When Did You Buy Your First Airplane?

[MooneyMitch]

Seeing Parker's statement regarding 19 and 20 year old people requesting his service made me want to ask this question. How many of your bought your first airplane when you were 19 or 20 years of age? What age were you when you bought your first airplane?

This also prompted me to share a thought I had on a Facebook post regarding a recent Orange County Pilots Association meeting, which featured our very funny aviation humorist Rod Machado. Along with the FB text was a photo of the packed house at that meeting. One FB viewer stated that it was most unfortunate that most everyone in the photo was older.

As far back as I can remember with my aviation experience, I've noticed it's mostly been older folks in the photos, older folks at the seminars and probably older folks buying airplanes. I realize older is a relative term but for the sake of discussion, let's just people somewhat beyond the age of 19 or 20.

Is it because when we are young and starting out, many of us don't or didn't have the money to learn to fly or buy a plane? Is it because as we get older and more financially established, we can afford such things as airplanes?

Point being, I think it is a minority of folks that did, and now can buy an airplane at a young age. Yes, with the economic and ridiculous govt. regulation factors, it is more difficult than ever. But, the young are out there! Example; Parker, Bryan Painter, Quinn Walton and some others on MooneySpace I'm sure. Also, at our local FBO, we have 4 young folks that are either an AI, an A&P or combination thereof, or in training to be so. Take a look at the folks working at your local FBO............are there some young people working there? I'll bet there are!

The spark is out there and let's continue to help ignite that spark in our youth! We have programs such as EAA Young Eagles [and Bald Eagles now!!] which help get kids interested in flying. Boy Scout's and Girl Scout's have aviation badges, our local YMCA has a summer aviation camp, don't forget your local airport day, our Mooney Ambassador program [toot, toot!!], etc. These are just a few ways we can help inspire and promote our future aviators.

Don't give up! Find a positive way to help.

 

[pjsny78]

I bought My first plane last June at age 33.

[smccray]

Last August @ age 32.

[Parker_Woodruff]

Cessna 172 at +/- 19.  Used as a business plane.  A friend and I used it for flight instruction and rental about 100 hours per month.

M20J right before I turned 20 (As Mitch mentioned, money was the issue here in operating a nice plane.  I had some help here in that I had a relationship with an aviation organization that paid my fixed costs and an hourly rate to fly it.  We switched off using it every other week and that was just fine for me!  The C172 income helped pay the note, too.)

M20K at 22 and I am fortunate to work for a company that encourages me to fly myself on business travel.

[KSMooniac]

5 years and 3 weeks ago at age 33 for me.  Would have loved to have done it sooner, but it was not feasible for me.  I did start building an RV-6 tail kit at age 24, but changed jobs, moved, and let other interests de-rail that idea, along with a bit of mission creep into needing/wanting a 4-place plane.  

[skyking]

C152 at 16 years old! i used it to build my hours then sold it for a 172. i bought my first plane before my first car.

even back then i had my priorities right!

[orangemtl]

Age 48. Mooney Acclaim. Decided to buy my last plane first.

[mooneyman]

Bought my M20F 5 years ago at age 36! 

[Hank]

First flight lesson:  29 years, 11 months

Finished PPL:         44 years, 3 months

Purchased plane:   44 years, 5 months

OK, it was a slow start. But I'm still flying that first plane. Mooney at 62 hours! "Real" certificate still in the mail . . . Been making up for lost time ever since.

[N601RX]

age 28

[John Pleisse]

Solo 16th birthday, Private 17th... the following 16 years? Broke. 33.

[Immelman]

I started young.. solo @ 16, another PPL on 17th birthday.

I got the bug to buy an airplane when I was about 20 and starting to make good money. I began looking at already-built RV-4s and even had a couple of them pre-buyed before I figured out there was a difference between being able to buy an airplane and afford it.

I bought my Mooney, my first airplane, when I was 26, after stepping aside and saving money for a number of years.

