I'm in the market for an airplane

Richman said:
Wood wing and fabric fuselage. A Viking in poor repair or that has been treated badly is financial disaster waiting for someone.

These birds absolutely have to be hangared.

As I said, there is a reason they are "cheap"...

Richman
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Depends on where it's going to be, too. In AZ, I wouldn't worry at all about keeping a plane on a tiedown if I had some wing covers for a fabric airplane, since UV beats the hell out of some of the coverings over years. As someone pointed out to me yesterday, with the costs of some hangars, you can use a tiedown and put new paint on it every 3-4 years for the same money.
 
Y'know, I failed to mention this, but you might consider looking at a Beech Musketeer. They're a little odd-looking compared to sleeker airplanes, but they're roomy. I flew one a few weeks ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. Feels and handles a bit like a truck, but in a good way, if that makes any sense.

I had lunch with the owner yesterday, as a matter of fact. He's had the plane a few years, has put about 350 or so hours on it. Never had an annual run him more than $1800 (including repairs.) He's got the 200hp Lycoming in it. Cruises at a decent clip, seems to be built like a tank and the fuel burn isn't awful.

They're not as pretty as some other airplanes, and thus they are well within your price range as far as I've been able to tell.
 
If this is your first airplane, you want something tube-and-fabric that's got an o235 in it. Pretty much bullet proof combination. I'd recommend a citabria, or a Pacer, or Tri-Pacer. It will be expensive, so if you can, get twice the cost of the airplane in the loan. Then just put that money in the bank and wait for stuff to break. Then, whenever something breaks, fix it with the money you've got there, then after a year or so, you'll have a decent airplane.
 
Citabrias are cool little planes. I'll be paying cash for whatever I get. I've thought that a Citabria would be extra cool since they seem to be well-suited to towing banners, and thus, well-suited to me voicing my opinion occasionally ;-)
 
Talk to Ffholbert (or something like that) here in these forums. He owns a Viking. Probably the most undervalued airplane on the market right now. Good cruise, you can stand a mountain on the wing, and they are cheap. I hear there are some AD's that can get costly, so make sure the AD's are up to date. But they are defiantly nice planes.

Edit: A good pre-buy is worth the money too. But only if you are serious about the airplane.
 
N99999 said:
I'd like to get something that will cost me under $50/hr and cruise at 140kts or more with a range, with reserve, of at least 500nm.
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Nothing. Even 100 knots and $50 an hour is a thing of the past. Not in the last 20 years.
 
mshunter said:
Talk to Ffholbert (or something like that) here in these forums. He owns a Viking. Probably the most undervalued airplane on the market right now.
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It meets every requirement except the $50 an hour thing. Anyone who looking for a 140knot, $50 an hour airplane is dreaming.

Lets assume 100 hours a year. My expenses:

  • Insurance $1200
  • Hangar $4800
  • Annual $2000
  • Repairs $500
I'm $85 an hour if I never open the hangar door.
mshunter said:
Good cruise, you can stand a mountain on the wing, and they are cheap.
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High school girls anyways but that's illegal in most states.

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mshunter said:
I hear there are some AD's that can get costly, so make sure the AD's are up to date. But they are defiantly nice planes.
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Just 3 AD's on the airframe. Inspection only, 3 hours total.
 
Richman said:
Wood wing and fabric fuselage. A Viking in poor repair or that has been treated badly is financial disaster waiting for someone.
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The secret to buying a good Super Viking is the pre-buy should not be done by the Cessna FBO.
 
It meets every requirement except the $50 an hour thing. Anyone who looking for a 140knot, $50 an hour airplane is dreaming.

Lets assume 100 hours a year. My expenses:
  • Insurance $1200
  • Hangar $4800
  • Annual $2000
  • Repairs $500
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Just to give some insight on difference in location


We have a t-hanger for our cherokee at ashland airport in ohio and its only $1560 a year.

That right there would knock off $30 dollars a hour. Make sure to get quote from your local airport when doing your estimate. Also our annual only runs $1000 fixed price plus on average another $400 to get minor stuff fixed. So thats another $6 dollars a hour right there. Talk to local mechanics for their annual prices. The 3 local A&P all have a fixed price for singles engine airplanes. Here its 1000 plus another 200 if its high performance and complex.

As for the 50 dollars a hour for 100 knots I would argue you can. Here is our expenses a year.

Hangar: $1560
Insurance: $600
Annual: $1400
Repairs: $500 (just using his number. we havent had any big bills like this but we probally spend at least 500 a year doing little upgrades.)

Thats $40.60 a hour fixed at 100 hours before buying gas. We burn autofuel because we have the stc for it so you figure 100 hours @ 8gph= 800 gallon times 3 dollars a gallon is 2400.

So you figure 64.60 a hour including gas.

You could easily drop below 50 a hour if you have a homebuilt and can do the inspections and annual yourself. So it is possible.
 
When CTAB and I were running our "Do you know your history?" quizes, Bellanca, Guiseppe Bellanca, and Al Mooney (who worked at Bellanca) figured prominently in all the threads. Bellanca's are cool.
 
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