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Thread: Beginning Pilot, and costs of ownership

  1. #1
    Junior Member
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    Mar 2014
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    Seattle, WA
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    Question Beginning Pilot, and costs of ownership

    Hello Cub flyers,

    I'm a Seattle resident looking to get my Sport Pilot license in the next year or so. I'm quite tall (6'5") and about 220 lb. I'm interested in flying on weekend getaways, both in the backcountry and to paved airports around Washington and the inland northwest. It seems like the Sport Cub is a really nice plane that could do those things, and it's one of the few LSAs comfortable for tall people.

    I have some easy questions for you guys:

    * Is there a place that rents or does training in Sport Cubs in the northwest? The nearest I can find is Twin Oaks, which is outside driving distance. Would it be easier or more sensible to train on a tricycle-gear LSA at a nearby FBO and then go somewhere else to transition?

    * I'm trying to estimate cost of ownership and operation. Purchase prices and hangar fees I can estimate, but I have no idea how much the annual and hourly costs of operation, maintenance and inspection run. Those of you who own, could you give me some advice on what your flying budget looks like? Are there easy ways to keep costs down (e.g. getting a repairman's certificate?)

    * Can the Sport Cub run legally on mogas, and if not, is there an STC effort in the works to make it so?

    * Do people often buy Sport Cubs in partnerships? Say I wanted to buy an S2 with one or two other people and hangar it at Harvey Field. How would I go about finding other people who wanted that? What is the purchase process and lead time for a new Sport Cub?

    Thanks!

    Bruce

  2. #2
    Senior Member J2cub's Avatar
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    Dec 2011
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    St Louis, MO
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    Default Re: Beginning Pilot, and costs of ownership

    * Is there a place that rents or does training in Sport Cubs in the northwest? The nearest I can find is Twin Oaks, which is outside driving distance. Would it be easier or more sensible to train on a tricycle-gear LSA at a nearby FBO and then go somewhere else to transition?

    I am the midwest dealer and out of your area, but I have had personal experience with Twin Oaks and they are great. I had owned a flight school for a number of years and Bobs Operation is top notch. It maybe be worth while to just schedule a block of time to go down there stay and get it done. Intensive training in the make and model you plan to fly for a while is the best way. What you want is time in type. So if you intend to fly a tail dragger learn in one, that way your training will kick in while you lack experience. Learning in one plane than changing to another to fly for a while is how issues can happen.

    * I'm trying to estimate cost of ownership and operation. Purchase prices and hangar fees I can estimate, but I have no idea how much the annual and hourly costs of operation, maintenance and inspection run. Those of you who own, could you give me some advice on what your flying budget looks like? Are there easy ways to keep costs down (e.g. getting a repairman's certificate?)

    I own a few planes and my CCI has been the cheapest. I pay about 850 bucks for my annual, about 250 for oil changes, 220 per month for hangar, and I am a higher time guy so my insurance is only about 1200 a year. Then you have your variable costs for fuel and oil.

    * Can the Sport Cub run legally on mogas, and if not, is there an STC effort in the works to make it so?

    Not the carbon cub, but the sport cub can be converted to an ELSA quite easily and STCs don't apply to LSA aircraft. There is an equivalent but far easier to just go ELSA in my opinion. The 100HP Continental does quite well on MO Gas.

    * Do people often buy Sport Cubs in partnerships? Say I wanted to buy an S2 with one or two other people and hangar it at Harvey Field. How would I go about finding other people who wanted that? What is the purchase process and lead time for a new Sport Cub?
    The way to do that is to buy the plane, then advertise partnerships in the aircraft. That way you can retain the higher percentage of ownership and can control maintenance, where the plane is based ect. Give me a shout if you have more questions or want to chat. We have a few used carbon cubs lists right now on our website iacsales.com. You can also get our contact info from there. We are in Sun N Fun this week but I would be happy to help.
    Jeffery Baber
    Innovation Aircraft Sales
    (844) ACSALES

  3. #3
    Senior Member Centmont's Avatar
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    Jan 2010
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    Winifred, Montana
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    Default Re: Beginning Pilot, and costs of ownership

    +1 on Baber's response. Ralph
    Ralph Rogers
    Owner: TheCubWorks
    www.TheCubWorks.com
    CCSS #142 N123MR
    I have always felt the supercub is one thing mankind got right the first time but that there were better materials and methods to build them. CubCrafters products are proof I was right.

  4. #4
    Senior Member 40m's Avatar
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    Sep 2013
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    Shoreham, VT
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    Default Re: Beginning Pilot, and costs of ownership

    Is $850+- what others are seeing for annual inspection cost?

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