I said I would love to be able to build one but couldn’t ever be able to afford it. He replied with words to the effect ‘ oh, you can pick up OX-5’s in the US quite cheap- I know of one in running condition for $20,000’
This was interesting mostly for the fact that he thought $20,000 dollars was not expensive- different world!

Having said that, he was extremely friendly and very willing to chat for some time, a real gentleman

$20,000 might not be a lot of money to some people but it all comes down to what you think is important to spend your money on?

I know plenty of average joes who are restoring an Auster or Tigermoth or building a homebuilt / kit and will be notching up bills in excess of $20,000 to buy / refurbish engines and complete the airframe.

They are not “rich” but aviation is their passion and they scrimp and save to pursue it.

I used to smoke and gave up in the 1980’s with a pack a day habit then costing me $2/day, $14/week or $730/year.

I havent smoked for 30 years but dont ask me exactly where the supposedly “saved” $22,000 went, and “no” its not in an OX-5 in my shed, but yes it effectively “is” there in other “things”.

Today the same packs are @$15 so that same habit would cost $5,000 a year.

If I could “afford” to smoke $5,000 a year, I could probably also afford to spend $20,000 on an OX-5 as well, if that was more important to me.

Home ownership, holidays, fast cars, fast women, a pack of smokes and a pint at the pub, paying to go to the “footy” each week – in the end there are few people in western economies who couldnt save up and buy an OX-5 for $20,000 if that really was their life’s passion, and they chose to pursue it.

Regards

Mark Pilkington