The Cost of Aircraft

[BurnieM]

2 hours ago, F10 said:

Yes the price of sport aircraft have gone beyond any kind of recognition. Basically not far off what Cessnas and Pipers cost in their day. Won't even mention todays prices for Cessnas and Warriors. Sadly kit costs really aren't much of a saving. If a kit costs you 60K, you can easily double that, by the time you have paid for avionics and an engine. Not to mention build time. As far as Jabiru is concerned, if you look at the cost of a brand new fly away 230D, at just under $200 000, with a descent avionics pack, 120Kt TAS cruise, 5 hours safe endurance and it really is a package hard to beat for that price. 

 

The often affordable alternative, is the second hand market where if you look and are patient, good deals are to be had. you can pick up a very tidy 172, for around $70 000 $100 000.....Some very tidy 170/40's (taildraggers) and C150/2's for $40 000 to u$60 000. These will fall into the new RA Aus Class G weight limit.  Pity the 172 falls just outside the new RA Aus weight limit, so that means you will need a PPL as minimum. RA Aus is great, in that maintenance costs are significantly reduced, if you get your L1. My aircraft partner and I picked up our Gazelle for a song. We showered it with TLC, got all the required servicing done, and ended up with a very tidy weekender, for $20 000. You would be surprised with a little work, an aircraft will clean up very nicely. So good deals are there, if you do a bit of digging.

 

Another factor is hangarage and those other hidden costs. Hangarage is a must for most RA Aus lighties. They will fall apart, kept outside, so that is a factor. I have seen a Jab 230, which had been hiding in a hangar with a thick coat of dust, but was almost brand new. However, it would have required a major service and possibly an engine change, due very low use....I guess the owner wanted new aircraft money for it, I don't know. But it has now been parked outside, for over a year...slowly falling apart. It breaks your heart.

 

I would be surprised if you could find even a 50 year old Cessna 172 for under $250,000.

 

You can fly a 172 on a RPL and basic 5 med.

 

Both Casa registered and RAAus group G require LAME maintenance so no saving being group G.

[Kyle Communications]

If you build your own for Group G like I am doing then its no different to experimental rules from what it will look like. I dont have to have a LAME..but if you bring into Group G a already existing aircraft and you are not the builder then its a different matter

 

[BrendAn]

20 hours ago, spacesailor said:

An older but well maintained Jabiru on " Pickles Milperra ",  1995 553J LSA model. 

Nice looking two seater . It ends Monday 

But nowhere for me to park it ,

spacesailor

 

good luck to them selling that with the $25000 reserve. thats 5 to 10k more than the planes value plus the 16.5 % pickles tax.

[Kenlsa]

4 hours ago, BurnieM said:

 

I would be surprised if you could find even a 50 year old Cessna 172 for under $250,000.

 

You can fly a 172 on a RPL and basic 5 med.

 

Both Casa registered and RAAus group G require LAME maintenance so no saving being group G.

Plenty of 172 and even a 170 for $80 to $120k around.

 

Our club has many RaOz aircraft and very few of the owners do their own maintenance with either the local L2 or the local LAME doing it for them.

 

 I have always done my own maintenance but having just sold my Jab and now finishing off my Colt I have had to work with a LAME.  He has allowed me to do most of the work and he signs off on it. As a bonus he charges RaOz rates as I am putting it on the recreational register.

 

So my project is going to cost a fraction of a recreational kit.

 

 I see Tommies and the like are going for 30 to 50k.

 

when I bought my Colt there were 3 all under $20k

 

while maintaining them may be expensive there is no way you are going to spend the savings of $100 to $150k compared to a new kit build.  Even accounting for extra fuel cost.

 

look around, find a suitable 760kg plane, and use the savings to maintain it.

 

Get friendly with your local LAME, you may just get a good servicing deal.

Ken

 

PS it's a pity the Gazelle isn’t made any more.

[Kenlsa]

Re my above post there is a Grumman for group G for $65k on Plane Sales.

[BrendAn]

51 minutes ago, Kenlsa said:

Re my above post there is a Grumman for group G for $65k on Plane Sales.

That is a very tidy machine.

[Thruster88]

There is still very good value aircraft to be had. Last week my mate and I flew north in the RV6A to SE QLD. He is now the happy owner of an RV4 which I believe was built by rec flyers very own Yenn. Visited my old thruster flying mate who retired near Caloundra for a few nights. Flew home solo and happy.  

[Bruce Tuncks]

A similar thing has happened with gliders, and I blame the CONSUMERS. When I was young and silly, Harry Schnieder used to import 15m gliders by the container-load.

They would sell for maybe $15,000

Now it is one or 2 a year, self-launching super-ships, at about $300,000 .

What changed? the tastes of the buyers!

No longer is it acceptable to"land out" as it used to be.

[turboplanner]

On 30/05/2024 at 4:24 PM, Kenlsa said:

Re my above post there is a Grumman for group G for $65k on Plane Sales.

Depends on the moedel, some are not user-friendly