Slowly getting started!

[Flymh47]

You guys make some really good points. I guess my major concern is huge hidden costs. I have to do more research on the 150's but it might be a good option. It would be nice to have it park at my local airport that is 5min away versus driving 50min to the airport where I am planning on flying. I will talk to my instructor as well, he sounds pretty knowledgeable. He is 61 and has been flying for a very long time, so I am sure he will have some knowledge that a newer CFI may not possess yet.

is there a certain model/year of 150 I should look at? I browsed barnstormers a bit but I just don't have the knowledge to tell what is potentially good or bad.

My wife and I work decent jobs and have no major debts so I think a 150 may fit in our budget just fine. my local airport is $50 a month tiedown fee and an A&P will probably cost me a pack of beer. I work with about 10 A&P guys! I could get mine if I just take the time to do it. Thanks guys!

Brandon

Brandon,

Brad here. Hit me up at work later this week and we can discuss. Besides, I know those guys you work with... Do you really want them working on YOUR plane? Seriously, lots of good points made here. I can help you out on some of the maintenance stuff and ownership questions.

Brad

[fastj22]

You guys make some really good points. I guess my major concern is huge hidden costs. I have to do more research on the 150's but it might be a good option. It would be nice to have it park at my local airport that is 5min away versus driving 50min to the airport where I am planning on flying. I will talk to my instructor as well, he sounds pretty knowledgeable. He is 61 and has been flying for a very long time, so I am sure he will have some knowledge that a newer CFI may not possess yet.

is there a certain model/year of 150 I should look at? I browsed barnstormers a bit but I just don't have the knowledge to tell what is potentially good or bad.

My wife and I work decent jobs and have no major debts so I think a 150 may fit in our budget just fine. my local airport is $50 a month tiedown fee and an A&P will probably cost me a pack of beer. I work with about 10 A&P guys! I could get mine if I just take the time to do it. Thanks guys!

Brandon

Definitely get some advice from your CFI. If he won't train you in a C150, why bother?
Closer is better. Makes those quick availabilities happen.
Looking at a C150, you don't need much, obviously something with a current annual, mid time O200 (about 1000 hrs), TTAF not really important. A 150/150 would be best, but those get premium $. If you fly low altitude base, not necessary. I can't say enough about the C150 though. Its underpowered, very well built. Fly's straight and predictable. Tough as nails. A real hoot to do short takeoffs and landings. It will teach you how to fly and not drive.

[helifrek]

I was going to e-mail you today at work. There are a handful of guys I would trust to do inspections, anything major I would rather hire a professional or do myself (if I ever get my A&P). will e-mail you tomorrow. have a good night!

[builderflyer]

Brandon, another story............as a 4,000 hour pilot and a Sonex flyer for about 10 years, I bought a Cessna 150 to have something to fly while having my Sonex frequently down for "improvements". The 150 is great alternative fun, very practical and relatively inexpensive. It's especially appreciated during our 100 degree f. summer days with its built in high wing shade!. And my wife really appreciates the unobstructed view of the ground.

My circumstances aren't necessarily typical. I live on an airpark with a hangar in my backyard and it's large enough to contain both the Sonex and the 150, so the hangar rent is "free". One of my neighbors is an a&p/IA as well as a cfi. Annuals cost me $175 and flight reviews are free. Liability only insurance costs about $200 dollars a year. So the main expense is "fuel" and that really starts to add up as the hours pile on.

In buying the 150, I looked for 4 desirable features.......a relatively low time engine (these engines can cost between 10 and 20 thousand to overhaul so you don't want to buy one with a near runout engine), shoulder straps (for your personal safety), wing tip strobes so to be seen better by others, and a relatively new comm radio for reliable communications. I found these items in a 1971 L model for $17,000 and with that model got the wider cockpit and newer style landing gear as well. If I ever sell this 150, I fully expect to sell it for more than I paid for it even after putting hundreds of hours in its logbook.

I know many of the Sonex flyers make routine cross country flights (some very long), but that is not what the Sonex was designed for with its limited space and it's neutral stability. It really shines when making 30 minute long local flights. My Sonex, in its over 500 hours, has seen only one real cross country flight and that was when I moved 400 miles. My hat is off to those who do make the longer trips in their Sonex but having owned other airplanes more suitable for flying to faraway places, my Sonex will likely stay close to home for a long time to come.

Good luck with your adventure, Brandon,

Art,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Sonex taildragger #95,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Jab3300 #261

[Bryan Cotton]

I had a couple employees at Sikorsky that went in as partners in an eBay C150. They were in their 20s. It had a low time motor and bad paint. They got it for $13K. They painted it and flew it a bunch. One of the two earned his private in 40.5 hours - not very typical!

Another good option is a flying club. Generally a minority use the airplane a lot and the others help with the fixed costs.

[helifrek]

How about this ugly 150!
https://nashville.craigslist.org/for/5971623912.html

[vwglenn]

I'm an advocate of buying rather than renting. There is some risk though. A 150 would be a good bet. Unless you're heavily involved in the maintenance end of things (A&P/IA), get the best plane you can afford. Mid to low time. Flown regularly. Looks good.

You will save money but it sure won't feel like it. The more you fly it in a shorter amount of time the cheaper the operating costs become per hour. You could easily buy one and have your PPL in a few months. Then you could turn around and sell it as soon as you're done. If a tail dragger is in your future, consider a C-140. Both (150/140) will teach you about the size and weight constraints of the Sonex and help you determine how often you're really going to be making cross country trips in it. I bought my last plane with a partner (C-170), we flew it for 5 years and sold it for $2000 more than we paid for it. We committed to buying a plane as close to perfect as we could afford. Aside from the regular fixed costs (annual/insurance/hangar) we spent about 4 grand on repairs. We both got our tailwheel endorsements in the plane. Having that plane was like having a savings account. Once we sold it, it allowed me to buy my Sonex outright.

One of the great ironys of flying small planes is you really can't be in a hurry to get places. The more desperate you are to get somewhere, the more likely you are to mess something up or be blocked by fickle mother nature. Buy it for the pure joy in my opinion. Getting there is secondary to the journey itself.

[builderflyer]

How about this ugly 150!
https://nashville.craigslist.org/for/5971623912.html

Brandon, I'd hesitate taking that 150 if I got it for free!

Art

[helifrek]

Are you kidding, that thing looks super sturdy and reliable :) I did e-mail the guy just to see what the lowest he would take is and he said make an offer. He said it last flew in November and had no problems. Being the M model is a plus I think.....

If I wanted something to only enjoy flying I would probably get a 2 seat quicksilver!

[Bryan Cotton]

Two things would scare me away from that C150:
1) TSMO. They will tell you it runs fine. A major cost awaits the next owner.
2) If they deferred the engine overhaul that long, what else awaits the new owner's first annual?