I'm looking to buy my first plane and I can use some advice/sparring partner.
My main mission is fun flying, $100 burgers, day trips in the weekend, etc. Because we have 2 big dogs and busy jobs we'll probably not use it for long cross country vacations across Europe (at most once a year for 1 to 3 weeks if/when we find a home for the dogs).
I'm a low hour PPL holder with experience on the Cessna 150/152/172. In most cases 2 seats will be fine as we don't have kids (yet). Four seats would be nice of course but it makes things much more expensive.
I also want to be able to rent it out to others (friends or perhaps the local flying club). Not to earn a living of it, but to share the fixed costs a bit. That means no experimentals but EASA certified planes only. I also don't have time to do all maintenance myself so I'm happy with paying someone else to do it.
I've considered shared ownership but when things don't work out in the group (I've heard some horror stories) I want to be in control and veto people from using my plane. Call me bossy but I like to be in control
So the first planes that come to mind are the ones I've trained in: 150/152/172. I also know a Robin ATL that's for sale. My home field is a bit short (630m) so I need to be comfortable using it there. Low wing planes usually need more runway than high wings, so I haven't looked at most low wing competitors (Piper etc). I did a test flight in a Tecnam p2002 but found the cockpit too small (not enough headroom, I bumped my head on the canopy a few times).
From a financial perspective I don't want too big an investment. So no 100k euro for a new CS-LSA. The cost of capital investment (5% interest and deprecation) will buy me a lot of fuel and maintenance for an older plane. And if I can happily afford flying, I'll be flying it more often instead of only paying the fixed costs.
For fixed costs I calculated the following per year:
- hangar: 4k (actual cost at home field 5 minutes drive away)
- insurance: 1k to 3k
- maintenance: 2k to 5k
So that's between 7k and 12k per year, depending on the type of plane.
Hourly I budget the following:
- fuel: mogas at 2 euro/liter (between 13 liter for Robin ATL and 36 liter for 172)
- engine fund: 10 euro
- other maintenance/tires/oil/etc: 10 euro
The Robin would be the most economical, followed by the 150/152. The reason I also consider the 172 is because I find it more comfortable than a 150/152 and I think it's easier to rent it out (much more all round capabilities, everybody can fly it) so my fixed costs will be compensated more, leaving me with a much more capable aircraft for only a higher hourly cost. On the other hand the initial investment is also higher. The Robin will be 10-15k, a decent 150/152 can be found for 20-30k, while a decent 172 starts at 40k.
The Cessna's can be maintained by everyone, while the Robin is a bit exclusive. Its JPX engine only has 1000 hours TBO compared to 2400 for a 152 and the JPX only has a single ignition... The range and speed of the Robin is also the lowest. You get what you pay for
BTW, does anyone know what a JPX overhaul costs?
I know I can easily afford the Robin. The 150/152 will also be no problem. The 172 is still doable but of course much more expensive. But when I want to tour for a day I'll be happy to have the speed, range and luxury of a 172.
So... these are my thoughts on the situation. I'm sure you can give me some good advice, or at least ask the questions I overlooked. Just writing this post has already helped me reflect on my own thoughts