From Racetrack to Runway

How a Motorcycle Instructor Bought an Airplane Before Earning His License

As a student pilot early in his training, Jason Trowbridge bought a 1980 American Champion Super Decathlon this past fall. “I bought the plane to learn how to fly,” he said, because he has always thought airplanes were cool.

“I had gone up with a few people back in the day, and they would do a loop or an aileron roll, or something like that. And it was like, wow, this is amazing. I thought, boy, the only thing that I think could possibly beat the speed and adrenaline of motorcycles would be something with an airplane.”

Jason loves an adrenaline rush. In addition to owning “some wickedly beautiful, fast motorcycles,” he is a motorcycle instructor. “I instruct people how to go faster, safer, and have more fun. What I do on the racetrack right now, I never dreamed that I could actually do in the air, much less afford my own airplane.”

Jason’s goal is to become a private pilot as fast as possible. “I figured if I buy an airplane, I’m making a monthly payment of about $1,200. My CFI is charging me $50 an hour. If I rented the airplane and paid the CFI, it would cost about $250 an hour. Then times that by 10 hours. That’s $2,500. Flying my own plane at least 10 hours per month, even if you include another $700 to $800 for fuel and maintenance, I’m still saving money, which I can put into my CFI and become safer, more proficient.”

Through his boss, a Cessna 182 owner-pilot, he met Memphis-based airshow performer and aerobatics instructor Skip Stewart and Dave Robinson, owner of a Pitts Model 12 airplane. The consensus was that Jason should investigate an American Champion Decathlon. “You can do aerobatics with it. You can put one person behind you, 40 pounds of luggage, and go spend the weekend somewhere.” Plus, the Decathlon was docile enough for Jason to train in.

Jason happened to find a Decathlon owned by legendary airshow and aerobatics instructor Greg Koontz. “I would like to point out how absolutely gracious, helpful, and nice he and his wife were to me, this first-time buyer.” It was Dave Robinson who suggested Jason contact AOPA. Jason worked with both Karen and Heidi at AOPA Finance. “If people call them, they’re definitely going to use AOPA because those women were as excited for me to get this airplane as I was!”

Jason said he found the AOPA Finance portal easy to use. “I literally went on the website and where it said, ‘Apply for an airplane loan,’ I clicked the button, and that’s how this got started.”

Jason did encounter one hiccup during his six-week acquisition process, but thanks to an AOPA Finance-recommended evaluator, that situation was quickly resolved. When asked if he had any advice for first-time buyers, Jason said, “Practice your patience. I’m not a patient person. If I were, I would go fishing and not try to go 170 miles an hour on a motorcycle around a racetrack. After having patience, it would be get started as soon as possible. Like, let’s go get it today!”

Jason has logged almost 10 hours in his Decathlon so far. Great advice. Great rates.

Great advice. Great rates. Helpful and responsive reps you can trust. Three good reasons to turn to AOPA Aviation Finance when you are buying or refinancing an airplane. If you need a dependable source of financing with people who are on your side, just call 800.62.PLANE (800.627.5263), or click here to request a quote.