Welcome aboard Frank, we are very glad to have you.
Congratulations on your first solo – it is an event that you will never forget. One of the sweetest times in a pilot’s life.
Buying your first airplane can be one of the greatest adventures of your life. I have one word of advice PATIENTS. There are plenty of airplanes out there if you miss getting what you think is the best deal around you will be wrong – there is a better deal out there somewhere.
As far as time on an engine goes you are going to pretty much pay for what you get. If the plane has a low time engine it will cost you more up front. I have always had good luck with buying a plane with an run out engine and having it overhauled. Then I know what I have. On the other hand I have bought some planes with low time engines that served me well and I have bought planes with low time engines that had to be overhauled long before the TBO.
Most folks that have flown with both manual and electric flaps prefer the manual flaps, I know that I do. But that is a personal preference thing for you.
I am in the process of building an aviation website for just such occasions. Click on
Buying [
wings.esisupply.com] and it will take you to the page of my web site where I talk about buying an airplane/
Click on
LINKS [
wings.esisupply.com] to go to page that contains links to several buy/sell websites as well as other helpful sites.
Good luck!
