Budget Buys: 5 aircraft under $40K

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Buying an airplane is more affordable than you might think. Take a look at the top 5 airplanes you can buy for around the cost of a new car. We searched Trade-A-Plane www.trade-a-pl... and Barstormers www.barnstorme... to find the five most common budget buys for under $40,000. Here’s a look at the Ercoupe, Aeronca Champ, Cessna 140, Luscombe 8, and Piper Tri-Pacer.
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AOPA Aviation Finance Company finance.aopa.o...
AOPA’s Aircraft & Ownership web section www.aopa.org/g...
Vref aircraft value reference www.aopa.org/g...
Operating Cost Calculator www.aopa.org/g...
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AssuredPartners Aerospace www.ap-aerospa...
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[@flyingfalcon8999]

The 140 will always have a special place in my heart.

[@nacholibre5365]

Me too . Had one for 10 years . Great little plane, just had to grease her in or you ended up with three landings in your log book!

[@alankordzikowski7670]

Just 3 years ago these planes were featured in 5 planes for under $20k….so sad

[@bwnco]

Yep my buddy bought the most fun 140 about 8 years ago for 18000. we had a blast in that thing. F king prices gonna ruin private avation if they do not do something about it

[@xxxy9928]

car prices in europe rise also insane

[@scottb5733]

Bidenomics

[@georgemurray2901]

@@scottb5733inflation is world wide,COVID screwed the economy and now we are being priced gouged by corporations trying to make up their losses!

[@ratdog7050]

@@scottb5733 Really it's FJB, Trump, Obama, Clinton, Bush, etc, etc. They all command over FIAT money machine where those closest to the "printer" make the most for themselves. This has been going on since the creation of the Federal Reserve in 1913. Got turbo charged under Regan, I suggest you watch "Crash Course" by Chris Martenson.

[@flyod26]

Great video, not flashy but full of amazing info. Please AOPA more like this!

[@flywithaopa]

Thanks! We are looking at more budget buys!

[@brent1041]

A zenith 601xlb is a better buy than all of these 2 seaters. Very similar price but with a roomier cockpit and much better performance. Plus experimental ones are much cheaper to maintain than any of these certified options in the long run.

[@JohnChvatalGSTV]

Missed mentioning the Taylorcraft.

[@ralphstrahm4429]

I fly my Taylorcraft ten times more than my Bonanza. It sips gas, and is so fun.

[@flywithaopa]

Taylorcraft is a great one, thanks!

[@wccborn]

I LOVEEEE my 140. It is a fantastic "jack of all trades" airplane.

[@edl617]

Love trail draggers. I could not get a recreational license due to an inner ear problem that affected my equilibrium.

[@pi.actual]

How lucky am I? I own a 90hp Champ 7EC and an 85hp Luscombe 8E. Also just picked up a 145hp GC-1B Swift but it's a project (a very challenging one) so time will tell if I can pull that one off.

[@flywithaopa]

Pretty lucky! Good luck with the GC-1B Swift project!

[@jbbarron80]

Great video, thank you!

[@cyrouskhavari969]

These planes I believe, are great for recreation, and some one wants to learn how to fly but not for instrument xcounyry flying

[@TheAirplaneDriver]

I’ve flown coast to coast twice in my Cessna 140. VFR. 😊

[@cameronmolt5649]

Aeronca 15AC Sedan

[@FromSagansStardust]

So, why did that Luscombe have Stinson markings all over it?

[@peterk2455]

It doesn't have Stinson markings on it. What it does have is a stylised S, which is the Silvaire Uranium and Aircraft Company, as they bought Luscombe production rights.

[@edl617]

Everything is so over priced. We recently found a nice lot to build a retirement home. But they wanted 30% more than the asset price a year ago. I offer them cash for the lot at 1/3 of the listed price with a wire transfer for the entire amount. We got it after they discover most banks would not loan that amount for that size of property

[@Idontwanttoask]

Can I get one?

[@jimflammer9370]

Great video.

[@scottfranco1962]

A fabric airplane is cheap? Yea until the fabric needs replacing.

[@davidhall8874]

What cani get for $500?

[@pilotmiami1]

Bravo.thenks

[@colinfitzgerald4332]

I own a Cessna 150. Cheap to fly and cheap to keep. Would have been included here if this report listed six aircraft, I assume. I would love to own a Piper Pacer if a hangar was available at my airport.

[@michaelb.8953]

Is your name on a list to get one? I've been perusing the Cessna 150 market myself. They've definitely gone up in price in the last couple of years, but everything else has gone up that much more as the Cessna 150 still seems to be one of the best values on the market that isn't almost 100 years old, and isn't a brand new LSA that is well over $100,000 with the same basic performance as a Cessna 150.

[@colinfitzgerald4332]

@@michaelb.8953 I’m not on a list for a hangar. I purchased the C-150K in 2009 for $14,000. Flying it since then with no major maintenance expenses. My grandson wants to be a commercial pilot so selling it in the next 7 years is not an option.

[@flywithaopa]

There are a few Cessna 150s on the market for less than $40,000, but the majority of them are over that, which is why we left it off this list.

[@djwashx]

Thanks!!!!!!

[@BlazingShackles]

Im finna buy me one and worry bout a license later.

[@flywithaopa]

Some people go that route and train in the airplane they purchased. Best wishes!

[@BlazingShackles]

@@flywithaopa yal know if i can buy on payments?

[@michaelb.8953]

@@BlazingShackles I'd like to know that also myself, but experience here on the KZbin comment section questions aren't usually answered, but rather ignored. I heard not too long ago that if an airframe has over 7000 hours it becomes harder to finance the purchase directly, but that doesn't mean you can't buy with cash or acquire some other form of financing like HELOC. Whether that 7000 hour benchmark is accurate I'm not 100% sure.

[@BlazingShackles]

@@michaelb.8953 Thanks bro, Im finna get my cousin to let me drive his car and get on me a Uber side hustle. Im get mine!

[@flywithaopa]

You can learn about financing options on our website finance.aopa.org/aircraft.

[@rauldiaz3193]

No J-3 cub?

[@stephenalexander6033]

Less than 40k?

[@flywithaopa]

While there are a few Piper J-3 Cubs under $40,000, most are over so we didn't include it in this list.

[@stevenwomack9574]

Great video! And the only way I'll ever own again...

[@flywithaopa]

We were pleased with the offerings at this price point!

[@DanFrederiksen]

previously owned by Amilia Earhart and Indiana Jones.

[@markvanwyk4896]

Old jalopies.