http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2Y_i...layer_embedded

 

That's a neat little plane with a decent cruise speed and a very attractive fuel burn rate, looks like a winner...

 

What a great airplane!

 

Yeah, price aside this is what the LSA market has been waiting for I think. There are several nice LSAs out there, but most look like grown up/hard shell ultra-lights, have no useful load, etc.

Some have even gone carbon fiber to save weight and increase performance, but imagine having to fix that when the inevitable hangar rash occurs or a student dings it somewhere.

The PiperSport is metal construction (much easier to repair), has wing lockers so you can actually take bags, and still has the category's max cruise speed while burning only ~ 5 gph. That's a win all the way around.

I've got something in the works. Will announce more later.

 

What timing...

My dad, the A and P just sent me an email on this plane. He wants to revisit the shared/partial ownership purchase discussion we've had in the past...

Decked out at $139....

 

Yeah, they aren't cheap. That is their fatal flaw at this point. The LSA certificate is 30 hrs of training, driver's license only, no medical, then they go and price the aircraft this way.

You should do it B. Hopefully they will extend the tax break this year again for aircraft purchases. You can write that ENTIRE $139k off your taxes the first year. Couldn't ask for something with better operating costs either.

 

Wait, 139K for this plane?

New?

I thought planes were more expensive than that?

What would the running cost be? Like 25K a year?

 

New planes can cost anything --- up into the millions, depending on the plane. Gimme one sec and I'll work up an operating cost summary.

 

OK here is an operating cost estimate. This is based on $139k purchase price, 10% down, 20 year note, 6.5% interest rate. There is a saying that you should fly at least 100 hrs per year to justify owning, so these costs are based on 100 hrs per year of flight time.


Fixed Costs
Monthly payment $935.00
# hrs per year 100
Annual Inspection $800.00
Insurance $2,300.00
Tie Down $75.00

Total Fixed costs / yr $15,220.00
---per flight hr $152.20

Variable Costs
Oil Consumption / Flight Hr 0.1
Oil / Quart $4.00
Oil / Flight Hr $0.40
Cost of Oil Change $150.00
Hrs between oil change 50
Oil Change cost per flight hour $3.00
Engine/Airframe maintenance / flight hour $4.00
Avionics maintenance / flight hour $3.00

Total Variable costs / yr $1,040.00
Total Variable costs / flight hr $10.40

Total Annual Costs $16,260.00
Annual cost per flight hour $162.60


Those costs are just the aircraft. You would also incur fuel costs. Average right now is north of $4/gal for 100LL, much less if you run it on 93 octane automotive gas. I'll use $4 as an average, at 5 gph, that's another $2k annually.

Here's how to make this worth your while.

Let's say you are the textbook Obama "rich" person at $250k income. If they extend the tax benefit this year, you could write off the entire $139k purchase price off of your income (you will be using this for business, correct?). You can expect to get $30+k back in income tax refund, so your purchase ends up funding itself.

 

I didn't buy that expensive of a plane, but it is 3x what this plane costs. Looks and smells like a total bargain to me, but everything is "relative" I guess.