What is your lifestyle when you own a plane?

I think perhaps the OP has a point when he asks are we really giving up stuff. If I desired to play golf more than I desire to fly then I suppose I would be playing golf. Unless you are a multi millionaire then life does come down to choices as to what you spend your money on. I’m not poverty stricken, don’t get me wrong but I have had the odd comment when it crops up in conversation that I fly of ‘rich men’s toys.’ Not in a malicious way it has to be said.

I once had a conversation with a guy at work I know, I work for the county music service by the way. He was interested in the fact that I had a PPL and often made the comment that he would like to do it but couldn’t afford it and he didn’t know where I got the money from. I sat him down and worked out he could easily afford it (he’s on the same pay grade as me) if he gave up xy and z. Most people don’t actually know how much they spend on a night out at the restaurant followed by the pub followed by the taxi. When you do that once a week or maybe more then it soon adds up. As you say Moggy, I would rather be at FL90 exercising mind and spirit than peeing it up against a wall.

Being situated where I am, most interesting things happening are an hour away or less. Old Buck, Duxford, Shuttleworth, Elvington, Bruntingthorpe are all well under an hour. Take a couple of cost sharing mates/pilots to a fly in/wings n wheels and it soon becomes a not as expensive as you think day out. Old Buck next Sunday will be about 45 minutes away and around £60 each for three of us. Less than a night on the town.

But one can always play golf…and with few bucks you can get a disc and play frisbee golf. I have invested 200 euros this summer to play golf..and I played 3 rounds.

One of my aeroplane desings is a small compact plane that fits a ward drobe when wings and tail/prop off. Wouldn’t much change the way of living…but I could end up more dead than my buddies with a 6-7 m spanning 18 hp aeroplane.

Nail on head as they say.

I once had a conversation with a guy at work I know, I work for the county music service by the way. He was interested in the fact that I had a PPL and often made the comment that he would like to do it but couldn’t afford it and he didn’t know where I got the money from.

Sometimes it’s not always about money.

You must have heard so many time people saying “I want to loose weight”, “I would like to know how to play the guitar” etc. Those things do not cost much, sometimes it costs nothing! But they do not do anything about it.

If one really wants to do something, one would be doing it already! They say they want but are not taking actions and are finding excuses for not doing anything (no money, no time, too tired etc.)

It all comes down to defining what it really important to us.

I thought how lucky I was that I was up there enjoying the magnificent view from 3,000′. There was some cloud cover at about my level so I popped through it and enjoyed a superb cloudscape for part of the run home.

wow, it’s like your are describing a dream but it’s NOT! I am jealous!

Airpark

There is no reason why some of our disused airfields could not have been used as ‘airparks’ for those wishing to buy into that type of living.
Not only would it have provided employment, but it would clear up derilict ‘eyesores’ that abound in the UK and provide nil employment or purpose.
On the basis that they are for ‘residential’ use the lack of training movements gives the nimby lobby no ammunition re enviromental issues.
Unfortunatley this is the Uk, which means there is more encouragement for the benefit society rather than promoting a ‘can do’ attitude to create real employment opportuities.
The other real scandal are those abandoned’ MOD sites that fall into decay along with hundreds of what were perfectly good homes and facilities.
Good old UK; won the Battle of Britain,but lost the war of economy.
Having said that i had several pleasant ‘work’ trips this week including The Isles of Scilly, Perranporth in Cornwall, and Dunkeswell in Devon, it was a pleasure to go to all of them, and the ATC at Newquay do a great job.

Absolutely. It was a nice evening here last night and it’s not often I fly on my own these days so I went for a run over the Peak District, over Matlock, Bakewell and Buxton then up to the Ladybower Dam. Passed a Virgin hot air balloon on the way. It would have been around 5 pm and looking down on the M1 and all of the other urban connurbations on the way packed out with traffic I thought how lucky I was that I was up there enjoying the magnificent view from 3,000′. There was some cloud cover at about my level so I popped through it and enjoyed a superb cloudscape for part of the run home.

I never tire of it, every flight is as invigorating as the last.

I had a great week. I needed to go to a funeral in Shrewsbury. Of course I could have driven from Norfolk, It’s only four hours or so away. But I chose to fly, which took 1hr 8 minutes on Wednesday going there and 1 hour 4 minutes back on Friday.

The time-saving wasn’t important, though it was nice, the real joy was that before heading back I took a quick trip into Wales for a circuit around Snowdon – just because I can.

There’s so little freedom these days. As I type I am awaiting the arrival of the NiP from either or both the tax Scamera vans I blatted past two weeks back. How lovely just to cruise along at 160mph enjoying the view (Especially the Cessna I overtook – not a frequent happening when I had the Colt.)

Moggy

I think perhaps the OP has a point when he asks are we really giving up stuff. If I desired to play golf more than I desire to fly then I suppose I would be playing golf. Unless you are a multi millionaire then life does come down to choices as to what you spend your money on. I’m not poverty stricken, don’t get me wrong but I have had the odd comment when it crops up in conversation that I fly of ‘rich men’s toys.’ Not in a malicious way it has to be said.

I once had a conversation with a guy at work I know, I work for the county music service by the way. He was interested in the fact that I had a PPL and often made the comment that he would like to do it but couldn’t afford it and he didn’t know where I got the money from. I sat him down and worked out he could easily afford it (he’s on the same pay grade as me) if he gave up xy and z. Most people don’t actually know how much they spend on a night out at the restaurant followed by the pub followed by the taxi. When you do that once a week or maybe more then it soon adds up. As you say Moggy, I would rather be at FL90 exercising mind and spirit than peeing it up against a wall.

Being situated where I am, most interesting things happening are an hour away or less. Old Buck, Duxford, Shuttleworth, Elvington, Bruntingthorpe are all well under an hour. Take a couple of cost sharing mates/pilots to a fly in/wings n wheels and it soon becomes a not as expensive as you think day out. Old Buck next Sunday will be about 45 minutes away and around £60 each for three of us. Less than a night on the town.

I think that on the whole they give things up that they would like to do.

There have been times I have struggled to pay for an hour or two in the air.

Then I found the Colt – A group I was in for around ten years. I lost the use of £2,000 for as long as I was in the group, and got every penny back when I left.

It cost £720 per year for the monthlies.

I recently went with a friend to a service station. He bought a packet of cigarettes for £7.50.

Do that 365 days a year and you have spent over £2,720

So take away the £720 and you are left with £2,000. Enough to fly the Colt for 30 hours. (You’ll actually fly more – but hey, that’s because you can.)

But then I have never wanted to fill my lungs with carcinogenic fumes deliberately, I’d far rather enjoy the clear fresh freedom at FL90

Moggy

J Boyle, you have actually brought up a question I ask myself but did not bother much finding the answer.

I was actually wondering if the people were living in the villas full time or is it just a vacation place.

Most of the ones I’ve seen seem to be year-round homes.

But in North America, it’s not inheard of for people who live in the northern states or Canada to have a “winter home” in Florida, Claifornia or Arizona.

I think that on the whole they give things up that they would like to do. I used to play golf a lot, can’t do it now. I always liked a ‘nice’ car but now have a diesel Micra. I don’t buy good quality clothes any more. That sort of thing.

What I don’t do is let it affect my family, I give up things, they don’t. That would be selfish in the extreme.

I was up at the airfield this evening and the Spitfire was out doing a display. The crew and pilot are club members and it’s a bit of light hearted banter to get me to ride in the back (it’s a two seater). It would cost me 18 flying hours for a trip in the back seat and that’s how I look at things now; that new suit costs three flying hours, I’ll get one that only costs one flying hour.

On the other hand… John Travoltas house

😀

Google John travoltas house then look at the images and prepare to be jealous 🙂

I’ve always dreamed of living somewhere like that, as to the lifestyle and occupations of pilots; I think you’ll find that most private pilots give up an awful lot to be able to fly. Sure there are wealthy people in flying as in all pursuits but certainly the guys at my club aren’t well off, they are just normal guys doing normal jobs who have a total passion for flying.

I’m a guitar teacher, earn enough to get by but I have to fly, a large part of me would be dead if I didn’t and I think that’s what makes most of us contribute to the money pit that is flying.

I often fly into wings n wheels type events (I’ll be at Old Buck next weekend weather permitting) because I think they are a great day out and are what grass roots aviation is all about in this country; but I hope to God that anyone who has arrived by car who sees me climbing out of an aircraft doesn’t think that I’m in some way well off ‘cos I ain’t, I’ve just made the sacrificies that flying demands. Anyone with a national average salary could get a pilot’s license, they just have to have the motivation.

