My wife is a pilot I'm just a bystander with a WALLET

[Polar Khan]

Hey guys sorry I am not even sure if I am in the right part of the forum. Well here is the story. My wife is a pilot(recreational pilot) for about 5-6yrs & now she wants us to buy an airplane. Well the deal is I am the one making the money that she spends. Well for the last few months she is trying to convince me into buying a NEW airplane. First of all I know *****all about them since I am a corp lawyer. Anyhow the question is:

Better buy NEW rather than USED?
My WALLET price range is about 200k USD plus minus a few
SHE wants to go into the high end?!? 300k PLUS

I mean I don't know if it's lot's for an airplane or not but she dosen't work only I do. We have a house to pay off & a 18yrs old going to University pretty soon.

I looked around on the web there are planes that are NEW in the range od 200k but she wants a Cessna Stationair(350K on the cessna website) I haven't called anyone to see if I can get one actually cheaper but can you guys tell me a bit NEW or USED?

What I can get in 200K range similar(well a 4 seater minimum).

PS: Not to sound dumb. But do those Cessna/Tiger & others thake in Regular fuel like cars do OR is it some special mix? Like Commercial Airplanes.

[pilotwolf]

Is your 18 year old male or female?!

Cos I ve got my eye on a new machine and could use a father in law like you!

PW

[Monocock]

Polar

I am about to go to bed but will part with one piece of advice.....

Private A/C do not devalue like nost of your everyday assets. Invest and enjoy. You will not regret!!!

[MLS-12D]

Private A/C do not devalue like most of your everyday assets. Invest and enjoy. You will not regret!!!That is not entirely true: a new aircraft will depreciate quite rapidly. However, it is quite correct that a new airplane will not depreciate as much as a car, and that small aircraft, if reasonably maintained, essentially last forever.

While a used airplane tends to hold and even increase its value, the increase is largely illusory because it ignores the impact of inflation. Additionally, the owner will have to pay for maintenance, insurance and hangerage (plus gas, oil and engine reserve if he or she actually wishes to fly the 'plane). Then too, there is the opportunity cost of tying up the money; US$200-300,000 could be invested in stocks, bonds, real estate, etc., and the potential returns might well exceed the increase in value of the airplane.

I guess the point that I am trying to make is that owning an airplane is almost never a prudent decision, based purely upon the economics. One does not purchase a private aircraft as an investment, but rather for the intangible benefits (convenience, pride of ownership, etc.). It's sort of like buying high quality art: a more volatile and high-maintenance investment than e.g. the stock market, but who wants to decorate their home with share certificates?

Personally, I suspect that this thread is a wind-up, as few weekend pilots would choose a C-206 for their first airplane.:p

[Cusco]

Don't think about buying anything till you've read the GA journals for 6 months.

Then reflect on what Mrs Polar will be up to while you're working your nuts off educating the kid.

Sooo. get the PPL yourself before you cough up for Mrs P's indulgence.

If she's not happy with that tell her go get a job.

:ok: