Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Private Plane Owners

Anyone here a pilot or own a plane? Show er' off.

It's my dream to own a biplane someday and I was hoping for some inspiration.

Do models count?

heck Mel or olblue won a plane a while back IIRC

He won a Cub that has to be one of the nicest in Alaska....I just knew I was gonna win that!

only fair Brudda Bill, Mel swears he thought that pretty little thing would throw you to the wolves and marry him. (grin)

LOL...I do believe I got the better end of the deal.

Things well in your parts?

I'll dig up a pic of the FIL's Cub to hang on here....

things are good Bill, freezer full of moose, no sheep, weathered out,

boat is put away and just waiting for enough snow to break out the sleds


in the meantime I'm given a honey do list

so on second thought, it's hell on earth here. laffin


you connect on any good bucks?

No bucks yet, will be home tomorrow for three weeks of hunting with Brother Dave.

Did a moose hunt up your way with the FIL in September to fill his any bull tag. Was a good time and he managed to punch his tag in short order.

Sounds like getting weathered out for sheep season was a pretty common theme for lots of folks this year, betwixt the weather and the smoke.

Sorry for the hijack 1371!!

good for the FIL, was he good enough to let you help pack?

gotta be a nice combo for the freezer, blacktail steaks or moose steaks tonight?????


I rode on a plane once 1371

I'll shut up now and let the pilots talk

Not at all, that's what this place is here for.

Used to be (I guess technically still am, but no medical for years), and used to own.

I got my private license about 20 years ago, for kicks. Enjoyed the heck out of it, but got tired of writing rent checks, to fly a different beater with their various problems each time I went out. So I figured I had to buy my own!

I went out and found a deal on a used Warrior II. I was proud as could be and loved it. But then I realized that I was writing checks ALL THE TIME, whether I flew or not. Loan checks, insurance checks, hangar checks, checks for maintenance, setting aside money for the required overhaul, another one for an annual every year, on and on... Suddenly, renting starting looking more attractive again. I only had to pay when I flew, and in between, do whatever else I wanted to do with my money. So I decided to sell.

Right about then is when I met my wife. I reprioritized my life, and realized that flying was a VERY expensive hobby (and this was 15-20 years ago!). Those proverbial $50 cheeseburgers for the afternoon? You were lucky to get out that cheap!

So the plane went up for sale. After a few months, and a few lookers, I found a prospective buyer. We took it up for a spin, he liked it, ran to the bank for the check (he was pre-approved and all), I handed over the keys the next morning, and haven't been in the pilot's seat of anything since.

Some days I really miss it, and think about giving it another go, but then reality kicks back in...

Sorry for the downer of a post, but the reality of actually owning a plane is a lot more expense and headaches than a lot of guys initially realize.

As a pilot with 39 years experience, and having flown a wide variety of light aircraft as well as a few heavies, I can only pass along the wisdom of one Bud Beamon, a retired flight engineer and former crewmate of mine: If it floats, f$$$s or flies, rent it.

I never wanted to own an airplane even though I could have afforded one for a while there. Of course, I don't live in Alaska, where everyone is a pilot of some sort, and needs to be, if one wants to get around the place. The airport van driver at the Regal Alaskan Hotel (now something else) where we usedto layover owned a Cessna 180.

Like ColdBore, I haven't flown in years. Did more than I wanted to when the AF was paying for it. Did a bit more than I could afford when I was; and then two daughters started growing up and ...

Well, it's been 32 years now. It is something over a hundred bucks an hour now to rent one. I doubt if I'll be doing it any time soon.

Wittman Tailwind built by my son and I. 180 MPH cruise, 200 full throttle.

Been flying professionally for over 34 years now. At one point I owned 14 airplanes and 3 helicopters. 9/11 did me in business wise. That being said, airplanes like boats are money pits. I will not even get in to helicopters. A clean 172 would be what I would look at for an airplane fairly reasonable to buy, fly, hanger or tie down and to insure. Biplanes or any fabric cover airplane will need extra care, I would not have one unless I could hanger it. And hanger rent can get costly, here where I am a small hanger will set you back a good 400 a month maybe more. Homebuilts are fine if you are a bit of a skilled craftsman or have friends that are, those will end up costing you in both time and money in the end. My first airplane I bought back in 1976 was a Piper Warrior, paid an outrageous amount of money for it, 26K brand new, the same airplae or just about the same airplane will set you back about 250K, yea the radio maybe a little better than the single KX170B my first had but you get dam little for the quarter million you will pay. I would also look at the LSA's Light Sport Aircraft, and the new Sport Pilot Certification. Operating costs are not going to go down, and if you don't fly 200 or so hours a year, renting an airplane is best money wise, and you are never tied down. There is a lot of airplanes for sale right now, and you may even find a good to excellent deal if you look hard enough. I personally would never own an airplane or helicopter unless I had work for it, just to much money going out the door. But there is also merit to having one, and nobody flies it but you. The real question for you to ask, is what do I really want to do and what aircraft will be the best one for that purpose.

Pilot yes. Professional (or I pretend to be when Standards is around). Since one of my friends ground looped his Avid Flyer with my wife aboard, and she refuses to get on a small airplane ever again, the reason for owning/building has diminished. I was going to build a ZenAir 801, but there's no reason to do so now. Maybe when I retire and no longer fly for a living I'll reconsider. I still like Sun 'n Fun and Oshkosh though.

I'm a private pilot and used to own a 7Ac.If this thread last long enough,will try to post a picture or two.It's one of the things that had to go when the boys started college.It was lots of fun to go out right before dark and fly the river looking at deer.The only time my wife ever really said a dirty word was when I came home and told here I needed a check for $9000 because I bought an airplane.Took a while,but she got over it.Ha Ha Lightman

if i could choose any airplane it would be the caravan amphib...

if i ever buy a plane it'll probly be this one...

A-24

I know Bud Beamon, I grew up with him and his kids. My father is Al Jenkins. They were good friends. Patti

Piper Commanche here.
Owned it for several years, but the C/S prop and retractable gear ate me alive, so I sold it. Annuals were mega bucks.