Its difficult to say could-have should-have on things, but I'm glad I waited until I could swing it financially w/o worrying about being able to fix things that broke. I also have the airplane paid off, as my cars have been for many years, and that is a huge psychogical boost, being debt-free. I never really did enjoy paying bills...

[Cruiser]

Purchased my first plane at age 43.

First flight lesson at age 43 (after I bought the plane to learn how to fly)

 

[Seth]

Started training for real in 1999 at 17 years old with the money from working at the Air and Space Museum in DC (they paid me to talk about airplanes!).

Purchased my 1967 M20F in July 2008 at 26 years old.  Sold it in August 2011. 

Purchased my 1983 M20J Missile 300 in July 2011 at 29 years old.

I've wanted to fly my entire life.

-Seth

 

[stevesm20b]

Bought my first airplane when I was 31. C-310P

[Joe Zuffoletto]

PPL at age 21

Instrument rating at age 30

First airplane, 1980 Piper Archer II, at age 35

Second airplane, 1998 Mooney Encore, at age 36

Third (and current) airplane, 2008 Mooney Acclaim Type S, at age 47

[mooneygirl]

For me

PP at age 40

Instrument rating: working on

First airplane, A share in a Piper Warrior

Second airplane, 1965 M20E age 41

 

 

[thinwing]

Colojo...are you time traveling or what?...you bought a 1980 aircraft at age 35 and just 12 years later buy a 28year newer mooney at age 47...whats your secret??

[bnicolette]

Age 26 - A 1966 C-150.  Best airplane I've ever owned.  Hit every airport (almost) within 150nm of home base and the maintenance bill: $500 owner assisted annual and had to install a $100 muffler.  Kept it tied down at $25/month.   Wow, now those were cheap fun times.

[thinwing]

oh and at age 60 have just purchased a phantom ultralight that will be flown off a local duster strip...for when I cant remember how to start the mooney!!

[Scott Aviation]

PPL @ age 22

 Citabria/joint with dad also did restoration @ age 23

My first official plane- Mooney 20J @28 bought and paid for.

Hopefully will have it back in the air after my 3 year restoration in June.

Working on my A&P licence @ 24- ongoing

 

[orangemtl]

Quote: Hank

First flight lesson:  29 years, 11 months

Finished PPL:         44 years, 3 months

Purchased plane:   44 years, 5 months

OK, it was a slow start. But I'm still flying that first plane. Mooney at 62 hours! "Real" certificate still in the mail . . . Been making up for lost time ever since.

[bnicolette]

Quote: orangemtl

(19 year pause)

Then, bought the plane. Trying to make up for lost time, before cataracts and dementia hit!

[Bennett]

First owned airplane: a Mooney 231, soon converted to a Trophy 261/262.  This was about 25 years ago. Followed by a Cessna 172, another Cessna 172, a Piper 235, a Piper 180, a Cessna 120, a Dova DV-1, and now back to Mooneys - a 1983 M20J this time. Learned to fly around 1957 (miltary version of a DeHaviland Beaver on wheels), and then no flying until around 1985. SEL,SES, Instrument, Commercial.  Couldn't afford to fly in the 1960s and 1970s - too busy with career and family, although in retrospect, I should have found a way. I have several thousand hours now, and I am expecting to make the big decision to "hang up the keys" in three years when I will be 80.  Neither of my children have any interest in flying (although I offered to pay their instruction through at least a private certificate), nor are any of my four granddaughters, all between 18 and 22. Although I hate to say it, I believe that GA as we know it is dying.  I've flown Young Eagles, and taken many children of friends flying, and adult friends for that matter, but with one notable exception, none of the young folk or friends I have taken flying (to my knowledge) have pursed flying instruction. The one exception is a wonderful young man who now is flying C130s in Afganastan. It was a pleasure to be one of his mentors in aviation. 

[orangemtl]

Quote: Bnicolette

(19 year pause)

Then, bought the plane. Trying to make up for lost time, before cataracts and dementia hit!