I am quite sure some private pilots would like to own their very own planes, if they can afford them, that is. Many of us do not fly often enough to have the need to have our own airplanes. The more you fly the cheaper the hourly cost of owing a plane is because although avgas, oil and wear & tear parts constitute running costs which vary with flying hours; there are the fixed costs such as capital depreciation, lease charges, insurance premium, aircraft annual inspection, fixed schedule replacement items and aircraft checks that are still needed to be done even if the plane sits in the hangar not being flown.
Pilots who can afford their own planes, however, have the luxury of calling the planes their own. It's the pride of ownership that matters. And it's true that they feel a certain sense of freedom if and when they want to use the plane, they can. Some have farm strips or live close to a airfield and so having their own planes completely justify their desire of convenience, freedom and transport. Some lease back their aircraft to an aero club so that they can try to recover some fixed costs. That's a smart way of doing it. Friends and associates often gather their resources and share the ownership of planes. That way the planes get used more often and their hourly cost is reduced for the group members.
There have been a lot of discussions and details within the pilot fraternity on what type of planes to buy: low wing, high wing, single engine, multi engine, GA, kit built, light sport, new, used, microlight vs conventional, tail wheel vs tricycle, high performance complex plane vs low speed, aluminium vs carbon fiber, day VFR specs vs IFR equipment, two seats versus 4 seats, avgas vs mogas .... and the list goes on and on. I think at the end of the day if someone wants to buy a plane it will come down to a decision based on affordability and the mission or purpose for using that type of plane.
This subject is fascinating to me personally because although I am not a high hour usage pilot I wish I have my own plane. It's a male thing I suppose, a bit like a toy that you want, rather than you need. More than that I wish I have in me the inert ability to build one myself from a kit. I am sure a lot of pilots have researched the net to find information on building a plane from a kit or have pilot friends who have completed such a project. And I have done all that research and to tell you the truth I truly enjoy the time I spent browsing and imagining myself getting involved in the airplane building process. And I admire those who have built their own planes and there are many out there. They seem to enjoy the process and feel terribly proud of their achievement. So they should.
On the other hand I know I don't want to spend 1000-1500 hours or more building a plane. I want to fly it, not so much "getting stuck" building it. Maybe if I am more of a hands on type of person I would feel completely relaxed about starting an aircraft building project. On balance, if and when I can afford it, I think buying a used GA plane would be a better option for me.....
In my research I think the following two-weeks-to-taxi program would be a positive alternative to buying a used GA plane. Two weeks To Taxi details how a person can build his Glasair Sportsman 2+2 or a Vans RV-7/RV-10 in two weeks.
Glasair Sportsman 2+2
Vans RV-10
This is a fantastic program for someone like me who is less confident about being able to build and complete a plane from a quick built kit but yet be almost certain that a plane can be built in two weeks. And a Sportsman 2+2 is still a respectable performance aircraft with a TAS of 134 kts at 65% cruise power! Not to mention an RV10 with a TAS of 160 kts plus! But, and it's a big BUT; it would still cost $200,000 + and that's the big killer. Anyway if you are interested please browse this site and also the following sites.
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