What plane should I buy? Recommendations?

Don't buy an LSA. Get your private and go straight to a C172. The C172 is easy to fly and is much more useful in terms of speed, range and load than most LSAs. Plus, you have the added bonus of an extremely well-established maintenance and support network from Cessna.

 

If you want to stick with an LSA, I'd get a CubCrafters Carbon Cub. If you're going to move up to a conventional aircraft, I was always a Piper man, myself.

 

If you have 75k to spend, I would get a 182 instead of a 172. No additional maintenance, easy to fly, extra 30 knots and a ton of useful load!

 

I would not buy a LSA. Before you get excited about a 182 check on insurance first, it has 230 HP, as a new private pilot your rates and ease of being insured skyrocket when you go over 200HP (high performance), or at least they did a few years ago.

 

Good point. I bought a new 182 with a G1000 panel in 2009 as a newly minted Private Pilot.
Insurance quote was $2500 with $350k of hull coverage.
I love my 182 but the insurance cost is going to stay relatively high until the plane depreciates some or I get my IFR endorsement.

If you've trained in a glass 162, you'll love owning a G1000 equipped 172 or 182.
.

 

That's very cool!!! Sounds like a fun commute.

What's the difference between a Sport Pilot's License and a Private Pilot License?

Jedi

 

Don't buy an LSA

 

Thanks Greg!!

Jedi

 

What 2 airports will you fly into? Curious as I live in SoCal too. I don't fly light planes all that often anymore, so I don't know all the LSA rules. But based on what you're saying....daytime only, VFR only, 2 seats, NO class B,C,D airspace, why limit yourself? What if you work late and the sun goes down. Or we have the typical "June gloom"? Are you then stuck at work?

I'd check insurance rates as someone else posted. That may be a big factor.

You can get a full PP ASEL license in 40 hours. At least I think that's still the number. You could have it in a few months.

 

+1

+1

+1

 

Keep training til you at least have a PPL. Don't make any decisions before that. You don't know what you don't know.

You have a lot to learn. Keep going.

 

I got my ppl in 5 weeks. Stepping stones are not needed. Fly with your instructor til you can solo. That's where you build stick time.

An LSA is not high performance enough to build legit time. Sport license is a waste of time and money. Go get your ppl

 

Ahh, the old VFR corridor. Personally, I probably wouldn't use an LSA for that trip, although I have happy memories of flying through the corridor in a 152, which isn't much (any?) bigger than most LSAs.

I certainly wouldn't start flying that route until you've earned a private pilot's license! You'll want the extra training and experience. I think that's more important than whether you get an LSA or a more conventional aircraft.

 

Just curious, what does a LSA cost to rent per hour in So Cal? They must be really cheap?

 

Did your insurance Co. require a CFI to fly with you until you had 200 hours or more?

 

Cessna 152 is a nice little 2 seater that I would recommend. Costs around $25k and is much "sportier" to fly than a 172. Cut your teeth on that. Cheap to fly, half the cost of a 172 to maintain, and you won't lose any money when you sell it on.

I recommend you get a PPL as well. But don't count on doing it in 40 hours. Budget 50-60. That's what most people need if they are 40+. Pay attention to the weather and navigation sections of ground school. Don't let the radio bother you. It comes with time and practice. Start taking practice written tests right away--within a week or two you will feel a lot more confident about it. Best practice test site is here: mypilottests.com. Take enough so you consistently score in the mid- to high 80s. Then you know you will pass.

Also, when it comes time to select an examiner, don't be shy about letting one go for another. I had 2 give me crazy flight-planning assignments that required me to fly with less than full tanks to allow for the luggage and passenger weight, and then they created complex winds aloft and weather scenarios requiring climbs and descents for each leg. I simply told them I wasn't ready and then went with one who assigned me a straight-forward flight to an airport 60 miles away. Mind you, I made sure I could do the complex problems, but I didn't want these guys to nit-pick me to death during the oral parts or the check-ride. It's your money, it's your time, it's your licensing process, it's your confidence. Be competent, and don't let some power-tripping flight examiner rattle you.

Also, practice the maneuvers in the PTS till they are "easy"--understand how you have to compensate for wind when flying in a circle, square, doing figure 8s, etc., and do the go around, power off landings, and short field and soft field landings and takeoffs till they no longer challenge you. Practice flying these while sitting in a chair and talk yourself through each step till you have it down cold.

 

If you end up buying, I would get a 4-seater. Having those extra seats may come in handy someday.

I see you may be selling your 355 wheels/tires. Too bad you don't live closer to me, I'd trade you for a bunch of duel time. I'm a CFI/MEI, although I would have to get them reinstated. What's the going rate for an instructor nowadays?

 

Buy a used 172 or Piper archer / cherokee 180 for $40-$50k and call it a day. Put it on lease back if you want while your at work for other students, you really can't go wrong with either for your first aircraft, a LSA is not what you want.

It's funny right now with the whole avionics suites, I know a lot of people who all they want to look at is an iPad. You'll be ok with older avionics, seems like we will be bringing them with us now.