"Almost nothing flying today would fall into private hands.."
Would you have predicted forty years ago an Avro Vulcan nuclear bomber operated by a band of enthusiasts? There are scores of high performance jets in private hands; dozens of MiGs including at least one MiG29 on the display circuit, numerous Hunters, A4s and a Harrier plus of course the F4 mentioned above. Until recently you could have a joyride in a Lightning or Buccaneer. By contrast a typhoon or F18, for instance, is no harder to maintain or fly than the aforementioned. Is it really so unlikely?