Light Sport aircraft purchase....what to expect

[pembquist]

Oh and Presidents Day one engine wouldn't start while short of the runway and I got an earful of "WHY ARE YOU LETTING THOSE OTHER AIRPLANES GO AHEAD OF US!!" While we waited for ground to make a hole for us to go back to the FBO in Teterboro.

That sounds a little like Hell.

[flight17]

Dime, I have sent you a PM about this.

[cpxxx]

If you can find one I would suggest dipping your toes into some form of shared ownership group rather than jumping into the deep end. You'll be able gain insight and experience whether the pain and expense of buying and finding out things the hard way. Flying shouldn't be a solitary experience.

When I was building time for my commercial and instrument ratings. I was a member of a club which was also a shared ownership group. I had access to the wisdom and experience from airline pilots and old Instructors. It's best that the first time you experience some of those scary weather  moments you are in the company of someone who has seen it before and lived to tell the tale.

Like Aces High there is nothing like being part of a squad.

[cpxxx]

You own a cirrus....and you play this game.....seriously? Why not just go flying?

Flying is overrated! Flying cartoon planes is much more fun.

You can do both at the same time. I'm a skydive pilot and sometimes during the climb I'd pull out my smartphone and open up a flight sim app and start playing making sure I get the attention of the skydivers. I tell them the app is actually controlling the aircraft! 

Always gets their attention. 

[Dimebag]

If you can find one I would suggest dipping your toes into some form of shared ownership group rather than jumping into the deep end. You'll be able gain insight and experience whether the pain and expense of buying and finding out things the hard way. Flying shouldn't be a solitary experience.

When I was building time for my commercial and instrument ratings. I was a member of a club which was also a shared ownership group. I had access to the wisdom and experience from airline pilots and old Instructors. It's best that the first time you experience some of those scary weather  moments you are in the company of someone who has seen it before and lived to tell the tale.

Like Aces High there is nothing like being part of a squad.

ive been thinking about that more and more.  we shall see. 

thanks all for the input

[CASHEW]

seriously considering jumping in head first into sport flying..

Currently, I have no license or no experience, but I know I would love being able to do it.  The opportunities it would open as far as travel is concerned are amazing..

I've been looking at Lightning LS1's, Cessna 162s, Czech SportCruisers, enclosed canopy planes with lots of fancy avionics...

Besides the cost of the plane itself,  what can I expect?

-License (1200 using my plane, 3000 using theirs)
-hangar fee's 1200 a year
-insurance 1500 a year
-gas, be it av or auto 3.50-5.50 a gallon
-maintenance fund (oil changes, tune ups, etc)   
I've done the math on this to the best of my knowledge, if I buy a low hour plane (less than 200 hours) I can set back 25-30 per hour of flight (plus fuel) and be prepared when TBO time comes for the engine replacement, that's granted I don't sell the plane at 800 hours or so and get another low hour one.

besides the unexpected, what else?  for that matter, what unexpected should be expected?

ALways double your expected cost. Then double it again.

[fbEagle]

Skip that sport pilot toe jam and go for your private. Seriously. Go for your private.