Saying Bye to the Bird, Selling Airplane

wings&wheels

wings&wheels

Joined
Dec 5, 2003
Messages
5,069
Location
New England, USA
After ~20 years and ~900 hrs, many fun and exciting times, some not really fun just exciting, and one good scare, time to move her on to her next owner. My family doesn't appreciate small aircraft and won't fly in it, a few flying buddies have moved away or otherwise aren't flying and lifestyle changes have me not flying as I used to, plus changes within the avionics industry mean a very large investment is 5-7 years away and combined with a hot airplane market said this is the time to move on. Tough decision nonetheless. The Piper Dakota is a wonderful airplane, this is a very good well maintained example and I wish the new owner many fun hours with her, but sad to see her go....

I shouldn't, but thinking of a partnership on an economical VFR 2 seater, maybe an Ercoupe but should really look towards something like a Beech Skipper..if I can get over flying something named after Barbie's best friend :ROFLMAO:

17dg weather on the apron at the mechanics ready to be flown away....:(

PDbb122025.webp
 
Last edited:
"plus changes within the avionics industry mean a very large investment is 5-7 years away"

What changes are you talking about, and what would you have had to do?
 
K-Man said:
"plus changes within the avionics industry mean a very large investment is 5-7 years away"

What changes are you talking about, and what would you have had to do?
Click to expand...
I have a dated but completely functional mostly BendixKing panel with a Garmin gps navcom. BendixKing is ending support or parts availability for several of our avionics including displays for the radio and, importantly, servos for the autopilot, and Garmin is scaling back support for the 430, particularly displays. Ideally, I would have replaced my AI and DG (which feed the AP) with an Aspen unit, but per our avionics shop, there may be some compatibility concerns with that and the new Garmin nav products...they feel that Garmin wants to "own your panel". Long story short the complete Garmin panel would make the most sense, but ~$30K+.
 
rstcso said:
Sorry for your impending loss. Your level of Barbie knowledge is, uh, impressive :rolleyes: .
Click to expand...
Way back, I had a Pa38-112 Tomahawk, almost identical in appearance to the Skipper. Flying with a friend into a busy airfield, we were following a Skipper when another pilot said something like "...have the two Tomahawks in sight". A voice the said "please note that the aircraft on base is a Beechcraft, in a Beechcraft owner's tone (kind of like a SAAB or early BMW owner's tone back in the day;)). Completely breaking protocol and good practice, my right seater transmitted "cool they named your plane after Barbie's little friend".
 
Will your plane fall under the FAA's new sport pilot rules under MOSAIC? If so, may open up the market considerably.
 
rstcso said:
Will your plane fall under the FAA's new sport pilot rules under MOSAIC? If so, may open up the market considerably.
Click to expand...
The Dakota? 3K gross weight, stall 56/65 and IFR so not sure, but the market was very good for it considering condition; the dated but functional panel and excellent but completely original paint and interior. I haven't paid much attention to Sport or MOSAIC, but do plan to given my next steps and upcoming medical.
 
rstcso said:
Will your plane fall under the FAA's new sport pilot rules under MOSAIC? If so, may open up the market considerably.
Click to expand...
There are a miniscule amount of sport pilots compared to private pilots, so no real impact on marketability there.

If clean stall is 65, then the Dakota would not fall under MOSAIC.
 
tbm5690 said:
Yes, but there are a miniscule amount of sport pilots compared to private pilots, so no real impact on marketability.
Click to expand...
This may be true, but there are sport pilots waiting to take advantage of the enhanced rules, or those waiting for the new rules to be implemented before getting their certification.

The new rules have done away with the weight limit and defined the aircraft flown under a sport pilot certification as stall speed <= 59 knots with flaps or <= 61 knots clean wing. Now includes 4 seats, higher cruise speeds, retractable gear, variable pitch props, and more.

I'm not saying there isn't already a market, just that the new rules open it up even more.
 
Sad to hear the news. This day comes for every pilot, sooner or later.

What are you going to do with all the time you won't be flying? Hopefully something equally fun, engaging and intellectually stimulating. From your sig, maybe that is getting deeper into cars and SCCA / autosports.

PS: if I ever stopped flying for whatever reason, I would build a Factory Five Daytona Coupe and get back into cars again.
 
wings&wheels said:
After ~20 years and ~900 hrs, many fun and exciting times, some not really fun just exciting, and one good scare, time to move her on to her next owner. My family doesn't appreciate small aircraft and won't fly in it, a few flying buddies have moved away or otherwise aren't flying and lifestyle changes have me not flying as I used to, plus changes within the avionics industry mean a very large investment is 5-7 years away and combined with a hot airplane market said this is the time to move on. Tough decision nonetheless. The Piper Dakota is a wonderful airplane, this is a very good well maintained example and I wish the new owner many fun hours with her, but sad to see her go....

