ever. While a 2007 Example will set you back $269,000 (and we can arrange a demo for you, inquire), you can find bargains dating all the way back to the first square-tails from the 50s, starting at around $30,000. We typically recommend the L, M, and P models from the 70s and 80s, and pricing is quoted for same.
| Value: | $40,000 - $65,000 |
| Insurance: | $1,500 |
| Fuel (8 gph x 100 hours x $3.50/gal): | $2,800 |
| Tiedown: | $600 |
| Engine Maintenance: | $800 |
| Annual Maintenance: | $2,000 |
| Hourly @ 100 hours/yr: | $77/hr |
Beech's 4-seat trainer-class planes never really took off, presumably because of their low speed, but what you get for this is a giant cabin, and the beech brick-like build quality. As a bonus, this is the ONLY common low-wing aircraft with two doors!! Sundowners just don't break very often. If you want something akin to your buick, where it's ready when you are, or if you'd like some additional shoulder, head, or seat room for you and your passengers, this is a great choice if you're not in a hurry.
| Value: | $35,000 - $50,000 |
| Insurance: | $1,200 |
| Fuel (10 gph x 100 hours x $3.50/gal): | $3,500 |
| Tiedown: | $600 |
| Engine Maintenance: | $800 |
| Annual Maintenance: | $1,700 |
| Hourly @ 100 hours/yr: | $78/hr |
The most beautiful Cessna single, in our opinion, with a sportscar-like windshield, strutless NACA wing, and a livingroom of interior space, the Cardinal is a great flier. Constant-speed prop and "floaty" tendency make this one a little more demanding, but the comfort and speed pay back dividends for what is still a darn simple aircraft.
| Value: | $60,000 - $90,000 |
| Insurance: | $1,700 |
| Fuel (10 gph x 100 hours x $3.50/gal): | $3,500 |
| Tiedown: | $600 |
| Engine Maintenance: | $800 |
| Annual Maintenance: | $2,300 |
| Hourly @ 100 hours/yr: | $89/hr |
The flying truck. The venerable Skylane is the logical next step from a 172, and places you in the high-performance, high-utility echelon of flying. With solid load and get-there-fast ability, this is the aircraft that a lot of owners come back to time and time again for the no-hassle flying they crave.
| Value: | $65,000 - $95,000 |
| Insurance: | $2,300 |
| Fuel (14 gph x 100 hours x $3.50/gal): | $4,900 |
| Tiedown: | $600 |
| Engine Maintenance: | $1,100 |
| Annual Maintenance: | $2,300 |
| Hourly @ 100 hours/yr: | $112/hr |
How about a light, flickably fast and fighter-like mite of an airplane? The Grumman Yankee combines solid, reliable systems into a spry flyer that handles like nothing else. Fast approach speeds and castering nosewheel steering make this a little more demanding than a C150 to fly, but quite a bit of fun.
| Value: | $20,000 - $35,000 |
| Insurance: | $1,300 |
| Fuel (6 gph x 100 hours x $3.50/gal): | $2,100 |
| Tiedown: | $600 |
| Engine Maintenance: | $600 |
| Annual Maintenance: | $1,500 |
| Hourly @ 100 hours/yr: | $61/hr |
How about a back seat in your light, flickably fast and fighter-like airplane? The Grumman Tiger is just as reliable and spry as the Yankee, but in a 4-seat configuration. Still more demanding than the average plane, with a higher than normal approach speed, a Tiger is a nice XC cruiser that won't break the bank.
| Value: | $50,000 - $70,000 |
| Insurance: | $1,600 |
| Fuel (10 gph x 100 hours x $3.50/gal): | $3,500 |
| Tiedown: | $600 |
| Engine Maintenance: | $800 |
| Annual Maintenance: | $2,500 |
| Hourly @ 100 hours/yr: | $80/hr |
Moving into the complex, retract aircraft, Mooney has consistently been the most efficient airplane available in the FAA-certified lineup. Simple, reliable systems are placed into a very snug cockpit to allow huge mileage and speed for a given fuel burn. Linebackers need not apply, but headroom is manageable in these little planes sized about like an MG. Snug engine compartments make this your mechanic's least favorite plane to work on. We like the M20C - M20G models for their simple systems.
| Value: | $40,000 - $75,000 |
| Insurance: | $2,500 |
| Fuel (10 gph x 100 hours x $3.50/gal): | $3,500 |
| Tiedown: | $600 |
| Engine Maintenance: | $800 |
| Annual Maintenance: | $2,600 |
| Hourly @ 100 hours/yr: | $100/hr |
The pilot's airplane. A Beech Bonanza is the pinnacle of light aircraft, and despite being consistently the most expensive kid on the block (2007 Bonanza G36's are nearly $800,000), it is staggering that Beech has turned in the 4th most popular plane of all time, with nearly 20,000 examples made. Trucklike build quality meets with a light, breezy control feel, and spacious comfort that will put passengers at ease. This plane has a number of complicated systems, but, once mastered, it is hard to imagine you outgrowing something this fleet and comfortable. We recommend the B33+ Debonairs and the J35+ V-tail Bonanzas.
| Value: | $60,000 - $120,000 |
| Insurance: | $3,500 |
| Fuel (14 gph x 100 hours x $3.50/gal): | $4,900 |
| Tiedown: | $600 |
| Engine Maintenance: | $1,000 |
| Annual Maintenance: | $3,000 |
| Hourly @ 100 hours/yr: | $130/hr |
Many pilots dream of this huge 6-place fixed gear single-engine airplane as their first, being able to haul a huge load and with simple systems, she is certain to please. With 300 horsepower on the nose (the most in this whole list), owners swiftly learn that the fuel bill is a daunting one, capable of cruising with a burn of 17-18 gph!. Overhauling that much engine is not cheap either, but aside from these items, the Cherokee Six is a truckasaurus that is sure to lift you, your friends, and everyone's golf clubs to the links with aplomb.
| Value: | $75,000 - $120,000 |
| Insurance: | $3,000 |
| Fuel (18 gph x 100 hours x $3.50/gal): | $6,300 |
| Tiedown: | $600 |
| Engine Maintenance: | $1,000 |
| Annual Maintenance: | $3,000 |
| Hourly @ 100 hours/yr: | $139/hr |
The high-wing 6-place Cessna, but quite a complicated beast. Pilots are quickly allured to the 210 for her speed and inexpensive acquisition cost, with many 1960's examples fetching as little as $50,000. Beware the cheap airplane, though, as those systems bite when neglected, and the 210 is capable of generating many unpleasant surprises. Once mastered, though, a quick and heavy monster and capable of meeting many missions, if you can afford to operate her. Prices listed here are for non-turbo variant. Turbo 210 is even more finicky, and not recommended for a first plane.
| Value: | $50,000 - $95,000 |
| Insurance: | $3,000 |
| Fuel (16 gph x 100 hours x $3.50/gal): | $5,400 |
| Tiedown: | $600 |
| Engine Maintenance: | $1,200 |
| Annual Maintenance: | $4,000 |
| Hourly @ 100 hours/yr: | $142/hr |
