Hey guys! I wanted to let you know I just launched an "Insiders" Newsletter where once a week I'm sharing an important lesson I've learned in aviation, links to my latest content so you don't miss out, and links to any other interesting or helpful content I've found. I'm also working on a HUGE project I can't announce yet but I'm going to be sharing more behind the scenes info with Insiders first - Subscribe (it's free) at: airplaneacademy.com/insiders

Within a year of my divorce, I bought myself a plane, decided to do something for myself. I've now owned the plane longer than I was married. The plane has been way less expensive than the wife was.

My favorite aviation quote: "If God had meant for man to fly, he'd have given us more money."

I'm 76 years of age now and had to give away flying after having had both a heart attack and a stroke, but I recall them as being the best years of my life, having started flying at the age of 16. Everything you said is true, I owned two aircraft which I purchased in my forties, first a Piper Cherokee 180 and then a Cessna 182M I really miss it now but it was just fantastic, the feeling you get from flying your own aircraft is a feeling of total freedom. I think you need to do it to understand. Over all those years I was lucky enough to have been endorsed on three different twins along with gas turbine and pressurised aircraft which I flew all over outback Australia. Keep up the good work, I can sense I'm listening to a real pilot at heart.

I heard this some time ago, ......buying an airplane is like getting married, you think you know what you have, but after a couple years you really know what you have.

I've watched a ton of "my first plane" ownership videos. This by far was the best straight forward video I have seen to date. Nicely done sir.

I started flying when I was a teenager. Went thru a lot of money. Would not trade it for the world. My brother in law asked me why I have 2 airplanes. Told him I could not afford 3. Flying to Alaska in my 170 is on my bucket list. The wife said we are not doing that. I hope she will meet me there. Hope I get 1 more medical passed, recent cancer and a new hip scheduled for the end of this month. The wife has panicked over many flying situations, some as difficult as parallel parking a car. She has not been with me when I thought I would be dead in 2 heart beats. Based at 1c5. N4526V & N504FA. Oh!!! One of my flight instructors had his ticket signed by a Wright Brother. Delbert Koerner.

The cheapest part of owning an airplane is. The owner.

Excellent video, Now at 74, I've stopped flying for financial reasons only. I'll miss it more than life. Never owned an aircraft, always rented, no incidents or accidents in 36 years of flying. Absolutely loved it. Have subscribed to your site, wish you many years of safe and enjoyable flying.

It’s isn’t the FAA that adds cost to parts. That is like 10% maybe. It’s lawsuit liability coverage for parts makers. Every company is guaranteed to be sued at every crash. Companies that survive do so because their pricing model takes Into account payouts to legal claims. Aviation tanked since the 80’s when lawsuits skyrocketed. It’s also the reason insurance went up. And nobody discusses this.

Owning a aircraft (airplane) is pricy on the ground, but "PRICELESS" in the air.

Charlie, The joy you are experiencing is shared by so many of us. I still look forward flying and learning many different types of aircraft. Next year will be my 50th in aviation since solo. It's a wonderful ride! Thanks for posting these videos.

"As long as I can afford this, this is where I want to be spending my time, energy and effort." Many Thanks for that piece of my Mission statement!!!

16 months into plane ownership and I'd say pretty much bang on on all accounts. 2 others big things I love about ownership... My seat is in the same place every time and I never have to unplug my headset.

Common misconception is that the FAA is totally to blame for the expense of aviation. The truth coming from an aircraft manufacturer is that economies of scale don’t allow airplanes and parts to be cheaper. If they only sold 100 Honda Accords each year they would cost over $200,000 each. I work on the F-35 program and trust me when I tell you, they would still cost over $300M each of we were still making only 37 per year. At our 100+ a year rate the cost is roughly 1/3 per unit.

Thank you for this I'm starting to learn how to fly, currently on circuits working towards my first solo but this is a definite end goal for me later down the line on owning my own aircraft. Awesome video man and thank you for all the details!

I always wanted to do what you are doing! At this point in my life I am pleased to live vicariously through your experience. You are flying for the same reasons I would be flying. Glad I found your channel. Glad I will be notified of further videos! Thanks for your effort making them for us.

3:12 the right screw is wiggling. Right when you spoke about the previous owner keeping maintenance up

Got my license in '76 and have owned 5 planes. Started with a Super Decathlon, 182, 177RG, T 210, Archer. I have loved them all. After you own a plane, the thought of flying a rental is sort of scary. I always wonder what did the last few pilots do to screw up this plane? Did they over stress it, shock cool the engine, over rev it, fly with the cowl plugs in, fly it low on oil, etc.?

Might be the first channel ive seen that not only tells you the pros and cons but also assures pilots like myself that those sunsets and breaking through the cloud layer is 100% worth every dime. Great video man, keep it up!

Great video, thanks for sharing. I’m considering buying and your experiences were very informative - much appreciated. Wish you continued good times in the skies! 👍

How good is it when you jump into the aircraft and your jumper is on the back seat and you sunglasses are on the dash, and it still has the same amount of fuel in it as when you left it yesterday... love my airplane and the best thing is I built it... and I built my own hangar as well... it is the best thing you can do with your clothes on... never have regretted it 15 years on... 1300hrs on the clock still a good aircraft... that and whiskey nothing better in life... good flying to all... Barry form Australia...

Excellent dose of aircraft ownership reality, and I realized this very early on in my flight training. Consequently, as much as I love the feeling of flight, I decided against continuing my PPL lessons.

You're living the dream for sure! And I subscribed so I can live it vicariously thru your videos and those of others I've followed for a number of years! I've always wanted to be a pilot and fly back since the days of Sky King! You'll need to look that up because it was twice as long ago as you've been alive. Took flying lessons when I was in my 20's but never followed thru for one reason or another, not cheap for one thing. I flew paragliders for a few years, but even that didn't satisfy the flying bug from the point of being able to manipulate flaps, throttles and ailerons etc. Fly safe, stay safe and have a blast learning to fly your Dad's new Citation!!! I'm glad you get to live your dream!

I’m not a pilot but have always been fascinated by flight and all things aviation. Your videos are awesome and I’m subscribed. I’m flying vicariously thru your videos and loving it!

I'm in a club with a few other guys renting a Champ at 50 bucks an hour tach time wet, plus 55 bucks a month. I may not be able to get anywhere fast, but I gets some cheap, beautiful sunsets with the window open, elbow hanging out. Good stuff....

the fact that you fly mostly alone i think is one of the key things, could be be flying a 150 if you wanted to save some money but obviously it limits your capabilities. for someone on a "shoestring".. 150/152, pa28 or 172 is the way to start off I think.

Hey man, I'm really enjoying your channel. Thank you so much for sharing all this information. Flying is something I've wanted to do since I was a kid. I think I'm finally ready to dive in. You're giving me the motivation. Cheers.

Thanks Charlie. Great job. Keep it up! I am in my 70s and returned to flying after 30 yrears by purchasing an Ercoupe 415-C so that I can fly under the light sport rules. I love it. It keeps me sharp and allows me to participate as part of the local aviation community. Associating with other pilots is a great experience.

Loved you're videos Charlie. Unfortunately, I am signing off from KZfaq. Too much censorship. Happy flying and hope to see you at a fly in!

I tell people that when buying a used aircraft, and face it, most private aircraft are 40+ years old, the purchase price is just the down payment.

Well done! Thoughtful and a credit to the industry. I've taken many years off from flying (stopped to have kids), and have been wrestling with getting back into it. This is a great encouragement to move forward.

Great video. Appreciate you putting this info out there. Actually answered a few questions I’ve had for a while!

Interesting video, with very similar observations to my own reflections on aircraft ownership. In my case I went experimental and bought a Lancair Legacy RG. No turning back after that :) Thanks again.

i thought No1 would be how many 'friends' that you haven't seen for years come out of the woodwork.

Great channel!! I’m in! Thank you for all the hard work in producing this content & sharing your passion for aviation!! Educational & inspirational....

