Topic Deleted By OP

[SportPilot]

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[Merlinspop]

Never mind...got what I need.

Congratulations!

[designrs]

If it makes you happy...

[FastEddieB]

Yay!

Does that mean you're close to pulling the trigger?

[SportPilot]

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[Merlinspop]

Unfortunately, no. I just reconfirmed that I'm better off renting. The only way I can purchase is to raise my flying budget from $500 to $700 per month (or more) and I'm not quite ready to do that. The good news is the longer I wait, the more they depreciate. I have 5 LSA available to rent, so availability has not yet become a problem. From a financial standpoint, it's a smarter decision to rent unless something changes to force my hand.

It's very hard to argue with that, for sure. Availability for you is outstanding. Let someone else worry about maintenance and all the other minutia that renters don't have to deal with. I wish someone closer than 1.5hr away from me would put a few LSAs 'on the line'.

[SportPilot]

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[SportPilot]

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[designrs]

I had a very good LSA rental fleet available to me, with good maintence, but I sure did have to drive for it. 3 hours, but I'd often do multi-day flying visits. My goal was always to own my own plane. Sure it costs more, is a big commitment, and adds responsibilities including maintence... unscheduled little idiosyncrasies being the worst!

The best part of ownership for me, beside logistics, is knowing everything about the aircraft... maintence, less-than-perfect landings, or whatever. It's nice to know about everything that happens with the plane on every flight. Personally, that would easily be worth a few bucks more a month.

[SportPilot]

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[dstclair]

Not trying to nitpick too much but doesn't the model (attached above) ignore the value of the C162 when you're done flying? It won't effect the cash flow but does add back value that could be netted against the hourly cost. For example, if the original value is $70K and you plan on 10 years of flying and guess the final value will be $35K, then you get back $3.5K/year (or $70/hr if you fly 50 hrs/yr).

[SportPilot]

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[Jack Tyler]

"I've always said that if your flying budget is not $1,000 per month, you're better off to rent, financially that is."

I think that's the key concept that gets missed too often in most 'ownership' discussions - i.e. this is a financial conclusion. For those who are newer here, Sport Pilot has posted a variety of analyses here in the past, weighing the pro's and con's (primarily from a financial perspective) regarding ownership. They've offered instructive reading, I've thought, and placed some discipline around the consideration of renting vs. buying

And let's remember: human flight is usually made possible first by one's bank account, not the lift-drag-thrust-weight model. Still, when the issue of ownership is framed principally or solely in financial terms, it misses some of the best aspects of ownership as I've experienced them. The weather and my own schedule alone shape when and how I fly, not a third-party maintenance or rental schedule. How far I go and how long I stay are my choices rather than those of a rental contract, which in turn encourages me to use the plane more and attempt more challenging trips. (And BTW this was also true when I changed our sole ownership of a prior plane into a 4-way partnership. Co-ownership remains in my mind one of the best ways to own inexpensively, tho' the challenge of course is finding and picking the right partners). I also have learned far more about the plane I'm flying through ownership, and I've been able to equip it to suit my missions and pocketbook. My plane is always clean, vacuumed and shiny, something I appreciate and enjoy taking pride in. (Well, almost always. Right now it's a mess after the 1700 mile flight I finished Sunday). And there's more.

BUT my circumstances are somewhat unique to me. I fly to unimproved airstrips on occasion, need the plane available on opposite ends of the country for extended periods, and occasionally have impromptu flights pop up to make a presentation or take advantage of an unanticipated father/son currency flight. Those are probably all pretty atypical needs for most Sport Pilots flying LSA aircraft making local or in-state flights. I feel very fortunate that, shortly after getting my own license, my son and wife were both in line to take flight instruction. This made ownership a more practical choice for our family, but other benefits have extended well beyond that period in our lives.

[Flocker]

Good news. Just received an email that my FBO lowered their rental rates by $10 per hour.

I got the same e-mail. It is great news!

[SportPilot]

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