Classic Aeroplanes...

[Spacemonkey]

Ok, so if i had the dosh a Spitfire would be mine, no question, but at the current price for a fully restored one at £1.25 million, it ain't going to happen for a while...

.. but I have just discovered that my second favourite, the DeHavilland Tigermoth, can be picked up for considerably cheaper- real good 'uns for £50k, the cheapest I have found at the mo' is about £35k from Belgium.

You know, that is just about a realistic proposition.

The question is, is there anyone out there who has knowledge of the true costs of aircraft ownership, especially for a classic?

 

[demographic]

Ok, so if i had the dosh a Spitfire would be mine, no question, but at the current price for a fully restored one at £1.25 million, it ain't going to happen for a while...

.. but I have just discovered that my second favourite, the DeHavilland Tigermoth, can be picked up for considerably cheaper- real good 'uns for £50k, the cheapest I have found at the mo' is about £35k from Belgium.

You know, that is just about a realistic proposition.

The question is, is there anyone out there who has knowledge of the true costs of aircraft ownership, especially for a classic?

Dunno bout the entire plane but the lad that lives at the end of my streets father owns two Merlin engines, he takes them to vintage rallies and starts one up on a little trailer.
The prop makes quite a wind

 

[Spacemonkey]

Sound anything like this?

http://www.spitcrazy.com/spitsound.htm

 

[demographic]

Sound anything like this?

http://www.spitcrazy.com/spitsound.htm

Less doppler shift cos it stays still though


Small world eh?

 

[Spacemonkey]

Less doppler shift cos it stays still though

Obviously not revving it enough then...

Small world eh?

Quite! Now if you can find where else i have asked...

 

[Graham_S]

personally i'd prefer a mosquito. twice the pleasure

as to running costs, well, fuel is expensive, hangar costs are expensive, engineers are expensive. (and i should know, i'm an aircraft engineer) i could maintain it myself, but i'd need a licenced engineer (caa licence) to do the airworthyness certification.

 

[Keith_Beef]

Try reading a book called "Propellerhead". But be warned, that if you are already on the path to airborneness (as you seem to be), this book might just tip you over the edge into obsessive flightseekivity.

Or something like that.


K.

 

[ilovemybed]

I was once given a very sound piece of advice about boats, planes and something else.
If it floats, flies or f*********, rent it, don't buy it.

 

[Wayne]

My friend owner a twin engine prop. He flies to Jersey to fill it with gas.

He maintains the beast himself. He bought it as a pile of bits for around £25K.

Last Year he spent 5K on avionics.

Not a cheap hobby.

 

[QDanT]

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j274/QDanT/ReplicaSE5A.jpg

 

[Tengu]

Id love to learn to fly but only if I could have a part share in a plane.

I saw a de haviland rapide in bits in a glider workshop once. dunno if they ever restored it.

Lots more fun than a spit.

 

[Stuart]

ooh a tigermoth, I saw a tigermoth a few years back when one nosedived into the fields behind our house!

http://www.aaib.dft.gov.uk/publications/bulletins/june_1998/dh82a_501381.cfm

 

[bothyman]

I prefer this.

>> http://www.utility-aircraft.com/planes/antonov.htm

Or this would do.

> http://www.legendairways.com/Aircraft/N323RS.cfm

Maintenance seems easy enough and a lot cheaper than a Spitfire.

MickT

 

[pierre girard]

Ok, so if i had the dosh a Spitfire would be mine, no question, but at the current price for a fully restored one at £1.25 million, it ain't going to happen for a while...

.. but I have just discovered that my second favourite, the DeHavilland Tigermoth, can be picked up for considerably cheaper- real good 'uns for £50k, the cheapest I have found at the mo' is about £35k from Belgium.

You know, that is just about a realistic proposition.

The question is, is there anyone out there who has knowledge of the true costs of aircraft ownership, especially for a classic?

My uncle, a P-38 pilot in the pacific during WW II, had, for many years, a duel engine WW II bomber training plane, known as a "bamboo bomber." A trip to the web identified this as a "Cessna Bamboo Bomber JRC-1, AKA "The UC-78."

I had a solo license through the civil air patrol when I was young, and got to fly it several times by myself (illegal as I was not rated for duel engines). It was quite a kick. I never did get my regular license as I found flying somewhat boring except for take-offs and landings.


In the end, he just could not afford the fuel. Upkeep was expensive in other ways, as it had to be stored inside. He is quite wealthy, and if he couldn't afford it - I know I can't. He sold it just before it became a collector item. He almost had to give it away. It would be worth a lot today.

Here is a site with some photos:

http://www.cessnat50.org/photos.htm

PG