Very well spoken. I've seen many videos similar to this one. But your sincere, straight-forward demeanor is what sets you apart. My dad sold his C172 long ago. Ever since, I've considered buying my own C172. Thanks for your thoughts !

I was thinking the 6 things you mention pertain to boat owning above a certain size (before 8k people scream at me). I'm no longer able to fly for health reasons and am relegated to flight simming but I truly appreciate you sharing your gratitude and being humble about your place in history, so refreshing. Just for that I subscribed. Thanks!

Very interesting. I learned to fly first in tail draggers (Piper J3 Cubs) moving to Cessna 150s and sometimes 182s. I’ve often figured I’d buy one eventually, but life had other plans for me. C’est la vie. The fact is, fate fought me tooth and nail to prevent me full filling my desire to be an airline pilot. I started flying in 1968, when I turned 18. Whenever I had a spare fifty bucks, I took lessons and soloed. I desired to be a jet pilot, so I tried the Air Force. I needed a degree before they’d take me. So college bound taking widely spread lessons. After my degree the Vietnam War was winding down, so none of the Armed Services were taking pilot candidates. So, Law School. In my second year, I read that the Air Force wanted pilots, so I went to a recruiter who told me at 27, I was too old. 26.5 was the limit. So, shit, I graduated from Law School became a Prosecutor and then a Judge and I had no time for flying. Recently, I read that with as little as a simple Commercial License, airlines would hire and train, but, I was an old fart. So, fate gave me lots good things, but probably saved hundreds of passengers from death from my rotten landings😎

Just bought my first plane yesterday, a 177RG and watched this video and was pleased to see it mirrored everything i have researched so far.... not cheap but worth it! Great video!

Nice video! @0:30 Hanger space might be nice, but another option is tie-down space. Rates are much lower for out-door storage of the craft. There are some down-sides. For example, if a sand storm covers your glass, then rain turns that into mud, you've got some cleaning to do with your pre-flight check. You can get covers for your outside storage . . . There are many other considerations, and you'll just have to decide which is best for you. We once had a new-to-us Aeronca Champ. It was tied down out on the tarmac. In order to do maintenance on the tarmac, the airport moved our Champ to temporary tie-down space with the intention of moving it back after the work was done. Unfortunately, the cables in the temp space were neglected and corroded. We didn't inspect those because it was not our space. As things like this go, a storm came in with very strong winds. The rusted cables broke and our new plane was blown across the taxi way, across the runway, and half way up a prominent hill. It was a total loss. The facilities were at fault and the airport's insurance cut a check. @2:08 Yes, the gov't is to thank for that, but for more reasons than you said. Each part manufactured has a certificate (you might not see it when you buy the part, but it is tagged through the whole manufacturing process) showing each step of the process, including where the ore came from, who processed the ore into a billet, and each step that was taken on it until it became an airplane part. Keeping and tracking that data for each individual part is expensive. It pays off if/when there is a part failure that can be traced back to materials, for example, and they can look up all of the parts that were made with those same materials, or if there is a problem caused by a specific step in manufacturing and they can identify all of the parts that underwent that same process and recall them before many planes crash. You do not want to find that your craft has a bad part while you're in the air.

I'm not a pilot and I will never own a plane but I really enjoy listening to you as you share real life experience!

Love your honesty! No bull just a common sense straight shooter!

I live in England and the closest I ever get to flying is on MS Flight Sim but I really enjoy your videos and subscribed from day one. Your enthusiasm is so evident. I totally agree with your philiosophy on the spending it is the same for any hobby (mine are motorcycles and kayaking) so long as it's not causing you financial problems just enjoy it!

I love this video! Thanks for telling it like it is. The video is very well produced and I love the flying footage.