I shouldn't, but thinking of a partnership on an economical VFR 2 seater, maybe an Ercoupe but should really look towards something like a Beech Skipper..if I can get over flying something named after Barbie's best friend :ROFLMAO:

17dg weather on the apron at the mechanics ready to be flown away....:(

View attachment 315645
Click to expand...
I sold my Cessna 180 in 2019 and still haven’t replaced it. I could have kept it, but would have to work to justify having it. I chose to retire from work as a pilot and sell the plane. I may get another plane, but likely will get a two place airplane and may possibly get a partner in the plane too.

I used to commute to and from work using my planes over the years, but eventually just burned out on flying recreationally and professionally. I am starting to want to fly again for recreation and maybe even take on a student pilot on rare occasion..
 
Sorry to hear about selling the plane. That's an awesome machine. I too dabble with the idea of selling my plane every year. I just don't use it for practical things anymore.

While I am generally not a fan of partnerships, doing so with 2, 3 or 4 people can work well with something like an RV-8. Not really a long distance plane, so it won't likely be 'gone' for long trips. And a lot of fun to fly. 2 of them can fit in many T hangars, which helps offset that part of the cost.

Example: a friend recently purchased an RV8 with the 200HP angle valve engine and 10 to 1 pistons. What a ripper! Over 165Kts IAS at 5500 or about 185Kts TAS in normal cruise!
177RG hangar 2.webp
 
I have done some flying with a buddy of mine and it's a blast. He is really into it as a hobby. It's an expensive hobby but very, very exciting. We took a few trips with him as a pilot and his wife as well as my wife and myself. One time we went to the alien museum in Roswell NM and just had a blast. He would get those experiential airplanes and the were an RV something? Anyway he was into Corvette's and that's part of how we met. Sorry to hear you are selling it. After reading many of your posts wings and wheels I would not be afraid to ride in a plane with you as a co-pilot. Good luck in your sale of that beautiful plane!
 
MRC01 said:
Sad to hear the news. This day comes for every pilot, sooner or later.

What are you going to do with all the time you won't be flying? Hopefully something equally fun, engaging and intellectually stimulating. From your sig, maybe that is getting deeper into cars and SCCA / autosports.

PS: if I ever stopped flying for whatever reason, I would build a Factory Five Daytona Coupe and get back into cars again.
Click to expand...
All, thanks for the support.

MRC01 interesting what you called out, we think alike on that.

Several years ago "we" decided to start offshore boating; cruising, fishing, etc. "We" is in quotes because I was happy flying but my Wife grew up around boats and finally wanted one and I'd never driven one besides a small lake. I will say that as much as I enjoy the art of flying, boating brings the family together (something we all found we enjoy and everyone does their part...or at least tries) and it is something we can do with friends. I also realized that something that gets your 17 y/o daughter to actually want to hang with you is probably worth exploring. We are based in Buzzards Bay and explore destinations from Cape Cod Bay to RI, so far. I have radar and all sorts of electronics to play with and I took the courses and hired a Captain for instruction to do it right. I guess I underestimated the enjoyment of chardonnay cruises with the friends (meaning the wives drink wine in back or stretch out up front, the guys have a beer or three marveling at the nav displays and I stay totally sober and drive the boat, all of us having a great time). Offshore boating is certainly stimulating, there is a lot to learn both technically as well as the look and feel of the sea which I nerd out on, and it certainly can scare you like aviation, slower, but effectively. Plus there are the other boaters.....

That said, I will figure out a way to fly via rental, friends or a partnership.

I need to get back into autosports as much as a communicable disease or a heroin habit...but I was offered a seat in Lemons this coming year:ROFLMAO:
 
Last edited:
"...I have been fully bancrupt and pennyless three times, but never did I sell my private jet. One doesn't sell his private jet..."

Andre Guelfi, aka - Dede La Sardine (Dede The Sardine), colorful French business (and graft, and hustle, and so on) legend, the man who single handedly saved the Moscow Olympics and raked millions while doing it.

I don't know the first thing about planes, other that I both envy you for having it and sympathize for planning to not have it further.
 
goblin said:
I don't know the first thing about planes, other that I both envy you for having it and sympathize for planning to not have it further.
Click to expand...
The beauty of the aviation hobby, or addiction, is you could take your sentence, swap "envy" and "sympathize" and it makes complete sense either way!
 
My niece's fiance is a 737 captain at RyanAir and during his last visit here I learned from him that the US is probably the cheapest country in the (civilized) world to get a pilot license in. He explained how (to his knowledge) it would borderline cost you the same to fly across the country in a rented small airplane vs driving the same distance in a rental car. We talked enough for him to later send me his first headset with the expectation that I'll find the funds to get through it. I still have it carefully stashed somewhere during my last move. Just can't remember where.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom