Vintage Aircraft - A Viable Investment?

[V2-OMG!]

I was talking to someone who purchased a DH-Beaver in the late 1990s for $90,000, U.S., did a bit of work on it, flew it for fun and did some chartering/cargo hauling on the side. In 2008, he sold it for $275,000 U.S.

Not a bad profit! He also told me what the plane earned him in chartering/hauling cargo paid his fuel and hangar tab.

So....what do you think about investing in vintage aircraft? Any experiences, advice or opinions?

[Background Noise]

If you want to make a small fortune in aviation ..........






....... start with a large one.

[AN2 Driver]

Not only valid for vintage aircraft, but right now, there are lots of airplanes sold WAY under value. With the current economic depression, those who have the money to invest in one of these may well find themselves with a nice profit one day, once the prices will go up again. And they will.

To be considered of course is the cost of upkeep, maintenance, hangar e.t.c. for the time.

I was looking around for more than 5 years to buy something nice to fly with but I am glad I waited. It's a buyer's market now if it's ever been.

Best regards

AN2 driver

[India Four Two]

I don't think the Beaver is representative of the vintage market. It is one of only two aircraft I can think of that is still in commercial service and therefore in demand, more than 60 years after its first flight. The other is the An-2.

[tinpis]

Years ago with me Dad I regularly drove past row upon row of Corsairs and P-40's parked in a field
"Buy one Dad!"
Nah, the old fella never did, and I'm still poor.

Home At Last

[mr fish]

relating to the last post,
how true are the stories of B24's, B17's etc being flown straight from the factory to be scrapped after the war??

i read about this practice a few years back, but it still seems incredible