#1 Totally Worth It (thought he'd be more on the fence) #2 Timing of Payments (rentals vs ownership) #3 Flying Alone (surprised he flew alone 95% of time vs w passengers) #4 Previous Owner's Sins (stuff they didn't maintain correctly that aren't obvious during PPI) #5 Cost of Parts (higher than you'd expect) #6 Hanger Space (cost & availability)

Excellent Presentation on the truth about aircraft ownership!! Subscribed. Juan

I subscribed this morning when your video popped up in my feed. I am a novice flight summer, but I enjoyed your educational videos that I watched. Thanks.

Just subbed, great video. You hit the nail on the nail when you said " Mission " it all boils down to forecasting your possible mission(s). You just don't really know when you are starting out what that will be. You have a lot of flexibility with the 182 in terms of mission possibilities and that in the end is what you paid for. The 1 percent of the time you are fully loaded with the family or friends and you have that experience flying is when as you mentioned you don't regret anything. You can buy a $100-$150,000 new exotic vehicle and it's worthless in 5 years, or you buy a plane and sell it in 10 years for almost the same as you have invested minus operational costs, which all go towards the experience factor; which is priceless and in the long term and more cost effective than a vehicle ie: " bang for the buck". It all boils down to mission, or purpose to ascertain the real value in anything one does, more importantly in flying. Got my light sport ticket and thought I needed a 6 seat piper Malibu, guess what ? I am still flying light sports, why? my forecasted mission never warranted me ultimately getting so much aircraft. Something I did not know until I actually flew more than the required hours. So for me short hops for 100 dollar hamburgers has been good enough with the rare exception when I take a friend out for a cross country flight ( hopefully not on a 100 degree day !! lol ) across the state for the weekend. Most new pilots not building hours for their commercial rating or even IFR for eventual hire by the airlines will only need their version of the James Bond Aston Martin, and not the Chevy Chase family truckster, so bearing that in mind, one can build hours living the dream for less than renting or buying a plane without all the bells and whistles depending on rating ie: IFR, CFI1 etc. and still be able to justify living the dream. Keep up the good work !

Like you said one of the biggest difference between renting and owning is when you rent you notice the money goes away when you fly, so it makes you want to fly less. When you own a plane the money goes away all the time most of which is when you're not flying, so it makes you want to fly more. I just started myself down the road of GA so keep up the good work.

Great video! And really useful and practical info for a prospective buyer! At some point, I certainly will be buying my own plane! I am an instrument-rated commercial pilot, who had plans to pursue an aviation career (my 3rd career, actually, at a pretty late age - I'm in my early 40s). At times a brief thought has crossed my mind, if I made the right call, by spending all that money on flight training, with all the "stuff" currently going on, and its impact on aviation. But as you rightly pointed out, in the end it was most definitely worth it!! You've got *one* life to live, and what's the point of wondering, when you're near the end of your life, what it would've been like, if you had done the things you were "crazy passionate" about, but never did!! No regrets for me, certainly!!

I enjoyed hearing your perspective. From my own experience, everything you said is very true. I look forward to see more of your videos.

I do really appreciate your candid and realistic views expressed in your videos, as someone soon to embark on flying lessons, this is really useful information. Keep em coming and hope you make it to the UK sometime , maybe in Senior's M2?!?! cheers

With respect to high cost of parts, I suspect the costs of configuration control and QA are significant contributors. But those are safety-related functions.

I purchased my C-150 from a retire FAA inspector. The mechanic that did the pre-buy inspection was very pleased with the condition given it was a 30+ year old airplane. Owning the plane was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Enjoy!

I am just starting my flying journey (still studying for the student license) but glad you showed up in my recommended list! Subscribed!

Im so pumped to start my journey to becoming a pilot. Thank you so much for making these videos and giving me the confidence to go forward with my dream of flying.

Friends I ride Harleys with have a favorite expression - "HD stands for Hundred Dollars !" It's true, everything seems to start at $100 and goes up, including what you carry out in your hand. But I tell them - "Yeah, well buy an airplane and that HD will look real nice !" Great video !

2:08 its not ONLY the FAA approval process that makes airplane parts expensive - in fact, its not even MOSTLY due to that. The FAA certification cost is a sunk cost that the airplane manufacturer had to recoup in the first few thousand airplanes built. They cant bank on recouping that money in replacements 20 years later (except for routine maintenance parts that are expected to be replaced periodically). No the biggest part of the cost is low production volumes. They just dont sell that many of them so production runs are only a few hundred copies of a part. The tooling cost and setup fees at the factories, and cost of sub-components purchased from their manufacturers in small volumes - that is the main thing that makes airplane parts expensive.

It's really great to hear your enthusiasm when you talk about flying. You are lucky being able to own your own plane. The rest of us just look up and go "wow, wish I could do that." If you're ever in Abilene, TX look me up. LoL.

Recently found your channel!!! Great content. Nice landing at 3T0. That tree to the left on final always makes me pucker...

I have developed health issues with age and can no longer fly. "BOY" do I miss it. Yes the "JOY" of flying is like no other.

Say “Hello” to your newest Subscriber, who, back before you were probably birthed, took her checkride from ADS. Back then I lived in the apartment complex on Sojourn, and was able to walk across the field to Addison Airport. It’s all built up now including doubling the runway length. Great video and glad I found your Channel!

Good insights, thank you and God bless!!! Safe flying!!!

First video I've seen from you. Thanks for the information. You seem to really enjoy it. So you're on my subscribed short list.

Great video. I worked as a commercial pilot for a time, lots of PIC time logged and flown lots of different types but I've never owned my own plane, there have always just been too many other things to spend money on (I am in to classic cars, that doesn't help!). I had a friend who for years owned a Grumman Tiger that he never flew but would let me fly whenever I wanted, that was sweet, until it dawned on him that he was paying for me to have an airplane and sold it...selfish bastard! I envy you the ability to just drive to the airport and take off in your own airplane, I really do.

The REAL show of what the difference in Pricing is in Aircraft parts is, is when you look at the EXACT SAME Part for Experimental, and Certified...and the Certified one is anywhere from 3-5 times more expensive..even though it's made on the same machinery with ZERO physical difference..other than that little STC stamp

I'm so sad right now, my first time in the front seat was a 172 with a 182 engine and avionics suite (I think, I was 12) and it was one helluva ride! Nothing on Earth compares to watching it sink away, and pulling Gs and going to 0G. Lucky man!👍

Awesome videos and content bud, really a great help in the decision process of getting my PPL and buying my first plane . Cheers safe travels

You re so right! Thats exactly my thoughts 👍🏻 There is no price for a „ thats mine“ Fly safe dude and greets from Germany

I think most people who are fine with flying in an airliner are nervous about small aircraft, even though they’re embarrassed to admit it. Therefore, as a new pilot, you might feel let down many friends and relatives take a pass on flying with you (or anyone else). I agree with all your surprises...excellent observations.

Great points! Thanks for the video. Love your enthusiasm for flying.

Thanks to you, I'm going to check out a 152 for sale this Saturday. If all goes well, I'll buy it and get my license in it. You were right about looking for hangar space. I've already secured a spot in a community hangar at a small airport. Your channel has become one of my favorites, so thanks agian for sharing your experience.

Controlling a machine that flies you through the air, safely. What's not to love? Kiss the sky and honor creation!

About 5 of 6 shocking things he brought up, you could replace "airplane" for "boat" ownership..

You convinced me. I subscribed on my first view. Glad you are living your dream. Very enjoyable. Being from Chicago, I hear a lot of boat jokes. The classic one is the two best days are the day you buy your boat and the day you sell it. They are also your two worst days. I’m just sharing that for fun.

Thank you for the video. I haven't started lessons yet but it's still good information for my future.

I've found the courts are unintentionally responsible for the cost of aviation. I was doing a Cessna factory tour in 2006 and we were discussing the unit cost of 172s. Cessna said $100,000 of the cost was for Cessna's liability insurance because they can be sued for 40 years after the aircraft was made. At the time, that was almost 1/3rd the cost of the plane. Bankruptcies also play a part. Since most air services are considered essential, they will get as much relief in court as they need to remain in operation. So, if you sell 10 tires on credit (because in aviation we are usually paid after a service is rendered) and on average get paid for 1 after the purchaser goes bankrupt, you start charging 10x as much to make sure you make your profit on the first unit sold and can continue to do business after your client goes bankrupt and has their debts forgiven. if you need to compete to sell, then you distribute that loss among all your products, even the ones sold in private sale and so the prices end up astronomical for simple items. I like your video.

One year I had an unexpected engine failure that cost me $50K. If you think the worst case scenario is an early overhaul consider when you have no useful core. Engine had 1050 since factory new.

VERY well done my friend. Your excitement really comes through. Also informative. 'have been thinking abt getting back to flying and you are like nudging me along. LOL! Well done mate!

Nice video. Sweet ride! :). I'm about to move back to the Addison area. Would be fun to see your plane.

I'm a pilot/Engineer & A&P and I sold my 337 because it was more economical to rent. Insurance cost after 9/11is insane.

Good vid. Long time ago I know I was going to buy an airplane. Put my name on the waiting list for a hanger thinking it was going to be a while before I was contacted. To my surprise 1 week later I was called. Had to turn it down because I didn't have a plane yet and was months away from getting one. When I finally did get a plane it took months before a hanger became available. I used to be a fanatical gun guy and competitor. Keeping the plane safe and flying put a stop to that...lol Looking at $30k to replace a failed and failing panel. Frustrating and expensive at times but I love it.

Wow what a refreshing attitude! Thank you & you have gained another subscriber.

First time watching your channel and subscribed right after watching this video! Great video and very informative. Thanks for sharing this. I'm thinking of buying my own plane soon, mostly for business travel in a post-Covid world, so I'm personally looking for best range and cruise speed. I had already thought about most of these items but it's nice to be reminded of why ownership is (or is not) important.

If it flies, floats or f...ks it’s probably cheaper to rent.

I kept hitting pause to see where that radio sound was coming from, thought it was on my end.

At about 3:09 the right cowling bolt is dancing up and down like crazy. I was laughing because you were talking about maintenance that the previous owner slacked on. Stay safe out there. I miss flying in Texas.

This is great advice.. saved me a lot. I tried to buy something within my budget that did it all and allowed comfort. That’s why I went a fully loaded piper m500. Comfortable at levels and great cross country machine! I got for a great price also….. In Xplane simulator.

Thank you for putting out so much positive energy. Magic words for me are gratitude, joy and self esteem, and this video is definitely a you can-do it offering, in these times of so much negativity. Happy Landings, Always

3:07 you had cowling screws come loose on the takeoff roll

Great video! I've been hemming and hawing about owning an airplane, and this video really helps! You've earned a new subscriber!

Good thing you got it when you did with prices hiking up so high! I saw your video a while back and just watched it now that I’m in contract on a 182. Great video.

Sounds like owning a sailboat. Good luck finding a slip to keep it in, every little thing is crazy expensive, but then the wind is free so sailing cost like $2.

There are a few reasons parts are so expensive. The big one is liability. When you pay $300 for a part that'd be $30 on a car, most of that money is going into liability insurance and legal funds to deal with the inevitable lawsuits that all of these companies deal with from time to time. You could also argue that the extreme levels of R&D and quality control are also really the result of this, since a part that's more reliable is less likely to end up causing a lawsuit in the first place. Even the high level of regulation might tie into this, since passing stringent government standards gives the company good ground to stand on in a lawsuit as well. Aside from that, you're also paying more because of small production volumes, and then there's just plain old greed, charging inflated prices because they know they can get away with it.

Hey!!! Great vid. I've been thinking about buying instead of renting. Thanks for your efforts and time putting these vids together!

Nice video. Determining your mission is an excellent point.

Let me know when you go up! I’d love to see this bird, I’m down in the ATX area.

Flying is really cheap. It's being on the ground that's expensive. I never seem to spend money whilst flying.

Thank you for an excellent informative video; it is great to hear enthusiastic peopletalk about their joy as well as financial and techical matters.