Re: Light-Sport Aircraft Yahoo group LSA for rent without renters, or renters...

My $600 insurance is non-commercial.  It includes me and a limited rental clause for a buddy of mine who rents my plane from me.  (That actually makes the policy more expensive than what it would be otherwise).  I also have my plane insured for $40K which is more than what its worth but would allow me to replace it and its avionics if needed. (I need IFR capability.)

Cessna's are just dirt cheap to own and operate.  They have a great safety history so can be insured by anyone cheaply.  Cessna is the only GA company that suppotrs all of its planes back into the 1950s with parts.  You might pay for a part for a 1956 C172, but you can get it - and in a reasonable amount of time and without paying overseas shipping.  (I'm on year 2 of trying to get an engine mount for a Sky Arrow in our fleet from Italy.)  Cessnas, especially the older ones, are also built like tanks and tend to hold up better in a flight school environment than an LSA.

I presume that the article in Aviation Consumer this month that compared the operating costs of a C150 vs. a Remos at a flight school spurred this argument.  If anyone hasn't seen it, it's worth a read.

I love sport pilot and personally think that its the rating every pilot should start with but there's a lot to be said for those looking to eventually own a budget plane and for flight school looking for an affordable trainer when it comes to buying a used Cessna.

Helen

On 4/20/2012 4:29 AM, pwrsport@ix.netcom.com wrote:

Looks like you are right then Helen.  I'm spoiled rotten I guess.   Attached what I currently fly.  The ancient Cessna trainers around here look like they have been through WW2 when you get up close and personal and always in the shop hangar across from me.  The Light Sport craft here are light years ahead and attract the want-to-be pilots.  What kind of insurance do you get for six-hundred bucks? 

Ed

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Helen Woods
Sent: Apr 19, 2012 4:24 PM
To: Sport_Aircraft@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: Light-Sport Aircraft Yahoo group LSA for rent without renters, or renters...

 

Ed, I don't think you've been pricing planes lately.  I'd be lucky to get $30K if I tried to sell my C172 in today's market and she's full IFR with Gramin 530.  $20K is very reasonable today for a C150.  Insurance is also dirst cheap for such.  I'm paying in the neighborhood of $600/yr for my C172 and parts are a heck of a lot easy to get from Cessna than from any LSA manufacturer I've ever dealt with.  I'm probably a bigger sport pilot proponent than anyone but on the aircraft price argument, an older Cessna does beat a new LSA hands down.

Helen

On 4/19/2012 5:07 PM, pwrsport@ix.netcom.com wrote:

Sounds like an over simplification to me.  A 20k 150 can become maintenance nightmare especially in a training environment.  I don't believe I would even get in a 20K 150 flying contraption? Then the additional inspections required, training insurance etc.  Not for this guy.  Five additional hours for a PP I believe is another oversimplification.  The flight time will be way in excess of that based on all national averages to cover all the additional training requirements.  Sport pilots can fly anywhere they want in the national airspace, just not at night.  Works for me.

Ed 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Bair
Sent: Apr 19, 2012 9:51 AM
To: Sport_Aircraft@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: Light-Sport Aircraft Yahoo group LSA for rent without renters, or renters...

 

My son bought an IFR equipped 150 for under $20k.  He plans on getting an instrument rating in it and instructing in it.  There is no way he could have paid 80 and up for a plane.  ROI, yes, much better. 

 

The license itself... I totally recommend to students that if they can get a medical, they are much better off with a PP over a SP if they have any idea of eventually upgrading.  Way more options on where and what they can fly.  I have had guys come back to me later wanting to upgrade to PP so they can fly at night, or fly a C-172 and haul 4 people, etc.  I always tell people that if they are absolutely sure that they will be happy flying within the limits of SP that it is a good way to go, but if they think they might want more in the future, they will have to study again for another written, more dual, and pay for another checkride.  There is only 5 more hours of dual time required for a PP anyway.   Don't get me wrong, it is a real license, it just has limitations.  If you don't mind those limitations, then no problem. 

 

I really haven't been following the used LSA market.  I'm sure some are out there now.  What are they bringing on the used market? 

 

Jim

 

From: ron_d_hill

Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2012 5:18 PM

To: Sport_Aircraft@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: Light-Sport Aircraft Yahoo group LSA for rent without renters, or renters...

 

 

Well, one simple thing is a 150 can be bought for 20k and the current crop of LSA's are 80-100k.

If I were looking to buy an aircraft and get ROI.... ROI is going to be better on the Cessna 150.

Another issue with sport pilot is it is not seen as a 'real' license. The CFI's don't see it that way, the industry does not see it that way, the FAA sorta does not see it that way, and most pilots do not see it that way.