Airplane Ownership

If you're first considering purchasing a private aircraft, then this book is definitely worth a read. It has lots of information about the process of buying your first aircraft, as well as good information to help you understand the various expenses associated with ongoing ownership. There's information on inspections, insurance, etc - as well as ideas like aircraft ownership through partnerships, clubs and leasebacks.The author also includes a number of case studies where owners recount their stories, offering bits of advice here and there. The typical case is a pilot buying a basic 30+ year old single engine piston model - probably the place where most owners start.While I found the book a good overview of the process, there were some topics I would have liked to see covered in more detail. For instance, the merits of owning the aircraft as an individual versus setting up an LLC or some other entity, or the implications to taxes based on how ownership is structured. I also didn't see a lot to help understand the cost of modern avionics, such as database, weather and chart subscriptions that can add significant cost to ownership. I also didn't see a lot on the cost of regulatory compliance - options and cost for meeting the 2020 ADS-B mandate, for example.The other bit of information I would have liked to see would have been more real-world information about what certain common repairs cost, and the implications of different maintenance philosophies. As someone that recently bought an aircraft, one of the most difficult things to estimate is the cost of maintenance. Although some of these items are covered, a table showing average prices for common repairs (tires, brakes, lights, windows, fuel bladders, vacuum pumps, etc etc etc) would have been a huge help to me. Also, some owners seem to worry about maintenance induced failures and are very conservative about what optional maintenance they perform. Other owners go the other way, trying to anticipate what to replace in advance of failure. Knowing when to say "no" to maintenance seems to be an important factor in keeping ownership expenses under control.Otherwise, the book is definitely ready for an update...a lot of the information is starting to seem old.Overall, I'm glad I read the book, and if you're just putting your toes in the water regarding aircraft ownership, it's definitely a great way to get a big-picture view of how to go about buying yourself an airplane.

I've been wanting to own a plane for a long time, and have learned a great deal through the years, but this book has an amazing wealth of knowledge, and he even recommends a few other books through out the book.There are a few typos, here and there, but nothing that seemed to change the meaning of the sentence or paragraph.He covers the cost (Yee-Oww) of buying new, as well as what qualifies as antique, classic, contemporary classic, and contemporary. And, if you're buying used, what to look out for.He also gives advantages and disadvantages of buying E-AB (Experimental - Amateur Built planes, both flying and projects, and things to watch out for.I hang out some on Pilots of America, and the consensus there is you get the most bang for your buck if you buy a used E-AB. You just have to have a really good and thorough pre-buy; including if you buy a project plane.I'll definitely re-read this book when I'm ready to buy an airplane.

This book covers a lot of stuff in just enough depth to answer most questions a first time aircraft buyer might have. I had probably figured out 80% of the content on my own before getting the book; however, it was a great read and confirmed what I already knew and presented a few things I didn't know. It gives me enough to pursue some topics in more depth via other books or web searches. I'm pleased with my choice and feel it was a great value.I disagree with some remarks about the book being focused on being cheap about flying. There's a lot of people out there that have an interest in aviation and just assume you must be wealthy to own an aircraft - this book shows that's not true, and that there are several ownership options that can get you flying, even on a modest income. The contents of this book are not something you'll hear from your local FBO or CFI in most cases.I've seen other reviews about the pricing data being overly optimistic or out of date. Get real - this isn't a website being updated real-time. It's a BOOK that was published at a point in time. Buy the latest edition and note the publishing date so you have perspective on the time-relevant content. Even if the values are a bit off, the concepts remain valid. Given the poor ecomony lately, the pricing figures in this 2005 edition are actually not too far off :-D

I purchased this book to make sure I was covering all of the bases while owning an airplane. It was very helpful, and full of great tips. Highly recommend this book for airplane owners or those who are about to purchase one.

This book is very informative and a easy read. It goes through a many different ascepts of the buying and owning process. I would highly reccomend this book to get informed before buying n airplane. I thought I had my mind made up on the type airplane I was going to buy. After reading this book I changed my mind.

Very useful if you are considering buying your first airplane. Found it to be informative and a good basic guide.

This is a very old book. Not a lot of current or relevant info. Wouldn't buy it again. This book was written when gas was $1.00 a gallon, the economics aren't the same anymore.

The person I bought it for is in love with it and reads it every night