Student sports pilot to Airplane owner

[hellya916]

Hello All, This is my first post and hoping that I can connect with people who are currently in my position or have been. I am a student pilot with about 20hrs, I am quickly closing in on my student license. I have been considering buying a plane soon after getting my student pilot license so that I may take the practical in the plane I am going to fly on a regular basis. The advantages are low cost in comparison to renting per hour and even though I love the Evektor Sportstar I'm learning in, It's quite more expensive than anything I could actually buy. At first I was leaning towards an Ercoupe but after working the math I realized It's not practical for carrying passengers due to it's 900lb weight. So what I'm left with is a tail dragger i.e cub, champ. what I don't know is how many more instruction hours does it take to get my taildragger endorsement and are these planes worth it for a new pilot. I will mostly be fun flying but some cross country is in the cards. Your thoughts?

[Dana]

Absolutely, an older taildragger is an excellent choice for a new pilot and can be a much better value than any modern LSA. If you do your instruction in it, you won't need extra time afterwards to get the tailwheel endorsement. My first plane was an old Taylorcraft.

[hellya916]

By any chance did you do any cross country with it. That is my only concern with buying a vintage plane. Well, that and flying a taildragger CFI

[Dana]

Sure, I flew it all over the northeast US.

[bigdog]

Absolutely a good thing to do. I bought a Taylorcraft BC12D after renting for 2 hours after I got my license. I got my license in a Cherokee but really learned to fly in the Tcraft. This was 1974 and the Tcraft was considered old even then but the ability to learn in one is just as valid now. I got checked out in 3.7 hrs. I flew the Tcraft from Illinois to Seattle via Los Angeles with only 75 hrs in my logbook. The Tcraft has an honest 90-95mph cruise. The Luscombe 8 is a little faster, the 65hp Champ a little slower. They make for the least expensive flying you can get considering acquisition and operating cost. There are lots of other choices depending on your budget, mission and preferences. I had a delay getting my medical renewed a few years ago and picked up another BC12D to fly as an LSA. It was every bit as much fun as my first one 40 years ago. Just do it.

[1600vw]

Absolutely a good thing to do. I bought a Taylorcraft BC12D after renting for 2 hours after I got my license. I got my license in a Cherokee but really learned to fly in the Tcraft. This was 1974 and the Tcraft was considered old even then but the ability to learn in one is just as valid now. I got checked out in 3.7 hrs. I flew the Tcraft from Illinois to Seattle via Los Angeles with only 75 hrs in my logbook. The Tcraft has an honest 90-95mph cruise. The Luscombe 8 is a little faster, the 65hp Champ a little slower. They make for the least expensive flying you can get considering acquisition and operating cost. There are lots of other choices depending on your budget, mission and preferences. I had a delay getting my medical renewed a few years ago and picked up another BC12D to fly as an LSA. It was every bit as much fun as my first one 40 years ago. Just do it.

I like how you did this or your training. But I do not agree that a Luscombe is the cheapest way to get into aviation. I am really surprised on an EAA forum such as this people push GA airplanes. Are we afraid of an EAB or experimental or just don't like them?

I purchased my first airplane before I ever took a lesson.

I have owned 9 airplanes to date. I never spent over 7 grand on any one of them. Some I gave less then 5 grand. Only one needed some work to get flying. I am still working on this airplane but she is close to flying. Every other one was flown right after getting them home and going over them. The cheapest way to get into aviation in my book. They are simple single seat airplanes. Something to get me in the air at a cost I can afford. Just what I believe this thread is about. One of these airplanes has a speed of 130 mph and can carry over 1000lbs. Comes in wet at around 700 lbs with pilot. Hard to beat that.

Unless your all about flying your friends and such. Then you might want to reconsider this cheap forum of flying. Once you start wanting to fly others the price goes up by about 10 grand, just for the airplane. Like others here have pointed out. Most of these airframes will cost close to 20 grand.
So for me its a single seat. I love them or the cost of not only flying them but owning them. When someone asks what if I want to go for a ride. I tell them buy an airplane and learn to fly it. Then go for all the rides you want. Or buy a ticket and take a ride on something heavy.

Tony

[cub builder]

Absolutely a good thing to do. I bought a Taylorcraft BC12D after renting for 2 hours after I got my license. I got my license in a Cherokee but really learned to fly in the Tcraft. This was 1974 and the Tcraft was considered old even then but the ability to learn in one is just as valid now. I got checked out in 3.7 hrs. I flew the Tcraft from Illinois to Seattle via Los Angeles with only 75 hrs in my logbook. The Tcraft has an honest 90-95mph cruise. The Luscombe 8 is a little faster, the 65hp Champ a little slower. They make for the least expensive flying you can get considering acquisition and operating cost. There are lots of other choices depending on your budget, mission and preferences. I had a delay getting my medical renewed a few years ago and picked up another BC12D to fly as an LSA. It was every bit as much fun as my first one 40 years ago. Just do it.

I did the same in about the same time frame; back when the FAA didn't require a tailwheel endorsement because pilots were expected to know how to fly a tailwheel. Now days things have changed a bit. Most instructors can't fly a TW and those that do won't do an endorsement without about 10 hrs TW time; especially for a new Light Sport Pilot. My hangar mate had built a Sonex with his son. Once the plane was done and his son was actively flying it, he decided he might also want to learn to fly. He rented a modern S-LSA plane to get his light sport ticket. Then found an instructor to teach him TW in the instructors antique taildragger before transitioning into the much faster Sonex taildragger. He spent about 10 hrs in the antique plane with the instructor, then another 10 hours working with the instructor in his own Sonex until he they both felt he was safe in the Sonex. It took more time, but to him, the learning was as much fun as the flying once he was free to go fly his own plane.

-Cub Builder

[Yellowhammer]

Try to find a Pulsar I saw a Pulsar XP for sale in Texas the other day. for $15,000 Very economical to operate with good service record. There are other great aircraft out there too. Just have to decide what type will fill your mission needs.

I have a Pulsar I am building and like yourself I have 20 hours for SPL and approaching my check ride as well I am flying an Evektor Sportstar and absolutely love it However, I've become so familiar with it I wouldn't consider trying to get accustomed to another air frame for my check ride.

Best Wishes and Safe Flying to you sir.

Yellowhammer

[CHICAGORANDY]

It's quite possible that since the post you are responding to is 4 years old, the OP 'may' have concluded this issue?