I enjoyed the post from a while back that polled aircraft price and if it was paid for in cash or loan. While I'm not an owner I would like to be someday and was currious if there is a trend on the age of the pilot and when they first purchased an aircraft. I have my assumptions but I'm currious to see the results.

16 for me. A 1951 PA-18 with an O-235. Took a year's worth of work to rebuild it, then learn to fly in it. Worth it all.

Gump

Bought my first plane when I was 25, financed it, paid it off in less then 3 years. I had 1.4 hour TT in my log book... I Hate renting anything..

Bought the 170 when I was 36. Just married. Both working. No kids.

my how times have changed...

I owned a F-19 Taylorcraft project that I sold as a project and I never had the pleasure of flying; I assumed this didn't count and voted the age I got into a plane that flew.

Just purchased my first plane at 42

First "ownership" in a partnership at 17. First individual ownership 34.

17 for me.

Best,
O-2

I was 59 when I finally broke down and did it after working with my son on his 1946 Luscombe 8E restoration and flying with his buddy in his 8A. Barnstormer's takes on a whole different feel when you stop looking and start shopping! Found a nice 47 8A/8E conversion that my son performed the pre-buy on, and that I got my tailwheel endorsement in. It's been a pure joy. I keep hearing it from others and I have to agree - I wish I'd done it sooner. All I can say is find some way to go for it.

By the way my pattern of good old stuff was already set with a 51 Ferguson TO-20, a 49 Cletrac BGSH, and a 79 F150. The Luscombe feels right at home.

Well..... I just screwed that poll Hahahaha. I went back and added a younger category and it erased all the entries.

Cool responses though!

Well, you're still missing the 40-45 category....

35, bought an Ercoupe in a barn (actually 2 seperate barns a few miles apart), with no engine, and spent 9 months getting it flyable.

AKclimber wrote:Well, you're still missing the 40-45 category....

Let's just say I'm not a professional pollster..... Thanks for pointing that out!

Good post with this poll. It is interesting to me.

Now my situation. 1/5th share of a Cherokee at 35. Upgraded to 1/3 in same cherokee at 37. Kitfox kit at 44. Kitfox inspected and given airworthyness at 50. I have always and still want a J3 Cub, tnen I would consider myself as owning a real aierplane. Which box do I check?

I recast my vote so while at it will throw in some details: at 25 bought a TW Piper Colt half cash half loan. Picked up a 2nd job on nights and weekends and knocked out the loan in under 9 months. Turned out I liked the 2nd job so I kept it for another year or 2 and bought 100LL with it and a 2nd airplane (flying Starduster project) a year later. Eventually traded both in for the Maule.

A funeral for a family member and a book on aircraft ownership that I was reading during that time made me realize it is never to early to try something you've always wanted to and where there is a will there is a way to make it happen.

Titus577 wrote:

AKclimber wrote:Well, you're still missing the 40-45 category....

Let's just say I'm not a professional pollster..... Thanks for pointing that out!

...not like professional pollsters are any good either...

Bought my first plane in '96, my second in '06, and I just bought my third plane on Nov 1. The first, a '52 C-170 was traded in on a new '05 Citabria. The Cub I just bought was bought outright. Have never went into the RED (borrowed money) to have a plane and never will. This is an agreement between my wife and I. Been a pilot for 18 years and have no plans to change that at the present time. I was 45 when I got my PPL, 47 when I bought my first airplane.

17. My parents supplied the money, put a '56 172 in my name with the stipulation that I had to buy the gas. I flew that airplane all over the west coast for several years. Sadly after buying gas there was no money left for girls......

First airplane was a Luscome 8E with 2 partners when I was 16 -In Southern Washington > ground looped within a year .One of my partners Dad insured (he was a agent ) the Luscome for more than we paid so we came out ok. Next was a Stitts Playboy with only one partner .When I went into the service I sold my interest to partner . Bought TU206 with 2 other partners (paid 19,500 bucks in Incline Village Nevada) within 6 months both partners were gone. After that I've owned another 30 airplanes on my own & 3 helicopters all on my own > now have 4 of my own and 3 in partnership. Now everything flying is for sale
> think I'll keep one and buy some more land .

At a boring baseball game with family, there was an airshow going on across the freeway. I hopped the fence, dodged traffic and waded into the swarm of oddly smiling people. I had one previous flight in a Pacer. It had cost $3.00 for fifteen minutes. In the middle of the show there was a guy pushing a T34 through the crowd to the taxiway. I helped. He offered and in I climbed. I snugged the four point harness up. He was standing on the wing, looked on, reached in and snugged it tighter. While taxiing he asked if I had recently eaten lunch. "Never been motion sick, just fly". He did. The smile left MY face about six months later. I started making phone calls: "What does SMOH mean?". Many helpful people later and a few irritated ones, a tiny bit more knowledgable, I bought a 172. Oddly and purely by chance, my 172 got tied down next to the only other aircraft owner on the field without a pilots license, another 172. I have never looked back. The day I soloed was cool. But, the first day I went, by myself, to my plane, climbed jn and took off, was terrifying. Upwind, reciting all relevent numbers, thinking about death. Cross wind, watching speeds and altitude, attitude and thinking about death. Downwind, speeds, flaps, carb heat and death. Final, speeds, descent rate, attitude, death. Touch down and OH MY GOD elation. Firewalled the throttle and flew, and flew and flew.