Is this like Snowmobiling, where the snowmobile costs $2000 but every day you run it it actually costs like $200 in fees, licences, and arrangements ?
Buy or build a homebuilt? How much flying do you expect to do?
If you are looking at owning an aircraft and finding a new home, you might want to look at getting a place at an Airpark.
Costs a lot more than $200... :) We need to know how many people in your family, what distances you intend to travel, where (which part of the country), etc. This is not an inexpensive hobby.
Move to Georgetown, TX. Great little aviation community and a nice, big, clear lake.
IMO private flying and plane ownership is a passion, not an economic or practical decision unless you fly in Alaska out of necessity. The maintenance costs to keep an airworthiness certificate alone is a stunner if you aren't factoring that into your equation.
First of all, how alert are you? Situational awareness will be huge. Quick thinking is also another thing to possess.
After that its all about the money. I fly a Cessna 172 for a living. I fly anywhere from 300 to 700 hours a year. I calculate about $100 bucks an hour to fly. If you only fly as an average pilot that would be around 50 to 100 hours a year. Now your costs per hour are going to be way more.
Just remember, there is no saying “stop I want out of here”! You are going for a ride to the end. Hopefully that is a smooth landing!
Age is a huge factor. I had a friend try to become a pilot at mid fifties and found himself in way over his head. He was flying and didn’t know where he was until he looked down and saw big jets landing and taking off. He busted some airspace. He then called for help to get him back to his airport and decided that was it. No more flying.
Good luck what ever you decide.
Haven’t flown ince 1984 when i decided i couldn’t afford to fly enough to stay proficient. You have to have a LOT of disposable income unless it’s your job. Hate it, especially on those severe clear days in the fall.
I should have replied to you:
How big is your family? If more than 3 or 4, you’re looking at a 4 to 6 seat airplane.
If you don’t know anything about flying, before even considering buying an aircraft, I’d suggest that you take lessons first. See if you have “the right stuff”. Get your sport pilot or even a private pilot license. And for God’s sake, get an instrument flying rating. Once you know the requirements and demands of flying,, then you can get into renting airplanes, practice, practice, practice, and when you get real good, THEN you can start thinking of flying passengers, especially your own family. It takes experience to become a good pilot. Experience and being constant and thorough in your training.
So, after you have spent a year or two becoming a proficient pilot, THEN see if you really want to buy an airplane and by then you should have a pretty good idea on what you would want.
(I have a Commercial Pilot Certificate (license), with airplane single and multi-engine land, rotorcraft-helicopter, instrument airplane and helicopter ratings, and a type rating in BE-200 (Beechcraft Super King Air). And I don’t own, I rent.
A real free spirit would invest in a hot air balloon and take the family where ever the wind blows. ;o)
I am a MEI and don’t fly because of costs... I would consider a small inexpensive plane for joyrides if and only if I had a large unregulated airspace to play in... I prefer motorcycles.. 5% of the cost and 100% of the fun... or if you prefer get a nice convertible ,, Porsche Boxsters are cheap now (and more fun than anything Porsche now sells).
If you don’t fly frequently you will make dangerous mistakes and it sounds like you want to haul your family around.
Renting is FAR cheaper than owning.
Weather is a major factor in flying. It isn’t like the airlines. Small planes are bumpy, often not comfortable for many people, and don’t do well in any bad weather.
Try first getting a pilot’s license and then think about ownership.
And then start here:
https://youcanfly.aopa.org/?_ga=2.82243984.721413160.1518627866-1411351609.1477565418
You’ll need to find a school at a field within reasonable distance to your new abode. Too far, and it will hinder the need to take a lesson or two per week. For 6 months or so. You’ll put on about 20-30 hours prior to solo, and perhaps 30 hours after that. You’ll need to pass the ground school.
I fly my FR namesake, try to get up at least once every two weeks for a jaunt at minimum. Have taken it from Northeast to FL, CA... went to PEI last summer. It’s a TON of fun, and for me, a stress REDUCER - overall :-) . Flying since 1978, have about 3k hours.
Feel free to FRemail and ask questions here - plenty of FR pilots.
An entry level airplane can easily be $125/hr to rent.
Ownership? Try $1,500 minimum annual inspections, $5,000-$25,000 annual maintenance costs, insurance at $4,000-$12,000, simple tie down at $140/month, and fuel at $5/gallon at not less than 10 gallons per hour flying time. A plane can easily cost $75,000 to $750,000.
Just to be prepared to drop $20-30 a day whether or not you fly your plane; add in other expenses/fees if you do.
First things first. Check your med qualifications ($150 gamble). It’s true they are relaxed and can be done by ordinary physicians (who want to jump through a ton of FAA hoops). But don’t believe the myths you can find on the intarwebs, just do it.
http://www.aopa.org/ should be a go-to source, all along the way of your quest.
If you get your 3rd class med, then research instructors and/or flight schools. You will get the most bang for your bucks (about $10,000 m/l) by finding such close by, compatible with you, with a rental craft or fleet.
Do NOT think of saving money by buying a plane yet. You won’t, guaranteed. Wait till you have your license and several hundred hours under your belt. Fixed costs including insurance and variable costs will eat your lunch as a newly minted pilot.
Your private pilot’s license will be one of the most rewarding things you can do, if you approach it right. Keep in mind that it is a license to learn, once you get it.
Some costs factors in ownership and use:
Insurance (based on you, experience, and hull value)
Annual (every year take apart, inspect and repair)
Hangar or tiedown (indoors definitely lowers maintenance)
Unanticipated expense (rolls around every now and then)
Predicted expense (engine life being the biggie)
Fuel and consumables (based on your usage)
Additional ratings you might want (IFR, multi, sea, etc)
Class 3 med and BFR (biennial flight review) every two years
RON as you travel (Room overnight and other costs) It used to be the $100 hamburger but it’s gone up.
Now do you see why I say, “Don’t buy now?” Rental prices are not that expensive until you discover your commitment. It’s a source of pleasure if you approach it right.
I got my license at 17 and have silver hair now and a couple thou hours, mostly in the same plane for the last three decades. Still OK on class 3, but ya never know when the rug gets pulled out from under your feet. So, good luck and wings away!
But if you're well off or wealthy, you're good to go.
Before you load up the car, it's good to know where you're going