For those fortunate enough to have their sights set on fun local flying alone or with one passenger, an entry-level type might be the perfect long-term solution. But for those with visions of long-distance travel or specialized flying, a careful approach to ownership becomes necessary.
THE NEW OWNER Is It Better to Buy Your Last Airplane First? There’s a lot to debate when it comes to buying an airplane for the first time.
by Jason McDowell
B ack when I was going to school and working on my private certificate and instrument raiting, I worked at bike shops to earn money. It was a rewarding job. I got to introduce people to cycling, help them to deter- mine which niche best suited them, educate them on it, and then catch up with them when they returned for accessories or service. One of the most difficult decisions for the vast ma- jority of newcomers was determining whether to test the waters or take the plunge. In other words, whether to buy a less expensive “be- ginner’s” bike to evaluate the sport and see if they fall in love with it or skip a step and buy the more capable setup and more permanent solution right off the bat. Fast forward a couple of decades, and readers regularly ask me for the same ad- vice regarding airplanes. Commonly, prospective buyers initially debate whether to start out with something less expensive and less capable or make a more signif- icant investment, possibly taking a couple of years to save additional money, and buy a type they anticipate will fit their needs perfectly and for the long term. It’s rarely a cut-and-dried solution. Having bought my airplane only two short years ago, I can identify with the con- cerns these owners-to-be describe. Starting out, many of us struggle to accurately
define our mission since we’ve never really had one. As renters, one of the primary missions on most flights is to return the airplane in time so the next renter can use it. Thoroughly evaluating things like long-distance travel, long-term ownership, and off-airport capability was often not practicable or even permitted, given the scheduling and insurance restrictions inherent in rental fleets. As first-time owners, we want something easy to own. One with few pitfalls that could unexpectedly bankrupt us or ground the airplane. But at the same time, we don’t want a “disposable” airplane that we’ll be trying to sell in the first few years to fund the purchase of a more capable machine. So, which option is the best way to go? Testing the waters or diving in headfirst? Let’s explore each option. Testing The Waters Of Ownership With A Simple, Inexpensive Airplane Initially, it might seem as though the basic, bare-bones two-seat option would be an inherently better value. But it’s a double-edged sword. On one hand, most “be- ginner” airplanes like Aeroncas, Ercoupes, and the like are indeed less expensive to purchase. It’s not uncommon (though admittedly becoming less common) to find examples in the mid $20,000 range. But a low purchase price doesn’t necessarily make an airplane a good value. If an owner begins to outgrow such an airplane after only a year or two of owner-
4 Aircraft For Sale | July 2024
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