Cheap to buy, $$$$$$$$ to run . . .

Dont forget the Aero Vodochody L29 Delfin for the price of a Cessna 150 but $800 per hour in fuel.

 

What would be the cost of ownership for one of these? What is the replacement part situation, I'm no way in the market for anything close to this, but I'm curious the operating costs, if you would want to have this plane at the ready, any time you wanted to go for a ride..

 

Love the Vampire...

 

or put another way, "British jets for sale"

 

I have owned a Soko Galeb since 1993 but stopped flying it about 8 years ago. Parts are relatively cheap but fuel can be painful. 60 gph at idle and 170 per hour in cruise. If I remember correctly around 300 at takeoff. Jet A is 5.00 or more per gallon so figure close to a $1,000 per hour in fuel alone. And it only has 2 seats.

Real problem is all of the requirements from the FAA. Not a big problem that they require 1,000 hours, and I think an instrument rating, (I got my LOA before all the new rules), but now you can't fly above 27,000 without RVSM, which would cost several hundred thousand to accomplish. This really hurts the T-33's and F-86 etc.

Then there is the public perception since the 1974 ice cream parlor incident that killed several people on the ground including children when a pilot rotated an F-86 before it reached the proper speed and it ran off the runway into the ice cream building.

The FAA will never forget that and there have been many close calls to total shut the jets down for perceived safety issues or noise related complaints. One of the bigger concerns is the FAA trying to put all into one category. Over the years they have tried to apply the same rules as to an active fighter wing aircraft and then to what would be used for a currently produced executive jet. So they are cheap mostly due to the fuel costs and the uncertainty of the government allowing them to be flown at all.

I am into guns, airplanes and cars and cars are the least attacked with regulations, as at any time our use of aircraft can be greatly controlled out of existence. Believe it or not almost every year there is a bill introduced that would confiscate any item ever owned by the military. This would include any Warbird (except foreign aircraft), your great grandfathers civil war sword and any ex military jeep etc.

Then there are the TFR's were we can not fly a 500 pound ultralight over say a football stadium yet there is a highway with 80,000 pound 18 wheelers less the 20 feet from the stadium in St Louis. If you accidentally flew within either 3 or 5 miles ? you would face serious charges and may be intercepted by an F-16. Some of these TFR's pop up with little or no notice yet we are required to stay out of them. We are considered guilt until proven innocent. All of these things have helped to cause a very large decrease in most small aircraft values.

Not a political statement just frustration. My jet has lost about 60% of it's value since I bought it.

 

aaahhhhh...but it is all about politics, and we get screwed a little more each and every year. Now it will be squared..............

 

how much does it cost to run and own that last one? looks wayy cool.

 

If there weren't such dickhead pilots it probably wouldn't be a problem. I remember 8 or more years ago two Vietnam or Korean war era jets took off from KMTO flying at an altitude of less than 1000 feet at a speed that had to of exceeded over 400MPH. My parents live in a populated village of about 800 people that should've required them to fly higher or slower for nothing more than common decency so early in the morning. I heard the sound of them from a few miles out [there was nothing but empty fields for them to cross to town]and it kept gradually getting louder and louder to the point it raised my concern and I looked out the window to see two aircraft at crop duster levels blazing a trail directly towards us in a relatively tight formation. Not a few seconds later they were over our house and gone, the sound was deafening and the whole house shook.

I want to say it was the summer of 2002, so 10 years ago. Because the first thought I had once I realized it was a jet engine was it's going to crash.

Its been so long I wish my dad were still around, he'd be able to tell me what types of aircraft they were and dig out the pictures he took; and I can't even remember if the tanks were on the end of the wings or under them! In fact given your location and your type of aircraft, it might've even been you or someone you know.

I find it astounding that these jets were so cheap compared to "simple" prop aircraft!

 

If you'll read the post you'll see that it's a de Havilland Vampire. Started flying when WWII wasn't even dry yet...It's OLD...


It was the first jet to land and take-off from a carrier.

Has an old turbojet, so it sucks fuel like flushing a toilet... $$$$$$$.

 

You reminded me of 1940's when I lived on Siesta Key on the Gulf coast during the war. We had B-17's, P-40's, P-39's and P-51's roaring over our house every day at very low altitude. We had to replace the glass in some of our windows several times. We not only had fly-overs but gunnery practice into the water off shore with the fighters firing right over our house. I had a huge belt of spent brass and belt clips that I put together after they rained down on our house. A few times airplanes rained down. It became routine in those days but looking back at it I can't believe that such dispensation of civilian rights and consideration existed. As everybody said then, " Don't you know there is a war going on!"

 

Doesnt look old at all. Wayy cool

 

I read an article, from a pilot who is familiar with the costs.

#1 Bring buckets of money.

The cost for the jet is cheap in relation to all the other fees.



It is not just the gas.

You have insurance, minimum PIC requirements, and the costs for parts and labor.

 

An IA mechanic would have to have special training to work on that particular aircraft. You just can't take that jet to any mechanic for an annual. In some warbirds there are just a few mechanics around the country that can legally work on these aircraft. What few pilots I know that own these type of aircraft are IAs as well that took special training so they could work on that aircraft. You could keep the cost down that way. Otherwise the maintenance would eat you up.

 

Also keep in mind that these aircraft are military aircraft and for that reason the FAA does not want you flying it around like a general aviation aircraft. You can't fly this to the beach to get some seafood for a beach day trip or fly to the mountains to go snow skiing. You can only land at airports approved by the FAA and it must be an exhibition reason such as an airshow or an EAA event. This list of airports must be reapproved each year depending on the FAA office that is over you.

 

So if someone purchases a Mustang, they couldn't fly into whatever airport they wanted because it's also ex-military (although not foreign)? Seriously?

 

As a licensed A+P mechanic, I can legally work on any aircraft in the United States.

 

Yes you can legally work on any aircraft but you could not legally return it back to service. FAR 65.81 states you must have prior training and experience on aircraft system(s) and/or aircraft to return them back to service. A magneto is a good example. Most A&Ps send off magnetos to be repaired cause the A&P could not legally work on it and return it back to service unless they have had prior training and the correct tools for that system. You would not want a Chevy Mechanic working on your Ferrari if he has never dealt with one before.

 

If I could not live without it, it would be cheaper to just base the aircraft in Central America and skip all the guv red-tape and paperwork.


8000 (+) foot runway and you are good to go.

A first gen jet, is a reliable and simple aircraft.

 

I would love to experiance that reliability first hand... But those toys are just a weeee bit outa my budget. It's nice to dream though.