Owning vs Renting

mrivc211

mrivc211

Well-Known Member
I currently teach out of our flying club but have considered picking up my own 172 to instruct in. Gas sells for $3.95/gal around here and I instruct 40-50 hours per month. Do you guys think it would be better to buy my own plane to teach in or continue to rent a clubs plane? I do not have an A&P.

Thanks
 
I'd say if you can find an A and P that will work with you at a good rate (either trade for flying or works out of his truck) then I'd say bite the bullet on insurance and buy. If you're gonna take your plane to the FBO every 100 hours, maintenance will kill you and insurance will hurt either way. The club advantage is no risk. I'm a big fan of free lance and airplane ownership but it has to be the right situation. Find a "free lance" A and P and you're in business. And don't doubt their competency until you know them. Everyone has their reasons for going their route. When I did this stuff my "free lance" mechanic became a good friend and is currently an F/O at American.
 
I have strongly considered getting into ownership/training. I exchanged emails with a person, who owned a few planes and provided training in the MSP area. Expect to shell out 7-9K for insurance per plane per year.

Is it worth it? Possibly.
 
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At $9k/yr in insurance you're looking at almost $20/hr in insurance costs alone on 480 hours a year (40 hours a month). Fuel would be another $40-$50-ish. After mx and hourly retainers I can't imagine you'd clear much on the airplanes. In fact all the flight schools I worked at, they made their money off their CFI's and not the airplanes. The aircraft were more like loss-leaders.
 
I can't imagine it would be $9k. That's 12 times what I'm paying for personal insurance, and that's on a complex airplane well known for runway overruns. I'm betting it would be closer to $4k.
 
knot4u said:
But you're a former airline pilot and you won't be allowing student pilots to solo in your plane.
Click to expand...

I understand what you're saying, but it's still not going to be 12 times as expensive. I'm betting somewhere around 4 or 5 times more is where you're going to find most plans falling.
 
ATN_Pilot said:
I can't imagine it would be $9k. That's 12 times what I'm paying for personal insurance, and that's on a complex airplane well known for runway overruns. I'm betting it would be closer to $4k.
Click to expand...

Location might have something to do with? Grass strip vs asphalt? Lots of factors.


Owner I spoke with is in KFBL. YMMV.
 
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