Should I Purchase an Aircraft for My Flight Training?

Question: I am 58 and am a student pilot. I have set as my goals to get my PPL, then my Instrument rating, followed by my MEL. I live in Southwest Florida and my mission is to fly around the Bahamas, but also do a lot of cross country flying. I have a son in Colorado. My thought process is that when the time comes to do my multi engine training I would purchase my own plane to be trained in. I am looking for something like a 1979 Piper Seneca II. Would that be something I should consider?

Answer: I definitely think it’s a good idea to purchase an aircraft for doing your flight training – leverage the “4 Cs”. Consistency, Comfort, Control and most importantly Cost are all big advantages.

1. Consistency – It’s a lot easier when you are flying the same plane and not having to learn subtle nuances of one avionics setup versus another
2. Comfort – When it’s your plane you have comfort by making it the way you want and knowing it’s clean, safe and organized the way you want it.
3. Control – One of the challenges in flight training can be aircraft availability and scheduling. If it’s your own plane the only issue you need to coordinate is when it’s in for maintenance.
4. Cost – This is one of the most obvious, but flight schools make money by “grossing up” the rental cost of plane (as well as flight instructor). By using your own aircraft, your hourly usage rate should be much less.

Please feel free to reach out to my team directly at 800.627.5263 so we can help you further.

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