Hello Dave,

What you are saying is really interesting to me and I would love to hear from you more when you say that “most private pilots give up an awful lot to be able to fly”.

Do you think they have to choose between flying and something else they would like to do but can’t because they can’t afford both.
Or is it like they love so much flying that other activities do not interest them much anymore and in which case, I do no think they are really giving up on something, are they?

I know a lot of people here with planes and hangars at our GA airport.
While people don’t live there, many hangars have offices, small kitchens and sleeping quarters in them, used by friends passing through or the occasional “stuck” old friend/stranger/friend of a friend.

After work or on weekends, guys (and a few womens) will go to their hangar, work on their planes and if nothing else, open the door, pull up a lawn chair and enjoy the summer evenings while watching aircraft movements.
They give a wave as friends taxi by.

Another “lifestye” are people restoring their planes. I know one guy who has spent years restoring a Piper Tri-Pacer whereas others have spent far less time restoring various classic biplanes.

J Boyle, you have actually brought up a question I ask myself but did not bother much finding the answer.

I was actually wondering if the people were living in the villas full time or is it just a vacation place. It probably depends because it seems to me that the ones living in Summerland Key, Florida were there full time whereas in this case http://www.aero-delahaye.com/blog/ (link provided by Propstrike), it looks much more like a vacation place, in which case, these people must be really wealthy…

Welcome to the forum. As it happens, there is a similar community in France, see here-

http://www.aero-delahaye.com/blog/

I have stayed at such a place, at Wellington in Florida, and thought it was very appealing. I think when my chum bought it 10 years ago he got a smart house with a pool ( no hangar ) for about $350 K . prices went up, but have come down again now.

Hi Propstrike!

Thanks for the welcome!
Also, thanks for the link! This is a real discovery for me! Will probably visit the place if I get the chance to since they rent some of the houses for temporary stay…It would be nice just to pretend to have this kind of lifestyle for a day or two 😛

Although the promoter does not give much information about the price of a villa, he gives an the estimation of the cost as follows:
– 60,000 euros for the land
– 1300 euros/sqm for the living space
– 500 euros/sqm for the hangar (garage)
– 200 euros/sqm for the deck area.

+ 55euros/month for maintenance (grass, swimming pool, waste management etc.)

I wonder how big one villa is though…

I’ve always dreamed of living somewhere like that, as to the lifestyle and occupations of pilots; I think you’ll find that most private pilots give up an awful lot to be able to fly. Sure there are wealthy people in flying as in all pursuits but certainly the guys at my club aren’t well off, they are just normal guys doing normal jobs who have a total passion for flying.

I’m a guitar teacher, earn enough to get by but I have to fly, a large part of me would be dead if I didn’t and I think that’s what makes most of us contribute to the money pit that is flying.

I often fly into wings n wheels type events (I’ll be at Old Buck next weekend weather permitting) because I think they are a great day out and are what grass roots aviation is all about in this country; but I hope to God that anyone who has arrived by car who sees me climbing out of an aircraft doesn’t think that I’m in some way well off ‘cos I ain’t, I’ve just made the sacrificies that flying demands. Anyone with a national average salary could get a pilot’s license, they just have to have the motivation.

I know a lot of people here with planes and hangars at our GA airport.
While people don’t live there, many hangars have offices, small kitchens and sleeping quarters in them, used by friends passing through or the occasional “stuck” old friend/stranger/friend of a friend.

After work or on weekends, guys (and a few womens) will go to their hangar, work on their planes and if nothing else, open the door, pull up a lawn chair and enjoy the summer evenings while watching aircraft movements.
They give a wave as friends taxi by.

Another “lifestye” are people restoring their planes. I know one guy who has spent years restoring a Piper Tri-Pacer whereas others have spent far less time restoring various classic biplanes.

Welcome to the forum. As it happens, there is a similar community in France, see here-

http://www.aero-delahaye.com/blog/

I have stayed at such a place, at Wellington in Florida, and thought it was very appealing. I think when my chum bought it 10 years ago he got a smart house with a pool ( no hangar ) for about $350 K . prices went up, but have come down again now.