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How to 'buy and fly' cheap in 2022?

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JayKoit

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2013
Messages
116
Location
Los Angeles, CA
I want to make sure I'm not missing any good options here...

With plane prices continuing to rise, I'm trying to sort out the best equation for affordable "buy and fly" (and own and operate) options in today's market. I'm thinking LSA and/or EAB. Could go certified, but that's where the prices have soared the most.

Affordable to me means under 30K. 25K would be even better. Need two seats, and I need it to be affordable in every category beyond purchase price: storage, insurance, annual, fuel, and maintenance.

Based on my preliminary research, here's what I think are the best criteria:
- Cheap to insure
- Tricycle gear (cheaper insurance)
- Tie Down-able - so probably all metal or composite(?)
- Low fuel burn (max 5-6gph)
- Can burn auto fuel if needed (saves $1+ per gallon)

This is a "nice to have" that could save even more money:
- ELSA (or SLSA to convert to ELSA) so I can take the light sport course and do my own annual CI's - BUT, I'd still do the first one or two with experienced A&Ps...

All that said, here's what I've found to fit my criteria under 30K for EAB/LSA:
- Sonex/Waiex
- Zenith 601
- Jabiru J160/J170 Calypso
- Thatcher CX-5

In the certified world, all I've seen that fit my criteria are a couple Early C150s or an Ercoupe (with metalized wings)...

Are these my only options? Have I missed any?
 
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